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James Bennett SrFounder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald
Date of Birth: 01.09.1795
Country:  USA |
Content:
Founder, Editor, and Publisher of New York Herald
James Gordon Bennett Sr. was the founder, editor, and publisher of the New York Herald, as well as one of the key figures in the history of American newspapers. He was born on September 1, 1795, in Newmill, Banffshire, Scotland, into a prosperous Catholic family. At the age of 15, he entered a seminary in Aberdeen and studied there for four years. After leaving the seminary, he avidly read, guided by his own tastes, and traveled around Scotland.
Early Life and Career
In 1819, he accompanied a friend who sailed to North America. After four weeks of sailing, they landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where Bennett briefly worked as a teacher until he earned enough money to travel to Portland, Maine. In Portland, he once again found employment as a school teacher in the village of Addison. By the new year of 1820, Bennett had moved to Boston. He worked as a proofreader and salesman until he was hired by the Charleston Courier to translate news from Spanish.
In 1823, Bennett relocated to New York City, where he initially worked as a freelance writer and then became an assistant editor at the daily newspaper, New York Courier and Enquirer. Finally, in May 1835, after many years of unsuccessful attempts, Bennett successfully launched his own newspaper, the New York Herald.
Innovations and Influence
In April 1836, Bennett shocked readers by featuring the coverage of the murder of a prostitute named Helen Jewett on the front page. Bennett conducted the first newspaper interview in history for this purpose. The New York Herald also introduced a new advertising policy by requiring prepayment, which later became a widespread industry standard. Additionally, Bennett was always aware of the latest technologies for gathering and distributing news, and he added illustrations made through wood engraving to the texts.
In 1839, it was Bennett who secured the first exclusive interview with Martin Van Buren, the eighth president of the United States. While the New York Herald claimed to maintain an independent position regarding politics, it endorsed the actions of William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, James Knox Polk, Franklin Pierce, and John C. Frémont. Bennett also supported James Buchanan, the 15th president, during the escalating debate over slavery. He endorsed vice president John C. Breckinridge during the 1860 presidential campaign and promoted George B. McClellan in 1864, but he did not support any candidates during the elections.
Although Bennett spoke out against Abraham Lincoln, after his assassination, Bennett played a significant role in transforming the president into a martyr for the American nation. He also supported most of Andrew Johnson's proposals during the Reconstruction Era. By the time Bennett handed over control of the newspaper to his son, James Gordon Bennett Jr., in 1866, the New York Herald had the largest circulation in America.
Under the leadership of Bennett Jr., who did not possess his father's talents, the newspaper declined and, after his death, was eventually merged with its main rival, the New York Tribune. James Gordon Bennett Sr. married Henrietta Agnes Crean on June 6, 1840, and they had three children, including James Gordon Bennett Jr. and Jeanette Gordon Bennett, who married businessman and diplomat Isaac Bell Jr. Bennett passed away in New York City on June 1, 1872, at the age of 76. In his honor, a street and park in Manhattan were named after him.
