Above: The Coldwater Echo masthead.
Above: The Coldwater Echo masthead.
From Oklahoma City paper of last Friday we clip the following account of the recent death in that city of E. G. Phelps, who was a resident of this county for several years prior to 1892, and who was well known here as a newspaper man. He was editor of the Coldwater Echo before moving to Oklahoma, and prior to his residence in Coldwater he lived in Protection, where he was editor of the Protection Echo."Funeral service for Elbridge G. Phelps, who died Thursday night at the home of his son, Carl C. Phelps, 1923 West Twelfth-st., will be held at 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon at the home of Mrs. W. E. Smith, his daughter, 410 E. 14th street. Dr. Joseph P. Hicks, assistant pastor of the First Presbyterian church, and Dr. Charles Evans, teacher of the Men's Bible class of that church of which Mr. Phelps was a member, will be in charge of the services. Burial will be in Fairlawn cemetery.
Mr. Phelps was a pioneer newspaperman in Oklahoma. He came to the state from Coldwater, Kans., in 1892, locating at Shawnee, where he founded the Shawnee Sun, the Democrat and the Herald. He remained in that city until 1912, when he moved to this city where he since has resided. The deceased was born in Chautauqua-co., New York, coming to the west while still a young man. He is survived by the son and daughter who live here. Mrs. Minnie Phelps, the wife died in 1915."
PHELPS - The home of E. G. Phelps, of the Echo, was blessed last Thursday morning by the arrival of a twelve pound boy. Papa says he is toothless and bald headed, can kick like a steer and bellows like a cowboy, but never the less he will outgrow these objections and Mr. Phelps is setting up the cigars quite briskly on his arrival. Willie the baby may be a great help to the Republican party many years hence, we hear he will be an obstacle in the present campaign, as the party as well as Editor Phelps will find that lugging a 14 pound baby around the room from midnight until the roosters crow will crush out the divine afflatus and political enthusiasm of the most successful party leader or editorial writer. -- The Western Star, August 13, 1887.
Footnote:
The Coldwater Echo was published from 5 August 1886 to 30 July 1891.
The above news article gave the name of the Protection newspaper as Protection Enterprise, but Comanche County History, Vol. 1, pp. 35-36, gives the correct name of The Protection Echo; it was published 23 April 1885 to 29 July 1886.
Both newspapers are available on microfilm through interlibrary loan from The Kansas State Historical Society.
Also see:
Ottie Ross Killed by Lightning, The Clark County Clipper, July 9, 1885.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news articles and scan of the Coldwater Echo colophon to this web site!
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