*** Source: Thompson, Robert A., Historical and descriptive sketch of Sonoma County, California. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co., 1877, 122 pgs. Notice: This data is donated to the Public Domain by TAG, 2004, and may be copied freely by anyone to anywhere. *** ---page 61--- of dollars in claims upon it, and is well managed. Its business as extended through Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties. L. F. Carpenter is presi- dent, and G. R. Codding is secretary. The Sonoma and Marin Benevolent Association is of like character and organization. Dr. G. L. Shephard is pres- ident, and H. M. Faulkner, secretary. NEWSPAPERS. The Petaluma Weekly Journal was issued on the 18th day of August 1855, by Thomas L. Thompson. At this time Sonoma county embraced the whole of Mendocino, but the population was sparse, and the mail facilities were imperfect and irregular. The Journal, however, was a wide-a-wake paper, and even in the early day was instrumental in bringing this portion of the State prominently into notice. Mr. Thompson disposed of his interest in the Journal in March 1856, to H. L. Weston. Mr. Weston made it a valuable local journal, ever alive to the interests if Petaluma and Sonoma county. We are indebted to files of the Journal, from 1855 to 1860, for much that is valua- ble, culled from its columns. In November, 1862, Mr. Weston disposed of a part interest in the Journal to T. W. Abraham. That firm continued the publication until February, 1864, when they sold the paper to McNabb & Co., and it was merged into the Argus, and took the name of the Journal and Argus. Mr. Weston was inter- ested in a Nevada paper from March to August, 1864; in the last named month he returned to Petaluma, and shortly after repurchased an interest in the Journal and Argus, which he still retains. The name of the paper was changed to Petaluma Weekly Argus. In November, 1859, J. J. Pennebacker issued the first number of the Petaluma Argus. In December 1860, he disposed of his interest in the paper to A. Drouilliard. In July, 1861, J. H. McNabb & Co. brought out the interest of A. Drouilliard, and in August 1864, the Journal and Argus were consoli- dated as above stated. The paper is now published by H. L. Weston, N. W. Scudder and James H. McNabb, under the firm-name of Weston, Scudder & Co. It is an elegantly printed quarto, made up in best style of newspaper typographical art. Its managers are thoroughly up in the mechanical, edito- rial and local departments of the paper. The Argus has always been a staunch advocate of the principles of the Republican party. Though decided, it is fair in its treatment of political subjects, and commands the respect of those who hold opposing views. Mr. D. S. Lane, of the editorial staff, is a careful and accurate writer, a close observer, and a natural statistician. He rarely trips in his facts, figures, logic or language. To Messrs. Woods, McGuire & Edwards is due the credit of starting the first daily newspaper in Sonoma county. The Petaluma Daily Crescent was commenced in the summer of 1870; Mr. C. B. Woods was editor; it was pub- lished most of the time by A. McGuire, in the spring of 1872 the Crescent passed into the hands of H. M. Woods, who discontinued in the fall of that *** end ***