{{Short description|Newspaper in Fairfield, California}} {{distinguish|Mitchell Daily Republic|The Daily Republican}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = Daily Republic | logo = | image = | caption = | type = Daily newspaper | format = Broadsheet | owners = McNaughton Newspapers | publisher = {{Plain list | * Foy McNaughton * T. Burt McNaughton }} | editor = | opinion_editor = | photo_editor = | staff_writers = | founded = {{Plain list | * {{Start date and age|1855|11}} (as ''Solano County Herald'') * {{Start date and age|1862}} (as ''Solano Press'') }} | language = English | ceased_publication = | headquarters = 1250 Texas St.<br/> Fairfield, California | circulation = Approx. 14,500 | ISSN = 0746-5858 | oclc = 10133416 | website = {{URL|dailyrepublic.com}} | circulation_date = 2014 | circulation_ref = <ref name="Ian 2014">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyrepublic.com/projects/secrets-of-success-2014/mcnaughton-newspapers-keeps-central-solano-readers-in-the-know/|title=95 Years: McNaughton Newspapers keeps Central Solano readers in the know|first=Ian|last=Thompson|work=Daily Republic|publisher=McNaughton Newspapers|location=Fairfield, California|date=December 28, 2014|access-date=November 5, 2017}}</ref> | image_size = 250px | publishing_country = United States | image_alt = border | founders = C.A. Cellers<br/>T. McGeorge }}
The '''''Daily Republic''''' is a daily newspaper in the town of Fairfield, California. It is owned by McNaughton Newspapers.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=2012|title=Foy McNaughton|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/foy-mcnaughton/|magazine=Forbes|location=New York City|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112182018/https://www.forbes.com/profile/foy-mcnaughton/|archive-date=November 12, 2014|access-date=October 24, 2012}}</ref> The paper was previously known as the ''Solano Republican,'' which formed after the ''Solano County Herald'' and the ''Solano Press'' merged. The ''Daily Republic'' was the first newspaper in the nation to editorially support Abraham Lincoln for president.<ref name="Plunkett 2013">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyrepublic.com/solano-news/local-features/local-lifestyle-columns/daily-republic-history-with-advertisements/|title=Daily Republic history … (with ads!)|last=Plunkett|first=C.W.|date=September 25, 2013|work=Daily Republic|access-date=November 5, 2017|publisher=McNaughton Newspapers|location=Fairfield, California}}</ref>
==History== On November 5, 1855, C.A. Cellers and T. McGeorge published the first edition of the ''Solano County Herald'' in Benicia, California.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 5, 1855 |title=Editorial |work=Solano County Herald |location=Benicia, California |pages=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> McGeorge left the paper at some point. B.L. Gorman became co-owner in March 1857.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cellers |first=C.A. |last2=Gorman |first2=B.L. |date=April 4, 1857 |title=To The Public |work=Solano County Herald |location=Benicia, California |pages=2}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=April 11, 1857 |title=Notice |work=Santa Cruz Semi-Weekly Sentinel |location=Santa Cruz, California |pages=2}}</ref> Cellers left a month later,<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 11, 1857 |title=Notice |work=The Sacramento Bee |pages=2}}</ref> and Gorman sold the paper to William J. Hooton in June 1858.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 23, 1858 |title=The Solano Herald. |work=The Nevada Democrat |location=Nevada City, California |pages=1}}</ref> The ''Herald'' relocated to Suisun City with its first publication there on October 2, 1858, with offices in a building on the south side of the city plaza.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 2, 1858 |title=Removal. |work=Solano County Herald |location=Suisun City, California |pages=2}}</ref><ref name="Plunkett 2013" />
In March 1860, G. Lawton Jr. sold the ''Herald'' to A.R. Gunuison.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 20, 1860 |title=The Solano Herald. |work=Daily Appeal |location=Marysville, California}}</ref> In September 1861, editor O.B. Powers was elected state senator for Solano and Yolo counties. <ref>{{Cite news |date=September 9, 1861 |title=Solano. |work=The Sacramento Bee |pages=2}}</ref> In June 1862, H. Hubbard launched a rival paper in Suisun City called the ''Solano Press''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 7, 1862 |title=Solano Press |work=The Placer Herald |location=Rocklin, California |pages=2}}</ref> In January 1863, Hooton died.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 24, 1863 |title=Death of W.J. Hooton |work=Martinez News-Gazette |location=Martinez, California |pages=2}}</ref> In September 1866, George A. Gillespie bought the ''Press''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 29, 1866 |title=The Solano Press. |work=Martinez News-Gazette |location=Martinez, California |pages=2}}</ref>
In November 1869, Judge Powers, owner of the ''Herald'', and Gillespie, owner of the ''Press'', merged their papers together to form the ''Solano Republican.''<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 24, 1869 |title=Merged. |work=Daily Miner-Transcript |location=Nevada City, California |pages=2}}</ref> Gillespie eventually left. In October 1875, Powers sold the paper to Will N. Bowen and Charlie F. Montgomery.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 15, 1875 |title=County Items. |work=The Solano-Napa News Chronicle |location=Vallejo, California |pages=3}}</ref> Montgomery left the paper in 1879,<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 24, 1879 |title=County News. |work=The Solano-Napa News Chronicle |location=Vallejo, California |pages=3}}</ref> and four years later he was arrested for fatally shooting a rival newsman.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 4, 1883 |title=Notice |work=Arizona Weekly Citizen |location=Tucson, Arizona |pages=3}}</ref> In February 1880, the paper was sold at auction to O.R. Coghlan for $1,500.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 5, 1880 |title=Newspaper Outfit Sold by Auction. |work=The Sacramento Union |pages=3}}</ref> That December, Bowen bought it back.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 20, 1880 |title=Pacific Coast Items. |work=The Sacramento Union |pages=1}}</ref>
In March 1884, W.A. Newcum and G.B. Heazleton bought the paper.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 22, 1884 |title=Change of Proprietors. |work=The Solano-Napa News Chronicle |location=Vallejo, California |pages=3}}</ref> Heazleton soon left.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 24, 1885 |title=Personal |work=The Solano-Napa News Chronicle |location=Vallejo, California |pages=3}}</ref> Newcum published an editorial criticizing Charles Coffran. On September 5, 1885, the two men ran into each other outside the Oriole saloon and a brawl ensued. They drew and fired their pistols during the scuffle, but both Newcum and Coffran missed.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 11, 1885 |title=Shooting at Suisun. |work=The Napa Register |location=Napa, California |pages=3}}</ref> Bowen bought the paper again from Newcum in June 1889.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 29, 1889 |title=Notice |work=Winters Express |location=Winters, California |pages=2}}</ref> Edward Dinkelspiel became co-owner in July 1893,<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 17, 1893 |title=Notice |work=Woodland Daily Democrat |pages=2}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=July 21, 1893 |title=A New Editor. |work=Sacramento River News |location=Rio Vista, California |pages=1}}</ref> and bought Bowen out a year later.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 15, 1894 |title=Notice |work=Winters Express |location=Winters, California |pages=4}}</ref> In 1900, his brother Jonas Dinkelspiel died by suicide after shooting himself while staying at the Winchester Hotel in San Francisco.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 28, 1900 |title=Baffled Gold-Seeker Takes His Own Life |work=San Francisco Chronicle |pages=9}}</ref>
The ''Solano Republican'' had many owners through the beginning of the 20th century. It was acquired from Dinkelspiel by Elliot J. Clawson in May 1910,<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 27, 1910 |title=Solano Republican Changes Ownership {{!}} Newspaper Is Purchased by C.E. Clawson |work=The San Francisco Call Bulletin |pages=4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 4, 1910 |title=Solano Publishing Company Was Organized {{!}} Editor Clawson Makes Corporation Of Old Susin Newspaper. |work=The Times-Herald |location=Vallejo, California |pages=6}}</ref> John F. Galvin in January 1911,<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 26, 1911 |title=Oroville Mercury's Editor Buys Solano Republican |work=Feather River Bulletin |location=Quincy, California |pages=1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=February 22, 1911 |title=Solano 'Republican' Sold {{!}} John Galvin Takes Over Property From Elliot Clawson. |work=The San Francisco Examiner |pages=3}}</ref> Wesley L. Davis in September 1911,<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 4, 1911 |title=Gavin Sells Republican |work=The Times-Herald |location=Vallejo, California |pages=4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 12, 1911 |title=Old Time Orlandite in New Field |work=Orland Unit-Register |location=Orland, California |pages=2}}</ref> and David A. Weir in June 1919.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 26, 1919 |title=Davis Sells Solano Republican. |work=Solano County Courier |location=Suisun City, California |pages=1}}</ref> Weir owned the ''Republican'' for the next 31 years. Weir was born in Sterling, Colorado in 1889.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlinebiographies.info/ca/solano/weir-da.htm|title=DAVID A. WEIR.|first1=Marguerite|last1=Hune|first2=Harry Lawrence|last2=Gunn|work=History of Solano County, California|publisher=S. J. Clarke Publishing Company|location=Solano County, California|date=1926|access-date=November 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107013116/https://www.onlinebiographies.info/ca/solano/weir-da.htm|archive-date=November 7, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> After working at ''The Denver Post'' and the ''Chicago Tribune'', he published papers in Nebraska, Oregon and Porterville before buying the ''Republican''. Weir was also instrumental in establishing the local Lions Club, American Legion post 208 and the county's mosquito abatement district.<ref name="Ian 2011">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyrepublic.com/projects/discover-solano-2011/daily-republic-has-celebrated-history-record/|title=Daily Republic has celebrated history, record|last=Thompson|first=Ian|date=August 3, 2011|work=Daily Republic|access-date=November 5, 2017|location=Fairfield, California}}</ref> Weir retired from publishing November 1, 1949, and sold the ''Republican'' to J. Clifton Toney.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 1, 1949 |title=Solano Republican Is Sold To Publisher From Fontana |work=The Times-Herald |location=Vallejo, California |pages=6}}</ref> Toney operated the newspaper until 1960, when he sold it to the McNaughton family.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 7, 1960 |title=Fairfield Newspaper Reported Purchased |work=The Times-Herald |location=Vallejo, California |pages=2}}</ref>
The McNaughtons had roots in journalism dating back to the 1920s. Foye Fisk "F.F." McNaughton, grandfather of present-day CEO Foy McNaughton, graduated from Columbia University's first master's degree program in journalism. He went on to work for a New York City newspaper. A few years later, he returned to his home state of Indiana to purchase a small paper in Bicknel. After making it a success, he purchased the ''Pekin Daily Times'' in Pekin, Illinois. This became his flagship paper. His son, Dean McNaughton, joined the family business during the late 1940s. Dean McNaughton journeyed to California in 1960 and purchased the ''Solano Republican''.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--- Not stated ---> |date=<!--- Not stated ---> |title=History of the Daily Republic |url=https://www.dailyrepublic.com/site/about.html |access-date=February 5, 2025 |work=Daily Republic}}</ref> Within the first year he owned the newspaper, Dean McNaughton increased the publication from two to five days a week, Monday through Friday, and renamed it the ''Daily Republic''.<ref name="Ian 2011" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 21, 1961 |title=Fairfield. |work=Winters Express |location=Winters, California |pages=1}}</ref> The newspaper eventually was expanded to publish seven days a week.<ref name="Ian 2011" />
The McNaughtons purchased the ''Placerville Mountain Democrat'' in 1964,<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 4, 1964|title=Eastern Group Buys Placerville Weekly Paper|work=The Sacramento Bee|page=29}}</ref> and ''The Davis Enterprise'' in 1966.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 18, 1966|title=Tibbitts Merge With McNaughton Papers|work=The Davis Enterprise|pages=1}}</ref> A year later the owner's brother John T. McNaughton died.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 24, 1967|title=John T. McNaughton Final Rites Tuesday|work=The Davis Enterprise|pages=1}}</ref> The family continued to purchase other papers, including the ''Winters Express'' in 1994,<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 4, 1994 |title=Here and There... {{!}} Notes from all over |work=Chino Champion |pages=5}}</ref> ''Village Life'' in El Dorado Hills and Cameron Park in 1997,<ref name="Special">{{cite news |date=June 6, 2012 |title=Newspaper patriarch dies |url=http://www.mtdemocrat.com/news/newspaper-patriarch-dies/ |access-date=October 5, 2017 |work=Mountain Democrat|location=Placerville, California}}</ref> and the ''Georgetown Gazette'' in 2004.<ref name="Special" /> Dean McNaughton died in 2012.<ref name="Special" /> At that time the company was managed by his sons Foy McNaughton and Burt McNaughton, along with his grandson, T. Burt McNaughton.<ref name="Special" /> In September 2020, the ''Daily Republic'' suspended its Thursday and Saturday print editions.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bammer |first=Richard |date=2020-09-09 |title=Citing plummeting ad revenue, Daily Republic suspends Thursday, Saturday print editions |url=https://www.thereporter.com/2020/09/08/citing-plummeting-ad-revenue-daily-republic-suspends-thursday-saturday-print-editions/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=The Vacaville Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.dailyrepublic.com}}
Category:Daily newspapers published in California Category:Fairfield, California Category:Mass media in Solano County, California Category:Newspapers established in 1855 Category:1855 establishments in California