Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential
Center
Norwalk [Ohio] Reflector
LH- 404
_______________________________________
Introduction
Agency History
Scope and Content
Inventory
Introduction
This collection was donated to the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center by the Huron [Ohio]
County Genealogical Society in 2015
Agency History
The “Norwalk [Ohio] Reflector” was founded in Norwalk, Ohio in 1830 by Samuel Preston and
George Buckingham. Previously, Buckingham had been co-owner of the “Reporter.” The
“Norwalk Reflector” offices were on the second floor of a mercantile building located in
Norwalk at 9 West Main St.
Preston’s daughter, Lucy, married Fred Wickham in January of 1835. Preston bought the lot at
38 West Main Street. It is believed that the Prestons and Wickhams occupied the first floor and
the basement, while the “Reflector” office was on the second floor. Eventually, larger quarters
were necessary. Fred Wickham took over as editor and served in that position until 1913. That
year, R. C. Snyder, owner of the “Norwalk Evening Herald” purchased the “Norwalk Reflector.”
The papers were merged under the name “Norwalk Reflector Herald.” Originally, the paper
espoused Whig Party politics. With the advent of the Civil War, the paper advocated the
Republican Party platform.
Henry Timman, Norwalk, Ohio
Scope and Content
This collection, donated by the Huron County Genealogical Society, contains photocopies of
obituaries published in the “Norwalk Reflector” for the years 1999, 2000, 2002, 2009, 2010,
2011, 2012, and 2013. The obituaries were photocopied by members of the Huron County
Genealogical Society. The photocopies are arranged in chronological order by year. Bound
volumes of each year are available in the Hayes Presidential Center’s research room.
The Hayes Presidential Center holds microfilm of the entire run of the “Norwalk Reflector” from
its beginning until 2005 when the newspaper discontinued microfilming. Obituary data have
been entered into the Ohio Obituary Index that appears on the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential
Center website from the first issues in 1830 to the 1930s.
Inventory
Ac. 5885, 5919
1 ½ linear feet
Box 1
1999
2000
2002
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Box 2
2014 [Ac. 5919]