Moses Yale Beach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Moses Yale Beach
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| Born | January 15, 1800 |
| Died | July 19, 1868 (aged 68) |
| Known for | New York Sun Associated Press |
| Children | Alfred Ely Beach Moses S. Beach William Yale Beach |
| Relatives | Related to the Yale family, including Elihu Yale |
| Family | Yale |
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Moses Yale Beach (January 15, 1800 – July 19, 1868) was an American inventor, businessman, and publisher. He is famous for creating the Associated Press and for making newspapers popular with everyone.
His newspaper, the New York Sun, became the most successful newspaper in America. It was one of the first to report on crime and tell interesting stories about everyday people. In 1846, he was one of the wealthiest people in New York City.
Contents
Early Life and Inventions
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Moses Yale Beach was born in Wallingford, Connecticut. His family, the Yale family, was well-known. One of his relatives was Elihu Yale, who Yale University is named after.
As a boy, Moses showed a talent for mechanics. At age 14, he began working as an apprentice to a cabinetmaker. He was so skilled that he bought his freedom from the apprenticeship early and started his own cabinet-making business.
He was always trying to invent new things. He tried to build an engine that ran on gunpowder to power balloons, but it didn't work out. He also invested in steamboats to travel on the Connecticut River. Later, he invented a machine that cut up rags to be used for making paper. This invention was very useful for paper mills.
After some business troubles, he moved to Saugerties, New York. There, he helped organize the town's fire department and bought its first fire engine. His life changed when he got involved with the New York Sun newspaper, which was started by his wife's brother, Benjamin Day.
The Famous New York Sun
In 1835, Moses bought a share of the New York Sun. Soon after, he became the only owner of the paper. The Sun was a "penny press" newspaper, which meant it only cost one penny. This made it affordable for almost everyone, not just the wealthy.
A Newspaper for Everyone
The New York Sun changed journalism forever. It was one of the first newspapers to have reporters who wrote about crimes. It also told "human-interest stories," which were about the lives of ordinary people, not just famous leaders.
To get more readers, the paper sometimes published fun, made-up stories. One famous example was the "Great Moon Hoax" of 1835, which claimed that there was life on the Moon. These creative ideas made the Sun the most popular newspaper in the country.
Gathering News Quickly
Moses wanted to get the news to his readers as fast as possible. He set up a system of horses, called a "Pony Express," to bring news from other cities. He even used special trains to get information more quickly.
To get news from ships arriving from Europe, he used a pigeon service. Pigeons would fly from the ships to the roof of his office in New York City, carrying the latest news.
Creating the Associated Press
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Getting news, especially from far away, was expensive. In 1846, Moses had a clever idea. He teamed up with four other New York newspapers to share the cost of gathering news.
This group was called the Associated Press (AP). They worked together to collect news from the Mexican–American War and from Europe. The AP became the first and largest news agency in the United States. Today, it is one of the biggest news organizations in the world.
A Special Mission to Mexico
During the Mexican–American War, President James K. Polk asked Moses for help. Because newspapers often got news faster than the government, the President trusted him. He sent Moses on a secret mission to Mexico in 1847.
His job was to act as a special diplomat and try to convince the Mexican government to make peace with the United States. He traveled to Mexico with his daughter and a journalist. Although he worked hard, the peace talks did not succeed at that time. The war ended later that year with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
Adventures in the Gold Rush
When gold was discovered in California, the California Gold Rush began. Moses saw a business opportunity. He sent a ship called the Apollo to San Francisco, filled with passengers and supplies.
When the ship arrived, the crew and passengers all left to look for gold. So, Moses's sons turned the ship itself into a building! It became the "Apollo Saloon," a popular coffee house and gathering place. He also worked with P.T. Barnum, the famous circus creator, on a gold mining project.
Later Life and Family
In 1857, Moses retired as a very wealthy man. He left the New York Sun to his sons and returned to his hometown of Wallingford. There, he built a beautiful mansion and became a philanthropist, which means he gave money to help his community. He donated land for a school, which was named the Moses Y. Beach Elementary School in his honor.
Moses died in 1868 and was remembered as a generous and patriotic person.
Notable Family Members
Moses Yale Beach's family continued to do amazing things.
- His son, Alfred Ely Beach, was an inventor who built New York City's very first subway system in 1869, called the Beach Pneumatic Transit.
- His sons Moses Sperry and Joseph took over the New York Sun. They supported President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War.
- His grandson, Frederick C. Beach, ran the Scientific American magazine, which is the oldest continuously published magazine in the U.S.
- His great-grandson, Stanley Yale Beach, was an aviation pioneer who helped finance early airplane experiments.
