History of The Annandale Advocate
Presentation to the Annandale History Club
1993
John Fisher

"The newspaper of today is the history of tomorrow." -  History of Wright County , Vol. II.   

The Annandale Advocate and other Wright County newspapers are available on microfilm at the Wright County Historical Society in Buffalo.  There is no charge to do your own research.  There is a small charge for copies. 

History of Wright County , Vol. II -- 1915:   "The Annandale Advocate -- Late in the fall of 1886 Judge Willitts moved his printing plant from Clearwater and began to publish the Annandale Post.  The first issue of this paper came out the last Thursday in this year, and has been published every Thursday since that time.  The Annandale Post had many proprietors.  Judge Willitts' successors were:  William Rickerson, George Clement and Samuel L. Rank.  About this time another paper was started by M. P. Saterlee, The Annandale Advocate.  This paper was issued for a few months when Mr. Satterlee purchased the Post and the two papers were consolidated as Advocate-Post.  The name Post was finally dropped.  The businessmen of the village purchased Mr. Satterlee's plant and incorporated under the name Annandale Publishing Co.  The first editor was Thomas E. Chesney, who was succeeded by F. E. Bacon, who resigned in June 1911, when George A. Hannah assumed the editorship.  In May 1912, Hiel E. West, the present editor, purchased a controlling interest and became editor and manager.  Many improvements have been made, and the Advocate office is now thoroughly modern and well equipped."  History of Wright County

Condensed History of Wright County -- 1935:  "The Annandale Advocate"  by M. P. Satterlee -- Soon after the Soo Line reached Annandale in 1887, a party named Willits of Clearwater moved  his plant to Annandale and issued the Annandale Post.  Later the Post passed to a young man named Rickerson who died in a short time.  The paper fell into the hands of one S. H. Rank.  As to the Annandale Advocate, I was advised of the need of a good paper there in early spring and visited the place and the businessmen as to the chances and issued my first paper August 31, 1897.  In 1907 I sold to the businessmen of the place.  After various ownerships, the paper is now owned by Mrs. Mae B. Tygeson and is still going.

Memories of Annandale by Lotus Williams, 1983: "The newspapers published in several towns in Wright County also had their place in communication.  Type was set by hand and the paper was often a fourfold sheet already printed with what was called "patent" news and dealing with world news or items of general information.

"The first publication in Annandale was the Annandale Post put out by a young man named Willits.  The second owner was named Rickerson.  He died and soon after, the paper fell into the hands of a man named Rank.  He was careless about the day of publication and his list of subscribers dwindled.  Finally, a man named Mr. Marion P. Satterlee came along and obtained ownership of the paper.  He renamed it the Annandale Advocate and it became successful in his hands.  He continued his work until 1907 when a group of businessmen bought the paper and hired a succession of managers.  Finally, Mr. John Tygeson bought the Advocate and operated it until his death.  Then his wife, assisted by daughter Carol and Carol's husband, Mr. Myloe Loberg, carried on.  After the death of both Mrs. Tygeson and Carol, Myloe Loberg became owner and operater.  In 1983, he sold the paper to the present owners, Mr. John Fischer and Miss Ann Jennen.

"The Annandale Advocate now has many more pages than the original fourfold.  It carries a wide spread of advertising, local news, and news of the country.  Modern methods of printing have replaced the original hand set type.  Altogether, it is a modern news agent."

Marion P. Satterlee (c.1848-1942) - Published The Annandale Advocate 1897 to 1907, when he moved to Minneapolis.  Issued first paper August 31, 1897.

Annandale businessmen -  Published the Annandale Advocate 1907 to 1915.

John Tygeson (1874-1925) -- Published the South Haven Leader 1914-1916.  Rented The Annandale Advocate in 1915 and was owner/publisher from 1916 until his death in 1925.

Mae B. Tygeson (1885-1980) -- After husband John Tygeson's death, published The Annandale Advocate along with daughter, Carol and her husband, Myloe Loberg.

Myloe Loberg (1911-1995) and  his wife Carol Tygeson Loberg (1914-1977) -- Myloe Loberg and his wife Carol Tygeson Loberg purchased The Annandale Advocate in 1968.  Myloe Loberg was a printer at The Annandale Advocate since 1933. 

John Fisher and his wife Ann Jennen -- Purchased The Annandale Advocate in 1983.

Steve Prinsen and his wife Sharon Schumacher purchased The Annandale Advocate in 1990.  They are the current owners (2009).

Newspaper Articles

AA, 5-25-1899 -- We have purchased and consolidated with the Advocate the rights, title and subscription list of the Annandale Post, and our paper will hereafter appear as the Annandale Advocate-Post.  The number and volume of the Post will be used, as it was established with the village itself.. 

AA 3-17-1910 -- The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Annandale Publishing Company was held Monday evening of this week and a dividend of eight per cent was declared.  The board of directors serving the past year was re-elected as were also the president, treasurer and secretary of the past year.  The directors are J. H. Buri, president; W. D. McDonald, treasurer; F. E. Bacon, secretary; and J. J. Rennie, John Olson, E. H. Dunton, W. S. Ives, Henry Spindler and O. L. Cofield, trustees.  The purchase of a new press and other improvements on the paper were approved by the stockholders present and the improvements contemplated will be carried out as soon as the back subscriptions can be collected so that the money may be utilized.  Therefore if you owe anything, we ask you again to see that we have the money soon.