Thanks again for all the replies to my question. Several people had asked about what I found out, so I hope Col. Choron does not mind me sharing these segments of his very informative email. (Col. - I snipped out the segments with people's names in case you didn't want them broadcasted over the internet.) Brenda > Brenda, > > I am on the Roots Web list, and got your letter concerning newspapers in > Shelby County. I don't live there any more... have been overseas for > years... but... > I'm a journalist by profession, and got my start in Center and Shelby > County. > > The newspaper that was in Center at that time was the "Champion". It > operated as an independent weekly, until the late seventies, when it was > bought out by the "East Texas Light". It is now called the "Light Champion", > and is still in publication. I worked for both papers at one time or > another, but was gone from Center when they merged. > > It is my understanding that the Champion assumed the records and files of at > least one earlier publication, which was operating in Shelby County prior to > it's own founding. > > The problem that you are going to run into is this. In the early 70's, about > ''72 or '73, I think, The Champion office burned. Many of the records, > including parts of an extensive collection of back issues... dating to the > founding of the paper, were lost, or damaged beyond use. I understand that > much of the archival material is still in existence, but is badly organized, > and very "skippy" in dating, due to the fire. However, records from the mid > part of the century to anything after the date of the fire, should be more > or less in tact. > > Mr. Robert F. Pinkston was the owner of the Champion, at that time, he > inherited it, I believe, from his father. Mr. Pinkston passed away about > fifteen years ago. ...<snip>... Robert > Pinkston Jr (Bobby) was managing the paper when it was bought out, and > remained with the Light Champion for several years. Unfortunately, he too, > is deceased. > > You can investigate this by calling the "East Texas Light Champion"... it > might be listed simply as "Light Champion". I do not know who is in charge > at the moment. > As far as I know, the only newspaper currently in publication in Panola > County is the Panola Watchman, in Carthage. I have been away from the area > for so long, I simply have no information about it, or who might be the > proper contact person.