The Traveler… seeking Governor Wilson… the cats meow…

January 9, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Today I traveled to January 9, 1912.  While reading The Christian Science Monitor, Boston, Massachusetts I discovered that not unlike many in 2012,  scores of citizens were also looking for the right man to run in opposition of the President in the upcoming presidential election. The headline read “Democrats Turn To Gov. Wilson As Man to Defeat Mr. Taft”, with the subheads, “Decide They Must Nominate Radical to Oppose president, as Conservative, and Thus Avert a Third Party”, “Find Him Popular” and “National Committeemen Surprised to Discover Sentiment Among Rank and File for New Jersey Candidate”.  It is interesting to see history playing out many of the same themes over time.

I realize that Christmas has passed, but a small article on “Presents Given To Cats and Dogs” caught my eye. I know that pampering of four-legged friends is very trendy now, but I did not know that it was “cats meow” then as well!

~The Traveler

Filed under: The 20th & 21st Centuries, The Hobby, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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Be careful what you print…

January 7, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

“The Norwich Gazette” newspaper from England, May 24, 1729, includes the sentences for several people involved in publishing a certainly issue of “Mist’s Journal” which apparently had content unfavorable to the authorities. Once defendant was sentenced: “…to walk round the four courts in Westminster Hall with a paper on his forehead denoting his offence, and to suffer one month’s imprisonment…”. See the other sentences as well:

Filed under: The 1700's, The Hobby, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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The Civil War… 150 years ago… January 4, 1862…

January 4, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

We continue our weekly series of reflections on the Civil War with a new twist for 2012.  Each week we will provide access to descriptions and images of newspapers (and occasionally other periodicals) printed exactly 150 years ago… to-date.  While many are no longer available for sale, reading a snap-shot of what was printed for the given day will hopefully provide a glimpse of life during the critical period in American history.  Each link shown will take you to the full description w/ images of authentic issues which were held by those living during the Civil War.  Today’s selections are:

HARPER’S WEEKLY, January 4, 1862 Full front page by Homer: “Christmas Boxes in Camp, 1861” does show some mild wear, as this was the first page in the volume. Fullpg. with 3 scenes of “Ship Island”. Fullpg: “Bird’s-eye View of the Coast from Savannah, Ga. to Beaufort, S.C.” Nice dblpgctrfld. is a large: “General Bird’s-Eye View of Washington & Vicinity”. Small print of: “Green River Bridge, Kentucky” & a fullpg. with 2 scenes of: “Gen. Burnside’s Expedition” showing many ships.  This issue also contains  “Charles Dickens’ New Christmas Stories – 1. Picking Up Evening Shadows, and 2. Picking Up A Pocket-Book”, by Charles Dickens, taking nearly 5 entire pages of text.

Billiards… Boxing…
WILKES’ SPIRIT OF THE TIMES, New York, January 25, 1862 Page five of this issue includes a rather lengthy article concerning boxing entitled:  “Great Fight…Between Rob Brettle and Jack Rooke”.  Another article found within this issue and entitled: “Our Chess Department” includes a “problem of the week” and the answer to the previous weeks’ problem.  This 16 page issue also includes some Civil War reports as well as other sports items, including billiards and horse racing.
Fort Pickens…
BOSTON EVENING TRANSCRIPT, Boston, MA, January 4, 1862 * Fort Pickens Florida FL – Prestonburg, Kentucky… and much more.  This 4 page newspaper is in nice condition due to the use of cotton and rag paper during this very historic time in U.S. history.
1862 Charles Dickens Magazine…

ALL THE YEAR ROUND, January 4, 1862 This 24 page issue is in great condition and measures 6 x 9 inches. This was a weekly journal which was conducted by Charles Dickens as noted in the masthead. This magazine has mainly literary reading (stories, poems etc.), some by Charles Dickens himself.
Guerilla Warfare near Port Royal, South Carolina…
THE NEW YORK HERALD, New York, January 4, 1862 This issue is loaded with advertisements and Civil War reports throughout from the day it was first reported…

Filed under: Civil War, Confederate, Harper's Weekly, Newspaper Collecting Ideas, The Hobby, Yankee
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South Carolina’s first newspapers…

January 2, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

The first two newspapers of South Carolina had  feeble beginnings. In fact it is not known for certain which of the two was first.

Eleazer Phillips was named the official printer of the colony on Feb. 3, 1732, the son of a Boston bookseller & binder. He would die a few months later on July 10, 1732 & when his father traveled to Charleston to settle his son’s estate he address to its debtors the fact that his son had founded a newspaper, the “South Carolina Weekly Journal” sometime in January, 1732. But all copies of it have disappeared, also confirmed by Brigham.

Thomas Whitmarsh began his “South Carolina Gazette” on January 8, 1732 which continued until his death in September of the following year. Did it begin before the “South Carolina Weekly Journal“? Odds are it did but with no issues of the  latter existing it is not known for sure. Whitmarsh’s paper would begin again in February, 1734 by Lewis Timothy. He would die at the end of 1738 when it would be continued by his widow, Elizabeth Timothy. This newspaper would ultimately last until December, 1775 under this title.

Filed under: Noteworthy Issues, The 1700's, The Hobby, Valuation of Issues
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