HOMESTEAD PUBLISHING CO. HISTORY

At more than 150 years old, The Aegis is one of the oldest newspapers in Maryland. The paper's history is really a history of newspapers in Harford County.

The first newspaper published in Harford County was the Abingdon Patriot, established in 1805 by Daniel P. Ruff. The four-page publication had a small circulation in southern Harford and was published for several years during a time when regular publication cycles were not strictly adhered to.

The first two regular weekly newspapers were published in Bel Air about 1830, The National American and The Harford Republican and Peoples Advocate. Both were short lived because they had inadequate equipment and financial backing and were the subjects of libel suits.

In 1835 when the Pennsylvania Railroad was extended to Havre de Grace, the small city grew rapidly and became the county's population center. In 1839, a small weekly journal called the Susquehanna Advocate was established in Havre de Grace. In 1842 that paper's name was changed to the Havre de Grace Advertiser and it continued to be published for several years.

During the Civil War, newspapers were established as a way to spread propaganda regarding the controversial issues facing the nation. In Harford County three such newspapers were organized, The Peoples Advocate, the Bond of Union -- which strongly supported the federal government -- and The Southern Aegis -- which supported the Confederacy.

Beginning in 1856, The Southern Aegis Harford County Intelligencer was published in Bel Air every Saturday morning by John Carroll Walsh, editor, and John Cox, assistant editor. The subscription rate was $1 per year. Cox soon became sole owner and continued as editor until March 15, 1862, when Alfred W. Bateman took over the management.

During the Civil War, the Democratic Party was the party of the Confederate States.

In March 1864, Frederick W. Baker, who had previously been a silent partner, was added to the editorial staff and continued with The Aegis and Intelligencer for 25 years.

In June 1889, Bateman retired. In addition to being an editor, he was a Judge of the Circuit Court for three years dating from the fall of 1867.

After what he termed as "32 years of unremitting toil," Baker in 1894 sold the paper to Frank E. Gorrell, who had been on the staff for several years. Five years later Walter Finney and Louis Dashiell acquired the newspaper, with Gorrell remaining as editor.

The longest period of ownership in one family began in 1904 when The Aegis and Intelligencer was purchased by the late John D. Worthington Sr. It was then located in a brick building which still stands at 119 S. Main St. in Bel Air.

The following year, in 1905, Worthington purchased the property at 29 Courtland St. and all the equipment was moved into the new building. Worthington immediately simplified the name of the newspaper by changing it to The Aegis.

Aegis is a word from Greek mythology being the name of a symbol ascribed to the god Zeus and having significance as being a life charm. The word aegis came to represent "a shield or protection," which publishers said was the goal of the paper when it comes to the interests of Harford County residents.

Some thought had been given to adopting the simpler name of "The Shield," but in view of the present title antiquity, uniqueness and long association with the people and institutions of Harford County, the idea of a change merely for simplification was abandoned.

The first linotype in Harford County was installed by The Aegis in 1915.

In 1922 management of the newspaper passed to John D. Worthington Jr. and his brother Malcolm M. Worthington, sons of the former owner. At the close of his service in World War II Richard W. Worthington, son of John T. Worthington Jr. joined The Aegis staff and soon became business manager.

In March 1951, the Harford Gazette was purchased by the Worthingtons and in 1963 the Democratic Ledger of Havre de Grace was consolidated with The Aegis. These transactions, coupled with a growing county population raised the circulation to one of the largest paid circulations of any weekly in America at the time.

When in 1959, the late John Worthington Sr. decided to incorporate the business, the name of The Shield Press Inc. was adopted.

The paper remained at its Courtland Street location until 1962 when it moved to its present facility at 10 S. Hays St. in Bel Air.

Two years after the move to the Hays Street building, John D. Worthington Jr. died and his sons, Richard W. Worthington and John D. Worthington III, became co-editors and officers of The Shield Press Inc. After the death of John D. Worthington III in 1978, Richard Worthington became the general manager and publisher of The Aegis and its senior executive. At that time he started grooming his daughter, Anne W. Worthington, and his nephew, John D. Worthington IV, to succeed him as co-publishers. Before he retired in 1987 he had turned over most of his responsibilities to them.

In December 1986, the newspaper company Shield Press, which published The Aegis and The Times of Perry Hall, was sold to the Baltimore Sun Co.

In December 1988 the Baltimore Sun Company purchased The Record of Havre de Grace and its parent company, Susquehanna Publishing, which also published The Sunday Weekly.

Shortly thereafter, shield Press and Susquehanna Publishing were merged to form Homestead Publishing Co. Since then, The Times of Perry Hall has been sold and The Sunday Weekly was redesigned and changed to The Weekender, which is published in five editions.