Bellamy, Paul

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Paul Bellamy

Paul Bellamy (1884-1956), editor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, was born in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, on December 26, 1884. He was educated in his early years primarily by his father, the noted author Edward Bellamy, who distinguished himself as a utopian socialist in the latter part of the nineteenth century by writing Looking Backward, Equality and various other works. Edward died when Paul was only fourteen years old.

In 1903, Paul Bellamy entered Harvard University and graduated with honors only three years later. From 1905 to 1907, Bellamy worked for the Springfield Union (Massachusetts). He left in 1907 to join the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where two years later he became the youngest city editor in Plain Dealer history. Shortly before World War I, he left the Plain Dealer to join the Credit Company of Chicago to publish the company's directory. After a brief stint in the field artillery officer's training school at Camp Zachary Taylor in Kentucky, where Bellamy edited the camp newspaper, Probably Error, Bellamy returned to the Plain Dealer in 1918. By 1920, he was managing editor of the paper. Eight years later he assumed full control of the editorial staff following the death of Erie C. Hopwood. In 1933, he was officially appointed editor of the paper.

During World War II, Paul Bellamy was named by Franklin D. Roosevelt to formulate policies for governing occupational draft deferment of employees of the federal government in 1942. Recognized as an authority in the newspaper field, Bellamy was invited with several other prominent editors on a journey to the war-torn world War II allied occupation zone, where he formulated ideas for a book about G. I.'s entitled A Trip Through Hell. He was also invited on the first Pan Am flight around the world, which provided Bellamy with material for another book called A Birdseye View of the World, which appeared as a series in several newspapers.

Bellamy served as president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors and of the Cleveland City Club; as director of the Plain Dealer Publishing Company and Forest City Publishing Company; as a trustee of Antioch College; and as a member of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, the Union Club, the Mid-Day Club, and the Associated Press. He also received many other awards and honors throughout his career for his outstanding professional service and community leadership, including honorary degrees from Kent State University, Ohio Wesleyan University, and Oberlin College.

Paul Bellamy retired in 1954, becoming editor emeritus of the Plain Dealer . He died on April 12, 1856 of a heart attack at his home in Bratenahl, Ohio.

From the guide to the Paul Bellamy Photographs, Series II, 1909-1942, (Western Reserve Historical Society)

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Paul Bellamy

Paul Bellamy (1884-1956), editor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, was born in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, on December 26, 1884. He was educated in his early years primarily by his father, the noted author Edward Bellamy, who distinguished himself as a utopian socialist in the latter part of the nineteenth century by writing Looking Backward, Equality and various other works. Edward died when Paul was only fourteen years old.

In 1903, Paul Bellamy entered Harvard University and graduated with honors only three years later. From 1905 to 1907, Bellamy worked for the Springfield Union (Massachusetts). He left in 1907 to join the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where two years later he became the youngest city editor in Plain Dealer history. Shortly before World War I, he left the Plain Dealer to join the Credit Company of Chicago to publish the company's directory. After a brief stint in the field artillery officer's training school at Camp Zachary Taylor in Kentucky, where Bellamy edited the camp newspaper, Probably Error, Bellamy returned to the Plain Dealer in 1918. By 1920, he was managing editor of the paper. Eight years later he assumed full control of the editorial staff following the death of Erie C. Hopwood. In 1933, he was officially appointed editor of the paper.

During World War II, Paul Bellamy was named by Franklin D. Roosevelt to formulate policies for governing occupational draft deferment of employees of the federal government in 1942. Recognized as an authority in the newspaper field, Bellamy was invited with several other prominent editors on a journey to the war-torn world War II allied occupation zone, where he formulated ideas for a book about G. I.'s entitled A Trip Through Hell . He was also invited on the first Pan Am flight around the world, which provided Bellamy with material for another book called A Birdseye View of the World, which appeared as a series in several newspapers.

Bellamy served as president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors and of the Cleveland City Club; as director of the Plain Dealer Publishing Company and Forest City Publishing Company; as a trustee of Antioch College; and as a member of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, the Union Club, the Mid-Day Club, and the Associated Press. He also received many other awards and honors throughout his career for his outstanding professional service and community leadership, including honorary degrees from Kent State University, Ohio Wesleyan University, and Oberlin College.

Paul Bellamy retired in 1954, becoming editor emeritus of the Plain Dealer . He died on April 12, 1856 of a heart attack at his home in Bratenahl, Ohio.

From the guide to the Paul Bellamy Papers, 1829-1960, 1902-1960, (Western Reserve Historical Society)

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Paul Bellamy

Paul Bellamy (1884-1956), editor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, was born in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, on December 26, 1884. He was educated in his early years primarily by his father, the noted author Edward Bellamy, who distinguished himself as a utopian socialist in the latter part of the nineteenth century by writing Looking Backward, Equality and various other works. Edward died when Paul was only fourteen years old.

In 1903, Paul Bellamy entered Harvard University and graduated with honors only three years later. From 1905 to 1907, Bellamy worked for the Springfield Union (Massachusetts). He left in 1907 to join the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where two years later he became the youngest city editor in Plain Dealer history. Shortly before World War I, he left the Plain Dealer to join the Credit Company of Chicago to publish the company's directory. After a brief stint in the field artillery officer's training school at Camp Zachary Taylor in Kentucky, where Bellamy edited the camp newspaper, Probably Error, Bellamy returned to the Plain Dealer in 1918. By 1920, he was managing editor of the paper. Eight years later he assumed full control of the editorial staff following the death of Erie C. Hopwood. In 1933, he was officially appointed editor of the paper.

During World War II, Paul Bellamy was named by Franklin D. Roosevelt to formulate policies for governing occupational draft deferment of employees of the federal government in 1942. Recognized as an authority in the newspaper field, Bellamy was invited with several other prominent editors on a journey to the war-torn world War II allied occupation zone, where he formulated ideas for a book about G. I.'s entitled A Trip Through Hell. He was also invited on the first Pan Am flight around the world, which provided Bellamy with material for another book called A Birdseye View of the World, which appeared as a series in several newspapers.

Bellamy served as president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors and of the Cleveland City Club; as director of the Plain Dealer Publishing Company and Forest City Publishing Company; as a trustee of Antioch College; and as a member of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, the Union Club, the Mid-Day Club, and the Associated Press. He also received many other awards and honors throughout his career for his outstanding professional service and community leadership, including honorary degrees from Kent State University, Ohio Wesleyan University, and Oberlin College.

Paul Bellamy retired in 1954, becoming editor emeritus of the Plain Dealer. He died on April 12, 1856 of a heart attack at his home in Bratenahl, Ohio.

From the guide to the Paul Bellamy Photographs, 1908-1955, (Western Reserve Historical Society)