H 3611  Resolution, By V.S.Moss and D.C.Moss
 A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE GAFFNEY LEDGER NEWSPAPER AND TO
 CONGRATULATE THE OWNERS, PUBLISHERS, AND STAFF AS THEY CONTINUE THE NOTEWORTHY
 LEGACY OF A CENTURY AND A QUARTER OF NEWSPAPER PUBLISHING IN THE GAFFNEY
 COMMUNITY.
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   01/16/19  House  Introduced and adopted (House Journal-page 18)

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE GAFFNEY LEDGER NEWSPAPER AND TO CONGRATULATE THE OWNERS, PUBLISHERS, AND STAFF AS THEY CONTINUE THE NOTEWORTHY LEGACY OF A CENTURY AND A QUARTER OF NEWSPAPER PUBLISHING IN THE GAFFNEY COMMUNITY.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are pleased to learn that the Gaffney Ledger has established a one-hundred-twenty-five-year tradition of newspaper publishing in Gaffney and is set to continue its proud legacy; and

Whereas, at the invitation of a group of Gaffney businessmen, young Edward Hope DeCamp resigned from his job at the State newspaper and came to Gaffney to begin a weekly publication. DeCamp, a native of Charlotte, had just a fourth-grade education, but he had become by that time an experienced printer and newspaperman; and

Whereas, DeCamp's new position included a salary of fifty dollars per month and an opportunity for future ownership. He arrived in Gaffney to serve as the paper's manager and local editor, with one of the paper's stockholders, Professor R.O. Sams, serving as its first editor. H.P. Griffith became the paper's second editor in 1897, the same year DeCamp gained exclusive control of the paper. By using much of his monthly salary to purchase stock, DeCamp was able to own the paper outright a few years later; and

Whereas, in 1897, the paper became a twice-weekly publication. In 1917, DeCamp took another step forward and increased the paper's publication to three times a week; and

Whereas, in 1927, now sixty-two years old, DeCamp sold the Ledger to his son-in-law, Frank Sossamon, and S.C. Littlejohn, both of whom had been connected with the paper for some time, Littlejohn as editor and Sossamon as business manager. In the years ahead, the Ledger would experience and survive the Depression. DeCamp would pass away in 1952; and

Whereas, Frank Sossamon's son and Edward Hope DeCamp's grandson, Louis Sossamon, purchased the newspaper in 1969. He remained publisher until 1999, when his son, Cody, took over the day-to-day operation of the paper, later becoming the newspaper's fourth publisher; and

Whereas, Abbie Sossamon, Cody's daughter, joined the Ledger in 2015, becoming the fifth generation of the Sossamon family to be associated with this family-owned newspaper. She serves as the "Features and Lifestyles" editor. The Ledger continues to be published tri-weekly and is delivered to twenty-five thousand Cherokee County households each week; and

Whereas, appreciative of the Ledger's high standards and its many years of support for Cherokee County, the House takes great pleasure in celebrating the publication's one hundred twenty-fifth anniversary. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor the Gaffney Ledger newspaper and congratulate the owners, publishers, and staff as they continue the noteworthy legacy of a century and a quarter of newspaper publishing in the Gaffney community.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the Gaffney Ledger.