Visitor
Capt. William Rule, editor, was born in Knoxville, Tenn., May 10, 1839. He is
the son of Frederick and Sarah E. (Brakebill) Rule and is of German parentage.
His paternal grandparents were Micheal and Elizabeth Dill Rule; his maternal
grandparents were William and Mary Kellar Brakebill.
Captain Rule is indebted to the public schools of Knox county for his education.
He is the oldest newspaper man, both in age and time of service in Tennessee.
His entry into the newspaper business in this state took place fifty-four years ago. In 1861 he became connected with the Knoxville Whig. However, in 1862, he severed his newspaper associations and entered the Union Army, being assigned to duty in the 6th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry. On account of valiant services, he was soon made a staff officer, and, in 1863, he was appointed adjutant with the rank of First Lieutenant and served as such until the close of the war. He was mustered out April 26, 1865.
Captain Rule returned to the newspaper game and served as City Editor of the Whig from 1866 to 1869. In 1870, he began the publication of the Knoxville Daily Chronicle, which was, for many years, the only Republican daily paper published south of the Ohio river. He was, for a long period, one of its editors and publishers. In 1885, he started the Knoxville Journal. Later the Journal and the Tribune combined, and, at this time, Captain Rule is editor of the Journal and Tribune. He has held this position for many years with credit and distinction to himself as well as with satisfaction to the owners.
Captain Rule has been favored with public office on numerous occasions both by election and appointment. In 1866, he was elected clerk of the Knox county court. He was reelected in 1870, but resigned after he had served one year of his second term. In 1873, he was elected mayor of Knoxville, and in the same year he was appointed postmaster of Knoxville by President Grant and accepted the appointment. He was reappointed in 1877 for another term of four years. In 1889, he was appointed United States pension agent at Knoxville. He was a member of the Republican National Committee from 1876 to 1884 and took part in all the deliberations of the national Republican party. He has also been honored with election as delegate to the Republican national conventions and has also been signally honored by the Republican party of the state. Captain Rule is one of the best known Republican leaders of the South.
As an editor and an official of many years' standing in Tennessee, he has drawn around him a large circle of close, personal friends whom he enjoys and delights in.
He is a member of the leading civic and social clubs of Knoxville. His favorite recreation is golf. He is a communicant of the Methodist church.
October 28, 1858, he married Miss Lucy A. Maxey.
The text and HTML code of this page is copyright ©2003 to Billie R. McNamara. All rights reserved. Please direct all questions and comments to Ms. McNamara. Background graphic image was borrowed from Fred Smoot. Used by permission.