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The Traveler… the Thanksgiving proclamation…
November 3, 2014 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
This weeks travels took me to Boston, Massachusetts, by the way of The Liberator dated November 4, 1864. There I found President Abraham Lincoln’s Proclamation for a National Thanksgiving. “It has pleased Almighty God to prolong our national life another year, defending us with His guardian care against unfriendly designs from abroad, and vouchsafing to us in His mercy many and signal victories over the enemy who is of our own household. It has also pleased our Heavenly Father to favor as well our citizens in their homes as our soldiers in their camps and our sailors on the rivers and seas with unusual health… Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do hereby appoint and set apart, the last Thursday in November next, as a day which I desire to be observed by all my fellow-citizens, wherever they may then be, as a day of thanksgiving and prayer to Almighty God, and the beneficent Creator and Ruler of the universe; and I do further recommend to my fellow-citizens aforesaid, that on that occasion they do reverently humble themselves in the dust, and from thence offer up penitent and fervent prayers supplications to the Great Disposer of peace, union, and harmony throughout the land, which it has pleased him to assign as a dwelling-place for ourselves and our posterity throughout all generations… ABRAHAM LINCOLN.”
~The Traveler
The Traveler… a great loss…
October 20, 2014 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I traveled to Springfield, Massachusetts, by way of The Springfield Union dated October 21, 1964. There the front page had the headline of “World Mourns Death of Herbert Hoover”, “President Orders 30-Day Observance; Leaders of Both Parties Join in Eulogies”. “Herbert Clark Hoover, the son of a blacksmith who rose to serve his nation as president and the world as one of history’s great humanitarians, died Tuesday. He was 90…”. This includes a small photo of President Hoover as well as a photo of the flag being lowered to half staff over the White House. Inside the issue is a photo of the home where Hoover was born, where he would also be buried on a hillside nearby.
~The Traveler
The Traveler… Braves vs. Athletics creates new record…
October 6, 2014 by The Traveler · 2 Comments
This week I traveled to Omaha, Nebraska, via the Omaha Evening Bee of October 8 through 13, 1914 (excluding the 11th which was a Sunday), where I enjoyed the 1914 World Series between the Boston Braves and the Philadelphia Athletics (see below). This series was the first four-game sweep in World Series history, excluding any tie games. The Braves had even abandoned their home field and played at Fenway Park while awaiting construction of their new home field, thus not having any “home field advantage.”
This is a bit of a unique publication as the first page of each issue is printed on pink-colored paper and features the sports news as the major headline event and large illustrations. Further reporting is continued within the regular portion of the newspaper as well.
~The Traveler
13th to 19th Amendments and Beyond…
September 29, 2014 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
The National Park Service recently posted a page on one of their park sites titled: “Brown vs. Board of Education – The 13th to 19th Amendments and Beyond”. The post certainly is informative and their use of historic newspapers and magazines (Harper’s Weekly, Frank Leslie’s Illustrated, The Crisis, Taunton Daily Gazette) to provide visual and historic depth to the topic will be of particular interest to rare & early newspaper collectors. Please enjoy: Brown vs. Board of Education
The Traveler… battle by Washington D.C. … a little Harmony…
September 15, 2014 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I journey to Boston, Massachusetts, by the way of the Boston Gazette dated September 12, 1814. There I found the headline “Escape of the British down the Potomac”. “The Intelligencer of the 7th inst. states, that from several of the gallant officers, under Com. Porter, and our other naval heroes, who were stationed at the White Houses, a few miles below Mt. Vernon, on the Virginia side, we learn that a very severe 
engagement commenced between the enemies armed vessels, and the battery stationed at the formed place, about 2 o’clock on Monday evening. The battle lasted for some time, and ended in the loss of about 12 killed, and 17 wounded on our side, principally sailors. The seamen distinguished themselves by their usual intrepidity and coolness, and the militia stood their ground with much firmness… About 4 o’clock on Monday evening, the contest commenced between them and the battery under the command of Capt. Perry,… We have not yet heard how it terminated; but there is no doubt but Perry has severely mauled the enemy, and upon the whole, that the vessels have been so severely handled, that he will not hastily venture up this river again…”.
Also in the issue is a large advertisement for “The Town of Harmony with all its Improvements, and about 9000 acres of Land adjoining — on which are Three Villages, in the tenure of George Rapp and Associates is Offered for Sale…”. This town is located in Butler County, Pennsylvania, and the advertisement provides a detailed description of the town. George Rapp was born in Germany and began his own preaching – breaking away from the Lutheran Church. His group was banned from meeting, so he moved to America to be able to have religious freedom. Harmony was one of the towns that he established.
~The Traveler
“All the News That’s Fit to Print”… one editor gets it right…
September 5, 2014 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
While the remainder of the newspaper seems to overwhelming contradict an editorial comment made by a contributor for the Southern Sentinel (Louisiana) in the issue of October 24, 1863, one can certainly appreciate his honest approach to reporting. I dare to say this could not be printed in most current-day newspapers with any degree of integrity. Please enjoy:
The Traveler… the surrender… presidential nomination…
September 1, 2014 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I journeyed to New York City by the way of The New York Times dated September 1, 1864. There I found the rebel account on the surrender of Fort Morgan, Mobile, Alabama. “The flag of truce boat returned last evening. The Yankees say Fort Morgan capitulated at 2 o’clock last Tuesday. On Monday afternoon they concentrated their fire on the fort, when the bombardment was renewed spiritedly… The fort did not fire Tuesday. Gen. Paige destroyed everything in the fort, and spiked his guns. He and the garrison, numbering 581 men, were sent to New-Orleans… The enemy have a strong force of 4,000 on the mainland at Grant’s Pass.”
Also in the issue was the coverage of the Democratic Convention being held in Chicago. “…The president then stated the question before the convention to be on ordering the previous question, (nomination a candidate for the Presidency,) and it was ordered without dissent. The vote was then taken by States… the vote stood as follows: For (Gen.) McClellan – 162, Scattering – 64… The President then announced the vote, which was received with deafening cheers, the delegates and the vast audience rising, the band playing, and the cheering lasting for several minutes… The question was then taken on making the nomination unanimous, and it was declared carried. The shout that responded was deafening…”
~The Traveler
The Traveler… the death of Queen Anne…
August 18, 2014 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I traveled to London, England, by the means of The Post Boy dated August 21, 1714. There I found “We have an Account from Glasgow, That upon the News of Her Majesty’s Death, the Mobb rose up in a tumultuary Manner, and broke open the Episcopal Meeting-House breaking down all the Pews, and carry’d the Pulpit and Common-Prayer-Book in Triumph thro’ the Town, and at length burnt them;… This is the only Riot that has been committed in North Britain since the Queen’s Death; His Majesty being proclaimed in all Places without any Tumult…”.
Queen Anne and her family were associated with the Glorious Revolution and the Jacobites. She had 17 pregnancies, which included many miscarriages and stillbirths. Only only one child lived any length of time, that was Prince William, Duke of Gloucester, who died at the age 11. From all the pregnancies, she had suffered with serious health issue, had a stroke on the anniversary of Prince William’s death and died the following day.
~The Traveler
A gem from the American Antiquarian Society…
August 11, 2014 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
In celebration of its 20oth anniversary the American Antiquarian Society published a beautiful exhibition catalog titled “In Pursuit Of A Vision – Two Centuries of Collecting at the American Antiquarian Society”. Featured are a fascinating array of books, documents, maps & other paper ephemera, as well as several very rare & unusual newspapers we felt worthy of sharing with our collectors (with permission from the A.A.S.).
172. “The Chess Monthly“, New York, February, 1859
It has been common practice when binding periodicals — whether by publishers in order to sell cumulative volumes, or by libraries and private owners for purposes of convenience and preservation — to remove the outer wrappers and advertisement leaves from individual issues, leaving only the main body of text. However, periodical wrappers and advertisement leaves often contain important material which scholars (and bibliographers) are increasingly finding vital to their research. In recent years AAS has made it a priority to collect early American periodical issues with wrappers intact, even going so far as to acquire second, wrappered copies to complement a set bound without wrappers. In many instances, wrappered copies prove to be exceptionally rare survivals.
This issue of The Chess Monthly is a good example. The journal’s editor was Daniel W. Fiske (1831-1904), then chess champion of the New York Chess Club and later Cornell University’s first librarian. For a time, American chess prodigy and unofficial world champion Paul Morphy (1837-1884) held the title of co-editor, lending the magazine his marquee name. Only on the wrappers, however, are their editorial roles mentioned. The wrappers also contain publication information not available elsewhere, an advertisement for a set of Morphy- endorsed chessmen made of cast iron and — perhaps most important of all — the answers to chess problems published in the previous issue.
The Traveler… the beginning of war…
August 4, 2014 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I traveled back to August 5, 1914 by the way of The Omaha Daily Bee Extra. There I found the banner headline announcing “Great Britain and Germany to War”. For the past few months, things have been unsettled in Europe, however in just the past few days it had now escalated after Germany had invaded the neutral countries of Belgium and Luxembourg as they were advancing towards France causing Great Britain to join in. Still at this point, “Neutrality of the United States in the great European war was formally proclaimed today by President Wilson…”. However we know that did not hold true as we joined the war in 1917.
~The Traveler