Mar. 1, 2012
Today’s issue of The Republican newspaper begins its 136th year of existence, having been founded on March 3, 1877, by Capt. James Hayden. A veteran of the Union Army in the Civil War, he named the paper in honor and in memory of President Abraham Lincoln, who had been assassinated just 12 years prior. Hayden’s descendants still reside in Mountain Lake Park.
Benjamin Hinkle (known by most as “B.H.”) Sincell purchased the publishing company in 1890, and printed his first issue of The Republican on his 21st birthday.
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Sincell operated the company, producing the newspaper and managing a general printing shop, until his death in 1947. His son, Donald R. Sincell (“Mose”), general manager, and his brother-in-law, George H. Hanst, editor, took over the business at that time, along with B.H.’s widow, Lillian “Tay” Sincell and his grandson, Robert Benjamin Sincell.
Robert’s son Donald W. Sincell became the editor in 1978. In the 135-year history of The Republican newspaper, there have been just four editors: Hayden, B.H. Sincell, George Hanst, and the current editor, Don Sincell. Ownership remains in the Sincell family, with five family members on the staff.
The Sincell Publishing Company Inc. employs 26 people, and operates a satellite office in Grantsville. The paper is published each Thursday. To the best knowledge of the company owners, a week has not passed without publication since the paper’s beginning. So today’s issue should be the 7,021st Republican printed.
The commercial shop was initiated by B.H., who did most of that work by himself for many years, printing business cards and stationary and many other items for area businesses and individuals. He slowly added staff members over the years, including his son Mose, who worked in the commercial shop his entire career, and who was followed in that position by his son Robert (“Bob”), who remained there until his death in 2003.
The shop continues to operate, producing printed materials, such as posters, tickets, brochures, invitations, stationary, business cards, posters, and others items.
The newspaper has a circulation of approximately 11,000, combining the 9,500 mailed papers and the 1,455 online subscriptions. The paper is mailed to virtually every state in the country, and is viewed online internationally every week.
The web site address for the newspaper is www.therepublicannews.com. It is a paid site, with a fee of $9.95 per year to view a wide range of items from the hard copy of the newspaper.
As newspapers struggle nationally in the rapidly changing publishing world, The Republican faces its challenges as well, according to the company’s owners. The explosion of the Internet, the woes of the U.S. Postal Service, and the recent difficult economy have definitely affected Sincell Publishing, but the paper remains an important and vital part of community life in Garrett County, and the staff is dedicated to maintaining that role.
More here.
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