The ''New-York Commercial Advertiser'' was an American evening

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

. It originated as the ''American Minerva'' in 1793, changed its name in 1797, and was published, with slight name variations, until 1904.

History

The paper had its origins in the ''American Minerva'', founded in 1793 by

Noah Webster Noah Webster (October 16, 1758 – May 28, 1843) was an American lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English-language spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and author. He has been called the "Father of American Scholarship and Education" ...

. Its first edition was published on December 9, 1793. It went through a few name changes in its first few years before settling on the ''Commercial Advertiser'' in September 1797. Webster's involvement with the paper ended in 1803, and Zachariah Lewis replaced him as publisher. Under Webster and Lewis, the paper generally was a supporter of the Federalists. Lewis retired in 1820 and the paper taken over by

William Leete Stone Sr. William Leete Stone (20 April 1792 New Paltz, New York (or 1793 Esopus, New York) – 15 August 1844 Saratoga Springs, New York), known as Colonel Stone, was an influential journalist, publisher, author, and public official in New York City. Hi ...

and Francis Hall. In 1831, Stone was physically attacked by

William Cullen Bryant William Cullen Bryant (November 3, 1794 – June 12, 1878) was an American romantic poet, journalist, and long-time editor of the '' New York Evening Post''. Born in Massachusetts, he started his career as a lawyer but showed an interest in poe ...

, editor of the rival ''

New York Evening Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is an American conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates three online sites: NYPost.com; PageSix.com, a gossip site; and Decider.com, an entertainm ...

'' with whom he had had a few disputes. Stone remained at the paper until his death in 1844. In 1840, Stone was sued in one of the libel lawsuits brought by author

James Fenimore Cooper James Fenimore Cooper (September 15, 1789 – September 14, 1851) was an American writer of the first half of the 19th century, whose historical romances depicting colonial and indigenous characters from the 17th to the 19th centuries brought h ...

. John B. Hall purchased Stone's stake in the paper. Francis Hall served as editor from 1844 until he retired in 1863, and William L. Hurlbut became editor from 1863 to 1867.

Thurlow Weed Edward Thurlow Weed (November 15, 1797 – November 22, 1882) was an American printer, newspaper publisher, and Whig Party (United States), Whig and Republican Party (United States), Republican politician. He was the principal political advisor t ...

then became editor briefly, followed by Hugh Hastings by 1868. In 1886,

Parke Godwin Parke Godwin (January 28, 1929 – June 19, 2013) was an American writer. He won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novella in 1982 for his story " The Fire When It Comes". He was a native of New York City, where he was born in 1929. He was the ...

purchased the paper from the estate of Hastings.

Henry Sedley Henry Sedley may refer to: * Henry Sedley (actor) * Henry Sedley (journalist) * Sir Henry Sedley, 3rd Baronet, of the Sedley baronets {{hndis, Sedley, Henry ...

also acquired part of the paper in the 1880s, and became its editor. John A. Cockerill, former editor of the ''

New York World The ''New York World'' was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 to 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers as a leading national voice of the Democratic Party. From 1883 to 1911 under publisher Jo ...

'', took over as editor of the paper in 1891, where he lasted three years. H.J. Wright took over as editor in 1897, replacing Foster Coates.

Lincoln Steffens Joseph Lincoln Steffens (April 6, 1866 – August 9, 1936) was an American investigative journalist and one of the leading muckrakers of the Progressive Era in the early 20th century. He launched a series of articles in '' McClure's'', called " ...

wrote for the ''Commercial Advertiser'' in the 1890s. A semi-weekly paper called the ''New-York Spectator'', intended for subscribers outside of the city, was also published by the paper for many years.

Rebranding as ''The Globe''

On February 1, 1904, the ''Commercial Advertiser'' was revamped and renamed ''The Globe and Commercial Advertiser''. and generally known as ''

The New York Globe ''The New York Globe'', also called ''The New York Evening Globe'', was a daily New York City newspaper published from 1904 to 1923, when it was bought and merged into ''The Sun (New York), The New York Sun''. It is not related to a New York City ...

'' from that point forwards. In 1923, newspaper owner and consolidator

Frank Munsey Frank Andrew Munsey (August 21, 1854 – December 22, 1925) was an American newspaper and magazine publisher, banker, political financier and author. He was born in Mercer, Maine, Mercer, Maine, but spent most of his life in New York City. The v ...

bought the ''Globe''. Munsey merged the ''Globe'' into the ''

New York Sun ''The New York Sun'' is an American conservative news website and former newspaper based in Manhattan, New York. From 2009 to 2021, it operated as an (occasional and erratic) online-only publisher of political and economic opinion pieces, as we ...

'', thus ending what ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'' magazine described at the time as the "oldest daily newspaper in the United States".

Chronology of names

* ''American Minerva, Patroness of Peace, Commerce and the Liberal Arts'' * March 1794: ''American Minerva and the New-York (Evening) Advertiser'' * May 1795: ''American Minerva: An Evening Advertiser'' * April 1796: ''Minerva & Mercantile Evening Advertiser'' * September 1797: ''Commercial Advertiser'' * January 1804: ''New-York Commercial Advertiser'' * October 1809: ''Commercial Advertiser'' * January 1831: ''New-York Commercial Advertiser'' * September 1889: ''The Commercial Advertiser'' * December 1892: ''New York Commercial Advertiser'' * June 1895: ''The Commercial Advertiser'' * February 1904: '' The Globe and Commercial Advertiser''

References

{{reflist Defunct newspapers published in New York City Daily newspapers published in New York City