Biography - WILLIAM CLARK CARSON
One of the leading Republican newspapers of Southern Illinois is The
Greenville Advocate, which has long been recognized as a director of party
policies and a supporter of its acknowledged candidates, as well as a
newspaper singularly free from sensationalism, its policy always having been
to give to the reading public the best to be found in journalism. Its rapid
growth in favor among the people of this section of the state is due in
large part to the efforts of its managing editor, William Clark Carson, who
holds a prominent position among Illinois newspaper men, and a citizen whose
sincerity in developing the interests of his community has never been
questioned.
William Clark Carson was born at Woodburn, Macoupin county, Illinois, August
7, 1874, and is a son of William T. and Abbie E. (Colcord) Carson. William
T. Carson was a native of Franklin, Tennessee, where he was born February 8,
1832. When he was eighteen months old he was brought by his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. John Blackburn Carson, to Macoupin county, Illinois, and there the
family resided on a farm until 1845, in which year they removed to Woodburn.
His father passed away in 1886 and his mother three years later. As a young
man William T. Carson engaged in the mercantile business in Woodburn, and
then spent four years in the same line in Greenville, but in 1 873 returned
to Woodburn, where he followed commercial pursuits until 1892, when he
retired from business activities and came to Greenville. He served as
postmaster during five administrations at Woodburn, being an independent
Democrat in politics, and for twenty years acted in the capacity of justice
of the peace. On May 18, 1856, he was married in the old Congregational
church at Greenville, to Miss Abbie E. Colcord, who was born in Wilton,
Maine, March 7, 1837, and came to Illinois in 1840 with her father, Samuel
Colcord, making the journey in a covered wagon. Samuel Colcord,, who was one
of this county's most highly esteemed citizens, died in November, 1893. Six
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Carson, namely: Eula, Clarence H.,
Francis P., Ella, William Clark and Harriet S., of whom Francis P. and Ella
are now deceased. At the time of the dissolution of the old Congregational
church Mr. and Mrs. Carson became connected with the Presbyterian church, of
which they are still members.
William Clark Carson attended the public schools of Woodburn, the Bunker
Hill Military Academy and Shurtleff College, but did not complete his course
in the latter institution, owing to failing eyesight. Later his parents
removed to Greenville, where he attended Greenville College, and graduated
therefrom in the class of 1895, with the degree of Bachelor of Commercial
Science. In the following year Mr. Carson entered the employ of W. W. Lowis,
of The Greenville Advocate, and he has since been connected with this paper.
He became city editor in 1898, and when Mr. Lowis was appointed postmaster
of Greenville, in May, 1906, he took over the active management of The
Advocate, in which he secured a half-interest May 1, 1908, the firm style at
that time becoming Lowis & Carson. Also at that time he assumed the
editorial and business management of the paper, and acts in that capacity at
present.
The Greenville Advocate is one of the oldest publications in the state,
having been in existence for more than fifty -four years, and since March,
1911, has been issued twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays, the former
containing from four to ten pages, and the latter from eight to sixteen
pages, filled with accurate and comprehensive news and illustrations, while
the editorial page wields a strong influence in matters of importance along
all lines. One of the most modern plants in this part of Illinois has been
erected for its use, and everything that goes to make up a wide-awake,
up-to-date newspaper has been installed here, including linotype machine,
cylinder presses and a modern folder. Three men are employed in the
editorial department and six in the mechanical department and press rooms,
in addition to a large force of carriers, and the circulation has grown
rapidly in late years, now being more than two thousand one hundred. Mr.
Carson believes in progress, has taken an active interest in local affairs
and has identified himself with all movements tending to better his
community in any way. He is stanch in his support of Republican principles,
but has not sought public preferment on his own account. He is a member of
the Modern Woodmen of America and the Woodmen of the World, while his
religious association is with the Presbyterian church, of which his wife is
also a consistent member.
On October 14, 1900, Mr. Carson married Miss Louise Seawell, daughter of the
Hon. Charles W. Seawell, who served two terms in the Illinois State
Legislature and fifteen years as an internal revenue agent, being for three
years in charge of the Chicago internal revenue office. Mr. and Mrs. Carson
have had one child, Mildred, who is attending school.
Extracted 10 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from 1912 History of Southern Illinois, by George W. Smith, volume 3, pages 1119-1120.
