History of Austinburg, (Ashtabula County) Ohio United States of America

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Biographies:

The Biography of Edwin Cowles

Edwin Cowles, journalist, was born in Austinburg, Ohio, Sept. 18, 1825: son of Dr. E. W. Cowles, and a descendant of one of three Cowles brothers, who settled in New England in 1635, and of the Rev. Thomas Hooker, the pioneer of Wethersfield, Conn. He learned the printers' craft and carried on the business in Cleveland, Ohio, 1844-53. In 1853 he became one of the firm of Medill, Cowles & Co., publishers of the Forest City Democrat. He changed the name of the paper to the Leader upon the departure of his partners to Chicago in 1855. In his office the initiatory plan for the organization .of the Republican party of Ohio was made in 1855. He was an early abolitionist and an earnest reformer. He held the office of postmaster of Cleveland, 1861-66, and continued as editor and proprietor of the Leader until the formation of a stock company in 1866, of which he was made business manager, subsequently becoming editor-in-chief. He was vigorously denounced throughout the north in 1861 for an article in his paper entitled "Now is the Time to Abolish Slavery," and President Lincoln was petitioned to remove him from the post-office. He died in Cleveland, Ohio, March 4, 1890.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor