Yuma County Newspapers
Since 1886
While today there are only two weekly newspapers published in Yuma
County, there have been many others over the years.
Eckley
Eckley Bee 1888-1889
Eckley Republican 1890-1892
Prairie Farmer 1891-1892 (Moved to Yuma)
Eckley Record 1916-1919
Eckley Tribune 1919-1943
Friend
Friend Herald 1887-1888
May 25, 1888 "FRIEND (COLORADO) HERALD
Fred WATTS traded his farm near Kingston for a livery stock in Friend, Nebraska,
and for a time will make that place his home. Fred has a host of friends who will
welcome him back to his place when ready to return.
J.W. DUDGEON has the finest looking lawn and the largest trees we
have seen in eastern Colorado.
Ira WINSLOW came into our office Wednesday shaking eight rattles
he had captured from a mammoth rattler the day before.
"
Friend Republican 1889-1890
Idalia
Idalia Sentinel 1887-1889
Idalia Times 1889-1890
Idalia Republican 1892-1903
Laird
Laird Leader 1908-1910
Lansing
Kingston Lariat 1886-1889
Logan
Logan Sentinel 1887-1888
Logan Republic 1894-1896
Vernon
Vernon Bugle 1917-1919 October 26, 1917 Yuma Pioneer "Yuma County has another paper. It is the Vernon Bugle and is published and edited by Dr. C. M. Worth, of Vernon. The initial number was issued last week."
Wray
Wray Rattler 1886-1948
Wray Republican 1888-1889
Cottage Home 1895-1896
Wray Times 1898-1901
Wray Gazette 1903-Today
Inter-State Farm
Journal 1911-1912
Colorado Patriot 1919-1927 "Announcement is made of the consolidation of the Wray Gazette and the Colorado Patriot, the Gazette absorbing the Patriot. The Gazette is owned by Leo Simpson, with Charles Amy as publisher.
Yuma
Yuma Sun 1886-1888
Yuma Pioneer 1886-Today
Ann Caskinette wrote "Looking for information on Thomas Webb Williams, editor of the Yuma Pioneer, Yuma, Colorado Died Oct. 27, 1888 in or near Yuma. (Then Weld County)"
The Pioneer wrote in 1905 "J. Wilkes Moore and H.A. Moore were printers when Webb Williams managed the Pioneer."
September 18, 1919 
|
March 16, 1917 
January 22, 1920 "Bruce R. Coffman, formerly publisher of the Yuma County Times, died in Denver Saturday. The body was shipped to Phillipsburg, Kansas for burial. The deceeased recently purchased the Haddam, Kansas, Clipper-Leader and had gone to Denver to visit his brother. Heart failure was the cause of his death."
The above listing of county newspapers was in the 1985 centennial history of Yuma published
under the title West Yuma County Colorado. The editor credited
the list to the "Guide to Colorado Newspapers 1859-1963" compiled
by Donald Oehlerts of CSU.
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The Wray Rattler May 19, 1911
With this issue the Wray Rattler starts out on its twenty-sixth year of
continuous publication in Wray, having completed the Quarter Century mark last
week.
The Rattler was established in 1886 by Barney Condon, whose death in
Maryville, Missouri, nearly two years ago, was chronicled. Later the paper
was purchased by J.N. Counter, who at present is a prosperous business man at
Brighton. Mr. Counter sold the paper to Otto Derr, who now resides at
Oakland, California, and Mr. Derr sold to Mr. Dow in 1901, and on January 1,
1903, Mr. C.L. Will purchased the paper from Mr. Dow. Last fall, to be
more explicit, November 1, 1910, the present owners took over the paper from Mr.
Will.
The Rattler is one of the oldest papers in Colorado, and enjoys the
distinction of having a name that is not duplicated by any publication anywhere.
In looking over the first two issues we find that Newell, Sisson & Co. were
in the real estate business; A.M. Coston, blacksmith; E.L. Hitchings, hardware;
George & Fisher, General Merchants; E. Hitchings, Lumber; J.F. Sampson & Co.,
Drugs; Hays & Baloes, locaters; James R. Porer, Merchant; Geo. B. Vaughn. Notary
and Land Locater; Parker & Newell, Contractors and Builders; John A Griffin,
Justice of the Peace; W.L. Gilmore, practical surveyer.
Following are a few of the local items taken from the first issue of the
Rattler in 1886, and will be of interest to all:
Over fifty teams were in town Saturday
he hay harvest will be quite large in the vlley this year
Farmer N. Sisson has corn knee high on his farm; three miles up the river.
A small band of buffalo have been seen several times of late, a few miles up
the river.
Byron Groves, the handsomest man on the river, is turning the sod in Arapahoe
county this week,
The Wray orchestra furnishes as fine music as ever we heard. We are not
entirely in the back woods.
Catching young antelope is a pleasing pastime for those who have the the
(sic) time at their disposal. Several have been caught the past two weeks.
Hon Nat. Sisson left for Maryville, Missouri for a brief visit with his
family. It is not at all improbable that Mrs. Sisson will return
with him to this Eden of the west.
Mrs. J.W. Thompson of Benkelman, Nebraska, visited her father, Mr. G.H
Vaughn, at Maiden's Delight, ten miles south of Wray, last week. She left
for her home Thursday much pleased with this country.
In 1904
With this issue of the Rattler the old Washihgton (sic) is put on the retired
list and a Country Campbell press now graces the spot where the Washington
stood. Theres (sic) an element of sadness in the thought of saying good by
to this old time friend. It was one of the earliest settlers in this
country. Through the heat of summer and the cold of winter, through
prosperity and through adversity the old Faithful brought forth without fail the
weekly edition. Barney Condon and all his friends, J.N. Counter and all
his friends, Otto Derr and all his friends, Simon Dow and all his friends and
likewise the present management and all the friends and strangers they could
work into it, have had a turn at the crank of the Washington. If our new
Campbell succeeds in making as many friends as has the Washington we shall feel
much gratified.
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The Akron newspaper of November 12, 1920 said "Frank T. Hawks, editor of the
Colorado Patriot, of Wray, Colorado, was in Akron the first of the week.
Mr. Hawks was editor of the Akron News for a period of several years and is well
acquainted with Akron folks."
1900 Wray "W.H. Hambaugh and wife of Fairfax, Mo., stopped over for a visit with the McKee family Wednesday. They are on their way to Puget Sound and the northwest for an outing. Mr. Hambaugh resided in Yuma about fifteen years ago, working on the Pioneer. He is now editor of the Forum at Fairfax and has a very good business."
1900 Hiawatha, Kansas, Brown County World "M. H. Hambaugh, the editor of Fairfax, Missouri, Forum, is visiting old friends in the city. Mr. Hambaugh is an old resident here for 11 years. He is much pleased with the improvement shown in the town."
"The first issue of the Fairfax Forum was printed and distributed on Saturday, December 10, 1892. W.H. Hambaugh was the first editor and publisher of the paper, which had four pages and was $1 per year. C.C. Blevins ran a two-column by 10-inch ad and paid $5 for it. He testified that he was rewarded with handsome returns from the patronage.
The paper was sold to J.A. Yowell of Nebraska City, Nebraska, on May 1, 1909, and in June Mr. Yowell sold the paper back to W.H. Hambaugh. The Forum changed hands many times over the next several years. J.B. Johnson bought the paper August 2, 1909."
1909 "W. H. Hambaugh, for years proprietor of the Fairfax Forum, has sold his publication to James A. Go-well, of Nebraska City, Neb., and as soon as he can arrange his business matter, will give his personal attention and energies to the Craig Leader of which he is the owner. He has given the people of Fairfax an ideal home paper and, with the assistance of Mr. Waite, his given Craig a like publication."
July 1909 "Byron Johnstun, formerly of Craig, has returned from Rocky Ford, Colorado, and will again enter the newspaper field, having closed a deal with W. H. Hambaugh for the purchase of the Fairfax Forum."
Holt County Missouri history "Mr. Hambaugh is also postmaster of Craig, being appointed to that position in 1914.
"
William Hanson Hambaugh 1872-1943 is buried in Fairfax, Missouri, with Fanny Bell (Doughty) Hambaugh 1869-1931.
He was born in Kentucky to William Henry Hambaugh and Margaret Jane Nelson.
Fanny Belle Hambaugh was born March 28, 1969 in Craig, Missouri to Chas. A. Doughty of New York and Harriett Price.
1943 
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