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Newspaper
Sac Sun
Location
Sac City, Iowa, United States of America
Date
Jun 25, 1931
Page
18
B W McKeen, sole surviving former editor of The Sun, Sac City, Sac County, writes from California about earlier days of The Sac Sun and local newspaper history. He notes the task set by Editor Pruess and his intent to do his best in recalling past times.
The reminiscence honors J. N. Miller founder of The Sun at Sac City 1871 and describes his character Civil War service G A R involvement and stance as a stalwart Republican and gifted editorialist shaping the paper for over twenty years. It notes his defense of soldiers and the paper's prominence among Iowa weeklies and dailies.
The passage reflects on the 1871 launch of Sac City’s first newspaper by J. N. Miller, noting its preservation state and the page layout. It highlights local paragraphs, personal items, a business directory, and advertising cards, with the Office in Allen Building Upstairs mentioned as the paper’s base.
John H. D. Gray recounts his long association with The Sac Sun, recalling workers, bosses, and shop customs. He notes the printing office as a clean, orderly shop, a Monday payday habit, and the office’s anti liquor stance, ending with 50 years of familiarity and a compliment to the current week’s edition.
The Sac Sun credits its success to faithful competent staff. Fred W. Ellis, foreman since 1910 with one year interruption, leads a team of nine including owners. Long tenure, strong payroll impact local economy. W. W. Ahrens has spent seven years in subscriptions across Sac County.
Ed Hamilton presents a mini eight page replica dated June 9 1877. Four first page columns are ads while remaining pages cover war reports from eastern Europe and Asia. A full page is devoted to heavy editorials.
Samuel M Stouffer served 36 years as editorial head of The Sac Sun from 1893 to 1929, the paper he owned or was connected with his entire life. His editorials were known as literature and sound thought, and he remained active in newspaper writing until his death on October 11, 1925.
Irene H. Stouffer recalls coming to Sac City in 1898 and forming a thirty year connection with The Sac Sun. She highlights founder James N. Miller, the Barnard & McKeen era, and the paper’s high standards. She credits S. M. and F. Stouffer with building on that foundation, noting the paper’s broad reach and civic mission.
Historical survey shows only six of twenty established papers in Sac County remain, led by The Sac Sun and including Odebolt Chronicle Wall Lake Blade Lake View Resort Schaller Herald and Farley News. Origins trace back to 1877 with multiple name changes and consolidations across Sac City Odebolt Wall Lake Schaller.
The Sac Sun marks sixty years since its 1871 launch by James N. Miller in Sac City, maintaining its name and mission to report impartially for the county. Early struggles, ownership changes, and key figures such as S. M. Stouffer and F. E. Stouffer shaped its growth, with Ben J. Pruess and Chas. A. Hacke assuming leadership as the paper evolved into a modern Sac Sun Company estate.
Sac County land in 1877 was offered at four to six dollars per acre in The Sac Sun ads. The Wilbur Neal farm in Coon Valley township listed at six dollars per acre while H M McKeen and Chas Hechtner farms in the same township were four dollars and twenty five cents per acre. Section 38 Boyer Valley township near Early could be bought for six dollars per acre. Easy terms were offered by agents with half down and balance over one to three years at ten percent interest.
S. E. Gordon of Douglas township is named by J. N. Miller founder of The Sac Sun as the paper’s first paid subscriber. He served as county supervisor from 1872 to 1878 and was a Republican leader. He died at home January 29 1890 of heart disease at age 56.
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