Carlisle Newspapers and Their Publishers

The Carlisle Herald and the American Volunteer were the two major newspapers in Carlisle for most of the nineteenth century. The Carlisle Herald was the organ of the Republicans, and the American Volunteer was the organ of the Democrats.

In 1882, when Carlisle native and historian Rev. Joseph A. Murray found a clipping from an 1814 edition of the Carlisle Herald announcing a new newspaper called the Volunteer, he sent it to the current editor of the Volunteer, J. Zeamer, along with some of his own recollections of the publishers of both newspapers. Zeamer published the letter in the February 15, 1882, edition of the American Volunteer.

The 1814 article contained a proposal by Wm. B. and James Underwood to found a newspaper, called the American Volunteer, as an organ of the Democratic party. Rev. Murray recalled that “James Underwood was the younger brother, very gentlemanly in his bearing, who lived and died at the southwest corner of Pitt Street and Church Alley. He has some amiable daughters to represent him.”

“William survived James; he was a bright, and keen, and a merry man, who lived and died in the house that stands in from the northeast corner of Pitt and Pomfret Streets—where, in his latter life he had a little store, and advertised ‘Haberdashery’ for sale. He left no children.” According to his obituary, William B. Underwood died in Carlisle on December. 7, 1850, “long and favorably known to almost every politician and public man in Cumberland County.”

The obituary stated that Underwood and his brother James founded the Volunteer in 1814. William’s “great ability as an editor, his manly independence, and his fearless exposure of abuses and corruptions in high places, soon won for him ‘golden opinions’ …and secured for the newspaper an unprecedented circulation and vast influence.”

James Underwood died in 1836, and William’s “severe bodily affliction” prevented him from continuing to publish the paper. He sold the newspaper to Capt. George Sanderson of the Lancaster Intelligencer and retired.

Rev. Murray continued: “Then [1814] the Carlisle Herald was the organ of the Federalists, and published by Alexander & Phillips, though in subsequent years it was issued by George Phillips alone. The former partner was William Alexander, Jr. or ‘Captain’ Alexander, or ‘Billy’ Alexander, as he was familiarly designated, and who, by the way, was the son of General William Alexander of revolutionary memory who died here in 1813 and who had been commissioned in 1776, and who had recruited the first company raised in Carlisle. The son, named after the father, and also patriotic, was Captain of the Carlisle Infantry during his connection to the Herald and at the same time marched with his command to the seat of war on the northern frontier. The winter uniform of the company was a scarlet jacket and blue pantaloons.”

“The Captain never married. Mrs. Phillips had a family; and in after years his son, George M. Phillips, published the Herald. The family lived and had a book store in the stone house now occupied by Miss Lamberton and her sister on West Main Street, north side, about midway between Pitt and West Streets, and in the back yard was a frame building used as the printing office. When a boy we were often in the bookstore room, which was the front part of the present parlor, and also in the printing office.”

“Our most vivid and distinct recollection of Capt. Billy Alexander was the following: When a small boy we happened to be in a friends shop on Main St., opposite the present RR Ticket office, where is now the ice cream saloon….While there the Capt. came in, and soon afterwards said to us, ‘Josey, I am very hungry, will you go home and get me a piece of bread?’ We were somewhat surprised at the request, but he seemed to be in earnest and mean what he said. Immediately we slipped out and hurried home and communicated to mother what Billy Alexander had said. She, ever kind-hearted, cut off a large piece from a fresh loaf and gave it to the boy. We hurried back, the Captain was still there by himself, and we gave him the bread. He now, appeared somewhat surprised, as though he had not expected it; but he took the bread and eat [sic] it—and we are not certain today that he really needed it, or merely desired to test our sympathy…We never knew him to be otherwise than a very sober and respectable man—but an easy man, and a man of much leisure.”

The Cumberland County Historical Society has a large collection of Carlisle and county newspapers.