Joseph Medill
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Joseph Medill | |
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26th Mayor of Chicago
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| In office 1871 – 1873 |
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| Preceded by | Roswell B. Mason |
| Succeeded by | (Lester L. Bond), Harvey Doolittle Colvin |
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| Born | April 6, 1823 Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Died | March 16, 1899 (aged 75) Chicago, Illinois |
| Political party | Fireproof |
| Residence | Wheaton, Illinois |
Joseph Medill (April 6, 1823 – March 16, 1899) is better known as the business manager and managing editor of the Chicago Tribune than as mayor of Chicago, although his term in office occurred during two of the most important years of the city's history as Chicago tried to rebuild in the aftermath of the Great Chicago Fire.
Medill was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
During the American Civil War, Medill's great journalistic enemy was The Chicago Times, run by Cyrus McCormick. Eventually McCormick's nephew married Medill's daughter Kate. Strongly supportive of Abraham Lincoln, the Tribune was instrumental in his nomination for the Presidency. Although he may have had racist tendencies, Medill used his editorial stance to stand up for the abolitionist cause and was a strong supporter of Lincoln's bid for the presidency.
Edwin Cowles and Medill established the Leader in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1854, Capt. J. D. Webster who owned part of the Chicago Tribune asked Medill to become managing editor. Medill was interested. Dr. C. H. Ray of Galena, Illinois encouraged him further through Horace Greeley who wrote a letter encouraging Medill to start a newspaper with Ray in Chicago. Medill returned to Cleveland to sell his interest in the Leader to Cowles and returned to Chicago with Edwin's brother Alfred Cowles, Sr. Alfred Cowles, Medill and Ray each purchased one third of the Tribune.[1]
Medill's mayoral term was from 1871 to 1873, and he ran under the unique Fireproof party (a means of bringing attention to his rebuilding efforts after the Chicago Fire). As mayor, Medill gained more power for the mayor's office, created Chicago's first public library, enforced blue laws and reformed the police and fire department. In ill health and tiring of mayoral responsibilities, Medill took a leave of absence and appointed Lester L. Bond as acting mayor while he traveled throughout Europe.
Medill's country estate in Wheaton, Illinois, which was later occupied by his grandson, Robert R. McCormick, who named it Cantigny, is now open to the public as a beautiful public garden, picnic area and museum for the First Division of the US Army [1] [2]. The Medill-McCormick home is also open for tours as a museum.
The Medill School of Journalism, one of the many schools that compose Northwestern University, and one of the top journalism schools in the United States, is named after Joseph Medill.
Medill was a signer of the 1891 Blackstone Memorial.
Medill had two daughters, Kate and Elinor, known as Nellie. While Kate married the nephew of Medill's chief rival McCormick, Nellie married Robert W. Patterson Jr., an influential reporter at the Tribune. Each daughter named her firstborn son after her successful father: Katie had Joseph Medill McCormick, and Nellie had Joseph Medill Patterson. Nellie's son became a successful newspaper owner himself, founding the New York Daily News and rivaling the dynasty of William Randolph Hearst. Nellie's daughter, Cissy Patterson, also achieved fame as a publisher. Joseph Medill Patterson's daughter and Medill's great-granddaughter, Alicia Patterson, founded and edited Newsday. Medill's great-great grandson, Joseph Medill Patterson Albright, married future (now former) United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Rushton, Wyatt (1916). Joseph Medill and the Chicago Tribune (thesis). University of Wisconsin-Madison via Google Books full view. Retrieved on 2007-10-24. and White, James Terry (1895). The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography: Being the History of the United States. James T. White & Company, via New York Public Library via Google Books full view. Retrieved on 2007-10-24.
[edit] External links
- Medill School of Journalism - Joseph M. Medill biography
- Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation official site
- Cantigny Park official site
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