Published by The Evansville Courier

Soon a group of investors that included Charles Denby bought The Dispatch from Shanklin and renamed it The Evansville Courier. It was Jan. 7, 1865 - the 20th anniversary of the original Evansville Courier. The name would never change again.

Although the paper's foundation had faltered several times since its beginning, The Courier stabilized when George Shanklin again purchased it in 1866. Shanklin and his brother, John Gilbert Shanklin (known as Gil), molded the paper into a Democratic horn that for many years succeeded in promoting political candidates and causes.

Between them, they wrote daily editorials that were much talked about and often quoted by national newspapers. An earlier Courier history said at least one-third of that column was devoted to criticizing what had appeared the day before in the rival Republican paper, The Evansville Journal.

George and Gil Shanklin were highly regarded as businessmen and writers. They are credited with establishing The Courier as one of the leading Democratic newspapers of its time and the Shanklin name still is connected with various establishments in the Evansville area.

The Shanklins were the sons of an Irish-born dry-goods merchant who settled in Evansville. Gil was highly educated in both the German and English languages, and most of his time was devoted to politics. He served as Indiana secretary of state while part owner of The Courier.

George Shanklin, who was considered the chief editor, later became a newspaper correspondent in Washington, D.C.

Remembrances of the Shanklins handed down through Courier generations paint the brothers as large - both over 6 feet and exceeding 215 pounds.

George Shanklin was hard of hearing and Gil was nearsighted.

It is said that when the two attended a local theatrical performance, Gil asked George, "Is she good-looking?" and the reply was, "Yes. Has she got a good voice?"

The Shanklins owned The Evansville Courier - off and on - until 1897. While ownership changed hands throughout those years, the brothers continued to edit the paper until it was sold at auction to Howard Roosa, Henry C. Murphy and Percy P. Carroll.

These three young men - former college friends - then formed the Evansville Courier Co. They would successfully operate The Evansville Courier for the next 23 years.