A Little Daily Union History :

The first issue of weekly The Smokey Hill and Republican Union, the forerunner of the present Daily Union, was published on Sept 19, 1861.

The Daily Union is the third oldest newspaper in Kansas, after the Troy Chief in Doniphan County and the Leavenworth Times.

The Montgomery family ownership of The Daily Union began on July 28, 1888, when the late John Montgomery and a partner, E.M. Gilbert, purchased the newspaper from George Martin. Another partner, W.C. Moore, entered the firm as a part owner in 1889, after previously serving as editor.

That firm founded a daily newspaper, the present Daily Union, on June 24, 1896.

Montgomery later purchased Gilbert’s interest and the second generation of Montgomerys, the late Harry E. Montgomery, purchased Moore’s interest in 1901, and it became a father-son partnership, John Montgomery and Son, continuing until the elder Montgomery’s death in 1936.

In 1952, a third-generation Montgomery, the late John D. Montgomery, joined his father in the firm as co-publisher. Harry E. Montgomery died in 1959 and his son continued as publisher until 1973 when his son, John G. Montgomery, became the fourth generation of the Montgomery family to serve as publisher of The Daily Union. John D. Montgomery died in 1985.

Currently The Daily Union is published Sunday to Friday except holidays by Montgomery Communications, Inc.,
222 W. 6th St., Junction City, Ks. 66441
(785) 762-5000