CHARLES A. ROOK, JOHN GORMLY MacCONNELL, CHARLES A. ROOK, JR.
Western Pennsylvanians
CHARLES ALEXANDER ROOK, Editor-in-Chief
Published by the Western Pennsylvania Biographical Association, Pittsburgh, Pa., 1923
Pg. 10
Pittsburgh had the first newspaper west of the Allegheny Mountains since it was a frontier settlement in the Pittsburgh Gazette published as the Gazette Times.At the beginning of the last century several others papers were launched, which later were absorbed or discontinued.The Daily Post was established in 1842 by Thomas Phillips and William H. Smith, and for many years was conducted by James P. Barr who obtained control in the 50's.With the Sun, an afternoon paper established in 1906, it is now successfully edited by Arthur E. Braun.The Pittsburg Dispatch, first printed in 1846 by J. Heron Foster, enjoyed an international reputation for 75 years; during its last quarter century, under the direction of Colonel Charles A. Rook, being recognized as Pittsburgh's most influential newspaper.It was purchased and discontinued publication in February, 1923.At the same time the Leader, an afternoon paper established in 1864 by John W. Pittock, was also purchased and its publication suspended.Pittsburgh's remaining papers are the Chronicle Telegraph and the Pittsburgh Press, afternoon editions, and the Freihets Freund, a German morning paper.
(pg. 72) The “Pittsburg Dispatch” (COL. CHARLES A. ROOK – editor-in-chief) was designed by a committee of newspaper publishers of the U. S. as one of the seventeen greatest daily newspapers in the county and which included among the others the New York “Tribune” and “Herald,” Chicago “Daily News,” Boston “Globe,” Philadelphia “Bulletin,” Washington “Post,” Brooklyn “Eagle” and Atlanta “Constitution.”
Republican in national politics, the “Dispatch” under the guidance of COL. ROOK was one of the most important factors in the successes achieved by the Grand Old Party in Penn, and the was signally evidenced in the campaigns of Garfield, McKinley, Roosevelt, Taft, Harding, Philander C. Knox and many others.
With the retirement of COL. ROOK from active newspaper work in February, 1923, this valuable newspaper property, that had been identified with every phrase of the building up of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania for nearly 80 years, was sold to a combination of the other Pittsburgh daily papers consolidated for this transaction under the name of the Union Publishing Company, and by them the publication of the “Dispatch” was suspended.
On February 1, 1923, a few days prior to the sale of the “Dispatch,” COL. ROOK was appointed Director of the Department of Public Safety of Pittsburgh by Mayor William A. McGee.
COL. ROOK is a native of Pittsburgh, son of ALEXANDER W. and HARRIETT L. (BECK) ROOK. On September 1, 1880, he entered the office of the “Pittsburg Dispatch,” following the death of his father, who was for many years the senior member of the firm of Rook, O'Neill & Company, publishers and editors of the “Dispatch”; becoming secretary of The Dispatch Publishing Company in 1888; treasurer in 1896, and on March 10, 1902, he was appointed president and editor-in-chief.He was a director of The Associated Press and a member of the executive committee from 1910 to 1923.
In national politics COL. ROOK is a Republican.He was endorsed by every labor union in Pittsburgh in 1905, for mayor of the city, but because of his belief that he could serve Pittsburgh best at the helm of the “Dispatch,” he declined to become a candidate.On February 14, 1907, he was appointed on the military staff of Edwin S. Stuart, governor of Pennsylvania, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel and on the election of Gov. Brumbaugh was re-appointed.On January 17, 1908, he was elected by the judges of Allegheny County, a member of the board of the Western Penitentiary of Penn; and upon the change in the act governing the penitentiary, was appointed by Governor Stuart, and reappointed by Governors Tener, Brumbaugh and Sproul.He is an honorary member Typographical Union No. 7...
(pg. 73 – a picture of COL. CHARLES ALEXANDER ROOK) (continued on pg. 359)
...On September 9, 1884, COL. ROOK married ANNA B. WILSON.They are the parents of HELEN EMMA (MRS. W. T. GRANGE), CHARLES ALEXANDER, JR. and FLORENCE ANNA (MRS. J. G. MacCONNELL).
Pg. 162 – picture of JOHN GORMLY MacCONNELL
JOHN GORMLY MacCONNELL, general agent in Western Pennsylvania for the Reliance Life Insurance, was born on April 7, 1892, at Pittsburgh, son of MATHILDA GROSS and THOMAS MacCONNELL.
MR. MacCONNELL received his preliminary education in the public schools of his native city.His preparatory studies were completed at Shadyside Academy from which he was graduated in 1911.He received his collegiate education at Princeton University, from which institution he was graduated in the class of 1915, with A. B. degree. He has been identified with the insurancebusiness and incidentally with the Reliance Life Insurance Company since his graduation from college in 1915.He entered the employ of that company in that year.He enlisted, in September, 1917, as a private in the Chemical Warfare Service.He was in the service until January, 1919, in which month he was honorably discharged with the commission of first lieutenant, having during the period of his service been stationed at Long Island City.
MR. MacCONNELL is a member of the Edgeworth and Princeton Clubs.On April 19, 1917, MR. MacCONNELL was married to FLORENCE ANNA, daughter of COLONEL CHARLES A. ROOK, formerly publisher and editor of the “Pittsburg Dispatch” and now Director of Public Safety, City of Pittsburgh.MR. and MRS. MacCONNELL are the parents of a son, JOHN GORMLY MacCONNELL, JR.Residence: Maple Lane, Shields, Pa.Office: 1208 Farmers Bank Building, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Pg. 133 picture of CHARLES ALEXANDER ROOK, JR.
CHARLES ALEXANDER ROOK, JR., of the advertising firm of Rook & McSweeney, began his career in the newspaper business.The offices of Rook & McSweeney are at 324 Bakewell Building, Pittsburgh, Pa..MR. ROOK is a native of Pittsburgh and was born December 16, 1893, son of CHARLES ALEXANDER and ANNA (WILSON) ROOK.His father, now (1923) Director of Public Safety of Pittsburgh was for years President of The Dispatch Publishing Company.The subject of this sketch was educated at St. Paul's School, Concord, New Hampshire, and Harstrom's, Norwalk, Connecticut.On October 1, 1913, he entered the employ of the The Pittsburg Dispatch.He finally retired from the newspaper to devote all his time to advertising.When he resigned from The Dispatch he was assistant to the President, Circulation manager, and a Director of The Dispatch Publishing Company.He then entered into a partnership with Daniel McSweeney, conducting an advertising agency under the firm name of Rook & McSweeney.MR. ROOK was active in the World War.In August, 1917, he enlisted as a sergeant in the Gas Defense Division, Chemical Warfare Service, U.S.A.On August 2, 1918, he was commissioned Lieutenant and was honorably discharged from the service January 9, 1919.He is a member of the Crescent Lodge No. 576, F. & A. M., and the Edgeworth Club. (pg. 361)On November 2, 1915, MR. ROOK married HILDA METCALF.They have one child, CHARLES ALEXANDER ROOK, III.The family residence is at 431 Maple Lane, Shields, P. O., Pa.