S.J. Mathes
Encyclopedia
Samuel Jay Mathes, known as S.J. Mathes, (1849?–1927) was a pioneer printer and newspaperman
in Los Angeles, California, who in 1881 and 1882 directed the editorial policies of the newly established Los Angeles Daily Times, which later became the Los Angeles Times
, until General Harrison Gray Otis took over in August 1882. Mathes later became, in effect, a tour operator
for visitors to Southern California
aboard Pullman sleeping cars from the East
The three partners were the printers for a number of other newspapers as well. On December 4, 1881, the firm contracted with Nathan Cole Jr.
and Thomas Gardiner to publish their new newspaper, the Los Angeles Daily Times. Cole and Gardiner simply could not meet their printing bill, so Gardiner turned the enterprise over to his partner, Cole, and to Mathes, Yarnell and Caystile within a month of the paper's birth. Mathes took over as editor.
With Otis as editor, Mathes served for a short time as business manager but then "we finally sold out our interests and the paper was reorganized." Mathes then began conducting Pullman excursions between Chicago and Los Angeles. He later became a real estate
man. He moved to Catalina Island
off the Southern California
coast, where he became the correspondent of the Times and was editor of a small daily.
, the son of a Presbyterian clergyman who was a firm believer in abolition
. The father sold his slaves and moved to Sigourney, Iowa
, where the younger Mathes received his education. When he was 16, the boy left home to go to Burlington, Iowa
, where he learned his trade as a printer. He was a printer also in Chicago, Illinois, but returned to Iowa to found the Wilton Chronicle in Wilton
. In 1875 he was briefly in Colorado Springs, Colorado
, where he founded the Colorado Mountaineer. Earlier, in 1868, he worked at the Wilton Press in Wilton, Iowa
.
An illness he contracted in 1900 remained with him until the day he died at age 78 in Los Angeles on January 28, 1927. He died at the home of Minnie Neighbors May, a former Sunday school pupil. Mathes was survived by two grandchildren, Ralph and Eleanor Bowdie, both of Long Beach, California
.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
in Los Angeles, California, who in 1881 and 1882 directed the editorial policies of the newly established Los Angeles Daily Times, which later became the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, until General Harrison Gray Otis took over in August 1882. Mathes later became, in effect, a tour operator
Tour operator
A tour operator typically combines tour and travel components to create a holiday. The most common example of a tour operator's product would be a flight on a charter airline plus a transfer from the airport to a hotel and the services of a local representative, all for one price. Niche tour...
for visitors to Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
aboard Pullman sleeping cars from the East
Eastern United States
The Eastern United States, the American East, or simply the East is traditionally defined as the states east of the Mississippi River. The first two tiers of states west of the Mississippi have traditionally been considered part of the West, but can be included in the East today; usually in...
Southern California
Mathes came to Los Angeles in 1875. "It was a little one-horse town in those days, but there were two or three newspapers," he recalled in a Times interview forty-six years later.I took a job as foreman of the old Herald and stayed there three or four years. Then Tom Caystile and Jesse YarnellJesse YarnellThomas Jesse Yarnell, known as Jesse Yarnell, was a California newspaperman who established the Los Angeles, California, Weekly Mirror, which took over the Los Angeles Times in 1881 and later merged with it....
and I went into the printing business. We published the Mirror as a little house organ to advertise our business. It was always in my mind to start a daily paper. I suggested it several times to my partners, but they wouldn't hear of it.
The three partners were the printers for a number of other newspapers as well. On December 4, 1881, the firm contracted with Nathan Cole Jr.
Nathan Cole Jr.
Nathan Cole Jr. was one of the two founders of the Los Angeles Daily Times, now the Los Angeles Times. The son of a wealthy St. Louis, Missouri, politician and banker, he was just 21 years old in 1881 when he and a colleague, Thomas Gardiner, put together the first issues of the new venture to be...
and Thomas Gardiner to publish their new newspaper, the Los Angeles Daily Times. Cole and Gardiner simply could not meet their printing bill, so Gardiner turned the enterprise over to his partner, Cole, and to Mathes, Yarnell and Caystile within a month of the paper's birth. Mathes took over as editor.
For about a year, I ran the paper alone. It was a fearful job. I worked until I was completely worn out, and my health was imperiled. Col. Otis happened to come along then. . . . He bought a fourth interest in the paper, and at once became a dominant figure in the office as well as the community.
With Otis as editor, Mathes served for a short time as business manager but then "we finally sold out our interests and the paper was reorganized." Mathes then began conducting Pullman excursions between Chicago and Los Angeles. He later became a real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
man. He moved to Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
off the Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
coast, where he became the correspondent of the Times and was editor of a small daily.
Personal life
Mathes was born in Knoxville, TennesseeKnoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, the son of a Presbyterian clergyman who was a firm believer in abolition
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
. The father sold his slaves and moved to Sigourney, Iowa
Sigourney, Iowa
Sigourney is a city in Keokuk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,059 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Keokuk County.-History:...
, where the younger Mathes received his education. When he was 16, the boy left home to go to Burlington, Iowa
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
, where he learned his trade as a printer. He was a printer also in Chicago, Illinois, but returned to Iowa to found the Wilton Chronicle in Wilton
Wilton, Iowa
Wilton is a city in Cedar and Muscatine Counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 2,839 at the 2010 census. The Muscatine County portion of Wilton is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area....
. In 1875 he was briefly in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
, where he founded the Colorado Mountaineer. Earlier, in 1868, he worked at the Wilton Press in Wilton, Iowa
Wilton, Iowa
Wilton is a city in Cedar and Muscatine Counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 2,839 at the 2010 census. The Muscatine County portion of Wilton is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area....
.
An illness he contracted in 1900 remained with him until the day he died at age 78 in Los Angeles on January 28, 1927. He died at the home of Minnie Neighbors May, a former Sunday school pupil. Mathes was survived by two grandchildren, Ralph and Eleanor Bowdie, both of Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
.