Mr. Story’s son Robert was the editor of the Bryan County Democrat. Mr. Story died in 1920.
The Caddo Herald
September 15, 1916
Oldest Printer in Oklahoma
Sunday of this week Colonel Jim Tom Story, owner of the Bokchito News, celebrated two anniversaries: one being his 76th birthday, and the other the 68th anniversary of his embarking in the printing business- this later justly entitling him to the distinction of being the oldest printer, living, in Oklahoma, if not the entire South.
Invitations were out for an at home reception given by the Colonel on that day at his residence in Bokchito, one of which has been received by the editor of the Herald.
The colonel was born September 10, 1840 and at the age of eight years, to a day, took up his apprenticeship in a print shop in Georgia: and like most of the others who get ink on their fingers, has clung to his beloved printing craft ever since.
He has owned and edited newspapers in several southern states, his fortunes varying, now good, then bad- as go things with the country printer. For four years he has owned and edited the Bokchito News, until quite recently, when ill health compelled him to retire temporarily from active work. He left his newspaper when the war broke out between the States and when peace was declared went “back to the case” and has been continually at work in this calling ever since.
The Herald editor should have liked very much to have attended the celebration, but was prevented; anyway, we congratulate Col. Story and wish him many, many returns of the day.
From History of the Arkansas Press, by Frederick William Allsop, 1922
Colonel Jim Tom Story was one of the veterans of the newspaper business in Arkansas. While serving as a printer on the New Orleans Picayune, he enlisted in the Civil War, and became the Colonel of a Louisiana regiment. He was the publisher of the Meteor for several years. He had also been connected with several other newspapers in Arkansas. He established the first newspaper at Mineral Wells, Texas, and at the time of his death he was the owner of the Bokchito, Okla. News. He moved to Oklahoma from Arkansas in 1920, and was then appointed Superintendent of the Confederate Home at Ardmore. He died at Mineral Wells, December 16, 1920, aged 80 years.
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