DAILY FOREST CITY - The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

The DAILY FOREST CITY was founded on 26 Apr. 1852 by Joseph Meharry Medill, who had moved to Cleveland after brief publishing experiences in Coshocton and Newark, OH. A penny paper of 4 pages, it supported Whig politics and soon claimed a circulation of 5,000. By its second year, Medill was joined by his brother, Jas. C. Medill, as partner and coeditor. On 15 Oct. 1853, the Daily Forest City consolidated with another anti-slavery paper, the DAILY TRUE DEMOCRAT, to form the Daily Forest City Democrat. The Medills were joined in the new partnership by John C. Vaughn of the True Democrat and job printer EDWIN W. COWLES†. Cowles soon became the dominant figure in the new enterprise, as the paper was renamed the CLEVELAND LEADER at his insistence. By the spring of 1855, Medill sold out to Cowles and moved to Chicago, where he eventually became publisher of the Chicago Tribune. His grandson, Medill McCormick, later returned to Cleveland as publisher of the Leader.

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