Page:History of the newspapers of Beaver County, Pennsylvania.djvu/118

94 HISTORY OF BEAVER COUNTY PAPERS. E. Gregor McGregor, the brilliant paragrapher and editorial writer, was engaged for some time on the paper, and held his own well in the editorial combats that followed, and was especially valuable in the campaign of 1880. Some time later Lewis W. Heed, a young man from the South Side, an enthusiastic champion of Democracy, who had been active as local reporter, became local editor, and filled that position in a very creditable manner, doing effective work not only through the "Star," but to secure the success of the party, whose cause the paper steadfastly advocated. Mr. Reed was born in Raccoon township March 25, 1857, attended dis- trict school and New Sheffield and Woodlawn academies ; was principal of Vanport schools September 1882 to March 1883, and resigned on account of ill health; went to work on the "Star," read law with John M. Buchanan Esq., and was admitted to the bar February 4, 1889, practicing for two years alone, and February 1, 1891, went into partnership with Mr. Buchanan, which con- tinued for six years, when he again went to himself. He was married March 2Y, 1882, to Lizzie Hall a daughter of a neighboring farmer, and they have three children, one son and two daughters. Mr. Reed has been interested all his life in newspaper work, and is now a stockholder and secretary of the Star Publishing Company. In the fall of 1884, Charles F. Whisler, a man of literary inclinations, and strong Democratic proclivities, conceived the notion that the party should be more energetically supported, and proposed startmg an oppo- sition paper. Mr. Kennedy learning of it, secured an interview with Mr. Whisler and succeeded in convincing him that the safe and economical plan was to take his place. Having agreed upon terms they entered into partnership October 1884, for a period of six months, at the end of which time Mr. "Whisler was to assume full