E. W. Scripps (businessman)
Newspaper publisher who built a media empire and co-founded UPI and Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Edward Willis Scripps (June 18, 1854 – March 12, 1926) was an American newspaper publisher who, together with his half-sister Ellen Browning Scripps, built a media empire that includes the E. W. Scripps Company and the United Press news service, later known as United Press International after its 1958 merger with the International News Service. Born and raised in Rushville, Illinois, to a London-born father and a mother from New York, Scripps typically used his initials rather than his full first and middle name, often signing his middle name as "Wyllis." He was known for heavy consumption of whisky and cigars; his confidential assistant reported that he drank roughly a gallon of whisky daily and kept a lit cigar in his mouth during all waking hours.
Scripps began his newspaper career as an office boy at *The Detroit News*, founded by his older half-brother James in 1873. In 1878, with loans from his half-brothers, he founded *The Penny Press* (later the *Cleveland Press*). With financial backing from Ellen, he went on to start or acquire about 25 newspapers, forming the foundation of the E. W. Scripps Company. In 1907, he created United Press Associations from smaller regional news services, later calling it his life’s greatest service because it provided competition to the Associated Press. He was a strong advocate of editorial independence.
In 1898, Scripps built a winter home in San Diego, hoping the dry, warm climate would relieve his lifelong allergic rhinitis. He eventually lived there year-round, running his newspaper business from a ranch that now encompasses Scripps Ranch and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. In 1903, he and Ellen were founding donors of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, though he initially doubted scientists could be businesslike; he became an enthusiastic supporter after befriending its scientific director. In 1921, he founded Science Service (later the Society for Science & the Public) to inform the public of scientific achievements. Scripps College is named for his half-sister. He died at age 71 aboard his yacht off the coast of Liberia. His descendant Charles E. Scripps later transformed the family-owned company into a major publicly traded media firm.
- field
- Newspaper publishing
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Founding the E. W. Scripps Company, United Press (later UPI), and co-founding Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Quick Facts
- Birth Name
- Edward Willis Scripps
- Birth Date
- 1854-06-18
- Birth Place
- Rushville, Illinois, U.S.
- Death Date
- 1926-03-12
- Death Place
- Monrovia, Liberia
- Occupation
- Publisher, publishing magnate
- Years Active
- 1878–1926
- Spouse
- Nackie Benson Holtsinger (1866–1930)
- Parents
- James Mogg Scripps / Julia Adeline Osborne
- Relatives
- James E. Scripps, (1835–1906; half-brother) / Ellen Browning Scripps, (1836–1932; half-sister) / Samuel H. Scripps, (1927–2007; grandson)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
E. W. Scripps was born and raised in Rushville, Illinois, to James Mogg Scripps from London, and Julia Adeline Osborne (third wife) from New York. He often signed his middle name as 'Wyllis'. He was a prolific consumer of whisky and cigars, according to his confidential assistant Gilson Gardner, and was said to drink a gallon (3.79 L) each day while bearing a lit cigar at all waking hours. Both E. W. and his half-sister Ellen worked with his older half-brother James when he founded The Detroit News in 1873. E. W. started as an office boy at the paper. In 1878, with loans from his half-brothers, E. W. went on to found The Penny Press (later the Cleveland Press) in Cleveland. With financial support from sister Ellen, he went on to begin or acquire some 25 newspapers. In 1907, Scripps created United Press Associations, now United Press International (UPI), from smaller regional news services. Scripps later said 'I regard my life's greatest service to the people of this country to be the creation of the United Press', to provide competition to the Associated Press. In 1898, he finished building a home in San Diego, where his half-sister lived nearby, thinking that the dry, warm climate would help his lifelong allergic rhinitis. He built it as a winter home to escape the cold of West Chester (Butler County), Ohio, but eventually lived there year-round, and conducted his newspaper business from the ranch. His ranch encompassed what is today the community of Scripps Ranch as well as Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. In 1903, he and his half-sister Ellen were the founding donors of Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Initially, Scripps was reluctant to support the venture, thinking scientists could not be businesslike. However, he developed a deep friendship with the scientific director, William Emerson Ritter, and together they began to plan projects for the institute. As the Institute started to succeed, he became an enthusiastic supporter and took a great interest in its work. In 1921, Scripps founded Science Service, later named the Society for Science & the Public, with the goal of keeping the public informed of scientific achievements. Scripps College is also named in honor of his half-sister, Ellen Browning Scripps, because a large part of its endowment derives from the media fortune they had built. Scripps died at the age of 71 on March 12, 1926, onboard hi
Reader's Guide
E. W. Scripps built his media empire through a combination of aggressive acquisition and a belief in editorial independence. Beginning as an office boy at *The Detroit News*, a paper founded by his older half-brother James, he later launched *The Penny Press* (later the *Cleveland Press*) in 1878 with loans from his half-brothers. With financial backing from his half-sister Ellen Browning Scripps, he went on to start or purchase roughly 25 newspapers, forming the foundation of what became the E. W. Scripps Company. In 1907, he created the United Press Associations (later United Press International) from smaller regional news services, viewing this as his greatest service to the public by providing competition to the Associated Press. Scripps was a heavy consumer of whisky and cigars, reportedly drinking a gallon daily and keeping a lit cigar at all waking hours. He suffered from lifelong allergic rhinitis, which led him to build a winter home in San Diego in 1898, eventually living there year-round and conducting business from his ranch. In 1903, he and his half-sister became founding donors of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, initially skeptical of scientists but later an enthusiastic supporter after befriending its director. In 1921, he founded Science Service to inform the public of scientific achievements. His legacy includes the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, named for him.
Did You Know?
- Scripps often signed his middle name as 'Wyllis'.
- He was said to drink a gallon of whisky each day while bearing a lit cigar at all waking hours.
- His ranch in San Diego now encompasses the community of Scripps Ranch and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
- Scripps College is named in honor of his half-sister, Ellen Browning Scripps.
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