Joseph Medill

Joseph Medill
26th Mayor of Chicago
In office 1871–1873
Preceded by	Roswell B. Mason
Succeeded by	(Lester L. Bond), Harvey Doolittle Colvin
Personal details
Born	(1823-04-06)April 6, 1823 Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
Died	March 16, 1899(1899-03-16) (aged 75) San Antonio, Texas
Political party	Fireproof
Children	Kate Medill Elinor Medill
Residence	Wheaton, Illinois
Signature

Joseph Medill (April 6, 1823 – March 16, 1899) was an American newspaper editor, publisher, and politician. He was co-owner and managing editor of the Chicago Tribune, and was Mayor of Chicago.

Biography

Medill was born April 6, 1823 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. In 1853, Medill and Edwin Cowles started the Leader a newspaper in Cleveland, Ohio. (It was later absorbed by The Plain Dealer). In 1854, the Tribune's part-owner, Captain J. D. Webster, asked Medill to become the paper's managing editor. Medill was further encouraged to come to Chicago by Dr. Charles H. Ray of Galena, Illinois, and editor Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune.

In 1855, Medill sold his interest in the Leader to Cowles, and bought the Tribune in partnership with Dr. Ray and Cowles' brother Alfred.^[1]

Under Medill's management, the Tribune flourished, becoming one of the largest newspapers in Chicago. Medill served as its managing editor until 1864, when Horace White became editor-in-chief. At that time Medill left day-to-day operations of the Tribune for political activities.

But White clashed with Medill over the Presidential election of 1872. So, in 1873 Medill bought additional equity from Cowles and from White, becoming majority owner. In 1874, he replaced White as editor-in-chief. Medill served as editor-in-chief until his death.

Political activity

Under Medill, the Tribune became the leading Republican newspaper in Chicago. Medill was strongly anti-slavery, supporting both the Free-Soil cause and Abolitionism. Medill was a major supporter of Abraham Lincoln in the 1850s. Medill and the Tribune were instrumental in Lincoln's presidential nomination, and were equally supportive of the Union cause during the American Civil War. The Tribune's chief adversary through this period was the Chicago Times, which supported the Democrats.

In 1864, Medill left the Tribune editorship for political activity, which occupied him for the next ten years. He was appointed by President Grant to the first Civil Service Commission. In 1870, he was elected as a delegate to the Illinois Constitutional convention. In 1871, after the Great Chicago Fire, Medill was elected mayor of Chicago as candidate of the temporary "Fireproof" party, serving for two years. 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 departments. But the stress of the job impaired his health. In August 1873, he appointed Lester L. Bond as Acting Mayor for the remaining 3½ months of his term, and went to Europe on a convalescent tour.

Medill was a strong Republican loyalist who supported President Grant for re-election in 1872. The breach with White came because White supported the breakaway Liberal Republicans, reformists who nominated Horace Greeley for President. It was also at this time that Medill broke with Greeley.

Heritage

Medill had two daughters: Katherine (Kate) and Elinor (Nellie). Medill's descendants include many prominent figures in American newspaper publishing.

Nellie married Tribune reporter Robert Wilson Patterson, Jr. (1850–1910). Their children Joseph Medill Patterson and Cissy Patterson were also successful newspaper publishers. Joseph founded the New York Daily News and Cissy Patterson became editor of the Washington Herald and later publisher of the Herald and the Washington Times. Great-granddaughter Alicia Patterson founded and edited Newsday.

Kate married diplomat Robert Sanderson McCormick (1849–1919) on June 8, 1876.^[2] He was the nephew of Cyrus McCormick, founder of the agricultural machinery company that became International Harvester. Their sons Joseph M. McCormick (known as "Medill McCormick") and Robert R. McCormick both served as heads of the Tribune. Grandson Medill McCormick was publisher of the Tribune for four years, and later a U.S. Senator. Grandson Robert R. McCormick succeeded his brother at the Tribune, where he was publisher for almost 50 years.

Medill acquired a large country estate in Wheaton, Illinois. It was later occupied by his grandson, Robert R. McCormick, who named it "Cantigny". The Cantigny estate is now a park and museum facility, open to the public.

Medill Avenue, an east-west street on Chicago's north side, is named for him, as is the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. The School presents the annual Medill Medal for Courage in Journalism, which bears Medill's likeness.

Family tree

References

External links

Wikisource has original works written by or about: Joseph Medill

•  "Medill, Joseph". New International Encyclopedia. 1905. 
•  "Medill, Joseph". Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. 1900 

v t e Mayors of Chicago Ogden Morris Raymond Loyd F. C. Sherman Raymond Garrett A. Sherman Garrett Chapin Curtiss Woodworth Curtiss Gurnee Gray Milliken Boone Dyer Wentworth Haines Wentworth Rumsey F. C. Sherman Rice Mason Medill Bond 1 Colvin Hoyne 2 Heath Harrison, Sr. Roche Cregier Washburne Harrison, Sr. Swift Hopkins Swift Harrison, Jr. Dunne Busse Harrison, Jr. Thompson Dever Thompson Cermak Corr Kelly Kennelly R. J. Daley Bilandic Byrne Washington Orr Sawyer R. M. Daley Emanuel 1 Acting officeholder.    2 Election declared null and void.