An Old Newspaper Man Dead

AN OLD NEWSPAPER MAN DEAD

Who Learned His Trade on the Argus Fifty Years Ago.

Levi T. Hull, editor and proprietor of the St. Joseph County Advertiser, whose death occurred at Constantine, of nervous prostration, Tuesday evening, was an old time employee of the Argus. He learned the printers' trade in the Argus office, entering the same in 1848 and remaining until 1850. The writer of this sketch knew Mr. Hull personally and well and has sat with him in his office and listened with interest to reminiscences of the Argus in those early days and stories of Mr. Hull's experiences as a pioneer of Washtenaw county in still earlier times.

Mr. Hull was born in Monroe county, N. Y., Feb. 14, 1830, and came with his parents to the then new state of Michigan in 1838, settling in the township of Augusta, this county. Inside of three years he was left an orphan and from that time on he was obliged to paddle his own canoe. He went to live in the family of Austin Converse, of Bridgewater. He continued to call it home there until 1848. During these years he helped to clear and develop a farm in the heavy timber which then covered this section. After two years as a member of the Argus staff, he went to Centerville and leased the St. Joseph County Advertiser. Later he purchased the paper and in 1851 moved the plant to Constantine where he has ever since continued its publisher and proprietor. It will thus be seen that he has been 50 years in the harness as a newspaper man.

Mr. Hull married Miss Helen Gray, of Constantine, in 1853. The marriage has been blessed with six children, five of whom are now living. Three of these, Lee G. , Henry B. and Fred A. were brought up in their father's calling and still follow it, the two former being managers of the Advertiser and the latter being connected with the Newspaper Union, of Fort Wayne, Ind.. Warren C. is superintendent of schools at Flint, and Helen L. is the wife of Rev. Bastian Smits, of Charlotte, formerly of Ypsilanti.

Mr. Hull had the confidence of his fellow citizens as is attested by the numerous public positions which he held. He was township clerk for 20 years, justice of the peace, member of the constitutional convention of 1867, assistant assessor of internal revenue until the office was abolished, collector of internal revenue for the second district of Michigan and deputy collector. In all these positions he was efficient and performed his duties to the satisfaction of the public.

In politics he was a republican. He was a man of decided convictions and never hesitated to uphold his convictions in his newspaper. The Advertiser has always wielded much influence throughout the bounds of its circulation.