Samuel I. Newhouse Sr. was a significant figure in the American media industry. Born in 1895, he was a self-made businessman who created one of the largest privately-held media companies in the United States. Here are key aspects of his life and career:

1. Early Life: Newhouse was born to a Jewish family that immigrated from Eastern Europe. He began his career in the newspaper business at a young age.
2. Media Empire Building: He started building his media empire in 1922 with the purchase of the Staten Island Advance. This newspaper, based in Staten Island, New York, was his first foray into media ownership and marked the beginning of a vast expansion.
3. Expansion of Holdings: Over the years, Newhouse acquired numerous newspapers across the United States. His strategy often involved buying struggling newspapers and turning them around financially.
4. Condé Nast Acquisition: In 1959, Newhouse expanded into the magazine industry by acquiring Condé Nast Publications, which included prestigious titles like Vogue and Vanity Fair.
5. Legacy: Samuel I. Newhouse Sr. passed away in 1979, leaving behind a legacy as a media mogul. His sons, Si and Donald Newhouse, inherited the business and continued to expand and diversify the family’s media holdings.

The Staten Island Advance, which still operates today, was the cornerstone of Newhouse’s burgeoning media empire. Under his leadership, it set the foundation for what would become Advance Publications, a major force in the American media landscape.