W. H. B.
TRAUTHAM
LOS GATOS
Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES:
The Los Gatos Weekly News was established July 2, 1881, by W. S. Walker, who went to Saratoga, on the advice of friends, to start a newspaper enterprise in that town, but, passing through Los Gatos, saw that it had a bright future before it, and at once commenced the publication of the News, a five-column quarto, with “patent inside.” He afterward increased the size of the paper to a six-column quarto, still using “ready prints.” By his enterprise, and a constant advocacy of Los Gatos’ splendid claims, the town received new life, and Mr. Walker had a liberal patronage for his pioneer paper of the foot-hills. In April, 1885, Mr. Walker sold out the News to Messrs. W. H. B. Trautham, C. C. Suydam, and G. Webster. In March, 1886, Mr. Webster sold out his interest to W. H. B. Trautham and C. C. Suydam, the present owners and publishers of the paper.
The paper has been, and is yet, independent in politics, and is devoted to the horticultural and viticultural interests of the upper part of Santa Clara Valley; and it has been a powerful factor in the onward march of that section. In March, 1887, the publishers cast aside the “ready prints,” and improved the typographical appearance of the paper, which has had a liberal patronage from its founding.
The editor of the
News, W. H. B. Trautham, was born in Greene County, Missouri, March 16,
1847. The early part of his life was spent on a farm in his native county.
After a solicitous life incident to the battles in and near Springfield, he
entered the district schools, and soon made a teacher of himself, but not being
content with the education attained, commenced a course of study in the Missouri
University in 1868, and graduated from that institution in 1872. At the close
of his college life, Mr. Trautham became the principal of the Varona, Missouri,
public schools, which position he held for two years, when he was unanimously
called by the Board of Education of North Springfield, Missouri, to the head of
that institution. At the end of four years, his health having somewhat failed,
he resolved to give up teaching and bought a half interest in the North
Springfield Southwester, but the Board of Education of the city of
Springfield prevailed on him to take charge of their High School, which position
he gave up in the spring of 1878, to give his undivided attention to the
journalistic venture. The paper was improved, and a daily inaugurated. Poor
health, in the spring of 1884, made another change necessary, when the
Southwester news and job offices were sold out, and Mr. Trautham came with
his family to Los Gatos, where he has entirely regained health, and where he has
been constantly connected with the News since 1885.
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg. 108
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg. 633-634
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