History of East Providence, (Providence County) Rhode Island United States of America

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Arunah S. Abell, journalist, was born at East Providence, R. I., Aug. 10, 1806, son of Caleb Abell, a quartermaster in the war of 1812. His ancestry is traced to Robert Abell of England, whose four sons settled in Massachusetts in the early days of the colony. One of the sons, Preserved Abell, grandfather of Arunah S., settled at Seekonk, a town then known as Rehoboth, situated on the Providence river. Arunah S. acquired a common school education in his native place, and after two years' employment in a store, served out an apprenticeship in the printing department of the Providence Patriot. He then went to Boston, and later obtained employment in New York city, where he became acquainted with William M. Swain and Azariah H. Simmons, with whom he formed a copartnership for the publication of the Public Ledger in Philadelphia, the first copy of which was issued March 25, 1836. It was the first successful penny paper published in Philadelphia. A visit to Baltimore resulted in the founding of the Sun under the personal control of Mr. Abell, who issued the first number May 17, 1837. In two years the paper had outgrown its original quarters, and a larger building was fitted up for its use. A few years later Mr. Abell built the Sun iron building, the first of the kind erected in the United States. At the death of Mr. Simmons in December, 1855, Mr. Swain and Mr. Abell formed a new partnership, continuing the publication of the Public Ledger in Philadelphia and the Sun in Baltimore. In 1864 Mr. Abell sold his interest in the Public Ledger, and at the death of Mr. Swain in 1868, became sole proprietor of the Sun. He was the first printer to adopt the rotary printing machine, and received for publication the first document transmitted over the telegraph line between Baltimore and Washington. The Sun's telegraphic copy of the message was reprinted by the academy of sciences in Paris, side by side with an authenticated copy of the original. When the company was formed for the extension of telegraphic communications from Washington to New York, Mr. Abell was associated with Prof. Morse and others in the enterprise. In 1878 he transferred the management of the Sun to his sons, Edwin F., George W., and Walter R. Abell, the last named died Jan. 3, 1891, leaving the firm of A. S. Abell & Co., with only two members. Mr. Abell died in Baltimore, Md., April 19, 1888.

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

History of East Providence, (Providence County) Rhode Island

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