George R. Dale

George Reynolds Dale (born February 5, 1867, Monticello, Indiana; died March 27, 1936, Muncie, Indiana) was an American newspaper editor and politician. He was best known as the editor of the Muncie Post-Democrat from 1920–1936, and as mayor of Muncie from 1930–1935. His life's works include the starting of several newspapers, battling bootleggers, and the Ku Klux Klan as mayor of Muncie.

In 1932, Dale was convicted of violating Prohibition laws. His conviction was upheld on appeal, but he was pardoned after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Personal life

George was born of Pioneer and Military heritage in Monticello, Indiana. His father, William D. Dale was a Union Captain, in Company K of the 19th Indiana Regiment, during the U.S. Civil War, and his grandfather William Dale settled in Monticello after migrating from Virginia. His mother was Ophelia Reynolds, also of the Monticello area. Both parents were deceased before his eighteenth birthday, his father in 1886 and mother in 1887. Growing up in rural Indiana, he attended local public schools.

He married his wife, Lena Mohler, in Hartford City on January 14, 1900. They had 7 children: Mary O., Elizabeth, George R. 'Bud' Jr., Martha Ellen, Virginia Ruth, Daniel D. and John Dale.

Publishing career

Hartford City Press

• Co-produced the paper with Charles Wigmore.
• This was George's first hands on experience in daily news, and was the cities first daily paper.

Hartford City Journal

• Started and ran until 1915 when he sold the paper and moved to Muncie

Muncie Post

• Editor until the paper folded in 1921

Muncie Post-Democrat (1921-1950s)

• Created the Post-Democrat after the collapse of the Muncie Post
• It was the only known Democratic paper in Delaware county at the time of its creation, and was circulated weekly
• It was used to combat corrupt officials and the Ku-Klux-Klan
• It was the target of numerous physical and verbal attacks, and eventually had to be printed outside of the state of Indiana

Political career

His political career like much of his life, although brief, was full of controversy. He publicly continued his attacks on both the current corrupt officials and the Ku-Klux-Klan. He was inaugurated on January 6, 1930, and served just one term. Is well known for his house cleaning of the Muncie government in which he removed most of the local government and replaced the entire Police and Fire Departments within days of his inauguration.

Descendants/Namesakes

Deceased is George "Bud" R Dale Jr of Muncie. Currently there are 3 surviving name sakes: George "Skip" Reynolds Dale III and George "Chip" Reynolds Dale IV both of Delphi, IN, and most recently George "Reyn" Reynolds Dale V was born.

References

• Roll, C (1931). "Indiana One Hundred and Fifty Years of American Development", The Lewis Publishing Company.
• Time Magazine http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,848460,00.html
• Digital Media Repository, Ball State University

External links

• Frank, Carrolyle M. "Muncie Politics: George R. Dale, Municipal Reformer, 1921-1936." Conspectus of History 1.4 (1977): 34-47.
• George R. Dale, Dale Family History
• George R. Dale Collection Digital Media Repository, Ball State University Libraries
• George R. Dale Papers Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries (PDF)
• Obituary, TIME, April 6, 1936.
• "George Dale Dies, Ku Klux Klan Foe", The New York Times, March 28, 1936 (subscription required).
• Muncie Post-Democrat Newspaper Digital Media Repository, Ball State University Libraries