The Northern Standard

Pat B. Clark's 1937 county history quotes the paper's early pages. In an editorial of March 4, 1843, Charles DeMorse called the Northern Standard a Democratic-Republican journal opposed to "all character of monopolies" and said it kept up with the news of the world more regularly than most papers. Its issue of September 17, 1842 carried a detailed report on the Santa Fe Expedition for Clarksville readers who had friends in the party. The Portal to Texas History at the University of North Texas holds 1,435 items from the paper.

What the plaque says

The Northern Standard On this site stood the home of The Northern Standard - A pioneer Texas newspaper edited and published from August 20, 1842 to October 25, 1887 by Colonel Charles DeMorse (1816-1887) - A loyal statesman and a finished scholar often referred to as "The Father of Texas Journalism" - After his death the paper was continued until December 6, 1888 by his daughter Isabella DeMorse Latimer - "Long shall our banner brave the breeze - the standard of the free" appeared on each issue

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Lennox Woods Preserve — 10 mi
  A Nature Conservancy preserve of mature East Texas forest north of Clarksville, kept by the Lennox family for four generations, with a 1.5-mile loop under post oaks more than 300 years old.

More markers nearby

• Five Signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Red River County — steps away
• The Rev. William Stevenson — steps away
• Members of Confederate Congresses — steps away
• Stagecoach Stand, C. S. A. — steps away