Must have sounded better than gunshots…

December 17, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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The “Norwich Gazette” of England had this notice (see below) in their August 23, 1729 newspaper.  There must have been a heated rivalry between the bell ringers of Norwich and those of Eye in the county of Suffolk. Too bad YouTube wasn’t around then….would have liked to have seen the video.

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December 14, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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This week we return to our reflection upon the Civil War events of 150 years ago… as seen through the eyes of the original readers of the Harper’s Weekly issue printed for December 14, 1861.

Note:  The following commentary was written by Dr. James Robertson* as part of a weekly review for the reprint edition of the “Harper’s Weekly” which was done at the 100th anniversary of the Civil War.  It provides much insight into the events of the day and scholarly commentary on both the illustrations and reporting found in the original 1861 newspaper.

* The Virginia Tech website provides the credentials of Dr. James Roberson:

“One of the most distinguished names in Civil War history, Dr. Robertson was Executive Director of the U.S. Civil War Centennial Commission and worked with Presidents Truman, Kennedy, and Johnson in marking the war’s 100th anniversary.  Today his Civil War Era course at Virginia Tech, which attracts 300 students per semester, is the largest of its kind in the nation.
The Danville, Va., native is the author or editor of more than 20 books that include such award-winning studies as “Civil War! America Becomes One Nation”, “General A.P. Hill”, and “Soldiers Blue and Gray”. His massive biography of Gen. “Stonewall” Jackson won eight national awards and was used as the base for the Ted Turner/Warner Bros. mega-movie, “Gods and Generals”. Robertson was chief historical consultant for the film.”

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Pennsylvania’s first newspapers…

December 12, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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It was only in Boston where a newspaper came off a printing press prior to any in Pennsylvania.  It was 15 years after the “Boston News-Letter” of 1704 (not counting the one-issue run of Boston’s “Publick Occurrences Both Foreign & Domestick” in 1690) when, on December 22, 1719, Andrew Bradford began his “American Weekly Mercury” (see image) in Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania’s first newspaper. This weekly would last until 1746.

But certainly the most successful newspaper in the colony, if not in all of colonial America, was the “Pennsylvania Gazette” begun in December, 1728 by Samuel Keimer. Within a year it was purchased by Benjamin Franklin. As Oswald notes: “…Under Franklin’s guidance, there appeared for the first time a colonial newspaper produced by a man of education who was in addition a capable printer, a versatile writer, and energetic news gatherer and an enterprising & resourceful businessman. This combination had the inevitable result of placing the “Pennsylvania Gazette” in the lead, and it thereby established a model for others to follow.” The “Gazette” would make Franklin a wealthy man and his name appeared on the imprint through 1765.

Pennsylvania has the distinction of having America’s first daily newspaper, the “Pennsylvania Evening Post & Daily Advertiser“, which started publication in 1775 as a tri-weekly and became a daily on May 30, 1783.

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For sale: an army, and more…

December 10, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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This tongue-in-cheek “For Sale By Auction…A Warlike Nation” advertisement appeared in “The Connecticut Courant” newspaper of Hartford, August 19, 1783, shortly after the end of the Revolutionary War.  It offers some biting commentary on thoughts of the politicians of England and the military leadership after losing the Revolutionary War.  Enjoy…

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The Civil War… December 7, 1861…

December 7, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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This week we return to our reflection upon the Civil War events of 150 years ago… as seen through the eyes of the original readers of the Harper’s Weekly issue printed for December 7, 1861.

Note:  The following commentary was written by Dr. James Robertson* as part of a weekly review for the reprint edition of the “Harper’s Weekly” which was done at the 100th anniversary of the Civil War.  It provides much insight into the events of the day and scholarly commentary on both the illustrations and reporting found in the original 1861 newspaper.

* The Virginia Tech website provides the credentials of Dr. James Roberson:

“One of the most distinguished names in Civil War history, Dr. Robertson was Executive Director of the U.S. Civil War Centennial Commission and worked with Presidents Truman, Kennedy, and Johnson in marking the war’s 100th anniversary.  Today his Civil War Era course at Virginia Tech, which attracts 300 students per semester, is the largest of its kind in the nation.
The Danville, Va., native is the author or editor of more than 20 books that include such award-winning studies as “Civil War! America Becomes One Nation”, “General A.P. Hill”, and “Soldiers Blue and Gray”. His massive biography of Gen. “Stonewall” Jackson won eight national awards and was used as the base for the Ted Turner/Warner Bros. mega-movie, “Gods and Generals”. Robertson was chief historical consultant for the film.”

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The Traveler… Battle of Tippecanoe…

December 5, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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Today I traveled to December 5, 1811 where I found the Middlesex Gazette from Middletown, Connecticut carried an extract of a letter sent to a Member of Congress. This was reporting on “an action between the troops under Gov. Harrison and the Indians under the Prophet… There were 170 whites killed and wounded, and as many Indians… The battle was fought in sight of the Prophet’s Town…. There has been dreadful slaughter…”, being a report on the famous Battle of Tippecanoe.

Governor William Harrison later became our ninth President of the United States which had the campaign slogan “Tippecanoe and Tyler, too”. He also the shortest serving president and the first president to die in office.

A little tidbit of history for this day… 200 years past!

~The Traveler

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A cynical view on the Constitutional Convention…

December 3, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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Perhaps it would not be a surprise that a British report on the beginning of the American Constitutional Convention would have a cynical slant, but this report seems to stretch the point. This observation appeared in the London “Gentleman’s Magazine” issue of July, 1787.

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The Civil War… November 30, 1861…

November 30, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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For a little more than 6 months we have reflected upon the Civil War by posting details of the CW era Harper’s Weekly issues which were printed for exactly 150 years prior to the post.  This week’s corresponding issue is the HW dated November 30, 1861.  Over the past few months we have enjoyed Dr. James Robertson’s* summary of each Harper’s Weekly issue chosen.  Unfortunately we do not have access to his summary of the Nov. 30, 1861 issue.  If anyone does have access to his summary, please let us know and we will revise this post by including  it below (and give credit to the provider).  🙂  In the meantime, the link above will still enable our readers to view an authentic issue for November 30… from exactly 150 years ago today.

Our other posts re: Dr. James Robertson’s summaries may be accessed at:  The CW… 150 Years Ago Today.

* The Virginia Tech website provides the credentials of Dr. James Roberson:

“One of the most distinguished names in Civil War history, Dr. Robertson was Executive Director of the U.S. Civil War Centennial Commission and worked with Presidents Truman, Kennedy, and Johnson in marking the war’s 100th anniversary.  Today his Civil War Era course at Virginia Tech, which attracts 300 students per semester, is the largest of its kind in the nation.
The Danville, Va., native is the author or editor of more than 20 books that include such award-winning studies as “Civil War! America Becomes One Nation”, “General A.P. Hill”, and “Soldiers Blue and Gray”. His massive biography of Gen. “Stonewall” Jackson won eight national awards and was used as the base for the Ted Turner/Warner Bros. mega-movie, “Gods and Generals”. Robertson was chief historical consultant for the film.”

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The Traveler… Thanksgiving proclamation… schooling that maybe should be revisited…

November 28, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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Happy belated Thanksgiving from “The Traveler”!  Even though it is a few days past the U.S. observance, my travels found me back at Thanksgiving again with the November 29, 1911 issue of The Courier from Coldwater, Michigan.  The front page of the issue features a large Proclamation from the Chase S. Osborn, Governor of Michigan, setting aside Thursday, November 30th for a day of prayer, feasting and thanksgiving.

Additionally on the front page is an article “Thanksgiving in Coldwater – At the Churches, the State School and City Schools” which begins “Every one of the ninety-two million American citizens is called upon by the President of the United States (Taft) and the Governor of  his state to lift up to Heaven the praises of his heart to the Giver of All on Thursday…”. The article then continues about the programs which were held in the schools, including “In the High School, in place of the regular chapel exercises there was read the Governor’s and President’s proclamations…”.

Separation of church and state? Something about this report just seemed good.  Maybe we should revisit the old school ways???

~The Traveler

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And I thought we were the lazy generation…

November 26, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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See what the “Scientific American” magazine of  June 18, 1846 considered “Healthy Recreation”. The article notes that: “…it would be much more conducive to the health and happiness of the world if more encouragement as given to such modes of recreation among children & young people as are accompanied with wholesome exercise rather than the dull stagnating amusements of the nursery or parlor.” (see below)

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