David Ross Locke, in the guise of Petroleum Vesuvius Nasby, achieved a deserved reputation as one of the most powerful of American political satirists. For more than a quarter of a century, Locke harassed those who opposed the abolition of slavery and the granting of equal rights to the freed slaves and supported a number of reform movements, including women's rights and the prohibition of liquor. A versatile writer and an innovative journalist, Locke established himself and the Toledo Blade as significant forces in national affairs following the Civil War.

Locke was one of that remarkable group of American journalists who learned the printing trade as apprentices and, in large numbers, went on to become owners and editors of the nation's newspapers. Born 20 September 1833 at Vestal, New York, he moved with his parents to the nearby village of Marathon, where he entered the elementary school, completing the first...