Howard Festes Bliss was a newspaperman born Mt. Carroll, Illinois. He moved to Janesville in 1863 and, after engaging in the wholesale hardware business for several years, became president of the Gazette Printing Co. In 1883, together with William Bladon and Nicholas Smith, he purchased the Janesville Daily Gazette, and was editor of the paper from 1901 to 1915.

In 1919, Harry Hayner Bliss succeeded his father as publisher of the paper and president of the Gazette Printing Company, serving in this capacity until his death. H. H. Bliss was one of the founders of the Wisconsin Daily Newspaper League in 1908, serving as secretary and treasurer from 1908 until 1927, and holding the office of president at the time of his death. He also served one year as president of the Inland Daily Press Association, was the founder and president of radio station WCLO in Janesville in 1930, and was a director of the Rock County Savings & Trust Company and the Rock County National Bank.

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Howard Festes Bliss

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