Biography - CHARLES EDWARD MAYNARD
A man of broad, ideas and wide vision, Charles Edward Maynard, former
editor, part owner and business manager of the Greenville Sun, is one of the
most intelligent newspaper men of Southern Illinois. He was born in
Greenville, Illinois, May 10, 1884, a son of Alfred Maynard, and is of good
old New England stock.
Born in South Deerfield, Massachusetts, Franklin county, Alfred Maynard was
there brought up and educated. At the age of twenty years he made his way
westward to Greenville, and soon found employment in the general store of W.
S. Dann. A few years later, on the death of Mr. Dann, the business was
reorganized as the F. P. Joy Company, and he has since been an active member
of the firm, at the present time having charge of the shoe department. Mr.
Maynard is a man of much force of character and is prominent in church and
Sunday-school work. He was formerly a member of the Congregational church,
and when that church united with the Presbyterian church under the name of
the latter, he became a leading member of the Presbyterian church. In 1882
he married Mary Elizabeth Butler, a daughter of Elijah and Nancy Butler, the
latter of whom died in March, 1911. Mr. Butler was a photographer in
Effingham, Illinois, until 1904, when he retired from active business
pursuits. Five children .blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Maynard,
as follows: Hattie N., who owned a half interest in the Greenville Sun;
Charles Edward, of whom this brief sketch is chiefly written; J. Louise;
Grace E.; and Ina A. In his political affiliations the father is a strong
Prohibitionist, and fraternally he belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America.
Educated in Greenville, Charles E. Maynard was graduated from the high
school with the class of 1902, and subsequently continued his studies for a
year at Greenville College. In February, 1905, having a genuine taste for
journalism, he became connected with the Sun as a reporter, and he found
newspaper work so congenial that in November, 1905, with Mr. F. H. Floyd, he
purchased the paper from its owner, Mr. W. C. Wright. In the fall of 1909
Mr. Floyd sold his interest in the paper to Miss Hattie N. Maynard, a sister
of Mr. Maynard, and the two have been conducting it most successfully. The
Sun, a Democratic organ, with a decided inclination towards independence in
thought and expressed opinions, has been a semi-weekly since 1905, and under
the vigorous direction of Mr. Maynard came rapidly to the front, becoming
one of the leading and progressive journals of Southern Illinois, noted for
its fearlessness in attacking machine politics, and in its agitation of pure
and clean municipal elections, as well as its progressive attitude in regard
to city affairs. The plant was thoroughly equipped for job and advertising
work, being modern in its improvements. Six men were employed in the
printing department, four in the office, and in addition a large corps of
county correspondents and city carriers were found on its pay roll. The
paper had a wide circulation in the county, and was in every way in a
flourishing and thriving condition when Mr. Maynard disposed of the plant
early in 1912. Mr. Maynard is a Democrat and a member of the Maccabees.
On August 30, 1911, Mr. Maynard was united in marriage with Miss Mabel Pearl
Jones, of Robinson, Illinois, a young lady of talent and culture, who for a
year prior to her marriage was a student in the music department of
Greenville College.
Extracted 10 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from 1912 History of Southern Illinois, by George W. Smith, volume 3, page 1504.
