Joseph Medill - Heritage

Heritage

Medill had two daughters: Katherine (Kate) and Elinor (Nellie). Medill's descendants include many prominent figures in American newspaper publishing.

Nellie married Tribune reporter Robert Wilson Patterson, Jr. (1850–1910). Their children Joseph Medill Patterson and Cissy Patterson were also successful newspaper publishers. Joseph founded the New York Daily News and Cissy Patterson became editor of the Washington Herald and later publisher of the Herald and the Washington Times. Great-granddaughter Alicia Patterson founded and edited Newsday.

Kate married diplomat Robert Sanderson McCormick (1849–1919) on June 8, 1876. He was the nephew of Cyrus McCormick, founder of the agricultural machinery company that became International Harvester. Their sons Joseph M. McCormick (known as "Medill McCormick") and Robert R. McCormick both served as heads of the Tribune. Grandson Medill McCormick was publisher of the Tribune for four years, and later a U.S. Senator. Grandson Robert R. McCormick succeeded his brother at the Tribune, where he was publisher for almost 50 years.

Medill acquired a large country estate in Wheaton, Illinois. It was later occupied by his grandson, Robert R. McCormick, who named it "Cantigny". The Cantigny estate is now a park and museum facility, open to the public.

Medill Avenue, an east-west street on Chicago's north side, is named for him.

The Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University is named after Joseph Medill. The School presents the annual Medill Medal for Courage in Journalism, which bears Joseph Medill's likeness.

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