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These four men for a number of years beginning in the 1920s, guided the course of the Lakeland Evening Ledger, established in 1924 by S.H. Farabee (second from right) as editor and the Ledger Publishing Company as publisher. In 1927 Jay C. Smith (in light suit) bought a substantial interest in the newspaper. It was consolidated in 1927 with the Lakeland Star Telegram and became the Lakeland Ledger and Star-Telegram. The man pictured at right is A.W. Smith, son of J.C. and eventually heir to the newspaper. Seated at the massive linotype machine is A.J. Trueblood, longtime foreman of the paper's composing room. Mr. Trueblood later went into business for himself as a printer. Mr. Farabee was succeeded after his death in 1938 by Harris G. Sims, professor of journalism at Florida Southern College and a long-time friend of Mr. Farabee.

Some years before his death, A.W. Smith sold the Lakeland Ledger to Cowles Publications. It was sold later to The New York Times Company, the present owner. In 1984 it was known simply as The Ledger. It is now published as a morning newspaper.