A gem in the American Antiquarian Society… Charleston Mercury Extra…

January 14, 2013 by · 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 Rare & Early Newspapers’ collectors (with permission from the A.A.S.).

Charleston Mercury Extra“, December 20, 1860

The divisive political events of the 1850s had pitted North against South on numerous issues, including the expansion of slavery into the western territories, tariffs on goods such as cotton, and broader concepts of states’ rights vs. federal law. Political compromises made throughout the decade in an attempt to keep the nation together effectively collapsed with the election of Abraham Lincoln in November 1860. South Carolina, heir to the legacy of states’ rights lion John C. Calhoun, was the first to address the possibility of leaving the Union. On November 10, 1860, four days after the presidential election, South Carolina brought the issue to a head by calling a secession convention for the following month.

Considered by virtue of timing to be the first Confederate imprint, this broadside announced to the public the convention’s declaration, on December 20, 1860, that South Carolina would secede from the United States. This sheet was removed from a wall in Charleston by the Boston-born author Caroline Howard Gilman (1794-1888), who had moved permanently to Charleston following her marriage to the Rev. Samuel Gilman. Gilman mailed the broadside to her daughter Eliza in Salem, Massachusetts. Eliza in turn presented the document to AAS member Nathaniel Paine who, heeding the Society’s call to preserve all printed material relating to the unsettling national events, passed the broadside along to AAS.

A high-resolution image of this issue is viewable at: American Antiquarian Society, #47

A New Year’s Retrospective thru Historic Newspapers…

December 31, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

A New Year’s-themed Pinterest pin-board has just been created through Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers… History’s Newsstand which we think you will enjoy. Happy New Year!

Pinterest: A New Year’s Retrospective thru Historic Newspapers…

Merry Christmas… looking back…

December 24, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

A few year’s ago we posted an article which is worthy of a revisit. It regards the interaction of enemy troops on Christmas Eve from during WWI. Some stories are worth repeating (see link below). We’ve also created a Christmas-themed Pinterest pinboard we believe will be worth your time to view.  Please have a wonderful Christmas.  As for our Jewish friends, thanks for providing us with the reason for our season. Happy Chanukah to you as well.

Pinterest:  Viewing Christmas thru Historic Newspapers…

Christmas Eve – WWI: A Christmas thought… loving our enemies…

The Traveler… the monolopy is ended… hoping for better sailing ahead…

December 17, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Today I traveled to San Francisco, California, by way of The Call dated December 17, 1912.  There I found that the Federal Supreme Court had ruled to destroy the monopoly that was created by six railroad owned coal companies in the Pennsylvania anthracite fields which had purchased the output for all time of “independent” mines. They were shown to be in “undisputed control”.  This was the first time the Supreme Court successfully used the “Essential Facility Doctrine”, and resulted in significant restraint on monopolies.

The sports page had boxer Frank Moran preparing for upcoming matches, against Gunboat Smith, Luther McCarty and Al Palzer. Frank Moran retired ten years later after 66 bouts and then entered the career of acting in which he played many roles of gangsters, bartenders, guards, cops, bouncers, etc.. He retired from that in 1957 at the age of 70 and died ten years later from a heart attack.

Did you ever read a novel about all the mysterious and unusual murders on a ship at sea? This issue has a report of “Death Stalks On The Korea’s Trip” which would read right out of a novel. This would be one cruise that this traveler would not wish to participate in! Check it out!! (see report)

~The Traveler

Historic newspapers make current headlines… an interview on CNN…

December 14, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

A little more than a month ago we introduced Reporting the Revolutionary War: Before It Was History, It Was News, a new book by a collector friend Todd Andrlik. His endeavor, which tells the story of the American Revolution through the eyes of Rare Newspapers, received national recognition through a recent interview on CNN.  Please enjoy:  History As It Happened

Alister & Paine Magazine visits Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers…

December 10, 2012 by · 1 Comment 

A few weeks ago the staff of Alister & Paine Magazine came to South Williamsport, PA to visit our historic newspapers archives and to interview Tim for the purpose of introducing their readership to the world of Rare & Early Newspapers.   It was fun getting to know such well-traveled individuals – introducing them to the hobby and hearing of their varied experiences. Sharing the love for collecting historic newspapers is always a pleasure… and based upon their reactions, “History continues to never be more fascinating than when read from the day it was first reported. The feature story may be viewed at:

Alister & Paine Magazine

Thanks Jenna, Brian, and Kaitlin

Reflecting on a Day of Thanksgiving & Prayer from 1776…

November 22, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

On this (American) day of thanksgiving, it seems appropriate to reflect on such a day from the past through the eyes of those who were embarking on what may have been the most historic event in U.S. history – July 4, 1776.  A special thanks is in order for our friends in Scotland who captured this significant moment on the pages of the Edinburgh Evening Courant, dated September 2, 1776. Please enjoy:Declaration of Independence

Thanksgiving Proclamations… a survey through American History…

November 21, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

This Thanksgiving, why not take the family on a historically “Pinteresting”walk through a survey of Thanksgiving Proclamations made at key moments in American History?

http://pinterest.com/rarenewspapers/thanksgiving-proclamations/

Happy Thanksgiving!

A visit to Jim Thorpe (Mauch Chunk), PA…

November 16, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

A few weeks ago my wife and I had the pleasure of visiting a relatively unknown town steeped in history. Upon our return to the Rare & Early Newspapers office/archives, I spent some time exploring one aspect of the town’s history (The Molly Maguires) through the eyes of contemporary newspapers. A sampling of what was discovered both on the excursion and upon our return has been posted through images on Pinterest.  Please enjoy:

Jim Thorpe & The Molly Maguires

Additional posts regarding Jim Thorpe himself, the town’s name since shortly after his death in 1953, may be viewed at:  Jim Thorpe… “the greatest athlete that ever lived.”

Why I Still Read Newspapers… part 3 of 3… perhaps with more forthcoming???

November 9, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

A staff member at Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers recently received a set of newspaper headlines which are worth pondering. We’ve decided to split them up over a few posts… this being the final of the initial set – with perhaps more to come??? If you know of others – appropriateness is a must 🙂 –  please send them on (e-mail to guy@rarenewspapers.com) and we will consider adding them to a future post. If you would like to receive credit, please include your name. Please enjoy:

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