Charles H. Grasty facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles H. Grasty
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Charles Henry Grasty, Newspaper Owner/Publisher
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| Born | March 3, 1863 |
| Died | January 19, 1924 (aged 60) |
| Alma mater | University of Missouri |
| Occupation | Publisher, journalist, |
| Spouse(s) | Leota Tootle Perrin |
| Children | Joan Bennett Grasty |
| Parent(s) | Rev. John Sharshall Grasty |
Charles Henry Grasty (born March 3, 1863 – died January 19, 1924) was an important American newspaper owner and publisher. He was known for leading major newspapers like The News and The Sun in Baltimore, Maryland. Grasty was considered one of the greatest newspaper publishers of his time, alongside famous names like Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst.
He owned The Evening News, which started using new ways to print pictures, like woodcuts, before photos could be printed directly. Grasty helped The News grow a lot, making it a very important paper in Baltimore. He later sold it, bought other papers, and then returned to Baltimore to take control of The Sun. Grasty also helped develop Roland Park, a new planned community in Baltimore, which was a new idea for city planning back then.
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Early Life and First Steps
Charles H. Grasty was born on March 3, 1863, in Fincastle, Virginia. His father, Reverend John Sharshall Grasty, was a Presbyterian minister. Charles was a very smart young person. He even taught Latin in high school when there were not many secondary schools around.
At just 16 years old, he started studying law at the University of Missouri. However, he left before finishing his degree to work in the newspaper business. He began as a reporter for the Mexico Intelligencer, earning $6 a week. Soon after, he joined the Kansas City Star and quickly became its managing editor within 18 months.
In 1890, he married Leota Tootle Perrin. She had a daughter named Sarah from a previous marriage. That same year, Grasty moved to Baltimore to become the general manager of the Manufacturers' Record, a weekly business magazine.
Building a Newspaper Empire
Grasty was involved in creating Roland Park, a new planned neighborhood in north Baltimore. Around the same time, in 1892, he gathered investors to buy The Evening News. This paper had been around for two decades and was already one of the most widely read in the city.
Fighting Corruption with The News
Through The Evening News, Grasty bravely spoke out against local political corruption. He published exciting stories with many illustrations, using new printing methods to grab readers' attention. He made sure his paper stayed independent from political groups.
He even criticized The Sun, a rival newspaper, for not reporting on Baltimore's political problems. Grasty's efforts helped remove powerful Democrats from office. For example, Arthur Pue Gorman, who had controlled Maryland politics for years, lost his United States Senate seat. Grasty's accusations against politicians involved in gambling led to a lawsuit against him in 1893, but he won the case.
Rebuilding After the Great Fire
In February 1904, the Great Baltimore Fire destroyed much of the city's downtown area. This included the buildings of both The Evening News and The Sun. Grasty quickly found solutions. The Washington Post helped print The News. He also got printing machines from Adolph S. Ochs, who published The New York Times.
Grasty rebuilt The News and reopened it within weeks. It is said that he found a new printing plant and three new presses very quickly after the fire. This showed his determination and quick thinking.
In 1906, Grasty and Gen. Felix Agnus, who owned the Baltimore American, bought The Baltimore Herald. They closed it down and divided its assets between their own newspapers.
Taking Over The Sun
On February 27, 1908, Grasty sold The News to Frank Munsey for $1.5 million. Grasty tried to stay on as general manager, but he left within weeks because of disagreements. Later in 1908, he bought part of a Minnesota newspaper called the Dispatch. The next year, he bought the St. Paul Pioneer Press and combined its evening edition with the Dispatch.
However, Grasty's style was not popular in Minnesota, so he soon sold those papers back to their original owners. He then took a long trip to Europe. But Grasty had his eye on The Baltimore Sun, which was still run by the Abell family. Grasty found investors and made a deal to gain control of The Sun. The Abells agreed because they feared Grasty would buy up other local papers and compete strongly against The Sun.
After taking control of The Sun, Grasty bought the Baltimore World in April 1910. He paid a high price, but he wanted to prevent William Randolph Hearst from entering the Baltimore newspaper market.
A Vision for Communities: Roland Park
Grasty was one of the investors in Roland Park, a suburban development in Baltimore. This happened around the same time he first bought The Evening News. Grasty lived in Roland Park himself.
The Roland Park development was seen as a new and innovative way to plan communities. It included a "store block" with shops arranged along a street. This was designed to serve the needs of the people living in the planned neighborhood.
Grasty and Politics
By 1911, Grasty used The Sun to support Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat, in his successful campaign for President. Wilson won the Election of 1912 against Republican President William Howard Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt.
Later Life and War Reporting
From 1915 until his death in 1924, Grasty mostly lived in London, England. He was known for being a good source of information. He attended the Versailles Peace Conference near Paris in 1919, where leaders discussed how to end World War I.
While living in London, Grasty had a daughter named Joan "Winifred" Bennett Grasty, born in 1919. Grasty stayed involved in his daughter's life. He paid for Joan's education in France and later helped Joan and her mother move to the United States, supporting them financially.
Grasty died on January 19, 1924. He worked as a war correspondent for the Kansas City Star and later as a special correspondent for The New York Times while living in London. In 1918, he published a book called Flashes from the Front.
Key Achievements
- Managing editor, Kansas City Star (1884–1889)
- Publisher, Baltimore Evening News (1892–1908)
- Publisher, St. Paul Dispatch and St. Paul Pioneer Press (1908–1909)
- President and general manager, Baltimore Sunpapers (1910–1914)
- War correspondent, Kansas City Star and Associated Press (1915–1916)
- Treasurer, The New York Times (1916–1917)
- Special editorial correspondent, The New York Times (1917–1924)
- Director, Associated Press (1915–1916)
Books by Charles Grasty
- Flashes from the Front (New York: Century, 1918). [1]
- Cited as a source for The Literary Digest History of the World War
