Georgia Historic Newspapers

T. A. Wallace organized a stock company of Coffee County residents and established the Coffee County Progress in Douglas, Georgia with its inaugural issue on October 31, 1913. The newspaper immediately became a credible competitor to Coffee County’s legal organ, the Douglas Enterprise. J. Dana Jones replaced Wallace in February 1914, and he acted as editor and paper manager until September of that year when Melvin Tanner succeeded him. In September 1915, Fred Ricketson became editor and manager of the Progress. Fred’s father, also named Fred Ricketson, helped found Coffee County’s first newspaper, the Pioneer, in 1870. In May 1918, Ricketson Jr. joined the army and left Douglas for Camp Greenleaf in Catoosa County. George M. Stanton was appointed editor and Fred DuVall became business manager in Ricketson’s absence. Ricketson returned to his position as editor and manager in January 1920, and he held that position until his retirement in 1947. Melvin C. Waters replaced Ricketson as editor-in-chief and published the Progress with the assistance of Shelby W. Davis. The Progress continued to circulate into the late 20th century, but never replaced the Douglas Enterprise as Coffee County’s paper of record. The Progress eventually ceased publication in the 1980s.

Provided by: Digital Library of Georgia