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Summing up the Revolutionary War through 1779…
January 25, 2013 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The front page of “The Edinburgh Advertiser“, July 23, 1779, has a great letter (see below) signed by “An Englishman” which pretty much sums up the Revolutionary War through the mid-point of 1779. Never before have I seen a more accurate appraisal of the situation in so few words.
Patrick Henry bio in the Citizen Soldier… 1840…
January 16, 2013 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
The following is a 2nd look at a post from a few years ago. We’ve updated the images to make the text easier to read. Please enjoy.
Although much has been written about Patrick Henry, a December 18, 1840 issue of the Citizen Soldier, Vermont, gives us a glimpse as to how he was viewed within less than 50 years of his death. The end of the biography has a few extra treats as well. Although quite lengthy… it is certainly worth the read:
The Traveler… a duel… a reminder…
December 3, 2012 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I traveled back to England through The Post Boy dated December 4, 1712. There I found that the Duke of Hamilton, who was about to be Ambassador, had fought a duel with Lord Mohun, but “… was kill’d upon the Spot, as well as his Adversary…”.
Also within this issue are two different references to the “Pestilential Sickness” in which two women from Presbourg had recently died and there was great fear of it spreading. The other article spoke of “necessary Orders” begin given to prevent the spreading of the disease.
I realize that we are not dealing with pestilential issues, but just a reminder that if you have not yet received your flu shot, you still have time!
~The Traveler
Print date for the Gentleman’s Magazine…
July 23, 2012 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Actual printing dates of monthly magazines have always been difficult to establish, but some times dated news reports will give some indication. An advertisement for the Gentleman’s Magazine in the “Daily Post-Boy” of London, September 4, 1732, provides a valuable clue for the earliest issues of this title (it began publishing in 1731). Note that the advertisement has at the top: “September 2 was published…The Gentleman’s Magazine…for August, 1732…”. So at least during the early years of this magazine’s existence it printed a few days after the end of the month.
Another interesting tidbit is provided in this advertisement as well. We knew that the first several issues of the first year of “Gentleman’s Magazine” printed at least six editions, as some were noted as such on the title/contents page, but we never knew when they were reprinted. Note the very bottom of this advertisements mentions: “…Where may be had, The former Numbers, except Numb 1 and Numb. II which will be republished a 4th Time in a few days.” This indicates that the fifth edition of the January and February, 1731 issues were printed in the first week of September, 1732.
The Traveler… going through withdrawal… setting an example…
May 7, 2012 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I found myself in London with the London Gazette dated May 8, 1712. I found that they had a reward for the apprehension of a gentleman by the name of Charles Guill. Mr. Guill “has belonged to the Bank of England, from whose Service he withdrew himself on the 3d Instant, with several Exchequer-Bills and the following Bank Notes…”. The article also provides a very interesting detail of his appearance and attire as well as the reward for his apprehension.
Another brief article is of the punishment a Robert Kingston received from pretending to be two other persons. He was sentenced to stand in the Pillory (stockades) on Tower-hill, which is where the executions were held. He was “to deter others from the like Practices”. He may have been setting an example for others, but I bet he was thinking that he was grateful that he had not received the punishment of those on Tower-hill!
~The Traveler
Happy Passover… Happy Easter…
April 6, 2012 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
President George Washington is known for his letters to various Hebrew congregations (Newport, Savannah, etc.) and churches which are filled with spiritual references. Considering the recipients, such language might be expected even if the writer was not a person of faith. However, the following is a speech he gave to the leaders of Philadelphia upon his visit to the city while in transit to New York to take the oath of office. At a time when he could have said anything, what he chose to say and how he chose to say it speaks volumes. Please enjoy his address as it appeared in The Massachusetts Centinel, May 2, 1789:
The Traveler… the Czar gets married… loose lips…
April 2, 2012 by The Traveler · 1 Comment
Today’s travels took me to The London Gazette of April 5, 1712 where I found the Czar of Mosco (Moscow) has publicly solemnized his wedding with his Empress 
Catherina Alexewna. The wedding had to be deferred for some time by reason his Czarish Majesty’s “making the Campaign the last Summer.” The article provides details of the wedding.
Another article on the front page is of the Suedes (Swedes) making advancement into Pomerania before the Danes could hinder them. Two officers of the Swedish Fleet had been condemned “to have their Heads struck off, for having held a Correspondence with the Danes, and their Father, who was privy to these Actions of his Sons, and did not discover them, is confin’d to a perpetual Imprisonment…” There are times it is just better to keep the lips sealed. Whereas some have been known to sink ships, this is even worse…
~The Traveler
Be careful what you print…
January 7, 2012 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
“The Norwich Gazette” newspaper from England, May 24, 1729, includes the sentences for several people involved in publishing a certainly issue of “Mist’s Journal” which apparently had content unfavorable to the authorities. Once defendant was sentenced: “…to walk round the four courts in Westminster Hall with a paper on his forehead denoting his offence, and to suffer one month’s imprisonment…”. See the other sentences as well:
Pennsylvania’s first newspapers…
December 12, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
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.
For sale: an army, and more…
December 10, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
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…