HISTORY OF THE TYLER MORNING TELEGRAPH
The Tyler Morning Telegraph has been in publication since 1929, but the newspaper has its roots in the 19th century. From almost the very founding of Tyler and Smith County, there has been a local newspaper to keep residents advised of happenings of the day, community leaders and events shaping history.

The company traces its roots to 1877 when two brothers, L. M. Green and J. P. Green, established the weekly Courier. The Courier was converted to a daily newspaper in 1882.

A public stock subscription in 1906 helped pave the way for the consolidation of the Daily Courier and another local newspaper, the Weekly Times, creating The Tyler Courier-Times, Tyler’s longtime afternoon newspaper.

In 1910, a fire destroyed the production facility, forcing the newspaper to temporarily print in a job shop using paper not much larger than letterhead stationery.

FAMILY OWNERSHIP BEGINS
Following the fire, the newspaper was acquired by Thomas Booker Butler Nov. 18, 1910. Butler, a Tyler attorney and respected businessman, has been described as a “many-sided man” who was active in banking, business, church, legal endeavors and newspaper publishing.

Butler was born Jan. 14, 1867, in the Starrville community of Smith County, the son of Sallie F. Holt and James Wiley Butler. His father served as Smith County sheriff in the 1870s and was a deputy U. S. Marshal and U. S. District Court clerk in Tyler.

His mother was the daughter of Col. Thomas B. Holt, a well-known planter and one of Smith County’s early settlers. Thomas Booker Butler was one of four children.

His siblings were Leberta, Henry and Lee. As a boy, he often spent time on the 1,100-acre farm established in 1853 in Starrville by his grandfather, Col. William Booker Butler Sr., who was known as Booker Butler.

He attended Tyler public schools after the family moved to town and was later a student at Tyler Academy. After leaving school, he worked as a deputy sheriff under his father.

THE NEWSPAPER ERA
On Nov. 18, 1910, a front-page notice in the Daily Courier-Times told of the sale of the publication to Butler and his associates. The company, which began in 1877, had suffered severe losses from a fire just prior to the sale and the subscription list was the sole remaining asset, according to accounts.

“Under the leadership of Judge Butler, the Courier-Times set an early pattern of community leadership,” according to an historical account in a company publication.

“During the first four years of his ownership, the newspaper led a successful campaign to construct a modern streetcar system with seven miles of track and was highly instrumental in the abolition of the old ward system of city government, it being replaced in 1915 by the city manager form of government, making Tyler the fifth city in the state with this new form of municipal administration.”

Butler died April 10, 1919, and ownership of the newspaper passed half to his wife, Sallie, and half to their children: Tom B. Butler, Jr., and daughters, Mrs. S. H. Bothwell, Mrs. Sarah C. Butler and Mrs. Calvin Clyde Sr. Key management duties in the early 1920s were handled by Henry Arch McDougal and, from the latter part of the decade through 1934, by Carl Estes. Tom Butler, Jr., who also worked for the newspaper, was killed in a car accident in 1931.

From the mid-1930s until about 1943, Jim Donahue was editor and a lead manager. Sarah Butler, who began working at the newspaper shortly after her father’s death, later became general manager and publisher.

Her active management years ranged from the early days of World War II until 1951, but she retained the title of publisher until her death in 1981.

She was followed as general manager by Calvin Clyde Jr., her nephew, who became president when the firm incorporated in 1973. He retired in 1990 and his son, Nelson Clyde III, was elected as president and publisher by the board of directors. JD Osborn became general manager and later vice president/administration.

MARKING GROWTH
Shortly after the fire, the newspaper began operating at 215 N. College Ave., where it had better access to the rail transportation that delivered printing paper.

The Tyler Morning Telegraph, which featured expanded coverage of East Texas cities, debuted Nov. 14, 1929. The Courier-Times continued to focus on Tyler news for subscribers within the city limits. The Sunday edition was renamed the Tyler Courier-Times-Telegraph.

Facing a demand for more space to accommodate growth, the company moved in 1950 to a new location at 410 W. Erwin St. Since then, several building expansion and remodeling projects took place. Beginning in the 1970s, the popularity of morning-delivery newspapers soared, and the number of subscribers to the Courier-Times declined. On Oct. 31, 1995, the company ended publication of its afternoon newspaper. In a letter to readers on the front page of the final Courier-Times, Nelson Clyde III thanked readers, advertisers and employees and closed by saying, “We’ll see you in the morning.”

The newspaper later moved to its present location, at 100 E. Ferguson St., Suite 501 in downtown Tyler.

OWNERSHIP EVOLUTION
On Dec. 1, 2018, M. Roberts Media purchased the Tyler Morning Telegraph from the T.B. Butler Publishing, Co. forming one of the largest media companies in East Texas.

On Dec. 5, 2024, M. Roberts Media and its associated newspapers including the Tyler Morning Telegraph were acquired by Carpenter Media Group, a family-owned company committed to the mission of community journalism.

CMG focuses on providing valuable information and fostering strong connections within the communities its serves.

The CMG Texas division owns the leading community daily newspapers and related web services in East Texas, in addition to a newspaper in South Texas.

Its other titles include the Longview News-Journal, The Marshall News Messenger, The Panola Watchman, Kilgore News Herald, The Henderson News, and the Victoria Advocate.

CMG Texas’ magazine portfolio features ETX View, Rose Festival, The Zone, Discover 361, Harrison Magazine, Route 259, Etcetera Magazine, and 40 Under Forty. CMG Texas also provides marketing solutions through its full-service digital firm.

Read more at www.carpentermediagroup.com.