James Gordon Bennett Sr.

NAME James Gordon Bennett Sr. (also known as J. Gordon Bennett)

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Founder, editor, and publisher of the New York Herald, a major figure in the history of American newspapers. He revolutionized journalism with his innovative methods.

BIRTH Born September 1, 1795, in Newmill (near Keith), Banffshire, Scotland, though some sources suggest he may have been born in Buckie, Banffshire. Source gives his birth year as 1792, but most sources cite 1795.

FAMILY BACKGROUND James Gordon Bennett Sr. was born into a Scottish family in Banffshire, Scotland.  His parents were James Bennett and May Gordon. Accounts of his family's status vary: some sources describe them as "prosperous Roman Catholics," while others refer to his father as a "poor crofter," indicating modest means. Bennett maintained a lifelong connection to his Scottish roots, later supporting fellow emigrants from Banffshire whom he encountered in America.

CHILDHOOD Bennett spent his early years in Scotland. He was born in Newmill (near Keith), Banffshire, and moved from Enzie to Newmill as an infant. 

EDUCATION  He received his first education in Newmill from Donald Cameron and later in Keith from the Rev. John Murdoch. At age 15, his family sent him to a Roman Catholic seminary in Aberdeen (Blairs) to prepare for the priesthood, reflecting their religious background and aspirations for him. He remained there for four years before leaving, after which he read voraciously on his own and traveled extensively throughout Scotland. 

CAREER RECORD Bennett's remarkable career trajectory began after emigrating to North America in 1819:

Worked as a schoolmaster in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Taught school in Addison, Maine.

Worked as a proofreader and bookseller in Boston, Massachusetts.

Translated Spanish language news reports for the Charleston Courier in South Carolina.

Moved to New York City in 1823, working as a freelance paper writer.

Assistant editor of the New York Courier and Enquirer.

Founded the New York Herald in May 1835.

APPEARANCE Bennett was described as having a "tall, slender figure, handsome features, and generally imposing appearance". However, his severely cross-eyed condition gave him what some described as a "sinister, forbidding look". (1)

James Gordon Bennett, Sr.

CHARACTER Assessments of Bennett's character vary widely. The journalist Henry Villard characterized him as "hard, cold, utterly selfish, and invincibly ignoble". He was known for his industry and sagacity in business matters. His publication approach was sometimes described as sensationalist, with an early mission statement declaring the Herald's purpose was "not to instruct but to startle". Bennett was known to be controversial and frequently at odds with other editors and public figures. (1)

SENSE OF HUMOUR James Gordon Bennett Sr. was widely recognized for his sharp, irreverent sense of humor, which became a hallmark of both his personality and his newspaper, the New York Herald. His style was characterized by jocularity, impudence, flippancy, and satire, making the Herald both popular and controversial. Bennett often infused his reporting and editorials with wit and biting humor, sometimes targeting rivals or public figures with playful mockery. For example, he would refer to competitors with colorful nicknames and crafted humorous, sometimes sarcastic, commentary on current events and personalities.

His humor was not limited to print. When assaulted by a rival editor, Bennett recounted the incident in the next day’s Herald with characteristic wit, joking that his attacker wanted to "let out the never failing supply of good humour and wit… and appropriate the contents to supply the emptiness of his own thick skull". This ability to turn even personal attacks into opportunities for public amusement demonstrated his resilience and comedic instinct. (2)

RELATIONSHIPS James Gordon Bennett Sr. married Henrietta Agnes Crean, the maternal granddaughter of Nathaniel Warren, M.P., Lord Mayor of Dublin, on June 6, 1840, in New York City.

Henrietta Crean came to New York with her widowed mother in 1834 and both she and Bennett were part of New York's social and professional circles in the years leading up to their marriage

Their marriage was marked by significant challenges. Henrietta was reportedly distressed by the public attacks, slander, and even violence directed at her husband due to his controversial role as a newspaper publisher. She witnessed incidents such as Bennett being horsewhipped in the street and a bomb being sent to the Herald's offices. Finding New York unfit for raising children amid such hostility, Henrietta took their children to Paris, where they were brought up away from the city's social and professional pressures.

The couple had three children, including James Gordon Bennett Jr. (May 10, 1841 – May 14, 1918), who would later inherit his father's newspaper empire. An outlandish international playboy,  James Gordon Bennett Jr. was known for his flamboyant exploits, which gave rise to the exclamation "Gordon Bennett!" to express shock.

James Gordon Bennett Jr. 

NEW YORK HERALD James Gordon Bennett Sr., who arrived in America from Scotland with a head full of Enlightenment ideals and an accent no one could quite place, had the kind of energy that might alarm a small village. In 1835, he founded the New York Herald—a newspaper that began life in a basement office furnished mostly with audacity. On its first day, Bennett declared the Herald would support “no party, be the agent of no faction,” and then proceeded, with the straightest of faces, to throw his editorial weight behind Andrew Jackson and then President John Tyler. Hypocrisy, in Bennett’s view, was less a flaw than a professional tool.

Where other papers printed sermons and society announcements, Bennett gave the people what they really wanted: murder, scandal, money, and the occasional update on horse racing. He was the first to regularly cover sports and business in a general newspaper, which seems obvious now but at the time was seen as rather improper—like turning up to a sermon in bright red trousers. He invented the “extra edition” during a grisly murder case (Robinson–Jewett, if you're keeping score) and turned crime reporting into a national obsession. He also introduced society pages and advice columns, pioneering a tone of cheerful nosiness that still defines modern journalism.

His real genius, though, was speed. Bennett harnessed telegraphs, pony express riders, and even ships lurking off the coast to intercept European news before it hit land. It was journalism at a gallop, and readers loved it. By 1845, the Herald was the most widely read and profitable newspaper in the country. By 1861, it had the largest circulation in the world—an astonishing 84,000 copies a day, each one teeming with opinion, outrage, and the occasional fact.

Though Bennett claimed neutrality, his paper's politics wandered like a tipsy uncle at a wedding—anti-Catholic one moment, pro-Jacksonian the next. During the Civil War, the Herald supported the Union and the Democratic Party, while also publishing pro-slavery screeds and offering a platform to nearly every terrible idea of the era.

What made Bennett enduring wasn’t his consistency—it was his nerve. He dispatched more war correspondents than anyone else, ran stories faster than his rivals, and delighted in controversy. He once published a front-page editorial defending himself against accusations of insanity, which, in fairness, is not something a sane person usually needs to do.

In 1867, he handed the reins to his son, James Gordon Bennett Jr., who turned the family newspaper into a sort of journalistic Jules Verne novel—financing expeditions to Africa, launching a European edition, and proving once and for all that money and madness are a powerful mix in media.

Eventually, the Herald merged with the New York Tribune, became the Herald Tribune, and remained influential until the mid-20th century, by which time journalism had become less about scoop and scandal and more about television hair.

Still, Bennett Sr.'s fingerprints are everywhere: in the urgency of 24-hour news, in the breathless tone of tabloids, and in every editorial that pretends to neutrality while winking furiously at the reader. He was brilliant, problematic, maddening, and necessary—the kind of man who could remake a whole industry before breakfast and start a fistfight before lunch.

MONEY AND FAME James Gordon Bennett Sr. amassed extraordinary wealth and fame as the founder and publisher of the New York Herald, one of the most influential newspapers of the 19th century. Starting the paper in 1835 with just $500 in a Wall Street basement, Bennett transformed it into the most widely circulated and profitable newspaper in America by the mid-1800s. By 1861, the Herald was selling 84,000 copies daily, a figure unmatched by any other paper at the time.

Bennett’s financial success placed him among the wealthiest Americans of his era, on a level comparable to business giants such as the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, Carnegies, and Mellons. The Herald’s vast revenues allowed him to employ an unprecedented number of correspondents-sixty-three reporters covered the American Civil War for the Herald, far surpassing any rival publication.

His fame was equally significant. Bennett was a household name, both respected and notorious for his innovations in journalism, including sensational reporting, the first-ever newspaper interview, and pioneering coverage of finance and Wall Street. His influence extended beyond journalism, shaping public opinion and the very business model of American newspapers. Upon his death in 1872, he left his son "the richest newspaper in America," cementing his legacy as a media titan.

FOOD AND DRINK James Gordon Bennett Sr. was notably abstemious in his habits regarding food and drink. He was described as "more than temperate in the use of liquor and tobacco," deliberately avoiding the convivial drinking culture that was common in Boston and other cities during his era. When reproached for his restraint, Bennett reportedly replied, "I eat to live. I do not live to eat and drink." 

MUSIC AND ARTS  James Gordon Bennett Sr. had no particular interest in music or the arts. His son, James Gordon Bennett Jr., became a notable patron of the arts and was known for entertaining artists and painters,

LITERATURE As a young man, after leaving the Roman Catholic seminary with a distaste for theology, Bennett developed a strong interest in literature-especially the works of Sir Walter Scott and Lord Byron. These literary influences shaped his worldview and ambitions as he sought a new path in life.

Bennett’s fascination with literature was also evident in his admiration for Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography, which he read in Scotland and which inspired his move to America at age 24. His early years in publishing and journalism were marked by a deep engagement with reading and writing, and he was known for quoting Franklin’s aphorisms and referencing literary works.

However, as his career progressed and he became immersed in the business and innovation of journalism, Bennett’s literary interests took a back seat to his focus on news, reporting, and editorial innovation. While he was not known as a literary figure or patron of the arts, his early love of literature contributed to his distinctive editorial voice and his ability to craft engaging, provocative, and sometimes satirical prose in the New York Herald. (2)

HOBBIES AND SPORTS James Gordon Bennett Sr. was intensely dedicated to his work as a newspaper publisher and editor, and historical accounts suggest that his chief passion and hobby was journalism itself. He was described as industrious, relentless, and deeply involved in every aspect of the New York Herald, from editorial decisions to technological innovations in printing and news gathering. Bennett expanded the scope of American newspapers by introducing regular sports reports, society pages, and advice columns, indicating a broad curiosity about contemporary life and public interests

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Though raised Roman Catholic and initially training for the priesthood, Bennett left the seminary after developing doubts about Catholicism and organized religion. He later renounced his faith entirely and became stridently critical of the Catholic Church in his editorials.

POLITICS Bennett's political stance was complex and sometimes contradictory. His Herald was essentially conservative and supportive of the Democratic Party. He wrote editorials defending President Andrew Jackson's attack on the National Bank. Despite being an immigrant himself, he adopted anti-immigrant positions and was characterized as anti-abolitionist. During the Civil War, the Herald remained supportive of the Democratic Party while backing the Union cause. Bennett was notably antagonistic toward Abraham Lincoln and his administration.

Cover of June 20, 1861 issue of New York Herald covering the American Civil War

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Bennett was known for his abstemious lifestyle, particularly regarding food, drink, and tobacco. He deliberately avoided the heavy drinking and convivial habits common among his peers. This moderation likely contributed to his relatively good health for the era.

HOMES From 1823 onward, Bennett made New York City his primary home. He lived and worked in Manhattan, where he founded the New York Herald and became a central figure in American journalism. His home in Manhattan was significant enough that, in 1869, he endowed the New York City Fire Department's highest honor after firefighters saved it from destruction

TRAVEL After leaving the Roman Catholic seminary in Aberdeen, he traveled extensively throughout Scotland, furthering his education and broadening his horizons.

Bennett continued his studies in Spain. It was during this period abroad that he decided not to pursue the priesthood, returning to Scotland before ultimately seeking a new life overseas.

 In 1819, Bennett sailed from Scotland to North America with a friend, landing in Halifax, Nova Scotia after a four-week voyage. He briefly worked as a schoolmaster in Halifax to earn enough money to continue his journey.

After achieving success in America, Bennett visited his family in Newmill and Keith, Scotland, maintaining ties to his homeland and supporting fellow emigrants from Banffshire whom he met in America. 

DEATH James Gordon Bennett Sr. died on June 1, 1872, in Manhattan, New York City, at the age of 76. His death came just five months before that of his longtime rival, Horace Greeley.

Bennett was interred at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. This cemetery is a historic resting place for many prominent New Yorkers, reflecting Bennett’s significant status in the city and the nation.

He erected a gravestone in memory of his parents in the old cemetery in Keith, Scotland.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA James Gordon Bennett Sr., while a giant of 19th-century journalism, hasn’t been widely immortalized in pop culture in the way figures like William Randolph Hearst have—but he has made several notable appearances and inspired portrayals across media over the years. Here's a rundown of his most prominent appearances and influences:

Harold Frederic's The Damnation of Theron Ware (1896): The Herald and its sensationalist journalism are indirectly referenced in critiques of the press and modernity, echoing Bennett's influence on the changing media landscape.

Scorsese’s Gangs of New York (2002): While Bennett himself doesn’t appear, the New York Herald and the style of press he helped create loom large in the film’s portrayal of corrupt, chaotic 19th-century New York. Some of the newspaper headlines and crowd-inciting journalism nod to Bennett’s methods.

Bennett occasionally features in American media history documentaries such as The Press and the People or Ken Burns-style explorations of Civil War-era journalism, where he's portrayed as a pivotal figure in the birth of the modern press.

Bennett Sr. was occasionally dramatized in early 20th-century radio programs about historical journalism, particularly in educational broadcasts that depicted his clashes with rivals and his role in covering major crimes.

"Gordon Bennett!": While this is actually a reference to his son, James Gordon Bennett Jr., the exclamation "Gordon Bennett!" became British slang for an expression of shock or disbelief, likely due to the flamboyant, scandalous lifestyle of Jr. However, the notoriety of the family name—thanks to Sr.'s larger-than-life presence in American journalism—certainly helped cement the phrase in the public imagination.

Bennett is frequently referenced in academic texts and media retrospectives on the history of journalism. He's typically portrayed as both revolutionary and controversial—a founding father of the tabloid age before tabloids existed.

ACHIEVEMENTS Founded the New York Herald.

Transformed American journalism.

Pioneered modern news reporting methods.

Introduced innovations such as cash-in-advance policy for advertisers.

Advanced news gathering through the use of the latest technology, including the telegraph, pony express, and offshore ships.

Expanded newspaper content to include sports reports, a society page, and advice columns

Sources (1) Mr Lincoln and New York (2) Encyclopedia.com