Wesley Bailey facts for kids

Wesley Bailey (born in 1808, died February 26, 1889) was an American who worked as a newspaper editor and also served as a politician from New York. He helped share news and ideas through his newspapers and worked to improve his community.

Early Life and Family

Wesley Bailey learned how to be a printer, which means he learned how to set type and print newspapers. He was also a minister in the Reformed Methodist Church and taught at a school in DeWitt, New York.

In 1833, Wesley married Eunice Kinne (who lived from 1807 to 1860). They had six children together. The family lived in a small village called High Bridge, which is located in the Town of Manlius.

Newspaper Career

Wesley Bailey was very involved in the world of newspapers. He worked as an editor for several different papers:

• From 1840 to 1842, he edited the Fayetteville Luminary and Reformed Methodist Intelligencer. After September 1841, this paper was renamed the Methodist Reformer.
• From 1842 to 1849, he edited the Liberty Press. This newspaper was connected to the Liberty Party, which was a political group focused on ending slavery.
• From 1849 to 1852, he edited the Utica Teetotaller. This paper supported the temperance movement, which encouraged people to avoid alcohol.

Political Work

Wesley Bailey also had a career in politics. In September 1854, he was chosen as a representative for a state meeting about temperance. At this meeting, Myron H. Clark was chosen to run for Governor.

In 1855, the Republicans nominated Wesley Bailey to be an Inspector of State Prisons in New York. However, he did not win that election. The winner was William A. Russell, who was from the American Party (also known as the Know Nothing Party).

Wesley ran for the same position again in 1856. This time, he was elected! He served as an Inspector of State Prisons from 1857 to 1859.

Later Years and Family Legacy

In 1860, Wesley Bailey moved to Decorah, Iowa. There, he continued his work in newspapers. He published the Decorah Republic, which later became the Decorah Republican in 1866. In 1869, he passed the newspaper on to his sons, Ansel K. Bailey (who died in 1909) and Alvan Stewart Bailey.

His oldest son, Elijah Prentice Bailey (born in 1834), also followed in his father's footsteps. Elijah started working for the Utica Daily Observer in 1853. He later became the only editor and owner of that newspaper. Elijah Prentice Bailey was also appointed Postmaster of Utica twice.