The Young Editor Who Gave Sandwich the Free Press
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A Young Editor Comes to Sandwich
Henry Francis Bloodgood was born in Rochester, New York, on February 6, 1852. He came to DeKalb County with his family in June 1862, when he was ten years old.
On May 7, 1873, he married Eva M. Smith of Little Rock, Illinois. Two months later, on July 16, he published the first issue of the Sandwich Free Press.
He was only twenty one years old.
The 1876 Voters and TaxPayers of DeKalb County described Bloodgood as editor and proprietor of the Free Press, living on Fourth Street. It listed his house and lot at a value of $2,000 and his personal property at $3,000, a substantial holdings for a publisher still in his early twenties.
By 1876, Bloodgood’s newspaper had already become a substantial local enterprise. A county history described him as a practical printer and able writer who had started the Free Press at the urging of local citizens. The paper was described as healthy, prosperous and influential, with a weekly circulation of 981 copies. Bloodgood was also publishing the Shabbona Express, extending his newspaper work beyond Sandwich.
“Home First; The World Afterward.”
Centered beneath the masthead of the first issue appeared the newspaper’s motto:
“Home First; The World Afterward.”
Masthead from the first issue of the Sandwich Free Press, July 16, 1873. Volume 1, Number 1.
Bloodgood’s opening Salutatory explained the purpose of his new newspaper. Rather than filling its pages with distant happenings while neglecting local affairs, the Free Press would give Sandwich first attention.
He believed a hometown newspaper should celebrate the accomplishments of its own community while reporting honestly and fairly on the events that mattered to its readers.
Even today, the editorial reads as a thoughtful statement of local journalism.
Bloodgood’s opening “Salutatory,” introducing the Sandwich Free Press and its commitment to local news, July 16, 1873.
The First Issue
The first issue of the Sandwich Free Press was published on Wednesday, July 16, 1873. Rather than heavily restoring the page, this image has been preserved much as it survives today, retaining the character of the original newspaper.
Earning the Respect of Fellow Editors
Within only a few years, the Sandwich Free Press had earned recognition beyond Sandwich.
In 1879, the Ottawa Times described Bloodgood’s newspaper as:
“One of the most enterprising sheets in this region.”
That same year another newspaper commented:
“The Free Press is the best paper in Sandwich… lively, sensible, and up to the time.”
These compliments carried special significance because they came from fellow newspaper editors, men who understood the challenges of publishing a successful weekly paper and who, in many cases, competed for the same readers and advertisers.
By his late twenties, Henry Bloodgood had established himself as one of the respected young newspaper publishers in northern Illinois.
Beyond the Printing Press
Bloodgood’s influence extended beyond journalism.
Bloodgood also served Sandwich, regularly attending city council meetings, and participated in local political and civic affairs. Additionally, he also served in the broader fraternity of Illinois newspaper editors. His obituary noted that he was a valued member of the Illinois Press Association, evidence that his reputation reached well beyond his hometown.
Bloodgood was also active in Sandwich Lodge No. 212 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, serving as recording secretary in 1876. His connection with the lodge helps explain the prominent role the Odd Fellows later played in his funeral.
Although much of his daily work has been lost to history, contemporary newspapers leave little doubt that he was respected both as an editor and as a citizen.
A Tragic Accident
In April of 1882, Bloodgood became caught in the revolving shaft that powered his printing press.
Although he initially survived and at times appeared to be recovering, the injuries left lasting complications. During the following months he suffered from an abscess, blood poisoning, and damage to one lung. He died at Mercy Hospital in Chicago on October 5, 1882, at the age of thirty.
He was only thirty years old.
His funeral was held in Sandwich City Hall and attended with civic and Masonic honors.
Newspapers throughout the region reported his passing.
“In Memoriam”
Among the most moving tributes published after Bloodgood’s death was a lengthy memorial that first appeared in the Free Press and was later reprinted in the Weekly Argus.
Rather than summarize it, it is best read in the words of those who knew him.
In Memoriam for Henry F. Bloodgood, as reprinted in the Sandwich Argus. Presented here in a lightly cleaned version for readability. Article readability improvements by Herk Schmidt
His Legacy
Henry F. Bloodgood published the Sandwich Free Press for a little more than nine years, yet the newspaper he founded continued serving Sandwich for more than a century.
His life was brief, but the institution he created became one of the community’s enduring voices.
Today, the surviving copies of the Free Press, along with the words written about its young editor, preserve the story of a man whose influence reached far beyond the years he was given
More History Awaits
The story continues every day.
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Sources
- The Voters and Tax-Payers of DeKalb County, Illinois (Chicago: H. F. Kett & Co., 1876), p. 196.
- History of DeKalb County, Illinois (1876), pp. 122, 150–151 and related entries.
- Sandwich Free Press, inaugural issue, July 16, 1873.
- The Weekly Argus, Sandwich, Illinois, various issues, 1879–1882.
- True Republican, Sycamore, Illinois, various issues, 1882 and 1892.
- “In Memoriam: Henry Francis Bloodgood,” originally published in the Sandwich Free Press and reprinted in the Sandwich Argus, October 1882.
- The Henry Republican, Henry, Illinois, October 12, 1882.
- Illinois Digital Newspaper Collections, University of Illinois.
- Oak Ridge Cemetery records and Henry F. Bloodgood memorial information.