GREENE COUNTY'S FIRST EDITOR
REV. J.D.C. COBB
DECEMBER 24 , 1909
THE DAILY SOLIPHONE
TRANSCRIBED BY : TINA EASLEY
THE FIRST MAN TO CONDUCT A NEWSPAPER IN GREENE COUNTY WAS REV.J.D.C. COBB OF JONESBORO . BRO. COBB IS ENTITLED TO BE TERMED THE NESTOR OF NORTHEAST ARKANSAS JOURNALISM. HE LANDED IN GAINESVILLE WITH A PRINTING OUTFIT 35 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH (1874) AND STARTED THE GAINESVILLE TIMES. HE RAN IT TILL APRIL 1876 , WHEN HE MOVED IT TO JONESBORO.
A FIRE BURNT PART OF THE TOWN OF GAINESVILLE AND JONESBORO OFFERED HIM INDUCEMENTS , HAVING NO PRINTING OFFICE AND BRO. COBB MOVED DOWN THERE AND UNDER THE FIRM NAME J.D.C. COBB & SON THE PUBLICATION OF THE TIMES WAS CONTINUED FOR 26 YEARS.
IN THE EARLY DAYS OF HIS CAREER IN JONESBORO HE ACQUIRED REAL ESTATE FOR A TRIFLING SUM THAT HE HELD AND IN HS OLD AGE IT HAS PROVEN A BOON TO HIM, FOR IT HAS MADE HIM INDEPENDENT. HE IS NOW MAKING HIS HOME WITH HIS DAUGHTER , AT THE OLD FAMILY HOMESTEAD, HAVING LOST HIS WIFE SEVERAL YEARS AGO . EXCEPT FOR HIS LAMENESS , RESULTING FROM A COLLISION WITH A COW HE IS IN GOOD HEALTH AND IS ACTIVE AND STILL DOES MINISTERIAL WORK . FOR SEVERAL YEARS HE PREACHED REGULARLY FOR THE C.P. CHURCH CONGREGATION OF PARAGOULD.
THE OSCEOLA TIMES AND A PAPER AND A PAPER PUBLISHED AT POCAHONTAS WERE THE ONLY OTHER PAPERS IN THIS SECTION OF THE STATE AT THAT TIME, AND ONE AT POCAHONTAS SUSPENDED SHORTLEY AFTERWARDS.
A MAN BY THE NAME OF BATTERTON PUBLISHED A PAPER AT DELAPLAINE BEFOR BRO. COBB STARTED THE TIMES AT GAINESVILLE , BUT IT WAS SHORT LIVED AND IS HARDLY WORTHY OF MENTION IN NEWSPAPER CHRONOLOGY OF THE COUNTY.