The Traveler… Surrender of Detroit… New Orleans takes a blow…

September 24, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

This week I am traveling through Boston, Massachusetts, via the Columbian Centinel dated September 26, 1812, where I found the reporting on the “Surrender of Detroit” and “Gen. Hull’s Official Account”. The Surrender report is a “Letter of Col. Cass, of the army late under the command of Brigadier-General Wm. Hull, to the Secretary of War…”. Gen. Hull’s report includes “…The surrender of Michilimackinae opened the northern-hive of Indians and they were swarming down in every direction… the Wyandots, Chippewas, Ottawas, Pottawatamies, Munsess, Delawares, etc. with whom I had the most friendly intercourse, at once passed over to Ameherstburg, and accepted the tomahawk and scalping knife…” “…On the evening of the 7th and morning of the 8th inst. the army… recrossed the river, and encamped at Detroit… Nothing, however, but honor was acquired by this victory; and it is painful consideration, that the blood of 75 galiant men could only open the communication as far as the points of their bayonets extended…  On the 15th, I received a summons from him to surrender fort Detroit, of which the paper marked A is a copy. My answer is marked B… On the 15th, as soon as Gen. Brock received my letter, his batteries opened on the town and fort, and continued until evening… It now became necessary either to fight the enemy in the field; collect the whole force in the fort; or propose terms of capitulation… I feared nothing but the last alternative…” and more.

There is also an article pertaining to New Orleans. It seems that what may had previously been reported in earlier newspapers as a tornado hitting the city is now being reported as “…one of the seven year hurricanes of that country — but its effects were more destructive than any of the preceding ones…” . The article continues with further information on the destruction in the city, ships, surrounding areas and loss of lives.

~The Traveler

The Wright Brothers… from a friend…

September 21, 2012 by · 2 Comments 

The following note and corresponding image was sent to us by a friend of the hobby.  Please enjoy.

Hi to the good folks at Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers.

This article (see image below) is from the bottom of the front page of The Evening Herald of Fairhaven and Whatcom, Washington state, Dec. 18, 1903. It is a rare front-pager. I don’t believe the Wright Brothers wanted the publicity being in a race to get the air machine patent, and I don’t think many editors believed the first reports of powered flight.

This paper came from a bound volume. It is in excellent condition and I’m glad the editor had the sense to put it on the front page, even at the bottom. The newspaper is now called The Bellingham Herald.

I’ve been collecting newspapers since 1969 and really enjoy your website, blog and catalog.

Mick Boroughs

MyAuctionFinds’ Interview of Tim…

September 17, 2012 by · 1 Comment 

MyAuctionFinds recently interviewed Tim (Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers) to obtain his thoughts on the value of Kennedy Assassination and Obama Election newspapers.  Please enjoy:

Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy. On that fateful day, newspapers around the country – some of them still afternoon papers– blared the story in big bold headlines.

Millions of newspapers were printed and sold, and families scooped them up to read every morsel about a shooting that was unbelievable. Many saved those papers as a reminder of that day and time, likely not thinking that someday they may be worth more than the few coins they paid for them…

Read The Entire Interview At:  The value of your JFK and Obama newspapers…

“The United States of America”… humble beginnings?

September 14, 2012 by · 2 Comments 

One of our rare newspaper friends recently discovered an interesting news item regarding the (potential) first use of “The United States of America” as referring to the American colonies.  If true, the first use appeared in a newspaper – a Revolutionary War Era issue of The Virginia Gazette.  To add to the intrigue, the origin of the phrase still retains an element of mystery as the article in which it appears was merely signed, A Planter.  Thanks to the Byron DeLear of The Christian Science Monitor, and to NBCNEWS.com for bringing this to light.  To view the entire article, please see:  Who coined ‘United States of America’? New twist to mystery…

Concern for preserving newspapers in 1849…

September 11, 2012 by · 1 Comment 

Over 160 years ago the New York legislature had the foresight to be concerned about the future holdings of newspapers, and more importantly the loss of the unique perspective of history which can only be obtained through newspapers of the day. Their cause remains as relevant today as it was in 1849.

The photos show the entire editorial as found in the “Vermont Chronicle” of Windsor, May 2, 1849, but portions include: “…No historical monument that has ever been devised has half the value for future reference that belongs to a newspaper, & no record can be made of current events nearly as truthful, as minute, as systematic, or as accessible, as the ‘happy pages which no critics criticise’ of a periodical journal…” and “…De Tocqueville…has somewhere spoken of the difficulty to be anticipated at some future day of those who may wish to trace the history of our people for the want of durable monuments or records of their current life & achievements…that the newspaper was almost our only historical repository & that was usually destroyed as soon as its contents were glanced at…” and much more.

A fascinating article on the need to preserve newspapers; something which all of us in this hobby continue to do in some small way.

The entire text of this intriguing article may be viewed at:  “Vermont Chronicle” of Windsor, May 2, 1849

The Traveler… Pope Pius V canonized… man serves his country well…

September 8, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Today I journeyed to England through The Post Boy of September 9, 1712. There I found that Rome had been celebrating the canonization of Pope Pius V. They had festivities including “very curious artificial Fireworks”, windows illuminated with candles and tapestries, “abundance of Wine and Meat to be distributed to the Common People”, and more with “the Festival was concluded with the Discharge of the Cannon of the Castle St. Angelo, ringing of Bells, and an agreeable Consort of Vocal and Instrumental Music.”

The back page has an interesting article from Brussels “The 30th of last Month, dy’d at the Duke of Holstein’s Palace, while he was at Breakfast, a Man nam’d Anthony, 106 Years and 7 Months old: Head had been employ’d 84 Years in the Service of Spain in one Regiment only, in which there had been 26 Colonels, but never rose to any higher Post himself than a Sergeant… he was also a Foot-Sergeant, in the 100th Year of his Age, and the Duke of Holstein was his Colonel…” And we look forward to retirement at 65?? To view images of this content and more:  The Post Boy of September 9, 1712

~The Traveler

The Hatfields & McCoys… on Pinterest…

September 3, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

There are few conflicts which have been romanticized as much as the quarter-century battle between two extended families from the boarder mountains of West Virginia and Kentucky.  Wikipedia describes the ongoing struggle as follows:

The Hatfield–McCoy feud (1863–91) involved two families of the West Virginia–Kentucky area along the Tug Fork, off the Big Sandy River. The Hatfields of West Virginia were led by William Anderson “Devil Anse” Hatfield while the McCoys of Kentucky were under the leadership of Randolph “Ole Ran’l” McCoy. Those involved in the feud were descended from Ephraim Hatfield (born c. 1765) and William McCoy (born c. 1750). The feud has entered the American folklore lexicon as a metaphor for any bitterly feuding rival parties. More than a century later, the story of the feud has become a modern symbol of the perils of family honor, justice, and vengeance… (view more via Wikipedia)

At Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers we’ve created a Pinterest Board so that those interested in seeing how these events were reported in the newspapers of the day can enjoy contemporary reports.  As we often say, “History is never more fascinating than when it is read from the day it was first reported”.

Please enjoy:  Hatfields & McCoys – The Famous Feud… on Pinterest