The Missouri Press Association celebrates a glorious past. The presidency of the organization began in 1867 with J. W. Barrett of The Canton Press.
This “gavel,” donated to Missouri Press Association in 2006 by Steve Oldfield of Adrian (2006 MPA President), is kept in a glass case that has the names of all past MPA Presidents engraved on it.
Missouri Press Association Past Presidents
Past presidents of Missouri Press Association gathered April 26, 2018, in Columbia for the annual Past Presidents’ and Spouses Dinner. Each president hosts the dinner five years after their presidency, and this year’s host was current MPA Executive Director Mark Maassen, who was president in 2013. Pictured, from left, seated, are Jeff Schrag, Springfield Daily Events; Dennis Warden, Owensville Gasconade County Republican; Bill Williams, Thayer South Missourian News; current MPA President Carol Stark, The Joplin Globe; Wallace Vernon, Vernon Publishing; John Spaar, Odessa Odessan; Steve Oldfield, Adrian Journal; and Vicki Russel, Columbia Daily Tribune; and, standing, former MPA Executive Director Doug Crews; Maassen, The Kansas City Star; Joe May, The Mexico Ledger; Donald Warden, Owensville Gasconade County Republican; Dane Vernon, Vernon Publishing; Kevin Jones, St. Louis American; Gary Sosniecki, The Vandalia Leader; Dave Berry, Bolivar Herald-Free Press; and Bill Miller, Washington Missourian. (Staff photo by Kristie Williams)
(*Deceased)
1. J. W. Barrett* – Canton Press, 1867-68-69
2. Norman J. Colman* – Rural World, 1870-71
3. C. B. Wilkinson* – St. Joseph Herald, 1872
4. A. Y. Hull* – Sedalia Democrat, 1873
5. William F. Switzler* – Columbia Statesman, 1874
6. L. J. Eastin* – Glasgow Journal, 1875
7. Milo Blair* – Boonville Eagle, 1876
8. T. W. Park* – Platte City Landmark, 1877
9. J. E. Hutton* – Mexico Intelligencer, 1878-79
10. J. H. Turner* – Carrollton Record, 1879-80
11. J. T. Child* – Richmond Conservator, 1881
12. A. A. Leseuer* – Lexington Intelligencer, 1882
13. J. B. Thompson* – LaPlata Home Press, 1883
14. R. B. Speed* – Nevada Mail, 1884
15. R. M. White* – Mexico Ledger, 1885
16. J. A. Hudson* – Macon Times, 1886
17. W. D. Crandall* – Brookfield Gazette, 1887
18. I. H. Kinley* – Brunswick Brunswicker, 1888
19. Walter Williams* – Boonville Advertiser, 1889
20. E. W. Stephens* – Columbia Herald, 1890
21. J. West Goodwin* – Sedalia Bazoo, 1891
22. W. O. L. Jewett* – Shelbina Democrat, 1892
23. J. C. Kerby* – West Plains Gazette, 1893
24. John Knott* – Hannibal Courier, 1894
25. John W. Jacks* – Montgomery Standard, 1895
26. H. E. Robinson* – Maryville Republican, 1896
27. Henry W. Ewing* – Jefferson City Tribune, 1897
28. George H. Trigg* – Richmond Conservator, 1898
29. H. J. Groves* – Independence Sentinel, 1899
30. W. R. Painter* – Carrollton Democrat, 1900
31. Wes L. Robertson* – Gallatin Democrat, 1901
32. E. P. Caruthers* – Kennett Democrat, 1902
33. Howard Ellis* – New Florence Leader, 1903
34. T. T. Wilson* – Tarkio Avalanche, 1904
35. William Southern, Jr.* – Independence Examiner, 1905-06
36. Phillip Gansz* – Macon Republican, 1907
37. Omar D. Gray* – Sturgeon Leader, 1908
38. Henry F. Childers* – Troy Free Press, 1909
39. C. M. Harrison* – Gallatin North Missourian, 1910
40. J. R. Lowell* – Moberly Democrat, 1911
41. E. L. Purcell* – Fredericktown Democrat-News, 1912
42. Ovid Bell* – Fulton Gazette, 1913
43. Fred Naeter* – Cape Girardeau Republican, 1914
44. H. S. Sturgis* – Neosho Times, 1915
45. J. Kelly Pool* – Centralia Courier, 1916
46. H. J. Blanton* – Paris Appeal, 1917
47. J. P. Tucker* – Parkville Gazette, 1918
48. J. N. Stonebraker* – Carrollton Republican, 1919
49. Will H. Zorn* – West Plains Gazette, 1920
50. Mitchell White* – Mexico Ledger, 1921
51. Fred Hull* – Maryville Tribune, 1922
52. Dwight H. Brown* – Poplar Bluff American, 1923
53. Asa W. Butler* – Albany Capitol, 1924
54. Eugene B. Roach* – Carthage Democrat, 1925
55. E. H. Winter* – Warrenton Banner, 1926
56. C. L. Hobart* – Holden Progress, 1927
57. Harry Denman* – Farmington News, 1928
58. Charles L. Woods* – Rolla Herald, 1929
59. E. E. Swain* – Kirksville Express, 1930
60. Frank H. Sosey* – Palmyra Spectator, 1931
61. W. J. Sewall* – Carthage Press, 1932
62. Wallace Crossley* – Warrensburg Star-Journal, 1933
63. Fred M. Harrison* – Gallatin North Missourian, 1934
64. W.L. Bouchard* – Lead Belt News, Flat River, 1935
65. R. C. Goshorn* – Jefferson City Post-Tribune, 1936
66. John C. Stapel* – Rock Port Atchison County Mail, 1937
67. George B. Harlan* – Boonville Cooper County Record, 1938
68. James Todd* – Moberly Monitor-Index, 1939
69. Clint H. Denman* – Sikeston Herald, 1940
70. C. E. Watkins* – Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune, 1941
71. W. E. Freeland* – Forsyth Taney County Republican, 1942
72. O. J. Ferguson* – Fredericktown Democrat-News, 1943
73. Frank H. Hollmann* – Warrenton Banner, 1944
74. W. C. Hewitt* – Shelbyville Shelby County Herald, 1945
75. T. Ballard Watters* – Marshfield Mail, 1946
76. George P. Johnston* – Fulton Sun-Gazette, 1947
77. Meredith Garten*, – Pierce City Leader Journal, 1948
78. Stanley R. Fike* – Fairmount Inter-City News, 1949
79. T. J. Clark* – Carrollton Republican-Record, 1950
80. L. N. Bowman* – King City Tri-County News, 1951
81. George H. Scruton* – Sedalia Democrat, 1952
82. Mack F. Denman* – Farmington News, 1953
83. A. A. Steinbeck* – Union Franklin County Tribune, 1954
84. C. L. Blanton, Jr.* – Sikeston Standard, 1955
85. Joe M. Roberts* – Maysville Record-Herald, 1956
86. W. L. Simpson* – Holden Progress, 1957
87. E. J. Melton* – Boonville Record, 1958
88. James C. Kirkpatrick* – Windsor Review, 1959
89. E. L. Dale* – Carthage Press, 1960
90. Victor Gierke* – Louisiana Press-Journal, 1961
91. Harry E. Guth, Sr.* – Perryville Republic, 1962
92. J. W. Brown, Jr.* – Harrisonville Democrat-Missourian, 1963
93. Jac W. Zimmerman* – Willow Springs News, 1964
94. Ben F. Weir, Sr.* – Nevada Daily Mail, 1965
95. J. J. Graf* – Hermann Advertiser-Courier, 1966
96. Oliver B. Ferguson* – Fredericktown Democrat-News, 1967
97. Lucius B. Morse* – St. Louis Daily Record, 1968
98. Marion Ridings* – Hamilton Advocate-Hamiltonian, 1969
99. Robert L. Vickery* – Salem News & Post, 1970
100. J. Porter Fisher* – New London Ralls County Record, 1971
101. Harry Naeter* – Cape Girardeau S.E. Missourian, 1972
102. Wallace Vernon* – Eldon Advertiser, 1973
103. Bill D. Williams* – Thayer News, 1974
104. Joseph Snyder* – Gallatin North Missourian, 1975
105. Robert Blosser* – Jefferson City News & Tribune, 1976
106. Charles L. Blanton III* – Sikeston Standard, 1977
107. Weldon H. “Pete” Steiner* – Vandalia Leader-Press, 1978
108. John Henry Cox* – Rock Port Atchison County Mail, 1979
109. Rogers Hewitt – Shelbyville Shelby County Herald, 1980
110. William O. Lenhard* – Trenton Republican-Times, 1981
111. Mrs. Avis Tucker* – Warrensburg Daily Star-Journal, 1982
112. Ralph E. Clayton* – Caruthersville Democrat-Argus, 1983
113. Robert M. White II* – Mexico Ledger, 1984
114. James C. Sterling – Bolivar Herald-Free Press, 1985
115. Dalton C. Wright – Lebanon Daily Record, 1986
116. Charles A. Hedberg* – Centralia Fireside Guard, 1987
117. Betty Simpson Spaar* – Odessa Odessan, 1988
118. Kenneth W. Cope* – Neosho Daily News, 1989
119. W. Ray Vickery* – Salem News, 1990
120. R. B. “Bob” Smith III* – Lebanon Daily Record, 1991
121. Thomas L. Miller, Sr* – Washington Missourian, 1992
122. Donald Warden – Owensville Republican, 1993
123. F. Kirk Powell* – Pleasant Hill Times, 1994
124. Chuck Haney* – Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune, 1995
125. Harold Ellinghouse – Piedmont Journal-Banner, 1996
126. David Lipman* – St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 1997
127. William E. James* – Harrisonville Democrat-Missourian, 1998
128. Robert W. Wilson* – Milan Standard, 1999
129. William L. Miller, Sr. – Washington Missourian, 2000
130. Wendell J. Lenhart – Trenton Republican-Times, 2001
131. Dane Vernon – Eldon Advertiser, 2002
132. Dave Berry – Bolivar Herald-Free Press, 2003
133. Gary Sosneicki – Vandalia Leader, 2004
134. John Spaar – Odessa Odessan, 2005
135. Steve Oldfield* – Adrian Journal, 2006
136. Dave Bradley – St. Joseph News-Press, 2007
137. Jack Whitaker – Hannibal Courier-Post, 2008
138. Vicki Russell – Columbia Daily Tribune, 2009
139. Kevin Jones – St. Louis American, 2010
140. Joe May – Mexico Ledger, 2011
141. Phil Conger – Bethany Republican-Clipper, 2012
142. Mark Maassen – The Kansas City Star., 2013
143. Richard Gard – Missouri Lawyers Weekly, 2014
144. Jim Robertson – Columbia Daily Tribune, 2015
145. Dennis Warden – Gasconade County Republican | Owensville, 2016
146. Jeff Schrag – The Daily Events | Springfield, 2017
147. Carol Stark* – The Joplin Globe | Joplin, 2018
148. James Mahlon White – Benton County Enterprise | Warsaw, 2019
149. Trevor Vernon – Eldon Advertiser, 2020