John Weiss Forney
Encyclopedia
John Wien Forney was an American
journalist and politician. He was born at Lancaster
, Pennsylvania
and at the age of 16 entered the printing office of the Lancaster Journal. Four years later he purchased the Lancaster Intelligencer, and in 1840 he became proprietor of the Journal and combined the two papers under the name of the Intelligencer and Journal. In 1845 President
James K. Polk
appointed him deputy surveyor of the port of Philadelphia
, where he purchased a half interest in the Pennsylvanian, a Democratic paper of great influence, which under his editorial control attained a national importance. From 1851 to 1855 he was Clerk of the United States House of Representatives
, and he edited the Union, the organ of the Northern Democrats. He conducted James Buchanan
's successful campaign for the presidency, and Buchanan would have given him a cabinet office if the appointment had been more popular in the South. Buchanan's influence was not strong enough to win Forney a seat in the United States Senate
, which went instead to Simon Cameron
. In August 1857, Forney established the Philadelphia Press
.
At first a Douglas Democrat
, he became, in the latter days of the Buchanan administration, a Republican
and contributed to the organization of that party and its early successes. From 1859 to 1861, he was a second time clerk of the House, and he published in Washington, D.C.
the Sunday Morning Chronicle, which in 1862 was changed to a daily, and was throughout the Civil War
looked upon as the organ of the Lincoln administration. After serving as Secretary of the United States Senate
from 1861 to 1868, he disposed of his interest in the Chronicle and returned to Philadelphia where in 1871 he was made collector of the port by President Ulysses S. Grant
. He was an earnest promoter of the Centennial Exposition
and visited Europe in its interest in 1875. In 1877 he sold the Press and established a weekly, the Progress, which he edited until his death. In 1880 he left the Republican Party
and supported Winfield Scott Hancock
for the presidency. He is buried in West Laurel Hill Cemetery
, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist and politician. He was born at Lancaster
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and at the age of 16 entered the printing office of the Lancaster Journal. Four years later he purchased the Lancaster Intelligencer, and in 1840 he became proprietor of the Journal and combined the two papers under the name of the Intelligencer and Journal. In 1845 President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
James K. Polk
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
appointed him deputy surveyor of the port of Philadelphia
Port of Philadelphia
The Port of Philadelphia, within the municipal boundaries of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is located near the navigable end of the Delaware River, south of New York City and north of Washington, D.C...
, where he purchased a half interest in the Pennsylvanian, a Democratic paper of great influence, which under his editorial control attained a national importance. From 1851 to 1855 he was Clerk of the United States House of Representatives
Clerk of the United States House of Representatives
The Clerk of the United States House of Representatives is an officer of the United States House of Representatives, whose primary duty is to act as the chief record-keeper for the House....
, and he edited the Union, the organ of the Northern Democrats. He conducted James Buchanan
James Buchanan
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
's successful campaign for the presidency, and Buchanan would have given him a cabinet office if the appointment had been more popular in the South. Buchanan's influence was not strong enough to win Forney a seat in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, which went instead to Simon Cameron
Simon Cameron
Simon Cameron was an American politician who served as United States Secretary of War for Abraham Lincoln at the start of the American Civil War. After making his fortune in railways and banking, he turned to a life of politics. He became a U.S. senator in 1845 for the state of Pennsylvania,...
. In August 1857, Forney established the Philadelphia Press
Philadelphia Press
The Philadelphia Press is a defunct newspaper that was published from August 1, 1857 to October 1, 1920.The paper was founded by John W. Forney. Charles Emory Smith was editor and owned a stake in the paper from 1880 until his death in 1908...
.
At first a Douglas Democrat
Douglas Democrat
Douglas Democrat refers to those Democrats who supported U.S. Senator Stephen Arnold Douglas of Illinois in the 1860 U.S. presidential election.The Douglas Democrats were the majority of the party nationally...
, he became, in the latter days of the Buchanan administration, a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and contributed to the organization of that party and its early successes. From 1859 to 1861, he was a second time clerk of the House, and he published in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
the Sunday Morning Chronicle, which in 1862 was changed to a daily, and was throughout the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
looked upon as the organ of the Lincoln administration. After serving as Secretary of the United States Senate
Secretary of the United States Senate
The Secretary of the Senate is an elected officer of the United States Senate. The Secretary supervises an extensive array of offices and services to expedite the day-to-day operations of that body...
from 1861 to 1868, he disposed of his interest in the Chronicle and returned to Philadelphia where in 1871 he was made collector of the port by President Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
. He was an earnest promoter of the Centennial Exposition
Centennial Exposition
The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876, the first official World's Fair in the United States, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. It was officially...
and visited Europe in its interest in 1875. In 1877 he sold the Press and established a weekly, the Progress, which he edited until his death. In 1880 he left the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and supported Winfield Scott Hancock
Winfield Scott Hancock
Winfield Scott Hancock was a career U.S. Army officer and the Democratic nominee for President of the United States in 1880. He served with distinction in the Army for four decades, including service in the Mexican-American War and as a Union general in the American Civil War...
for the presidency. He is buried in West Laurel Hill Cemetery
West Laurel Hill Cemetery
West Laurel Hill Cemetery is a cemetery located in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the site of many notable burials, and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1992...
, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.
Authored
- Letters from Europe (1869)
- What I Saw in Texas (1872)
- Anecdotes of Public Men (two volumes, 1873)
- Forty Years of American Journalism (1877)
- The New Nobility (1881)