Alfred Horatio Belo
Encyclopedia
Alfred Horatio Belo was the founder of The Dallas Morning News
newspaper in Dallas, Texas
, along with business partner George Bannerman Dealey. The company A. H. Belo Corporation
, owner of The Dallas Morning News, was named in his honor.
in May 1839. He was highly educated from an early age.
During the Civil War
, Belo fought for the Confederacy
. Belo was an officer in the Civil War for the North Carolina 55th Regiment. He was injured in the Battle of Gettysburg
and then again in the Battle of Cold Harbor
.
area in search of job opportunities. He met newswriter Willard Richardson, who published the Galveston Daily News
and the Texas Almanac
(1857). This company was known as The News. Belo's intelligence led Richardson to ask him to become a partner, and the company was renamed Richardson, Belo, & Co. After Richardson's death, Belo became the sole owner, and renamed the company A. H. Belo & Co. in 1881.
Belo incorporated the newly-invented telephone
by successfully linking his home to the Galveston Daily News. The newspaper was recognized for taking advantage of the latest printing technology available at the time.
to help establish a sister newspaper in that city. Dealey had been working his way up in the company since 1874, and Belo had confidence in him. He was given the title of business manager to oversee the creation of the newspaper (which formed the first newspaper chain.) The first edition was printed October 1, 1885. The building where the newspaper was headquartered made use of the city's first commercial electric lights.
. Belo had never fully recovered from his battle wounds and sought comfort and relief many months out of the year outside of Texas
.
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
newspaper in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, along with business partner George Bannerman Dealey. The company A. H. Belo Corporation
A. H. Belo
A. H. Belo Corporation is a Dallas-based media company that owns four daily newspapers and five smaller newspapers. The current corporation was formed when Belo Corporation separated its broadcasting and publishing operations into two corporations. A. H. Belo also owns a part interest in...
, owner of The Dallas Morning News, was named in his honor.
Early life
Belo was born in Salem, North CarolinaSalem, North Carolina
Salem is a census-designated place in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,923 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in May 1839. He was highly educated from an early age.
During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Belo fought for the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. Belo was an officer in the Civil War for the North Carolina 55th Regiment. He was injured in the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
and then again in the Battle of Cold Harbor
Battle of Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 . It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles...
.
Belo's beginnings in business
At the end of the Civil War, Belo moved to the HoustonHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
area in search of job opportunities. He met newswriter Willard Richardson, who published the Galveston Daily News
The Galveston County Daily News
The Daily News, formerly the Galveston County Daily News and Galveston Daily News, is a newspaper published in Galveston, Texas, United States. It was first published April 11, 1842, making it the oldest newspaper in the U.S. state of Texas. The newspaper founded The Dallas Morning News on October...
and the Texas Almanac
Texas Almanac
The Texas Almanac is a biennially published reference work providing information for the general public on the history of the state and its people, government and politics, economics, natural resources, holidays, culture, education, recreation, the arts, and other topics...
(1857). This company was known as The News. Belo's intelligence led Richardson to ask him to become a partner, and the company was renamed Richardson, Belo, & Co. After Richardson's death, Belo became the sole owner, and renamed the company A. H. Belo & Co. in 1881.
Belo incorporated the newly-invented telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
by successfully linking his home to the Galveston Daily News. The newspaper was recognized for taking advantage of the latest printing technology available at the time.
The Dallas Morning News
In 1885, Belo sent George Bannerman Dealey to DallasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
to help establish a sister newspaper in that city. Dealey had been working his way up in the company since 1874, and Belo had confidence in him. He was given the title of business manager to oversee the creation of the newspaper (which formed the first newspaper chain.) The first edition was printed October 1, 1885. The building where the newspaper was headquartered made use of the city's first commercial electric lights.
Death
Belo died on April 19, 1901 in his family's summer home in Asheville, North CarolinaAsheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
. Belo had never fully recovered from his battle wounds and sought comfort and relief many months out of the year outside of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.