Edwin Croswell (May 29, 1797 in

Catskill, New York Catskill is a town in the southeastern section of Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 11,298 at the 2020 census, the largest town in the county. The western part of the town is in the Catskill Park. The town contains a v ...

– June 13, 1871 in

Princeton, New Jersey The Municipality of Princeton is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey, Borough of Princeton and Pri ...

), was an American journalist and politician. Croswell's father and uncle were both influential editors and journalists in the early 19th century. Edwin expanded the family's influence on American journalism.

Early life

In 1800, while he lived in the Hudson River town of Catskill, Croswell's father, Mackay Croswell, started a newspaper called the ''Western Constellation''. When it closed in 1804, Mackay Croswell started the ''Catskill Recorder'', in which he was later joined by his brother Harry Croswell. Harry had been named in a libel lawsuit, People vs Croswell, over an article about President

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...

that had appeared in ''The Wasp'', a satiric newspaper that had been published for a few years in Hudson, New York. A contemporary of Edwin's,

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 ...

, said "Mr. Croswell, as a boy, was noticeable for the same quiet, studious, refined habits and associations which have characterized his whole life." When Croswell was seven, he had "the advantage of the best tutors in the locality to instruct his youthful mind." He later attended college, where he studied English. When he was fourteen he began his apprenticeship at the family paper. By his mid-twenties, he had assumed more responsibility for writing, editing, and publishing the paper.

Albany years

In January, 1823, Croswell went to

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is located on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River. Albany is the oldes ...

for the funeral of Judge Moses I. Cantine, the editor and one of the publishers of the '' Albany Argus.'' Cantine was a Catskill native, and had written articles for the ''Recorder.''

Martin Van Buren Martin Van Buren ( ; ; December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862) was the eighth president of the United States, serving from 1837 to 1841. A primary founder of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as Attorney General o ...

and other members of the

Albany Regency The Albany Regency was a group of politicians who controlled the New York state government between 1822 and 1838. Originally called the "Holy Alliance", it was instituted by Martin Van Buren, who remained its dominating spirit for many years. The ...

'','' an influential Democratic party machine, urged Croswell to take the position of assistant editor of the Argus. Accepting the position, he worked for Issac Q. Leake, who continued as publisher until the latter part of 1823, when he became too ill to continue. The Argus voiced Van Buren's positions on questions of the day, including the construction of the Erie Canal, establishment of the national bank, and the states' rights issue of 'nullification'; the ''Argus'' also disparaged

Tammany Hall Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was an American political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789, as the Tammany Society. It became the main local ...

. On October 8, 1824, Croswell changed the paper from semi-weekly to daily publication. Articles in the ''Argus'' were reprinted in other papers throughout the state as embodiments of Democratic party principles. In 1840, Croswell was elected to the first of his two terms as 'state printer', which solidified his position in Albany. He retired from the ''Argus'' in 1854, succeeded by Gideon J. Tucker; Croswell sold his interest in the Argus, and engaged in business in New York City.

Late life

Croswell became involved with the U.S. Mail Steamship Company in the 1840s. In May 1855 Croswell, as director of the company, was charged with fraud and dishonest acts (People v Croswell). Croswell was then removed as a director and had to replace the stolen money. His childhood friend, Thurlow Weed, continued to visit Croswell. Edwin Croswell died in

at the age of 74.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Croswell, Edwin People from Catskill, New York American male journalists Writers from New Jersey Writers from New York (state) 1797 births 1871 deaths Journalists from New York (state)