MPA PAST PRESIDENTS

The Missouri Press Association celebrates a glorious past. The presidency of the organization began in 1867 with J. W. Barrett of The Canton Press. Today, 136 Presidents later, MPA is lead by David Bradley of The St. Joseph News-Press.

This "gavel," donated to Missouri Press Association in 2006 by Steve Oldfield of Adrian (2006 MPA President), is kept in a glass case that has the names of all past MPA Presidents engraved on it.

Past Presidents of Missouri Press Association and guests held their annual gathering April 17 at The Upper Crus t Elm Street Ballroom in Columbia. Attending were, seated from the left: William L. Miller Sr., Washington (2000); Dane Vernon, Versailles (200 2); Wallace Vernon, Eldon (1973); Kenneth Cope, Neosho (1989); Jack Whitaker, Hannibal (2008); Chuck Haney, Chillicothe (1995); John Spaar, Odessa (2005); Steve Oldfield, Adrian (2006); Dean Mills, Dean of the Missouri School of Journalism (on sabatical); standing from left, Harold Ellinghouse, Piedmont (1996); Wendell Lenhart, Trenton (2001); Dave Berry, Bolivar (2003); Don Warden, Owensville (1993); Ed Steele, MPA Ad Director, retired; Bill Williams, Thayer (1974); Robert Blosser, Jefferson City (1976); Rogers Hewitt, Shelbyville (1980); Kirk Powell, Pleasant Hill (1994); Robert W. Wilson, Milan (1999); Esther Thorson, Acting Dean, Missouri School of Journalism; Dave Bradley, St. Joseph (2007); Betty Spaar, Odessa (1988); Bill James, Warrensburg (1998); Jim Sterling, Columbia (1985); and Gary Kremer, Director, The State Historical Society of Missouri.


1. J. W. Barrett* Canton Press 1867-68-69
2. Norman J. Colman* Rural World 1870-71
3. C. B. Wilkinson* St. Joseph Herald 1872
4. A. Y. Hull* Sedalia Democrat 1873
5. William F. Switzler* Columbia Statesman 1874
6. L. J. Eastin* Glasgow Journal 1875
7. Milo Blair* Boonville Eagle 1876
8. T. W. Park* Platte City Landmark 1877
9. J. E. Hutton* Mexico Intelligencer 1878-79
10. J. H. Turner* Carrollton Record 1879-80

11. J. T. Child* Richmond Conservator 1881
12. A. A. Leseuer* Lexington Intelligencer 1882
13. J. B. Thompson* LaPlata Home Press 1883
14. R. B. Speed* Nevada Mail 1884
15. R. M. White* Mexico Ledger 1885
16. J. A. Hudson* Macon Times 1886
17. W. D. Crandall* Brookfield Gazette 1887
18. I. H. Kinley* Brunswick Brunswicker 1888
19. Walter Williams* Boonville Advertiser 1889
20. E. W. Stephens* Columbia Herald 1890

21. J. West Goodwin* Sedalia Bazoo 1891
22. W. O. L. Jewett* Shelbina Democrat 1892
23. J. C. Kerby* West Plains Gazette 1893
24. John Knott* Hannibal Courier 1894
25. John W. Jacks* Montgomery Standard 1895
26. H. E. Robinson* Maryville Republican 1896
27. Henry W. Ewing* Jefferson City Tribune 1897
28. George H. Trigg* Richmond Conservator 1898
29. H. J. Groves* Independence Sentinel 1899
30. W. R. Painter* Carrollton Democrat 1900

31. Wes L. Robertson* Gallatin Democrat 1901
32. E. P. Caruthers* Kennett Democrat 1902
33. Howard Ellis* New Florence Leader 1903
34. T. T. Wilson* Tarkio Avalanche 1904
35. William Southern, Jr.* Independence Examiner 1905-06
36. Phillip Gansz* Macon Republican 1907
37. Omar D. Gray* Sturgeon Leader 1908
38. Henry F. Childers* Troy Free Press 1909
39. C. M. Harrison* Gallatin North Missourian 1910
40. J. R. Lowell* Moberly Democrat 1911

41. E. L. Purcell* Fredericktown Democrat-News 1912
42. Ovid Bell* Fulton Gazette 1913
43. Fred Naeter* Cape Girardeau Republican 1914
44. H. S. Sturgis* Neosho Times 1915
45. J. Kelly Pool* Centralia Courier 1916
46. H. J. Blanton* Paris Appeal 1917
47. J. P. Tucker* Parkville Gazette 1918
48. J. N. Stonebraker* Carrollton Republican 1919
49. Will H. Zorn* West Plains Gazette 1920
50. Mitchell White* Mexico Ledger 1921

51. Fred Hull* Maryville Tribune 1922
52. Dwight H. Brown* Poplar Bluff American 1923
53. Asa W. Butler* Albany Capitol 1924
54. Eugene B. Roach* Carthage Democrat 1925
55. E. H. Winter* Warrenton Banner 1926
56. C. L. Hobart* Holden Progress 1927
57. Harry Denman* Farmington News 1928
58. Charles L. Woods* Rolla Herald 1929
59. E. E. Swain* Kirksville Express 1930
60. Frank H. Sosey* Palmyra Spectator 1931

61. W. J. Sewall* Carthage Press 1932
62. Wallace Crossley* Warrensburg Star-Journal 1933
63. Fred M. Harrison* Gallatin North Missourian 1934
64. W.L. Bouchard* Lead Belt News, Flat River 1935
65. R. C. Goshorn* Jefferson City Post-Tribune 1936
66. John C. Stapel* Rock Port Atchison Co. Mail 1937
67. George B. Harlan* Boonville Cooper Co. Record 1938
68. James Todd* Moberly Monitor-Index 1939
69. Clint H. Denman* Sikeston Herald 1940
70. C. E. Watkins* Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune 1941

71. W. E. Freeland* Forsyth Taney Co. Republican 1942
72. O. J. Ferguson* Fredericktown Democrat-News 1943
73. Frank H. Hollmann* Warrenton Banner 1944
74. W. C. Hewitt* Shelbyville Shelby Co. Herald 1945
75. T. Ballard Watters* Marshfield Mail 1946
76. George P. Johnston* Fulton Sun-Gazette 1947
77. Meredith Garten*, Pierce City Leader Journal 1948
78. Stanley R. Fike* Fairmount Inter-City News 1949
79. T. J. Clark* Carrollton Republican-Record 1950
80. L. N. Bowman* King City Tri-County News 1951

81. George H. Scruton* Sedalia Democrat 1952
82. Mack F. Denman* Farmington News 1953
83. A. A. Steinbeck* Union Franklin Co. Tribune 1954
84. C. L. Blanton, Jr.* Sikeston Standard 1955
85. Joe M. Roberts* Maysville Record-Herald 1956
86. W. L. Simpson* Holden Progress 1957
87. E. J. Melton* Boonville Record 1958
88. James C. Kirkpatrick* Windsor Review 1959
89. E. L. Dale* Carthage Press 1960
90. Victor Gierke* Louisiana Press-Journal 1961

91. Harry E. Guth, Sr.* Perryville Republic 1962
92. J. W. Brown, Jr.* Harrisonville Dem.-Missourian 1963
93. Jac W. Zimmerman* Willow Springs News 1964
94. Ben F. Weir, Sr.* Nevada Daily Mail 1965
95. J. J. Graf Hermann Advertiser-Courier 1966
96. Oliver B. Ferguson* Fredericktown Democrat-News 1967
97. Lucius B. Morse* St. Louis Daily Record 1968
98. Marion Ridings* Hamilton Advocate-Hamiltonian 1969
99. Robert L. Vickery* Salem News & Post 1970
100. J. Porter Fisher* New London Ralls Co. Record 1971

101. Harry Naeter* Cape Girardeau S.E. Missourian 1972
102. Wallace Vernon Eldon Advertiser 1973
103. Bill D. Williams Thayer News 1974
104. Joseph Snyder Gallatin North Missourian 1975
105. Robert Blosser Jefferson City News & Tribune 1976
106. Charles L. Blanton III* Sikeston Standard 1977
107. Weldon H. "Pete" Steiner* Vandalia Leader-Press 1978
108. John Henry Cox Rock Port Atchison Co. Mail 1979
109. Rogers Hewitt Shelbyville Shelby Co. Herald 1980
110. William O. Lenhard* Trenton Republican-Times 1981

111. Mrs. Avis Tucker Warrensburg Daily Star-Journal 1982
112. Ralph E. Clayton* Caruthersville Democrat-Argus 1983
113. Robert M. White II Mexico Ledger 1984
114. James C. Sterling Bolivar Herald-Free Press 1985
115. Dalton C. Wright Lebanon Daily Record 1986
116. Charles A. Hedberg Centralia Fireside Guard 1987
117. Betty Simpson Spaar Odessa Odessan 1988
118. Kenneth W. Cope Neosho Daily News 1989
119. W. Ray Vickery* Salem News 1990
120. R. B. "Bob" Smith III Lebanon Daily Record 1991

121. Thomas L. Miller, Sr, Washington Missourian 1992
122. Donald Warden Owensville Republican 1993
123. F. Kirk Powell Pleasant Hill Times 1994
124. Chuck Haney Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune 1995
125. Harold Ellinghouse Piedmont Journal-Banner 1996
126. David Lipman St. Louis Post-Dispatch 1997
127. William E. James Harrisonville Dem.-Missourian 1998
128. Robert W. Wilson Milan Standard 1999
129. William L. Miller, Sr. Washington Missourian 2000
130. Wendell J. Lenhart Trenton Republican-Times 2001

131. Dane Vernon Eldon Advertiser 2002
132. Dave Berry Bolivar Herald-Free Press 2003
133. Gary Sosneicki Vandalia Leader 2004
134. John Spaar Odessa Odessan 2005
135. Steve Oldfield, Adrian Journal 2006
136. Dave Bradley St. Joseph News-Press 2007

(*Deceased)