Part II - Business, a supplement to the Big Rapids Pioneer Newspaper. Used with permission.



PIONEER COUNTY'S OLDEST BUSINESS
Ella J. Ramsdell wrote in the Diamond Jubilee edition of the Pioneer in 1930 that local attorney C.C. Fuller was instrumental in getting a newspaper to open in Big Rapids by offering his services as editor for free.

She quoted an address Fuller gave before the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society.

"I have mentioned the fact that mail day was an important event in our isolated community," Fuller said. "The fact that there was no newspaper published north of Newaygo caused us to agitate the question of inducing some one to come and start a paper, both to advertise our town and to give the news from the outside world; and to assist in bringing this about, the writer offered to assume the editorial charge of a newspaper, without compensation, if some printer would come and publish one.

"In response to this offer, a young man appeared one day in the early spring of 1862, at my office, and said he was a printer, that his name was Charlie Gay, and that he had heard we wanted a newspaper, etc.

"Of course I told him that this was so, and the interview resulted in his promise to come soon and see what we could do. He was poor as well as the rest of us, but his former employer at Newaygo was "indebted" to him, and having a lot of worn out type laid by allowed him to take what he wanted of it for use on his newspaper.

"Mr. Gay procurred some new advertising and job type and we found an old second-hand Washington press in Greenville, which was repaired by a blacksmith so as to be capable of being used, and finally on the 17th day of April, 1862, the first number of the MECOSTA COUNTY PIONEER was issued.

"June 21, 1870, appeared the first number of the "Big Rapids Independent." O.E. Rose was the editor and proprietor. In 1874 the name was changed to Big Rapids Magnet, and in 1876 Mr. Gay and Mr. Rose combined the papers under the name BIG RAPIDS PIONEER-MAGNET."

A lot of changes have taken place since that time. Some highlights include:

In 1881 the Pioneer-Magnet became a daily.

In 1882 Rose sold his interest to M.W. Barrows, a third partner in the business.

In 1883 Barrows died leaving Gay as the sole owner, although Mrs. Barrows retained an interest in the firm.

Mrs. Barrow's son-in-law, C.W. Krouser became associated with Gay after his graduation from the University of Michigan.

In 1912 the paper acquired its first linotype, eliminating the need to hand set each edition.

In 1916 the paper was sold to Wells F. Harvey who sold it in 1928 to Conine Publishing Company of Battle Creek (now of Big Rapids), with Austin C. Batdorff as vice president.

The Batdorff family has owned the paper ever since.

John H. Batdorff (Austin Batdorff's son) was general manager from 1935-37, wand through stock purchases became president of Conine Publishing.

In 1939 the Pioneer's equipment was leased to Arthur Anderson, who has been general manager for several years.

In 1948, the publication moved from the basement of the Citizen's State Bank to a building designed by Anderson and now occupied by the Old Pioneer Store and Emporium.

In 1959 Anderson turned the paper back to Conine Publication Company.

John A. (Jack) Batdorff, son of John H. Batdorff took over as general manager following the reign of Elliott Henry and Keith Ellibee abd ub 1966 transformed the newspaper from hot-type to offset production.

In June of 1971 the Pioneer moved into its present building at 502 N. State along with other divisions of the growing company and Jack was named publisher.

In 1980s the Pioneer switched from its long standing afternoon publication to a morning newspaper.

Today, 143 years after Charlie Gay answered C.C. Fuller's plea for a newspaper for Big Rapids, the Pioneer continues as the oldest business in Mecosta County and the oldest newspaper north of Grand Rapids with Jack Batdorff serving as chairman of Pioneer Group a company that includes the Pioneer, a sister daily newspaper in Manistee, a commercial printing plant just north of Big Rapids , internet sales and services, three weeklies in Baldwin, Frankfort and Reed City, five shoppers guides and a telephone directory service.

And work is underway to remodel the old Dibbles Store on North Michigan Avenue intio the new headquarters for a multi-faceted company that plans to service the needs of the area well inti the future.

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