My Genealogy Hound

J. C. NEWCOMB, Ripley, editor and publisher of the Ripley Bee and Times was born in the village of Dover, Ky., March 12, 1851. His parents were James and Nancy (Mannen) Newcomb, the former a native of Fleming County, Ky., and the latter of Mason County, of the same state. The father was born November 25, 1800. He was engaged for a member of years in the mercantile business at Dover, and was also a tobacco buyer. The children of this marriage were William, Elizabeth, James C., Thomas, Peter and Charles. In 1861, at the outbreak of the war of the rebellion, Mr. Newcomb, with his family removed from Kentucky to Ohio, settling at Ripley, on account of the political aspect of Kentucky, he not agreeing with them in sentiment. In Ripley, he embarked in the grocery business, and remained a merchant of the town until his death, which occurred November 22, 1870. The mother is still living, and is a resident of Ripley. Our subject received a common school education, in the village of his birth and at Ripley, and was variously occupied in business as clerk in a mercantile house, and with his father until the year 1869, when he entered the printing office of the Bee and Times of Ripley, under the editor and proprietor, T. F. Sniffin, and learned the printing trade, continuing in the office until January, 1878, when he opened a job office, and edited and printed an advertising paper called the Ripley Observer. In November of that year, the Observer was consolidated with the Ohio Valley Times, then published by W. P. Reynolds. The Times was published by Messrs. Newcomb & Reynolds until in May, 1880, when the latter sold to W. W. Gilliland. Messrs. Newcomb & Gilliland purchased a paper, styled the Ripley Bee, which was consolidated with the Times, and the name changed to the Ripley Bee and Times. The firm thus continued until in August, 1881, when Mr. Newcomb purchased his partner’s interest and has since carried on the paper. Our subject was married, January 18, 1882, to Ella, daughter of W. B. Mathews, of Maysville, Ky. Mr. Newcomb is an active and wide-awake newspaper man.