James George Scripps (1886–1921) John Paul Holtsinger Scripps (1889–1914) Dolla Blair Scripps (1890–1954) Edward MacLean Scripps (1891–1898) Robert Paine Scripps (1895–1938) Nackey Scripps Meanley (1898–1981)
E. W. Scripps was born and raised in Rushville, Illinois, to James Mogg Scripps from London, and Julia Adeline Osborne (third wife) from New York.
E. W., as with many businessmen of his day, went by his initials rather than writing out his first and middle name. He often signed his middle name as "Wyllis".[1]
E. W. was a prolific consumer of whisky and cigars, according to his confidential assistant Gilson Gardner, and was said to drink a gallon (3.79 L) each day while bearing a lit cigar at all waking hours.[2][3]
Newspaper career
Both E. W. and his half-sister Ellen worked with his older half-brother, James when he founded The Detroit News in 1873. E. W. started as an office boy at the paper. In 1878, with loans from his half-brothers, E. W. went on to found The Penny Press (later the Cleveland Press) in Cleveland. With financial support from sister Ellen, he went on to begin or acquire some 25 newspapers. This was the beginning of a media empire that is now the E. W. Scripps Company.
In 1907, Scripps created United Press Associations, now United Press International (UPI), from smaller regional news services. Scripps later said "I regard my life's greatest service to the people of this country to be the creation of the United Press", to provide competition to the Associated Press.[citation needed]
Scripps believed in editorial independence, stating:
A newspaper fairly and honestly conducted in the interests of the great masses of the public must at all times antagonize the selfish interests of that very class [the advertisers] which furnishes the larger part of a newspaper's income. It must occasionally so antagonize this class as to cause it not only to cease patronage, to a greater or lesser extent, but to make actually offensive warfare against the newspaper.[4]
Later life
In 1898, he finished building a home in San Diego, where his half-sister lived nearby,[5] thinking that the dry, warm climate would help his lifelong allergic rhinitis. He built it as a winter home to escape the cold of West Chester, (Butler County), Ohio but eventually lived there year-round, and conducted his newspaper business from the ranch. His ranch encompassed what is today the community of Scripps Ranch as well as Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
In 1903, he and his half-sister Ellen were the founding donors of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Initially Scripps was reluctant to support the venture, thinking scientists could not be businesslike. However, he developed a deep friendship with the scientific director, William Emerson Ritter, and together they began to plan projects for the Institute. As the Institute started to succeed, he became an enthusiastic supporter, and took a great interest in its work.
In 1921, Scripps founded Science Service, later named the Society for Science & the Public, with the goal of keeping the public informed of scientific achievements. Scripps College is also named in honor of his half-sister, Ellen Browning Scripps, because a large part of its endowment derives from the media fortune they had built.
Scripps died at the age of 71 on March 12, 1926, onboard his yacht Ohio as it lay anchored in Monrovia Bay, Liberia.[6] Among his descendants was Samuel H. Scripps (1927 – 2007), grandson, who became a leading philanthropist for theater and dance in America in the late 20th century.
See also
Samuel H. Scripps – E. W. Scripps' grandson, a philanthropist in theater and dance
The Day Book – E. W. Scripps' six year experiment in ad-free journalism
^"Aide Says Scripps Defied All Maxims". The New York Times. February 18, 1932. Archived from the original on May 2, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
^Gardner, Gilson (1932). Lusty Scripps: The Life of E. W. Scripps (1854-1926). New York City. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
^MacColl, E. Kimbark (1979). The Growth of a City: Power and Politics in Portland, Oregon 1915–1950. Portland, Oregon: The Georgian Press. ISBN0-9603408-1-5.
^"A Jew and the California Dream". San Diego Reader. March 29, 2007. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
^"Turquoise". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
Further reading
E. W. Scripps (Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1933) by Negley D. Cochran
E. W. Scripps and the Business of Newspapers (1999) by Gerald J. Baldasty. ISBN0-252-06750-9.
Science Service as one Expression of E. W. Scripps's Philosophy of Life. (Washington, D.C.: Science Service, 1926) by William E. Ritter
"Newspaper Man", Time, March 22, 1926
Molly McClain, "The Scripps Family's San Diego Experiment," The Journal of San Diego History 56, nos. 1–2 (2010).
Molly McClain, Ellen Browning Scripps: New Money and American Philanthropy (Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 2017)
Scripps, E.W.; McCabe, Charles. Damned Old Crank – A Self Portrait of E. W. Scripps Drawn From His Unpublished Writings (March 15, 2007). Mccabe Press. p. 259. ISBN1-4067-6151-6.
Morris, Joe Alex (1968). Deadline Every Minute: The Story of the United Press (1968 reprint). Praeger (October 31, 1968). p. 356. ISBN0-8371-0175-1.
Archives
E. W. Scripps Papers, Mahn Center for Archives & Special Collections, Ohio University Libraries, Athens, Ohio. Manuscript collection, primarily correspondence.
Robert E. Burke Collection. 1892-1994. 60.43 cubic feet (68 boxes plus two oversize folders and one oversize vertical file). Contains material collected by Burke on E.W. Scripps from 1910-1994. At the Labor Archives of Washington, University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
External links
"How Scripps Institution Came To San Diego", The Journal of San Diego History 27:3 (Summer 1981) by Elizabeth N. Shor
April 20, 2023
scripps, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, july, 2014, learn, when, remove, this, template, message, edward, wil. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations July 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Edward Willis Scripps June 18 1854 March 12 1926 was an American newspaper publisher and together with his sister Ellen Browning Scripps founder of The E W Scripps Company a diversified media conglomerate and United Press news service It became United Press International UPI when International News Service INS merged with United Press in 1958 The E W Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University is named for him E W ScrippsA newspaper cutout of E W Scripps c 1912BornEdward Willis Scripps 1854 06 18 June 18 1854Rushville Illinois U S DiedMarch 12 1926 1926 03 12 aged 71 Monrovia LiberiaOccupation s Publisher publishing magnateYears active1878 1926Known forFounder of The E W Scripps Company 1878 Scripps Institution of Oceanography 1907 United Press International 1908 later known as UPI News Service Science Service 1921 later known as Society for Science amp the Public SpouseNackie Benson Holtsinger 1866 1930 ChildrenJames George Scripps 1886 1921 John Paul Holtsinger Scripps 1889 1914 Dolla Blair Scripps 1890 1954 Edward MacLean Scripps 1891 1898 Robert Paine Scripps 1895 1938 Nackey Scripps Meanley 1898 1981 Parent s James Mogg ScrippsJulia Adeline OsborneRelativesJames E Scripps 1835 1906 half brother Ellen Browning Scripps 1836 1932 half sister Samuel H Scripps 1927 2007 grandson Contents 1 Early life 2 Newspaper career 3 Later life 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 6 1 Archives 7 External linksEarly life EditE W Scripps was born and raised in Rushville Illinois to James Mogg Scripps from London and Julia Adeline Osborne third wife from New York E W as with many businessmen of his day went by his initials rather than writing out his first and middle name He often signed his middle name as Wyllis 1 E W was a prolific consumer of whisky and cigars according to his confidential assistant Gilson Gardner and was said to drink a gallon 3 79 L each day while bearing a lit cigar at all waking hours 2 3 Newspaper career EditBoth E W and his half sister Ellen worked with his older half brother James when he founded The Detroit News in 1873 E W started as an office boy at the paper In 1878 with loans from his half brothers E W went on to found The Penny Press later the Cleveland Press in Cleveland With financial support from sister Ellen he went on to begin or acquire some 25 newspapers This was the beginning of a media empire that is now the E W Scripps Company In 1907 Scripps created United Press Associations now United Press International UPI from smaller regional news services Scripps later said I regard my life s greatest service to the people of this country to be the creation of the United Press to provide competition to the Associated Press citation needed Scripps believed in editorial independence stating A newspaper fairly and honestly conducted in the interests of the great masses of the public must at all times antagonize the selfish interests of that very class the advertisers which furnishes the larger part of a newspaper s income It must occasionally so antagonize this class as to cause it not only to cease patronage to a greater or lesser extent but to make actually offensive warfare against the newspaper 4 Later life EditIn 1898 he finished building a home in San Diego where his half sister lived nearby 5 thinking that the dry warm climate would help his lifelong allergic rhinitis He built it as a winter home to escape the cold of West Chester Butler County Ohio but eventually lived there year round and conducted his newspaper business from the ranch His ranch encompassed what is today the community of Scripps Ranch as well as Marine Corps Air Station Miramar In 1903 he and his half sister Ellen were the founding donors of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Initially Scripps was reluctant to support the venture thinking scientists could not be businesslike However he developed a deep friendship with the scientific director William Emerson Ritter and together they began to plan projects for the Institute As the Institute started to succeed he became an enthusiastic supporter and took a great interest in its work In 1921 Scripps founded Science Service later named the Society for Science amp the Public with the goal of keeping the public informed of scientific achievements Scripps College is also named in honor of his half sister Ellen Browning Scripps because a large part of its endowment derives from the media fortune they had built Scripps died at the age of 71 on March 12 1926 onboard his yacht Ohio as it lay anchored in Monrovia Bay Liberia 6 Among his descendants was Samuel H Scripps 1927 2007 grandson who became a leading philanthropist for theater and dance in America in the late 20th century See also EditSamuel H Scripps E W Scripps grandson a philanthropist in theater and dance The Day Book E W Scripps six year experiment in ad free journalismReferences Edit Edward Willis Scripps at Brittannica com Aide Says Scripps Defied All Maxims The New York Times February 18 1932 Archived from the original on May 2 2018 Retrieved May 2 2018 Gardner Gilson 1932 Lusty Scripps The Life of E W Scripps 1854 1926 New York City Retrieved May 2 2018 MacColl E Kimbark 1979 The Growth of a City Power and Politics in Portland Oregon 1915 1950 Portland Oregon The Georgian Press ISBN 0 9603408 1 5 A Jew and the California Dream San Diego Reader March 29 2007 Retrieved March 21 2018 Turquoise Naval History and Heritage Command Retrieved January 27 2016 Further reading EditE W Scripps Harcourt Brace and Company 1933 by Negley D Cochran E W Scripps and the Business of Newspapers 1999 by Gerald J Baldasty ISBN 0 252 06750 9 Science Service as one Expression of E W Scripps s Philosophy of Life Washington D C Science Service 1926 by William E Ritter Newspaper Man Time March 22 1926 Molly McClain The Scripps Family s San Diego Experiment The Journal of San Diego History 56 nos 1 2 2010 Molly McClain Ellen Browning Scripps New Money and American Philanthropy Lincoln NE University of Nebraska Press 2017 Scripps E W McCabe Charles Damned Old Crank A Self Portrait of E W Scripps Drawn From His Unpublished Writings March 15 2007 Mccabe Press p 259 ISBN 1 4067 6151 6 Morris Joe Alex 1968 Deadline Every Minute The Story of the United Press 1968 reprint Praeger October 31 1968 p 356 ISBN 0 8371 0175 1 Archives Edit E W Scripps Papers Mahn Center for Archives amp Special Collections Ohio University Libraries Athens Ohio Manuscript collection primarily correspondence Robert E Burke Collection 1892 1994 60 43 cubic feet 68 boxes plus two oversize folders and one oversize vertical file Contains material collected by Burke on E W Scripps from 1910 1994 At the Labor Archives of Washington University of Washington Libraries Special Collections External links Edit How Scripps Institution Came To San Diego The Journal of San Diego History 27 3 Summer 1981 by Elizabeth N Shor Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title E W Scripps amp oldid 1144391405, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
