David Brewster (journalist)
Encyclopedia
David Clark Brewster is an American journalist and the founder, editor and publisher of the Seattle Weekly
and the online Northwest "newspaper" Crosscut.com
. He is also the founder, creator and former executive director of the nonprofit cultural center Town Hall Seattle.
, the son of Gaylord Clark Brewster, His father was a 1930 graduate of the University of Nebraska and Marjorie Jane Anderson.
He was born into a family with Midwestern roots that traces back directly to Mayflower
passengers, Love Brewster
, a founder of the town of Bridgewater, Massachusetts
; Elder William Brewster
, the Pilgrim colonist leader and spiritual elder of the Plymouth Colony
; and William Bradford, Governor of the Plymouth Colony and the second signer and primary architect of the Mayflower Compact
in Provincetown Harbor
.He is also a descendant of Martha Wadsworth Brewster
, a notable 18th-century American poet and writer, and the Rev. Reuben Gaylord
, a clergyman and a founder of Grinnell College
.He is also a cousin of Robert Norton Noyce (1927–1990), nicknamed the Mayor of Silicon Valley, the inventor of the integrated circuit
or microchip and a co-founder of Fairchild Semiconductor
in 1957 and Intel in 1968.
in New Haven, Connecticut
and he received his Master's Degree
from Yale University in 1963.
. She was a writer for the Office of University Relations in the President's Office, at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington
. She retired from that position in 2008. She is the daughter of Charles Skaggs and Juanita ("Nita") Allen. David and Joyce are the parents of two daughters, Kate Eliza Brewster and Anne Olivia Brewster.
. He moved on from that teaching post after a couple of years to write for the Seattle Times, Argus magazine, and Seattle Magazine, then an arm of King Broadcasting. He was also an assignment editor for KING-TV
.
Brewster was founding editor of the Seattle Weekly, which published its inaugural issue on March 31, 1976, celebrating the dedication of the Kingdome and the return of Major League Baseball to Seattle. Attorney Doug Raff and arts patron Bagley Wright
were investors (investing $100,000) when the Weekly started up in 1976 (The Wright family eventually became the largest, though a minority holding, owners of the Weekly until it was sold in 1997). The free weekly paper focused on covering Seattle arts, culture and politics. He sold the paper 21 years later to Village Voice Publications for an unannounced sum.
Eastside Week, a Seattle Weekly spinoff, put the spotlight on Seattle suburbia. A political reporter named Rob French introduced readers to a new group of youthful conservatives – John Carlson, Kirby Wilbur
, and others – who have been the nucleus of this state's political opposition for the past two decades.
He also originated the "Best Places" guidebook series covering Northwest (northern California to Alaska) dining, lodging and getaways. The series is published by Sasquatch Books
.
He also jumped into the local Seattle political scene in the 1977 mayor's race, promoting Paul Schell
(he lost that year to Charles Royer
). Schell, a well-connected developer and former dean of the University of Washington School of Architecture, (now known as the University of Washington College of Built Environments
) was touted as gubernatorial timber and U.S. Senate material. Ultimately, he did get elected mayor – in 1997, after the Weekly had been sold and had endorsed Charlie Chong
.
His latest venture is Crosscut.com
, which specializes in coverage of the Northwest, originating its own stories out of the region but also shining a light on worthy journalism and Web sites. He announced in November 2008 that the commercial venture into the world of Web journalism was shifting to nonprofit status, due to slow growth in online advertising and the current low rates for such ads.
He transformed a former Christian Science
church in the First Hill neighborhood in Seattle, into a civic crossroads hosting chamber music, best-selling authors, dialogue on national issues and presidential candidates. Town Hall Seattle became a springboard for the Bill Bradley
presidential campaign in 2000. In 2004, Howard Dean
drew large crowds, but they didn't translate into caucus votes. Slate
magazine founder Michael Kinsley
referred to it as "The Church of David Brewster."
He was President of the English Pub Association, Inc., which operated the Mark Tobey Pub in the 1980s; and a member of the board of directors of numerous arts organizations.
Seattle Weekly
Seattle Weekly is a freely distributed newspaper in Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded by Darrell Oldham and David Brewster as The Weekly...
and the online Northwest "newspaper" Crosscut.com
Crosscut.com
Crosscut.com is a nonprofit, online newspaper based in Seattle, Washington, United States. Crosscut's stated purpose is to "produce journalism in the public interest"...
. He is also the founder, creator and former executive director of the nonprofit cultural center Town Hall Seattle.
Early Life
He was born on September 26, 1939 in Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, the son of Gaylord Clark Brewster, His father was a 1930 graduate of the University of Nebraska and Marjorie Jane Anderson.
He was born into a family with Midwestern roots that traces back directly to Mayflower
Mayflower
The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
passengers, Love Brewster
Love Brewster
Elder Love Brewster was an early American settler, the son of Elder William Brewster and his wife, Mary Brewster. He traveled with his father, mother and brother, Wrestling, on the Mayflower reaching what became the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts in 1620...
, a founder of the town of Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Bridgewater, please see the article Bridgewater , Massachusetts.The Town of Bridgewater is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, 28 miles south of Boston. At the 2000 Census, the population was 25,185...
; Elder William Brewster
William Brewster (Pilgrim)
Elder William Brewster was a Mayflower passenger and a Pilgrim colonist leader and preacher.-Origins:Brewster was probably born at Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, circa 1566/1567, although no birth records have been found, and died at Plymouth, Massachusetts on April 10, 1644 around 9- or 10pm...
, the Pilgrim colonist leader and spiritual elder of the Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...
; and William Bradford, Governor of the Plymouth Colony and the second signer and primary architect of the Mayflower Compact
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the colonists, later together known to history as the Pilgrims, who crossed the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower...
in Provincetown Harbor
Provincetown Harbor
Provincetown Harbor is a large natural harbor located in the town of Provincetown, Massachusetts. The harbor is mostly 30 to deep and stretches roughly one mile from northwest to southeast and two miles from northeast to southwest, i.e., one large, deep bowl with no dredged channel necessary for...
.He is also a descendant of Martha Wadsworth Brewster
Martha Wadsworth Brewster
Martha Wadsworth Brewster was an 18th-century American poet and writer. She is one of only four colonial women who published volumes of their verse before the American Revolution and was the first American-born woman to publish under her own name.-Early life:She was born on April 1, 1710 in...
, a notable 18th-century American poet and writer, and the Rev. Reuben Gaylord
Reuben Gaylord
Reuben Gaylord was the recognized leader of the missionary pioneers in the Nebraska Territory, and has been called the "father of Congregationalism in Nebraska." Writing in memory of Gaylord in the early 1900s, fellow Omaha pioneer George L...
, a clergyman and a founder of Grinnell College
Grinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
.He is also a cousin of Robert Norton Noyce (1927–1990), nicknamed the Mayor of Silicon Valley, the inventor of the integrated circuit
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
or microchip and a co-founder of Fairchild Semiconductor
Fairchild Semiconductor
Fairchild Semiconductor International, Inc. is an American semiconductor company based in San Jose, California. Founded in 1957, it was a pioneer in transistor and integrated circuit manufacturing...
in 1957 and Intel in 1968.
Education
He graduated in 1961, Phi Beta Kappa, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
and he received his Master's Degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from Yale University in 1963.
Family
In 1962, he married Joyce Skaggs, a 1961 graduate of Smith CollegeSmith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
. She was a writer for the Office of University Relations in the President's Office, at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. She retired from that position in 2008. She is the daughter of Charles Skaggs and Juanita ("Nita") Allen. David and Joyce are the parents of two daughters, Kate Eliza Brewster and Anne Olivia Brewster.
Career
After graduating from Yale, he relocated to Seattle in 1965 to teach English at the University of WashingtonUniversity of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. He moved on from that teaching post after a couple of years to write for the Seattle Times, Argus magazine, and Seattle Magazine, then an arm of King Broadcasting. He was also an assignment editor for KING-TV
KING-TV
KING-TV, virtual channel 5, is a television station in Seattle, Washington, affiliated with the NBC network. Owned by Belo Corporation, it broadcasts on UHF digital channel 48. Its offices and broadcasting center are located just east of Seattle Center...
.
Brewster was founding editor of the Seattle Weekly, which published its inaugural issue on March 31, 1976, celebrating the dedication of the Kingdome and the return of Major League Baseball to Seattle. Attorney Doug Raff and arts patron Bagley Wright
Bagley Wright
Bagley Wright , president of Bagley Wright Investments, was a developer of Seattle's landmark Space Needle and chair of Physio Control Corp. from 1968 until its acquisition by Eli Lilly and Company in 1980...
were investors (investing $100,000) when the Weekly started up in 1976 (The Wright family eventually became the largest, though a minority holding, owners of the Weekly until it was sold in 1997). The free weekly paper focused on covering Seattle arts, culture and politics. He sold the paper 21 years later to Village Voice Publications for an unannounced sum.
Eastside Week, a Seattle Weekly spinoff, put the spotlight on Seattle suburbia. A political reporter named Rob French introduced readers to a new group of youthful conservatives – John Carlson, Kirby Wilbur
Kirby Wilbur
Kirby Wilbur is an American radio personality and conservative political activist who hosted a local conservative talk radio morning show on KVI-AM in Seattle, Washington. He occasionally hosts The Sean Hannity Show on a fill-in basis. He was elected the State Chairman of the Washington State...
, and others – who have been the nucleus of this state's political opposition for the past two decades.
He also originated the "Best Places" guidebook series covering Northwest (northern California to Alaska) dining, lodging and getaways. The series is published by Sasquatch Books
Sasquatch Books
Sasquatch Books is a Seattle-based book publishing company that was founded in 1986. Its books are about the western United States and Canada and cover topics such as nature, travel, gardening, entertainment, and food & wine....
.
He also jumped into the local Seattle political scene in the 1977 mayor's race, promoting Paul Schell
Paul Schell
Paul Schell, born Paul Schlachtenhaufen on October 8, 1937, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, was the 50th mayor of Seattle, Washington. His four-year term as mayor began on January 1, 1998....
(he lost that year to Charles Royer
Charles Royer
Charles Royer was the 48th mayor of Seattle, Washington from 1978 to 1990. After serving as mayor of Seattle, Royer became the director of the Harvard Institute of Politics.-Career as a reporter:...
). Schell, a well-connected developer and former dean of the University of Washington School of Architecture, (now known as the University of Washington College of Built Environments
University of Washington College of Built Environments
The College of Built Environments or CBE at the University of Washington is the new name, as of January 1, 2009, of the college formerly called the College of Architecture and Urban Planning. The old name was adopted in 1957-58 when the college had only two departments, architecture and planning...
) was touted as gubernatorial timber and U.S. Senate material. Ultimately, he did get elected mayor – in 1997, after the Weekly had been sold and had endorsed Charlie Chong
Charlie Chong
Charlie Chong was a populist Seattle political figure and activist on behalf of the Pike Place Market and against the marginalization of West Seattle. He was born on the island of Maui, Hawaii, in 1926, and died in Seattle's Providence Hospital on April 26, 2007.Chong graduated from Honolulu's St...
.
His latest venture is Crosscut.com
Crosscut.com
Crosscut.com is a nonprofit, online newspaper based in Seattle, Washington, United States. Crosscut's stated purpose is to "produce journalism in the public interest"...
, which specializes in coverage of the Northwest, originating its own stories out of the region but also shining a light on worthy journalism and Web sites. He announced in November 2008 that the commercial venture into the world of Web journalism was shifting to nonprofit status, due to slow growth in online advertising and the current low rates for such ads.
He transformed a former Christian Science
Christian Science
Christian Science is a system of thought and practice derived from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and the Bible. It is practiced by members of The First Church of Christ, Scientist as well as some others who are nonmembers. Its central texts are the Bible and the Christian Science textbook,...
church in the First Hill neighborhood in Seattle, into a civic crossroads hosting chamber music, best-selling authors, dialogue on national issues and presidential candidates. Town Hall Seattle became a springboard for the Bill Bradley
Bill Bradley
William Warren "Bill" Bradley is an American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, and former three-term Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in the 2000 election.Bradley was born and raised in a suburb of St....
presidential campaign in 2000. In 2004, Howard Dean
Howard Dean
Howard Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...
drew large crowds, but they didn't translate into caucus votes. Slate
Slate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
magazine founder Michael Kinsley
Michael Kinsley
Michael Kinsley is an American political journalist, commentator, television host, and pundit. Primarily active in print media as both a writer and editor, he also became known to television audiences as a co-host on Crossfire...
referred to it as "The Church of David Brewster."
He was President of the English Pub Association, Inc., which operated the Mark Tobey Pub in the 1980s; and a member of the board of directors of numerous arts organizations.
Further reading
- Gaylord, Mrs. Mary M. Welles. Life and Labors of Rev. Reuben Gaylord Omaha: Rees Printing Company, 1889.
- Jones, Emma C. Brewster. The Brewster Genealogy, 1566–1907: a Record of the Descendants of William Brewster of the "Mayflower," ruling elder of the Pilgrim church which founded Plymouth Colony in 1620. New York: Grafton Press, 1908.