The Handwritten Newspapers Project

Publication History:

Place of Publication: Mount Pleasant, Sanpete County, Utah(1867)

Frequency:  Weekly

Volume and Issue Data:  Vol. 1, No. 1, ca. March 20, 1867-No.21, August 10, 1867

Size and Format:  “a neat little news sheet of three columns”; pen, “written in common orthography” 8”x12.5”.  No.7 in 6 columns on 12.5”x15.5” paper. No. 8 in 3 columns on 7.75”x12.5” paper.  No.11 on 4”x8.5” Distiller’s report form.

Editor/Publisher:  David Candland, 1819-1902

Title Changes and Continuation:  None

General Description and Notes:

Alter identifies several citations of The Sanpitcher in regional newspapers of the day including Manti Herald, another handwritten newspaper, The Deseret News and the Salt Lake Telegraph.

Writes the Manti Herald in its March 20, 1867 issue:

“We had much pleasure last mail in receiving Number 1 of the Sanpitcher, David Candland, editor.  The paper is published in the flourishing town of Mount Pleasant, and like the Herald is done upon a sheet of writing paper; but instead of being printed with the pen, it is written in common orthography, yet it is a neat concern and highly creditable to friend David, its publisher; and as in duty and friendship bound, we touch our hat! hoping that, like the sling in the hand of the editor’s namesake of old, the Sanpitcher will be an instrument in the hands of its talented editor, to assist in slaying the giant of error.  We also solicit usual exchanges.”

On April 24, 1867, The Deseret News greeted The Sanpitcher with the usual attention given to new newspapers:

“From Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, with the editor’s compliments and good wishes comes Number 5, volume 1 of the Sanpitcher, ‘editor and publisher, David Candland,” a neat little news sheet of three columns, with a supplement filled with editorial tidbits and local items.  We hear of one or two other interesting little papers of a similar character throughout the territory, illustrative of the taste and the desire for “news’ local and foreign, which keeps growing among the people. . . . Friend David has a taste for the ‘tripod’ and a spicy way of expressing himself.”

The Salt Lake Telegraph noted the new paper in its May 21, 1867 edition:

“This pithy little manuscript effusion is before us again.  It has already reached number 9 at date of 11th inst.  From its supplemental issue we infer that news making is on the qui vive.  And how does it pay, Friend David?”

This was one of the most prolific and long-lived of the early Utah handwritten newspapers.

Includes tax reports, ads, letters, weather, deaths, local news, etc.

Information Sources:

Bibliography:  J. Cecil Alter, Early Utah Journalism (Salt Lake City:  Utah State Historical Society, 1938), 128-129.

Locations:  Mormon Church Archives Ms 674  9 items.  Cited in Manti Herald, March 20, 1867; The Deseret News, April 24, 1867; Salt Lake Telegraph, May 21, 1867 and June 23, 1867