Northern Neck News

On May 16, 1879 a small group of Northern Neck leaders conceived and gave life to the idea of establishing a local weekly newspaper, the Northern Neck News. These founds of the News were W.W. Walker, a Westmoreland County attorney of note; William A. Jones of Warsaw, who later represented the First Congressional District of Virginia in the U.S. Congress; George Walker, a prominent Northumberland County attorney; and Dr. Armistead W. Wellford of Sabine Hall, Warsaw.

Robert Hall of Warsaw, later superintendent of Richmond County public schools, was the first editor. In 1891 W.Y. Morgan, who was a “printer’s devil” and helped print the first edition, became editor and remained so for 58 years. In 1949 Morgan’s grandson, R. Marshall Coggin bought the News and remained editor, owner and publisher until February 4, 1992, when he sold the paper to Chesapeake Publishers. In February 2001 the News was sold to Tribune Publishing. In April 2002 the Diederich family purchased the News, returning the paper to family ownership. On August 1, 2007 the News, along with Westmoreland News and Northumberland Echo were sold to Lakeway Publishing.