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The Wayne County Journal-Banner continues a grand tradition of excellence begun well over one hundred years ago by its two cherished predecessors, the Wayne County Journal of Greenville and the Banner of Piedmont, which were consolidated in 1925. The founding publishers of these two newspapers, both scholarly men, distinguished themselves in other fields of endeavor before entering journalism. Jasper Newton “Newt” Morrison was a noted Wayne County educator for a number of years before he commenced a career as an attorney. He had practiced law for a number of years before founding the Journal in 1877. Joseph Noel Holmes was a physician from Saline County upon his arrival at Piedmont about 1884, but he became more widely known as a superb newspaper editor, civic leader, and political figure in a very short time after founding the Banner at Piedmont in 1892. The legendary Charles L. Ellinghouse, whose stellar career in Wayne County journalism was begun in 1926 and ended only after he’d served as the mayor of three Wayne County towns, carried on the tradition of excellence after he arrived in Piedmont in 1951 to take over management of the newspaper. Until the end of July 2016, the newspaper was published by his son Harold T. Ellinghouse, a former president of the Missouri Press Association who has spent his entire life giving voice to programs devoted to the improvement of Wayne County and its people. The newspaper is now published by Greg Hoskins, owner of Better Newspapers Inc.