Alexander Cotton Caperton
Owner and Publisher, The Western Recorder
By D. L. BrewerDr. Alexander Cotton Caperton, was born in Madison County, Kentucky on 4 January,1831, the son of John and Mary Cotton Caperton and grandson of Colonel William Caperton. He died in 1901. He married Minerva Granberry, 23 December 1858. His children include Mary, William Roberts, Lena and Hugh Arthur. He was educated at Mississippi College and Rochester Seminary and pastor of First Baptist Church Evansville, Indiana in 1870-71. Various attempts were made to establish a Baptist paper in Kentucky, but failed until the 'Baptist Banner' originated at Shelbyville in 1835. At that time it was a fortnightly; but in 1835 Rev. John N. Waller became its editor; when it was removed to Louisville and issued as a weekly. Soon it was united with the 'Baptist,' which was published at Nashville, Tenn., and with the 'Western Pioneer,' of Illinois, becoming the 'Baptist Banner and Western Pioneer.' In 1841 Mr. Waller ceased to be its editor, and was succeeded by Rev. W. C. Buck; but in 1850 Mr. Waller returned to the paper, aided by Rev. S. H. Ford, and in 1851 its name was changed to the 'Western Recorder.' Dr. Waller died in 1854, and Mr. Ford became its sole editor and proprietor; but, after a time, it passed into other hands until 1858. During a part of the civil war its issue was suspended, but it was resumed in 1863, when it was owned and edited by various persons till about 1872; then A. C. Caperton, D. D., became its solo owner and editor. It had never fully paid its way until that time, but he changed its form from a quarto to an octavo, and enlarged its size about one third; he also employed paid contributors and a field editor, and it steadily grew in power, popularity and financial value, until it is now regarded as one of the leading journals of the South. He was a veteran of the Civil War, serving in the Confederate forces.
[Document provided by D. L. Brewer, Madison County, KY.]
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