Georgia Historic Newspapers

Nathan S. S. Beman came to Mount Zion in 1812 to be an educator and pastor at the town’s academy. In 1819, Beman entered into a partnership with Isaac M. Wales and Benjamin Gildersleeve to purchase a printing shop and found the Missionary. Beman held a managerial role while Gildersleeve acted as editor for the first two years of the newspaper. In 1821, Beman parted ways with Gildersleeve and Wales and formed N. S. S. Beman and Company with new partners Jacob P. Norton and Ebenezer Cooper. Under this new partnership, Beman also held the role as head editor, and his first editorial featured heavy criticism of immoral and crude content published in contemporary papers. The newspaper continued to provide a weekly update on missionary activity around the world, but Beman now used the publication as an opportunity to examine political, economic, and social matters of the day. The editor editorialized against the theatre, dueling, and consumption of alcohol. Interesting is the presence of liquor advertisements despite Beman’s support for temperance. The Missionary’s editorials featured frequent discussion about the benefits of public education and the need for better instructors in the state. Beman was the voice of the Missionary until 1822. Norton remained publisher of the newspaper until it ceased printing in the mid-1820s.

Provided by: Digital Library of Georgia