Publisher, The Daily Record
1924-1999
Inducted into MDDC’s Hall of Fame in 2007. This article is based on information submitted at the time.
Mr. Warfield was more than a newspaper publisher. His long career spanned business, politics, government and the military. He was a prominent citizen of Maryland; a scion of one of Maryland’ s most distinguished families; a World War II hero; a pilot who rose to the rank of Major General in the U.S. Air National Guard; a former Maryland legislator and later the state’s adjutant general; and a successful businessman and farmer.
Widely known by his nickname. “Ted,” Mr. Warfield was a pilot who flew a P-51 Mustang fighter plane on missions against the Japanese during World War II In 1945, while strafing an airfield near Tokyo, his plane was hit by ground fire and he was forced to parachute into the Pacific Ocean. He spent four days floating in a tiny raft before being rescued by the Haddock, a U.S. Navy submarine.
Among his many awards and decorations, Mr. Warfield earned the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Legion of Merit and the U.S. government’s Distinguished Service Cross.
Mr. Warfield became president of the family-owned newspaper in 1957, succeeding his mother. Launched in 1888 by his grandfather, Edwin Warfield Sr., – a governor of Maryland and a successful businessman who founded both The Daily Record and the Fidelity and Deposit Co. – The Daily Record is one of the oldest daily publications in Maryland.
Shortly after taking over the top spot at The Daily Record, Mr. Warfield learned that the company was in financial jeopardy because of poor management decisions by some of the company’s executives.
“He got the company through the whole thing, and pulled the company through,” recalls Frederick D. Godman, senior vice president of The Daily Record and a close friend and business colleague of “The General” for almost 50 years.
Mr. Warfield’s selflessness was demonstrated by his repeated willingness to leave his first loves – flying and farming- to ensure the continuation of The Daily Record.
In the 1980s, shortly after Gen. Warfield had retired as the adjutant general of Maryland – the state’s top military officer- another call came from the newspaper, which was once again in financial distress.
“The company was losing money dramatically, and he agreed to come back and run it,” says Godman. “He had just retired as adjunct general and he was going to relax. For the sake of the company, he took the helm. He said he’d run it military-style to get it back on track.”
Says William Cahill, an attorney with Saul, Ewing, Weinberg & Green, who for many years was a member of the company’s board of directors: “Were it not for Ted, I don’t know that the paper would have survived.”
For these reasons, we believe that Mr. Warfield deserves election to the MDDC Press Association Hall of Fame.
Archives of Maryland
Biography:
Born in Baltimore, June 3, 1924, son of Edwin Warfield, Jr. Resided at “Oakdale,” Warfield family estate in Howard County. Attended Gilman School; graduated in 1942 from Kent School, Connecticut; attended·Cornell University; The Johns Hopkins University; University of Maryland, B.S., Agriculture, 1950. Married Carol Horton in 1947; five children: Edwin Warfield IV, John W. Warfield, Elizabeth W., Diana W., Karen. Married Ellen “Niki” Owens in 1967. Died of congestive heart failure at St. Agnes Health-Care, October 4, 1999.
General Assembly:
House of Delegates, Howard County, 1963-70. Chair, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, 1963-70.
Private Career and Other Public Service:
Enlisted in the Army Air Corps, 1943; served in the Pacific during World War II. Retired Commander, Maryland National Guard. Adjutant General of Maryland, 1970-80. Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive of The Daily Record, founded by his grandfather Edwin Warfield, Governor of Maryland from 1904 to 1908. Chair, Governor’s Commission on the Expansion of the University of Maryland. Member, Warfield Commission on higher education in Maryland; World War II Memorial Commission; Maryland Club, South River Club, Sons of the American Revolution, Howard County Hunt Club, Bachelors Cotillion.
Communicant, St. Andrew Episcopal Church in Glenwood, Howard County, and St. John Episcopal Church, Ellicott City.