Herbert W. Wetzell, publisher and owner of the McIntosh County Democrat, was born in Bloomington, Illinois, on the 6th of February, 1884, a son of George and Julia (Pratt) Wetzell, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio. The paternal great-grandfather, Lewis Wetzell,. was a noted Indian fighter of West Virginia and mention of him is made in most histories of the United States. George Wetzell spent forty years of his life in the newspaper business and achieved substantial success in that connection. He published papers at Greenview, Bloomington and Farmer City, Illinois, and in 1907, came to Checotah, then in Indian Territory, where, in partnership with his son, Herbert W., and his son-in-law E. Johnson, he established the McIntosh County Democrat. He was actively associated with the conduct of that sheet until his death in September, 1916, when but fifty-nine years of age. He was a stanch supporter of the Democratic Party and through his paper did all in his power to promote the development of the party. Mrs. Wetzell survives her husband and is living here.
In the acquirement of an education Herbert W. Wetzell attended the public schools of Bloomington, Illinois, and at an early age entered the printing office of his father, learning that trade. He later became a partner of his father in the paper at Farmer City and subsequently induced his father to dispose of the interests there and come to Indian Territory. Since 1907 he has been active in the conduct of the McIntosh County Democrat and since his father’s death has operated it alone. The paper has an extensive circulation and is one of the most popular sheets in the county. The plant is equipped with the latest presses and linotype machines and in addition to publishing the paper, a large job printing business is done, work coming in from all sections of the county.
In June, 1908, occurred the marriage of Mr. Wetzell to Miss Tot Aleith Reed and to their union three children have been born: Herbert, Jr., who was born on the 25th of May, 1909; Fred J., born August 7, 1910; and Geraldine Francis, whose birth occurred on the 13th of September, 1916.
Since attaining his Majority Mr. Wetzell has been a stanch supporter of the Democratic Party and the principles for which it stands. He has served as committeeman of the Democratic precinct and he has always taken an active and prominent part in county and state politics. Fraternally he is a thirty-second degree Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine. He is likewise a member of the Knights of Pythias. The religious faith of the family is that of the Christian Church and Mr. Wetzell is a generous contributor to its support. He is a broad and liberal-minded man, whose purposes of life are high, whose ambition is commendable and whose labors have been resultant of good in all fields in which he has put forth his effort.