William H. Rand
American printer (1828–1925)
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William Henry Rand (May 2, 1828 – June 20, 1915) was an American printer and newspaper publisher. He was the co-founder and president of the Rand McNally publishing company. He co-founded the Los Angeles Star and was one of the owners of the Chicago Tribune.
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Early life
Rand was born on May 2, 1828 in Quincy, Massachusetts.[1] He was one of the twelve children of Rev. John Rand.[2] Rand's boyhood home was East Milton, Massachusetts. He was educated at local schools.[1]
As a young man was an apprentice a print shop of his brothers Franklin and George Rand in Boston, Massachusetts.[1] Rand was enticed west in September 1849, by the California Gold Rush, travelling by ship around Cape Horn.[1]
Career
After looking for gold for a year without success, Rand settled in Los Angeles, California.[1][2] He co-founded the city's first newspaper, the Los Angeles Star, in 1850 with John Lewis.[1] It was also the first newspaper in Southern California.[2]
In 1856, Rand returned to Boston for a short time before moving to Chicago, Illinois and opening a print shop in June 1856.[1][3] In 1859, he hired an Irish immigrant, Andrew McNally, to work in his shop for nine dollars a week.[3] They began printing the Chicago Tribune in 1859, with Rand becoming part owner of the newspaper.[1][4][2]
After the Civil War, Rand sold his printing business.[1] Rand and McNally, who had advnanced to be aforeman, formed Rand, McNally & Company in 1868.[1][3] They took over printing the Chicago Tribune and secured the contract to print the timetables and tickets for Chicago's railroads.[3][4] Rand, McNally published the first railroad guide, the Western Railway Guide, in 1869.[3] In 1870, they began printing business directories, an illustrated newspaper, and railroad guides.[3]
The new business was successful but was burned in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.[1] Rand and McNally restarted their business the next three days later in a rented buidling.[3] Rand and McNally had protected two their printing machines from the fire by buring them in sand.[3]
Rand left he business from 1871 to 1875 for health reasons.[1] However, the business incorporated in 1873, with Rand as president.[3] He returned to work in 1876, retiring as president of Rand McNally in 1894.[1][3] The company became largest map publisher in the United States.[4]
Rand was noted for making many advances in printing.[1] He organized a syndicate in 1885 with Stilson Hutchins, Whitelaw Reid, William Henry Smith, Melville Elijah Stone, and others which created the Mergenthaler linotype.[1]
Personal life
Rand married Harriet Husted Robinson of Boston in 1855.[2] They had three daughters and two sons, including Agnes Lee and William Rand Jr.
Rand's health declined in 1871.[1] He took his family abroad and lived in Germany, France, and Switzerland for five years.[1] When he retired in 1894, Rand returned to his boyhood home of East Milton and spent his summers in Martha's Vineyard, Massaschusetts.[1] His wife died in 1905.[2]
Rand was a founder of the Chicago Normal Training School, now Chicago State University.[1] He was president of the Newsboys' Home and was a charter member of the Chicago Commerial Club.[1] Rand was a member of the Episcopal Church.[1]
Rand died on June 20, 1915 at his daughter's home in New Canaan, Connecticut, after being ill for some time.[1]