Originally a student of carpentry, Calhoun learned the publishing trade in his hometown of Watertown, New York.

[3][4] Watertown resident Harlow Kimball visited Chicago in 1833 and inspired Calhoun to seek out the city.

Calhoun shipped his hand press, type, and paper to Chicago and established an office on the southwest corner of South Water and Clark Streets.

[2] The weekly[6] newspaper was printed in a six-column, four-page format,[5] and featured the motto, "Where Liberty dwells, there is my country".

The newspaper was forced to largely cease printing from January 1 to May 20, 1835, due to a paper shortage, although it did produce two issues during that period.

[3] By May 1836 Calhoun had lost interest in the paper and attempted to sell it to a group of local Democrats, but the sale fell through.

[3] Calhoun met his future wife, Pamelia C. Hathaway, when they were children attending the Universalist Sunday school in Watertown.

[3] A memorial to him stands in Calhoun Place, which is located in what is now an alley in the Chicago Loop central business district.