Joseph B. McCullagh

     Joseph B. McCullagh was pioneer of his journalistic profession. He was more than just a writer for a few newspapers, he redefined what it meant to be a writer and an editor and broke many different barriers in the world of journalism. He was known for his open mindedness approach to writing and also for his extreme dedication and effort towards his profession.
     McCullagh was born in November, 1842 in Dublin, Ireland. He lived and went to school in his homeland until he was 10 years old. He left for America at age 11 after the great potato famine in Ireland to make it easier on his parents and begin anew in America. He eventually settled in St. Louis and begin writing for the St. Louis Christian Advocate. He later became a devout Christian due to a company policy that all employees attend church. Joseph later enlisted into the Union army and served as a second lieutenant, and was also a stenographer for General John Charles Fremont. He published a daily newspaper while on the battlefield to provide first-hand knowledge to those on the outside. He later went to Cincinnati Gazette and began working as a war correspondent. Due to his brutal honesty and rather critical writings, he delivered a piece highly critical of union officers and threatened to resign if the story wasn't published. He was later hired away to the Gazette's rival paper, the Cincinnati Commercial.
     The event that was the major focal point of McCullagh's career was his opportunity to work with President Andrew Johnson. His important assignment was to interview the president and publish his exact words. This was a huge deal back then because presidents had never had their conversations or interviews published with direct quotes. McCullagh was never married, and supposedly worked 12 hours a day to achieve success in his field. He died unknowingly and unsuspectingly, having fell or jumped out of a window. His legacy was always remembered as the greatest journalist of his era and his works and memory would last forever among his colleagues.