Albert Howard Mitchell (1866–1901) launched the Semi-Weekly Fisherman & Farmer in Edenton, N.C. in September 1886, with Benjamin H. Swain serving as editor. The newspaper was Democratic leaning in its editorial stance and published on Tuesday and Friday each week.
Edenton, the county seat of Chowan County, sits on the Albemarle Sound in an area referred to as North Carolina’s “Inner Banks.” Europeans settled in the area in the mid-seventeenth century, and the town served as North Carolina’s first colonial capital. The Semi-Weekly Fisherman & Farmer was true to its name, providing news for those involved in agriculture as well as those who made their livings on the sounds of North Carolina’s coast. There were sporadic historical features–such as one on the history of grist mills and one on the history of fishing in the Albemarle Sound. Filler pieces included household tips, home remedies, and recipes.
By 1887, Swain had left his post at the Semi-Weekly Fisherman & Farmer and was listed as editor of the Public Ledger of Windsor, N.C. Samuel J. Skinner assumed the editorship of the Edenton newspaper, but his time in that position was short. He was named County Superintendent of Public Instruction in December 1887, according to the December 6, 1887 issue of the Semi-Weekly Fisherman & Farmer.
With Skinner’s departure, Mitchell added editorial duties as well as continuing to serve as publisher of Semi-Weekly Fisherman & Farmer. He switched the newspaper to publishing a single issue each week and, accordingly, changed its name to the Fisherman & Farmer. Under its masthead, the publication proclaimed itself the “Best Advertising Medium in the Albemarle District–The Finest Fish, Truck and Farming Section in North Carolina.
By 1891, the Fisherman & Farmer ran a regular column called “Our Colored People.” The feature detailed news, events, and social happenings from the region’s large African American community.
In 1896, the newspaper moved from Edenton to Elizabeth City, a town about 30 miles away and also on the Albemarle Sound. Elizabeth City is split between Camden and Pasquotank counties and serves as the county seat of the latter. With the move, the Fisherman & Farmer shifted its coverage to center on Elizabeth City and the counties in which it sits.
In the May 4, 1900 edition of the Fisherman & Farmer, Mitchell announced his decision to sell the newspaper and its printing equipment, citing “very bad health” and encouragement by his doctor. He published a weekly solicitation for a buyer through July 1900. With its August 2, 1900, edition, the Fisherman & Farmer notified readers of new management, listing Manly Clarence Crowson (1881–1946) as editor and William Mott Hinton (1854–1931), a longtime educator, as associate editor. The newspaper’s new owners switched to publishing its weekly edition on Thursdays.
The Landmark of Norfolk, Virginia, reported on December 18, 1900, that Crowson’s father, William James Crowson (1851–1928), a retired Methodist minister, intended to join his son on the editorial staff of the Fisherman & Farmer. Prior to his involvement with the Fisherman & Farmer, the senior Crowson appears to have been an investor in other North Carolina newspapers, including the Union of Maxton and the News of Burlington. M. Clarence Crowson’s name dropped from the masthead on April 4, 1901, and was replaced with that of his father, William James Crowson, who is listed as editor. In subsequent issues the senior Crowson is also listed as proprietor. The last known extant copy of the Fisherman & Farmer was published on December 26, 1901. It is unclear exactly when the Fisherman & Farmer ceased publication.
Provided by: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library, Chapel Hill, NC
