First newspapers in Georgia…

February 15, 2010 by · 2 Comments 
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Georgia, founded in 1733, was named after King George II of Great Britain. James Johnston, a Scotsman, was the colony’s first printer. He established the “Georgia Gazette“at Savannah on April 7, 1763. The “Gazette” was issued with intermissions and changes of name for nearly forty years. During one of the intermissions Johnston published the “Royal Georgia Gazette“, which he purchased from John Hammerer who had started it on January 21, 1779.

John E. Smith started the “Georgia State Gazette or Independent Register” at Augusta on Sept. 30, 1786. In 1789 it became the “Augusta Chronicle and Gazette of the State” and later was shorted to just the “Augusta Chronicle“.

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What a name…

February 13, 2010 by · 1 Comment 
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The “Illustrated London News” from England, August 16, 1862, contains a report headed “Sir E.P. Coffin”. The simply last name is interesting but not terribly unusual. It’s his full hyphenated last name which intrigues.

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Filed under: Civil War, The 19th Century, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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No shortage of editorial comment in reports of years…

February 11, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
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“The Connecticut Journal” of New Haven, Feb. 15, 1798 contains a report of two new born infants who were left at doorsteps.  In today’s world news reports are given objectively without editorial comment–“just the facts”–whether the news item is horrible, tragic, or jubilant.

But this was not the style years ago. Note the editorial comment within the report. I doubt we would find such comments in today’s newspapers unless they were direct quotes from a person involved. Such reporting style certainly adds much flavor to reports of years ago, and equally interesting reading.

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Filed under: The 1500's - 1700's, The 1700's, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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First newspapers in Florida…

February 8, 2010 by · 4 Comments 
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Florida (“land of flowers”) was first settled at St. Augustine in 1565 but it would be over 200 years later before a newspaper would be printed within its boundaries.

In 1783 when Spain still ruled over Florida, William Charles Wells began the “East Florida Gazette”, the colony’s first newspaper, at St. Augustine. The first number was probably dated February 1. There are no known copies in America, but from a few numbers preserved in London it is evident that although published in English in a Spanish speaking community, the  “Gazette” was a credible newspaper.

Florida was ceded to the United States by Spain in 1821. In July of that year Richard Edes, of Augusta, Maine, arrived in St. Augustine & began publication of the “Florida Gazette“. He died just three months after he began to print in Florida, after which the name of the newspaper was changed to the “East Florida Herald” and it continued for many years.

Later the same year two Virginians arrived in Pensacola and established the “Floridian” on August 18, 1821, with the title later changing to “Pensacola Gazette and West Florida Advertiser“.

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Filed under: Common Questions, Noteworthy Issues, Pre Civil War, The 1700's, The Hobby
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How times have changed…

February 6, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
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In recent years, particularly near the Christmas holiday, there are many reports of organizations soliciting drives for various needs for soldiers overseas, often including toiletry items, nonperishable foods, bottled water, and other needed staples.

Such drives were common in World War II as well. Note the report in the “Beacon” newspaper from the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Oct. 1, 1943. I doubt today there would be a “Smokes for Buddies” rally to send two million cigarettes to our soldiers overseas.

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Filed under: The 20th & 21st Centuries, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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Never say never…

February 4, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
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It’s always interesting to find comments or actions which are later refuted or contradicted in history. I recently came across one such pair of reports which make for interesting reading and thought it worth sharing.

The “Pennsylvania Evening Post” of Philadelphia, May 11, 1779 contains a letter from London which includes: “…And rest assured the independence of American WILL NOT BE ACKNOWLEDGED by Great Britain whilst she exists as a nation…”.  A few years later the “London Gazette” of Dec. 7, 1782 includes a report from the King noting: “…I did not hesitate to go the full length of the powers vested in me & offered to declare them Free and Independent States, by an Article to be inserted in the Treaty of Peace…”.

This would be a great pair of issues to display side by side.

Are you aware of similar situations in history where newspaper reports of both make for fascinating pairs? Feel free to share.

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Filed under: The 1500's - 1700's, The 1700's, The Hobby, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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The first newspaper in Delaware, and others that followed…

February 1, 2010 by · 3 Comments 
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As to what was the very first newspaper printed in Delaware, the answer is a bit foggy. Isaiah Thomas notes that in 1762 James Adams began the publication of the Wilmington “Courant“, which was discontinued within six months for lack of support. No copy of it is known and doubt has been expressed as to the accuracy of Thomas’ statement.
Evald Rink, in his “Printing in Delaware, 1761-1800”, notes that on June 14, 1785, Jacob Killen started the “Delaware Gazette” in Wilmington. This is the first authenticated newspaper issued in Delaware. With some changes in title, Killen published this weekly for almost two years. He then sold it and the new owners continued the newspaper with the issue for April 11, 1787.
Altogether seven newspapers were published in Delaware during the eighteenth century, all except one were printed in Wilmington. There is a reference to a “Dover Herald“, reputedly published at Dover in 1800, but no copy of it has been located. The others in order of their appearance were: the “Delaware Gazette“, established in 1785 and continued through 1799; the “Delaware Courant and Wilmington Advertiser“, issued in 1786 and 1787; the “Delaware and Eastern-Shore Advertiser“, 1794 through 1799; the “Wilmington Mercury“, printed occasionally in 1798; the “Friend of the People“, published at Dover in 1799; the “Mirror of the Times“, started in 1799 and issued until 1806; and the “Monitor; or Wilmington Weekly Repository“, published from 1800 to 1802.

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What’s the title?

January 30, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
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Collecting newspapers with unusual and/or displayable mastheads has been quite popular over the years. Here is a photo of just the name of a newspaper in the masthead of an 1852 newspaper from New York. Can you read it?

Masthead_Unusual

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Filed under: Pre Civil War, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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Fascinating titles…

January 28, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
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Over the course of the last 350+ years tens of thousands of newspapers have come and gone, too few remaining outside of microfilm, microfiche or digital format for us hold and enjoy. Early on in my pursuit of old newspapers I was intrigued by the names of many, and decided to keep examples of newspapers which had what I considered to be “odd” titles. I am glad I did, as few have since surfaced for me to get a second chance to add to my collection.  I thought I might share a few of the more interesting titles. Perhaps you’ve come across some interesting ones as well. Here are among my more curious :

The Occasional Reverberator, The Whisperer, The Dessert to the True American, The Tickler, The Devil In London, The Quizzical Register, Galaxy of Comicalities, The Whip & Spur, The Wag, The Hangman, Wecli Fonetic Advocat, The Grape Shot (from Canonsburg, Pa.), The Boomerang, Our Dumb Animals, Measure For Measure, Wise And Unwise, Our Compliments, Squirrel Island Squid, The Drill (mining town in Arizona), The Headlight, Hoof & Horn, Camp Carnes Anti-Bushwhacker, The Yaller Dog, The Menace, The Gangplank News, The Bull Sheet Special, Bunk, Guinea Pig, Jerk, Tar Paper, and The Ape.

Do you have some unusual titles as well? Feel free to share.

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Filed under: Old West Era, Post Civil War, Pre Civil War, The 1500's - 1700's, The 1600's, The 1700's, The 19th Century, The War of 1812, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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First newspaper in Connecticut…

January 25, 2010 by · 2 Comments 
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Tim Hughes, founder

Printing in Connecticut began as early as 1710 by its first printer, Thomas Short. Short became an orphan at a young age and was captured by Indians & carried away to Canada. He was eventually ransomed, likely by his brother-in-law, Bartholomew Green, who taught him the printing trade. The Green family was well known as early printers throughout New England.

Printing in New Haven began when James Parker, of New York, was appointed postmaster by Benjamin Franklin, although there is no evidence he ever spent much time either as postmaster or printer. He employed John Holt, of Williamsburg, Virginia, to manage the printing office. “The Present State of the Colony of Connecticut Considered” from 1755 is the earliest known production by James Parker in New Haven. On April 12, 1755 he brought out the first number of a  newspaper titled the “Connecticut Gazette“, with Holt as editor. It was the very first newspaper printed in Connecticut and continued until Feb. 19, 1768 at which time it ceased publication.

Just a few months later in Hartford, on April 25, 1768, the “Connecticut Courant” began publication and remains in print today as the country’s oldest continually published newspaper.

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