Mount Vernon Optic-Herald published final edition July 14

After 147 years of covering the local community, the Mount Vernon Optic-Herald ceased publication with the July 15 edition.
The Bass, Wright and Reeves families have managed the newspaper for the past 69 years.
“It breaks my heart to close the business, but it is no longer financially sustainable,” Susan Reeves, current publisher, said.
The oldest continuously operating business in Franklin County, the newspaper began in 1874 when W.J. Johnson of Mount Pleasant established the Franklin Herald at Mount Vernon about a year before the Texas Legislature cut Franklin County from Titus County. It was owned by several colorful figures during the next 25 years.
In 1894, the Mount Vernon Optic was established by Robert L. Rountree. On May 5, 1906, the two papers merged to form the Optic-Herald. In 1909 Charles Devall bought out his partner to become the sole owner of the business. In January 1931, Charles Devall, Jr., joined his father as a junior partner. He operated the newspaper after his father’s death until October 1950.
James and Tish Bass purchased the Optic-Herald on May 1, 1952. The newspaper office moved to its current location March 1, 1963. A major step was taken in 1971 when printing was converted to the offset method. The Bass’ youngest daughter and her husband, Pat and Bob Wright, joined the firm Nov. 22, 1973.
The combined Bass-Wright group purchased the Deport Times, Bogata News and the Talco Times. This also marked the beginning of the Four Corners Publishing Company. The Blossom Times was established on Oct. 28, 1976, completing the small chain of newspapers.
In April, 1980, the Wrights bought the Bass’ interest in the company and moved from Deport to Mount Vernon to manage the Mount Vernon newspaper. Nanalee Nichols became the editor of the other four newspapers, then purchased them from the Wrights in January 1983.
Following the death of her husband in 1997, Pat Wright became publisher of the Optic-Herald. She became publisher emeritus in April 2005 when the Optic-Herald was purchased by her niece Susan Reeves. Susan and her husband, John Reeves, were the third generation of the Bass family to own and operate the newspaper.
Susan Reeves expressed appreciation to the community and noted there were efforts to help keep the newspaper open but ideas from local leaders and others in the newspaper business “have not made for a workable solution.”