Albert E. Tozier

Albert E. Tozier (March 7, 1860 – June 27, 1937) was an American newspaper editor and local historian in Oregon. A native of Nebraska, he moved to Oregon as a child with his parents, settling in Hillsboro. His father, Charles T. Tozier, served as mayor of the town and in the Oregon Legislative Assembly. Albert worked as editor of The Hillsboro Argus and curator of the museum at Champoeg.

Albert E. Tozier
Born	(1860-03-07)March 7, 1860 Nebraska
Died	June 27, 1937(1937-06-27) (aged 77) Portland, Oregon
Resting place	Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery 45.52030°N 123.00542°W / 45.52030; -123.00542
Occupation	Newspaper publisher Historian
Notable credit(s)	Chehalis Nugget
Family	Charles T. Tozier

Early life

Albert Tozier was born in Cass County, Nebraska, to Charles and Zerilda Tozier on March 7, 1860.[1] Of French descent, the Tozier family immigrated to North America and settled in Nova Scotia before moving to the United States.[1] The family traveled overland with a team of oxen to Oregon via the Oregon Trail in 1863, settling in Washington County near Hillsboro.[1][2] There Tozier attended Tualatin Academy preparatory school in neighboring Forest Grove where he graduated in 1881.[1] In 1872, he rang the bell at the Hillsboro Methodist Church on New Year's Eve to announce the new year.[1][3] He returned to do this for 64 consecutive years, traveling from as far away as New York City and South America to keep his streak alive.

Newspapers and historian

In 1883, he founded the Lewis County Nugget newspaper with his cousin.[4] Based in Lewis County, Washington, in the town of Chehalis, the paper was later known as the Chehalis Nugget.[2] In 1885, Tozier became the editor and part owner of the Hillsboro Independent newspaper (now The Hillsboro Argus) and remained until 1887.[1][5] Also in 1885, he helped to found the National Editorial Association, and later served one year as the organization's president.[1]

Tozier served as secretary of the Oregon Press Association for 15 years.[1][6] By 1906, he was working for the Farmer paper based in Portland.[7] He also collected many artifacts concerning Oregon's history in association with his sister Edith, and served as keeper of the historical artifacts at what became Champoeg State Park when it was a museum of the Oregon Historical Society.[1][3]

Later years

Tozier's grave marker

In the early 1930s, Tozier donated his collection of historical items, which included books, pictures, maps, and other items to the county historical society. The collection was this basis for what became the Washington County Museum.[8] In 1936, poor health kept him from ringing the bell at the Methodist Church, ending the 64-year tradition.[2] Tozier died on June 27, 1937, at the age of 77 and was buried at Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery.[1]

References

1. Corning, Howard M. (1989) Dictionary of Oregon History. Binfords & Mort Publishing. p. 246.
2. Tozier rang church bell for 64 years. The Hillsboro Argus, October 19, 1976.
3. County journalism dates back to 1848. The Hillsboro Argus, October 19, 1976.
4. Nix, Alma and John Nix, Eds. The History of Lewis County, WA. Archived 2008-06-14 at the Wayback Machine Chehalis, Lewis County Historical Society, 1985. p. 237.
5. Turnbull, George Stanley. History of Oregon Newspapers. Binfords & Mort: Portland, Or. (1939). pp. 212-218.
6. Gompers, Samuel, and Stuart B. Kaufman. Papers 3 Unrest and depression. Urbana u.a: Univ. of Illinois Press, 1989. p. 83.
7. What the Oregon editors saw at Hood River. The Hood River Glacier, October 27, 1904, p. 6.
8. Buan, Carolyn M. This Far-Off Sunset Land: A Pictorial History of Washington County, Oregon. Donning Company Publishers, 1999. p. 15.

External links

• Guide to the Lewis and Clark Centennial and American Pacific Exposition and Oriental Fair Records
• "OPPOSED TO PREMIUMS.; National Editorial Association Would Exclude Certain Papers from Mails". The New York Times. June 15, 1901. Retrieved 2008-08-10.