William Ormsby Rutledge Jr. was born in Uvalde, Texas, but moved early to McComb. He received a bachelor’s degree in literature in 1930 from the University of Mississippi and moved to the University of Oklahoma to study geology, only to get caught by the Great Depression. For five years he worked at various jobs.
He worked briefly for the McComb Enterprise-Journal, the New Orleans Times-Picayune and in Knoxville before moving to New Albany on May 10, 1935, to take a job at the Gazette at $12.50 per week. He bought the interest of S. Joe Owen in the paper and was a partner with Robert Owen. He worked for increased retail trade, a telephone system and served in India during World War II.
After the war, Rutledge bought Robert Owen’s interest in the Gazette, becoming its sole owner. With merchant Jamie Houston, Rutledge created the Union County Development Association and served three times as its president. He led the campaign for an airport and used his influence to get a National Guard armory and a district Highway Patrol headquarters for New Albany.
He was president of the Rotary Club, the school board and was a leader in bringing industrial development to New Albany.
Rutledge sold the Gazette to his son, William Ormsby Rutledge III in 1970. It was sold to Landmark Community Newspapers in 1979 and today is owned by Tupelo-based Journal, Inc.
