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Newspaper The Deland Weekly News (Deland, Fla.) 1887-190? De Land weekly news / Weekly news

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About The Deland Weekly News (Deland, Fla.) 1887-190?

The DeLand Weekly News was founded in 1887 and succeeded by the DeLand News in about 1907. Christopher O. Codrington served as editor for both newspapers. A well-known DeLand newspaperman, Codrington also published the Florida Agriculturalist; he was also involved in a 1908 libel case (Steward v. Codrington, et al.) involving railroad owner and county judge Isaac A. Stewart.

The interests of the railway loomed large in DeLand–the seat of Volusia County. First settled in 1874 and originally named Persimmon Hollow after its persimmon trees, the community was at first accessible only by steamboat. This situation changed with the visit in 1876 of Henry DeLand, a New York industrialist, who renamed the town and re-envisioned its future as a center for agriculture, particularly for citrus, and for tourism. Soon afterward, the tracks of the Georgia, Florida, and Key West Railway Company came to DeLand, running south from the Georgia state line to New Symrna on the Atlantic coast.

DeLand enjoys a reputation as a city of firsts. It was the first community in Florida to have electricity. It was home to the state’s first private university, Stetson University. Later, it would host Florida’s first law school, established in 1900 at Stetson University. DeLand was known as the “Athens of Florida” because of its outpouring of cultural activities–extraordinary for Florida at the turn of the century. The town’s influence would later wane as political and economic power shifted toward Daytona Beach.

Both the DeLand Weekly News and the DeLand News provided extensive coverage of local developments, and the papers duly noted the comings and goings of prominent visitors, including John B. Stetson, the Philadelphia hat manufacturer and philanthropist for whom Stetson University is named.

In 1921, the DeLand News merged with another local weekly, the Volusia County Record founded in 1888. The product of their union was the DeLand News and Volusia County Record.

Provided By: University of Florida

About this Newspaper

Title

  • The Deland Weekly News (Deland, Fla.) 1887-190?

Other Title

  • De Land weekly news
  • Weekly news

Summary

  • The DeLand (FL) Weekly News [LCCN: sn95026697] began publishing in 1887. It was succeeded by the DeLand (FL) News [LCCN: sn92062121] sometime in 1907 or early 1908. The title, DeLand Weekly News, was used occasionally between 1908 and 1909. Its name change was inconsequential to its readership; the DeLand News remained a weekly. In 1921, DeLand News merged with the Volusia County (FL) Record [LCCN: sn95026693] to form the DeLand News and Volusia County Record [LCCN: sn95026694]. Christopher O. Codrington was the editor of both the DeLand Weekly News and the DeLand News. Very little is known about Codrington outside of a reference in the Miami (FL) Herald [LCCN: sn83016279] and trial summaries published in the Southern Reporter [LCCN sn88016989]. The Miami Herald's reference on December 26, 1914 names Codrington as the editor of the DeLand News. The Southern Reporter, in Vol. 45 (1908), p. 809-811, summarizes the history of the civil case of "Steward vs. Codrington, et al." for libel stemming from reporting in a May 1906 issue of the DeLand Weekly News. Isaac A. Stewart held the office of Judge of the Criminal Court of Record in Volusia County (FL) in 1906. The review courts found that the case was not related to Stewart's official position as claimed. While the summary is not specific to the opinions of either Codrington or Stewart, it does establish that Codrington was acquitted in February 1908. It is doubtful that the conclusion of the case had any influence in the newspaper's title change. Steward was also one of three owners of the Georgia, Florida and Key West Railway Company, incorporated in Florida and running through Volusia County. The interests of the railway and tourism played large in DeLand and in Volusia County. Settled in 1874, DeLand, originally named Persimmon Hollow after its persimmon trees, was accessible only by steamboat. The railroad changed the city shortly after Henry DeLand, a New York industrialist, in 1876, visited, renamed and re-envisioned its future as a center for agriculture, particularly for citrus, and for tourism. The railroad arrived sometime after June 2, 1877 when the Georgia, Florida and Key West Railway Company was incorporated to run from the Florida/Georgia state line to New Smyrna (FL) on the Atlantic coast just east of DeLand and likely threatening the city's prospects. DeLand is known in Florida as a city of firsts. It was first in Florida to have electricity, most of it generated in New York. It hosted Florida's first private university, Stetson University, named after John B. Stetson of Western hat fame. Later, it would host Florida's first law school, established in 1900 at Stetson University. Although the county seat, readers of both the DeLand Weekly News and the DeLand News can see political and economic power shifts to the coast and to the city of Daytona Beach (FL). The Southern Reporter's summary is not specific to the date of publication of the words that were subject of the suit. Additional court reporting is currently (ca. 2008) not available.--E. Kesse, University of Florida Digital Library Center.

Dates of Publication

  • 1887-190?

Created / Published

  • DeLand, Fla. : L.H. Eldridge

Headings

  • -  De Land (Fla.)--Newspapers
  • -  Volusia County (Fla.)--Newspapers
  • -  Florida--De Land
  • -  Florida--Volusia County
  • -  United States--Florida--Volusia--De Land

Genre

  • Newspapers

Notes

  • -  Weekly
  • -  Began in 1887. Cf. Rowell, 1891.
  • -  Chris. O. Codrington, editor.
  • -  Vol. 22, no. 4 (Jan. 25, 1907).
  • -  Numbering is irregular.
  • -  Archived issues are available in digital format as part of the Library of Congress Chronicling America online collection.
  • -  Description based on: Vol. 2, no. 14 (Feb. 2, 1889).
  • -  DeLand news 1941-0751 (DLC)sn 92062121 (OCoLC)1699436

Medium

  • volumes ; 61 cm

Call Number/Physical Location

  • Newspaper

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • sn95026697

OCLC Number

  • 1699465

ISSN Number

  • 1941-076x

Succeeding Titles

Additional Metadata Formats

Availability

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress believes that the newspapers in Chronicling America are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions. Newspapers published in the United States more than 95 years ago are in the public domain in their entirety. Any newspapers in Chronicling America that were published less than 95 years ago are also believed to be in the public domain, but may contain some copyrighted third party materials. Researchers using newspapers published less than 95 years ago should be alert for modern content (for example, registered and renewed for copyright and published with notice) that may be copyrighted. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item.

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

The Deland Weekly News Deland, Fla. -190?. (De Land, FL), Jan. 1 1887. https://aj.sunback.homes/item/sn95026697/.

APA citation style:

(1887, January 1) The Deland Weekly News Deland, Fla. -190?. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://aj.sunback.homes/item/sn95026697/.

MLA citation style:

The Deland Weekly News Deland, Fla. -190?. (De Land, FL) 1 Jan. 1887. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, aj.sunback.homes/item/sn95026697/.