Randolph  County,  Indiana

Isaac  M. Bridgman

            Among the veteran newspapermen of Indiana, few have had a more varied experience than  Isaac M. Bridgman, publisher of the Journal Herald, of Winchester.  Largely self-educated, he commenced his career as a school teacher and later was in the banking business, but in 1909 turned his attention to newspaper work, in which he has since been engaged, and for the past eight years has been owner of his present publication.  Although he has passed the Psalmist's three-score-and-ten years, he is still alert in mind and active in body, and is accounted one of his community's most valuable citizens.  Mr. Bridgman was born on a farm in Johnson County, Indiana, in 1857, and is a son of  William and Catherine (Vanarsdall) Bridgman, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Kentucky.  William Bridgman was a small boy when he accompanied his widowed mother to Indiana, where he received a rural school education and farmed in Johnson County throughout his life, being one of the highly respected men of his community.  Following his death his widow removed to Brookville, where she passed away.  Isaac M. Bridgman attended the public schools until he was thirteen years of age, at which time he assumed a man's share of life's responsibilities. During the several years that followed he was engaged principally in agricultural work, but had a thirst for education and spent all of his leisure time in study, so that he was able to secure employment as a teacher.  Later he worked his way through Franklin College, from which he was graduated in 1887, and in 1889 was granted his Master's degree by Cornell University.  For fifteen years Mr. Bridgman was engaged in teaching school at various places in Illinois and Indiana, and then embarked in the banking business at Polo, Illinois, where he remained for seven years.  Returning then to Indiana, he settled at Brookville, where he purchased the  Brookville American  newspaper and conducted it with success for thirteen and one-half years.  On August 14, 1922, Mr. Bridgman came to Winchester and bought the  Journal Herald, a weekly newspaper, which he has developed into one of the best country publications in Randolph County and this part of the state.  He is a capable newspaperman and is furnishing his readers with a lively, clean, reliable and interesting publication.  Mr. Bridgman belongs to the Presbyterian Church and is a member of the board of elders.  Since 1920 he has been a trustee of the State Epileptic Village of Newcastle, Indiana, and is a working member of the Kiwanis Club at Winchester.  Politically he is a Republican, and fraternally is a Mason.  In 1883 Mr. Bridgman was united in marriage with  Miss Alice Farley, who was born....
Unidentified book.
Typed by Lora Radiches
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