Charles Ransom Miller (January 17, 1849 – July 18, 1922) was an editor-in-chief of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

''. He was born in

Hanover, New Hampshire Hanover is a New England town, town located along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 11,870. The town is home to the Ivy League university ...

, to Elijah and Chastina Hoyt Miller. Miller attended

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College ( ) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, Dartmouth is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the America ...

and graduated in 1872. After working at the Springfield ''Republican'', the ''New York Times'' hired him on July 7, 1875. Miller became the editor-in-chief of ''The New York Times'' when he was 34, and would remain in that position for the rest of his life (about forty years).

Biography

Miller was born on January 17, 1849, in

, to Elijah and Chastina Hoyt Miller. He attended

and graduated in 1872. While in college, he had planned to teach Latin, but upon graduation he found employment at the Springfield ''Republican''. At the paper he was mentored by Samuel Bowles. Miller left that paper after around three years and was hired on July 7, 1875, by the ''New York Times'' as an assistant to the telegraph editor. In that position he helped handle news that came in over the telegraph. After some time Miller rose to be placed in charge of the weekly edition of ''The New York Times'', which was eventually shut down. After the weekly edition was shut down, Miller was made foreign exchange editor. He began sporadically contributing editorials, and joined the editorial staff officially in 1881. In 1883 he was made editor in chief of ''The New York Times'' after John Foord left. As editor-in-chief, he had the paper support

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, serving from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. He was the first U.S. president to serve nonconsecutive terms and the first Hist ...

's administration; the two men became friends. When

George Jones George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American Country music, country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for a long list of hit records, and is well known for his distinctive voice an ...

, an owner and founder of the paper died, the paper was put up for sale. Miller led the creation of a syndicate, the New York Times Publishing Company, which purchased the paper on April 13, 1903. He eventually oversaw the sale of the paper to

Adolph Ochs Adolph Simon Ochs (March 12, 1858 – April 8, 1935) was an American newspaper publisher and former owner of ''The New York Times'' and ''The Chattanooga Times'', which is now the ''Chattanooga Times Free Press''. Through his only child, Iphigene ...

. Miller was retained as editor-in-chief and remained a major shareholder in the paper. Miller defended

freedom of the press Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic Media (communication), media, especially publication, published materials, shoul ...

before an investigatory committee in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

. He spoke several languages and received honorary degrees from Dartmouth and

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

. On October 10, 1876, he married Frances Daniels. Miller died on July 18, 1922.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Charles Ransom 1849 births 1922 deaths People from Hanover, New Hampshire Dartmouth College alumni The New York Times editors 20th-century American newspaper editors

Biography

References

Further reading

External links