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{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}{{Infobox newspaper
| type = [[Daily newspaper]]
| founder = John Douglass & Douglass Maguire
| political = [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]] and [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| ceased publication = 1904
| foundation = 1825▼
| circulation = 11,000 (peak)
▲| foundation = 1825
}}
 
The '''''Indianapolis Journal''''' was a newspaper published in [[Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]], during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The paper published daily editions every evening except on Sundays, when it published a morning edition.
 
TheOn March 7, 1823, Harvey Gregg and Douglas Maguire published the first issue of the then-named'''''Western Censor & Emigrants' Guide'Indiana'''', Journala year after the city's first newspaper, the ''Indianapolis Gazette'', was established. On October 19, 1824, Gregg sold his interest in the paper to John Douglass. Douglass and Maquire published the ''Western Censor'' until renaming it as the '''''Indiana Journal''''' on January 11, 1825, byand partners John Douglassexpanded and Douglassenlarged Maguirethe publication.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boomhower |first=Ray |date=2021-03-09 |title=Western Censor & Emigrants' Guide |url=https://indyencyclopedia.org/western-censor-emigrants-guide/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=Encyclopedia of Indianapolis}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last1=Van Allen |firstfirst1=Elizabeth |last2=Cunningham |first2=Joan |date=2021-03-27 |title=Indiana Journal |url=https://indyencyclopedia.org/indiana-journal/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=Encyclopedia of Indianapolis |language=en-US}}</ref>

From the outset the paper advocated for government -sponsored internal improvements and protective tariffs that would aid Indiana’s agricultural economy. These positions led the ''Journal'' to align with the [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig Party]] beginning in the mid-1830s. Purchased in 1845 by [[John D. Defrees]], and operated by him for nearly a decade, the paper was the first in Indianapolis to install a steam driven printing press. Under his leadership, the paper became Indianapolis's first permanent daily, the '''''Daily Indiana State Journal''''', in April 1851. The title changed to '''''Indianapolis Morning Journal''''' in 1853, then to '''''Indianapolis Daily Journal''''' the following year, and ultimately to ''Indianapolis Journal'' in 1867.
 
Berry R. Sulgrove, who had joined the ''Journal'' in 1854 as editor, acquired controlling interest in the paper a few years later and transitioned the paper from the Whig to the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] camp. During the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], Sulgrove published strong pro-[[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] columns supporting the policies of [[President of the United States|President]] [[Abraham Lincoln]] and of [[Governor of Indiana|Indiana governor]] [[Oliver P. Morton]]. During the war, the ''Journal''{{'}}s daily circulation reached 6,000; while that of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] and [[Copperhead (politics)|Copperhead]]-aligned ''[[Indianapolis Sentinel]]'' saw a decline in its daily readership due to interference and shutdowns enforced by Morton.<ref>{{cite book|title=Dark lanterns: secret political societies, conspiracies, and treason trials in the Civil War|author=Klement, Frank L.|page=232|isbn=0-8071-1567-3|year=1984|publisher=LSU Press}}</ref>
 
The Journal purchased several other Indianapolis newspapers during Sulgrove's ownership. These included the ''Atlas'' in 1861, the ''Evening Gazette'' in 1867, the ''Evening Commercial'' in 1871, and the ''Daily Times'' in 1879.<ref name=":0" />
[[John C. New]], a banker, attorney, and leading Indianapolis-area Republican figure, purchased the ''Journal'' in 1880. New's leadership helped the paper excel, dramatically increasing its readership. Other rival papers, including the ''Indianapolis Mirror'' went out of business leaving the ''Journal'' as the only daily newspaper in the Indianapolis metropolitan area.<ref name = va>{{cite book|title=James Whitcomb Riley: a life|author=Van Allen, Elizabeth J.|publisher=[[Indiana University]] Press|year= 1999|isbn=0-253-33591-4|page=162}}▼
 
▲[[John C. New]], a banker, attorney, and leading Indianapolis-area Republican figure, purchased the ''Journal'' in 1880. New's leadership helped the paper excel, dramatically increasing its readership. OtherIn rival1886, New bought the ''[[Indianapolis Times|Indianapolis TImes]]'', which was published in the afternoon. Rival papers, including the ''Indianapolis Mirror,'' went out of business, leaving the ''Journal'' as the only daily newspaper in the Indianapolis metropolitan area.<ref name =":0" /><ref name="va">{{cite book|title=James Whitcomb Riley: a life|author=Van Allen, Elizabeth J.|publisher=[[Indiana University]] Press|year= 1999|isbn=0-253-33591-4|page=162}}
</ref>
 
The paper featured regular columns from famous writers and figures including [[James Whitcomb Riley]], [[Benjamin Harrison]], and [[Eugene V. Debs]]. TheRiley's poem "[[Little Orphant Annie]], by Riley," was first published in the paper in 1885.<ref name ="va" va/> During most of its history, itthe carriedpaper consisted of eight {{Convert|31 x 45|in||abbr=|adj=on}} pages and at its peak had a circulation of 11,000.
 
The paper commonly supported Republican candidates for office, and published editorials supporting Republicans positions. During the late nineteenth century competition from the ''[[Indianapolis Star]]'' began a decline in the ''Journal'''s readership. The ''Star'' eventually took a majority readership in the region. andCharles S. Henry bought the paper from the New family in 1903, but sold it to the ''JournalStar'' eventuallyin closedJune because1904. The combined papers were published as the ''Star and Journal'' until October of financialthat difficultiesyear, inat 1904which time the ''Journal'' was dropped from the paper's name.<ref name=":0" />
 
==References==
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[[Category:Mass media in Indianapolis]]
[[Category:PublicationsNewspapers established in 1823]]
[[Category:Publications disestablished in 1904]]
[[Category:Newspapers published in Indiana]]
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