(from a scrapbook)
PLESSIS PRINTED PAPER IN 1843
(Dec. 6, 1939)
Theresa, Dec. 6. -- The village of Plessis once boasted of a newspaper, published almost a century ago, according to an old scrap book which quotes from this paper and mentions some of the leading people of that period in the thriving village, named by LeRay as Plessis. The paper, bearing the title of “The Flat Rock Expositor”, had a date line of 1843. The publishers state that the paper is published to “enlighten the rising generation of the community.”
Jason Clark was the leading man in the community and the scrap book tells that Mr. Clark gave the address at the opening of the Gouverneur fair in the fall of 1859. In fact, the address was published in booklet form and states that it was delivered by Mr. Clark of Plessis, before the Gouverneur Agricultural and Mechanical society, September, 1859. This is recorded as being the first meeting of the society and that Henry H. Haile was president and George Parker secretary. In his address, Mr. Clark urges the farmers to practice the plan of underdrainage.
In the year 1830, Jason Clark purchased, with William Shurtleff, the grist mill of the village and under their operation the mill was very successful and brought to the village added life, so that it was one of the leading pioneer villages of northern Jefferson county.
Among the names mentioned in the paper were those of Messrs. Clark, Dunton (sic), Tanner, Sweet, Corlis, Bartholomew and Parker.
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