Biography - J. M. Dormer

J. M. DORMER, editor and proprietor of the True Fissure, Candelaria, Esmeralda County, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1843. When only a few months old his family moved to Wisconsin, and in 1850 came to California, where they settled in Downieville, Sierra County, California. There the first years of the young man's life were passed, except what time he was at school in Marysville, Santa Clara and Oakland. He learned the printer's trade under W. J. Forbes, at that time editor and proprietor of the Sierra Democrat, and afterwards well known throughout Nevada, in 1860, when the Pah-Uto war broke out, the young printer was among the first to go to the front. At the close oi that noted campaign he returned to Sierra County and followed mining for a time. When the Sierra Democrat was destroyed by fire in 1864, he began the publication of the Sierra Advocate, which he continued for two years, when he went to San Francisco, and thence to Oakland, where in conjunction with a co-operation of printers, he publisher the Daily Termini. After disposing of his interest in this venture, he went to Oregon in the employ of Ben. Holliday, who at that time was operating extensively in that State in railroad building. After the collapse of Holliday's gigantic enterprises, Mr. Dormer went to Walla Walla, and from thence to Lewiston, Idaho, where he became the owner of the Signal, with United States District Judge W. C. Whitson as partner. Judge Whitson was assigned the Boise Judicial District, and the newspaper was disposed of, Mr. Dormer coming to Portland, Oregon, where he became one of the Oregonian staff. In 1877 the Bodie excitement carried him to that growing camp, where he took charge of the Standard, and then the Herald, at Aurora. These papers he conducted with marked editorial and financial ability, and upon the death of Frank Kenyon, in South America, disposed of them for the benefit of the estate. Mr. Dormer, with K. R. Cleveland and E. H. Fontecilla, then began the publication of the Bodie Free Press. Finding his hands too full of other business - he was still editor of the Aurora Herald - he disposed of his interest in the Free Press to H. Z. Osborn, and in June, 1880, having sold the Herald, he began the publication of the True Fissure at Candelaria, which paper he still owns. Since his residence in Esmeralda County, he has taken a leading and active part in politics. In 1878 he was elected, on the Republican ticket. Superintendent of Schools, and in the last Presidential election was a candidate for the Legislature, but was defeated with the balance of the Republican party in the State. He is a writer of fair ability, and is acknowledged a leading newspaper man.

Contributed 2025 Jan 10 by Norma Hass, extracted from 1881 The History of Nevada, by Myron Angel, page 298.

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