Lake Maxinkuckee Its Intrigue History & Genealogy Culver, Marshall, Indiana

Culver & Its Newspapers Jun 1953 - Nov 1967  



16 Jun 1953

1953 June 17 - Chester W. Cleveland yesterday purchased The Culver Citizen and The Culver Press from Robert Rust.


Thus Chester W. "Chet" Cleveland's, first issue was 17 Jun 1953 and who presided over its pages until his death in 1961.

The firm's name was soon changed to the Culver Press, Incorporated, to better reflect its dependence on commercial printing; which took effect on 21 Oct. 1953.

1953 - Oct. 21 - E f f e c t i v e today, T h e Culver Citizen Press becomes The Culver Press. Glistening white plastic letters have been installed on the Plymouth and Washington Street sides of the building and read "The Culver Press — P r i n t er — Publishers."


1954 - Mar 10 - A new and costly Original Heidelberg Press has just been installed at The Culver Press.

In 1955 John A. Cleveland, moved to Culver , Marshall, Indiana to assist his father in theoperation of the Culver Press, Inc. John A. Cleveland of Winnetka, Ill., on June 16 became vice president of The Culver Press, Inc., and business manager of its newspaper, The Culver Citizen.- June 2 - 1955


In 1957 Chester W. Cleveland founded Indiana Business Magazine.
    Under Cleveland the journal regularly numbered sixteen pages and was published every Wednesday. The paper's purpose was to serve "the interests of nearly 20 communities in Marshall, Starke, F ulton, and P ulaski Counties". Cleveland changed the name of the “Citizen Bazaar” to the “Classified's.; Personal news continued to dominate the paper, and whole columns were devoted to personal happenings from towns across the four counties mentioned previously. As in every decade, advertising space reflected the passions of the time. In one issue in 1953 almost an entire page was devoted to current movies and where one co uld watch a show.

After Cleveland died in 1961, his son, John A. became president of Culver Press, Inc. and publisher of Indiana Business Magazine.

the 11 April 1962 issue listed John A Cleveland, Business Manager; Marjorie Ferrier , Co-Editor Margaret McDonald, Co-Editor; Dale Davis, Printing Superintendent


1962 - Apr 18 - W. L. Thompson Joins Editorial Staff
    W. L . Thompson, editor and publisher of Ridgeville, Indiana, has joined the editorial staff of The Culver Press, Inc. He will assume the duties as editor of "The Culver Citizen" and "Indiana Business and Industry" magazine.

    Mr. Thompson comes to Culver with over 35 years of editing and publishing experience. Starting as a "Printer's Devil" with the Baker Publishing Co., of Ridgeville, he soon was placed in charge of feature articles and served as advertising manager for the weekly newspaper, The Randolph County News. After a few years, he purchased the newspaper, and for over 20 years edited and published that publication. It was during this period that Mr. Thompson established an independent conservation magazine known as "Conservation Cavalcade" which he edited and published. This publication became the voice of the conservation clubs over the state and took the place of the discontinued "Outdoor Indiana."

    At the beginning of the Handley administration he was called to Indianapolis to take charge of the Division of Public Relation, of the Indiana Department of Conservation and to re-establish the official publication of the Department, "Outdoor Indiana." During the four years as editor of "Outdoor Indiana" he built the subscription list from none to over 12,000 paid subcriptions. With the change of administration, his services were terminated.

    Mr. Thompson has moved to Culver , taking an apartment on East Shore Drive, and will make his home here. He is a member of the Indianapolis Press Club, the Methodist Church, the Masonic Lodge and the Scottish Rite of Fort Wayne.

On 2 Jan 1963 - The staff was listed as 1963 John A. cleveland, Business Manager; W. L. Thompson, editor; Marjorie Ferrier assistant Editor; Margaret McDonald Assistant Editor; and Dale Davis Printing Superintendent.; and also in 1964 till october 14

Information and history reported elsewhere stated that:
    "The Culver Citizen was sold to Walter L. Thompson, who held onto the paper for only six months before Robert D. Hansen acquired it.

this was totally fabricated by some oneand was in total error by the doucmented proof and information by information found and recorded above and below this is a grave error - as the paper was still in the hands of John A. cleveland and under the ownership of the Culver Press Inc. Il is assumed that the W. L. Thompson and Walter L. Thompson is one and the same person.

1964 - Oct 14 - seems to be the last issue that W. L. Thompson was associated with the Culver Citizen, thus he was with the Culver Citizen and Culver Press longer that the above stated six months. The paper was still in the hands of John A. Cleveland and under the ownership of the Culver Press Inc.


and the next weeks issue on 21 Oct 1964 proclaimed that Robert D. Hansen was now editor of the Culver Citizen and the paper was still in the hands of John A. cleveland and under the ownership of the Culver Press Inc.


1964 october 21 - JOHN A. CLEVELAND, Business Manager; ROBERT D. HANSEN, Editor; MARIORIE FERRIER, Assistant Editor; MARGARET McDONALD, Assistant Editor; and DALE DAVIS, Printing Superintendent; until 1968, APRIL 14,

1964 - November 24 - Culver Press Adds Writer To Citizen, Magazine Staff
    Robert D. Hansen, a native of Marshall County who has resided in Fort Wayne for the past 12 years, has joined the Culver Press and will have editorial duties with both The Citizen and Indiana Business and Industry Magazine.

    He will serve as managing editor of the magazine, with responsibilities for copy preparation, editing and layout of the editorial contents. The magazine now reaches over 6,500 business and management personnel throughout Indiana.

    He will also serve as editor of The Citizen, having primary responsibility for government and business news, including t o wn board.

    Born in Bremen, he is a graduate of Bremen High School and Indiana University, and is a World War II veteran, having served in Europe with an infantry outfit. He spent five years in editorial and promotion work with the Fort Wayne newspapers, and has had extensive experience in advertising and technical writing.

    Married to the former Feme Cainan of Aurora, Ill., he has two sons, Ronnie 7, and Jimmy 5. The family expects to move to Culver in the near future
Information and history reported eslewhere stated that:
    Hansen continued as proprietor for three years before selling it

The statement that "Hansen continued as proprietor for three years before selling it" was totally fabricated by some one and was in total error by the doucmented proof and information by information found and recorded above and below this is a grave error - as the paper was still in the hands of John A. cleveland and under the ownership of the Culver Press Inc. Robert D Hansen's last issues as editor was April 14, 1966


and from this point until the newspaper was sold , the information was gleaned from this area of the citizen's pictured to the right - it seemed that no editor had been retained to take over the Culver Ctizen from 21 April 1967 - staff was listed as: John A. Cleveland, Business Manager; Marjorie Ferrier, Assistant Editor; Margaret McDonald, Assistant Editor; Dale. Davis, Printing Superintendent and until Nov 2, 1967


Thus in checking the issues of the Thompson and Hanson era - they were only listed as Editors and not owners, and the Culver Press Inc. are publishers - the only time the Citizen was mentioned as being sold during these years - is below also is found in the biography of 'The Cleveland Family' in the Marshall county history of 1986:
    In 1968 [sic] the weekly Culver Citizen was sold and the Culver press relocated in the new Plymouth Industrial park, under a new name, The indiana Press, Incorporated, a commercial printing firm specializing in offset lithography.

1967 - Nov. 2 Issue was the last to bear the name of John A. Cleveland and owner as the Culver Press. The last issue - listed the employees of the Culver Citzien as John A. Cleveland, Business Manager; Marjorie Ferrier, Assistant Editor; Margaret McDonald, Assistant Editor; Dale. Davis, Printing Superintendent and prices:


Thus the weekly Culver Citizen was sold and the Culver Press, Inc. was relocated in Plymouth, Marshall, Indiana in the new industrial plant as Indiana Press, Inc. Exactly 41 years to the day that Miles R. Robinson acquired the paper it was sold by John A. Cleveland to the Independent News Company of Walkerton, St. Joseph, Indiana, which would controlled the paper for six years.

Thus the Cleveland's Culver Press Inc. published the paper until it became a part of the Indiana Press of Plymouth, Marshall, Indiana in 1967/1968.

1967 - Culver Press Inc. merges with Town and Country Printers, Plymouth; as a result a new company - ndiana Press, Inc. was formed and the Culver Press building was put up for sale.


1894 - May 1903 ~~~ May 1903 - 1923 ~~~ 1923 - 1953 ~~~ 1953 - 1967 ~~~ 1967 - ? ~~~