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Earliest Lincoln letter published in a newspaper?
December 14, 2020 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Finding the earliest mention of notable people in period newspapers, long before they would become national figures, is a quest of many. Such nuggets–when found–can become treasured pieces for any collection.
We recently discovered what, by our research, is the earliest letter signed by Lincoln to appear in a newspaper. The “New York Weekly Tribune” of July 8, 1848 printed a letter signed A. Lincoln from when he was a representative from Illinois in the national legislature (see photos).In our 44 years of experience this is the earliest we have encountered. One would think letters may have appeared in his local Springfield, Illinois newspaper but lacking the holdings to do such research we can only speculate.
Are any collectors out there aware of an earlier published letter signed by Lincoln? Let the collecting world know!
They Put It In Print (1848)… “Lincoln that is, political gold, Illinois tea…”
September 25, 2020 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
A tremendous wag, hilarious, upright, a real gem… We recently uncovered the earliest “feature” article we’ve ever found regarding Abraham Lincoln – buried on the back page of the The Greensborough Patriot (NC) dated September 16, 1848. On the heels of gold having just been discovered in California, another golden-nugget was slowly becoming unearthed on the opposite side of the country – before the very eyes (and ears) of the nation. Although Lincoln was a relatively unknown senator from Illinois, a reporter heard him speak before The House and was impressed enough to take the time to record his observations. It appears this reporter, along with a host of others, would be drawn to the qualities which would set him apart from the pack, and would eventually propel him into the history books. How do we know? Back in 1848, they put it in print:
I can imagine, as articles such as this began to circulate, that the folks back in home in Illinois began to talk in Lincoln’s ear, and…
The first thing you know ol Abe’s politically extraordinaire,
Kinfolk said “Abe move away from there”.
Said “The Capitol” is the place you ought to be”
So they loaded him on a train and he moved to D.C.
The UNITED States would never be the same.
They Put It In Print… The Communist’s Oath from 1848…
May 14, 2019 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
As we were searching through our issues from 1848 looking for early Gold Rush content, we discovered an interesting item in a August 8, 1848 Boston Evening Transcript with content related to Communism. With contemporary material related to early Communism hard to come by, it is nice the B.E.T. decided to put this in print:
The Woman’s Rights Convention, Seneca Falls, 1848…
April 12, 2018 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
A curiosity (defined): “that which arouses interest especially for uncommon or exotic characteristics. Ex) An indoor toilet was once regarded as a curiosity.”
A curiosity (expressed): Under the heading of, “A CURIOSITY”, the August 15, 1848 issue of The Long Island Democrat has: “WOMAN’S RIGHTS CONVENTION – This Convention assembled in Seneca Falls (NY)… The meeting on Monday was only accessible to females, who drew up and signed a ‘Declaration of Sentiments,’ which reads as follows: – ‘When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one portion of the family of man to assume among the people of earth a position different from that which they have hitherto occupied, but one to which the laws of nature and nature’s God entitle them… We hold these truths to be self-evident–that all men and women are created equal…’.”
A curiosity (redefined): That which, if pursued with vigor, principle, and considerable sacrifice, has the power to change the world!
A life wasted…
July 18, 2014 by GuyHeilenman · 2 Comments
We were not designed to spend our days consumed with self, meaningless activity, and various forms of virtual reality (note: a quick search on the Rare Newspapers website for “self”, “meaningless activity”, and “virtual reality” is returned void). The following article found in a National Intelligencer from November 21, 1848 is worth pondering: