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A shocking cure for what ails you…
February 1, 2013 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Here’s an interesting medical devise which never seemed to catch on, as reported in the “Scientific American” issue of March 14, 1891. I wonder how many investors in this product were shocked when this one went belly-up?
West Virginia’s first newspapers…
January 28, 2013 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The history of West Virginia newspapers dates some 70 years before West Virginia became a state. Statehood came late to West Virginia, carved from Virginia in the midst of the Civil War, happening officially on June 20, 1863. But its first newspaper began in 1790 when Nathaniel Willis began his “Potowmac Guardian & Berkeley Advertiser” at Shepherd’s-Town, near Harper’s Ferry. Less than two years later Willis moved the newspaper to Martinsburg.
The second newspaper was the “Shepherd’s Town, Charles-Town and County Advertiser” begun by Philip Rootes and Charles Blagrove on June 28, 1797. No copies beyond October 11, 1797 have been located. The third newspaper was the “Berkeley Intelligencer” done at Martinsburg on April 3, 1799 by John Alburtis. Many followed, including what is shown in the image, “The Observer, and Western Advertiser”, Lewisburg, [West] Virgina, 1884.
A gem in the American Antiquarian Society… Charleston Mercury Extra…
January 14, 2013 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 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
From a collector of rare newspapers… The Pennsylvania Railroad…
December 7, 2012 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
From time to time we receive notes from our members which clearly communicate their passion for the collectible. While the issue being discussed did not come from us, we still thought you might enjoy his enthusiasm. We did.
Dear [Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers],
I received my latest order of folders last Friday…as always, thank you so much. The largest (20×14) folder is for a rather interesting publication – Colliers Weekly – that I thought you’d enjoy seeing…
As with similar magazines, i.e. Harper’s, I never imagined finding a “one-of-a-kind” article on New York’s Pennsylvania Station inside, but – sure enough – I did in this 1903 edition [see below]…
Magazines, such as these, are intriguing…somewhat in a class by themselves. This – and other “competing” titles – bore Saturday cover dates, and were – I imagine – intended to be read on Saturday evenings! I could just “picture” that being some sort of ritual “way back when”. I remember – as a child – seeing my father in our living room on a Saturday evening reading some sort of journal or magazine…he was not a Sunday morning newspaper man!
Hope this note finds you and your staff well. Thanks, again, for your service…
A visit to Jim Thorpe (Mauch Chunk), PA…
November 16, 2012 by GuyHeilenman · 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.”
The Traveler… the battle of Queenston…
October 22, 2012 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I journeyed to Boston, Massachusetts by way of the Columbian Centinel dated October 24, 1812. I found several reports in regards to the battle of Queenston, Canada. The reporting begins with Col. Van Rensselaer’s troops having crossed the Niagara River into Upper-Canada and that the batteries in Queenston were attacked . It is stated that Fort George was to have been immediately attacked with troops in Buffalo joining them. Further reports continue with actual loss of the battle and the Col. Van Rensselaer being shot and Gen. Wadsworth being missing, assumed dead. It is interesting to read the different accounts within one issue.
~The Traveler
There must be a man in the moon…
October 12, 2012 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The “Bellows Falls Intelligencer” newspaper from Vermont, issue of May 10, 1824 has an interesting article reporting evidence of life on the moon (see). It’s interesting that astrological science was so rudimentary in 1824 that this report was to be believed by those who read it, although providing some humor when read today.
The Traveler… Surrender of Detroit… New Orleans takes a blow…
September 24, 2012 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
This week I am traveling through Boston, Massachusetts, via the Columbian Centinel dated September 26, 1812, where I found the reporting on the “Surrender of Detroit” and “Gen. Hull’s Official Account”. The Surrender report is a “Letter of Col. Cass, of the army late under the command of Brigadier-General Wm. Hull, to the Secretary of War…”. Gen. Hull’s report includes “…The surrender of Michilimackinae opened the northern-hive of Indians and they were swarming down in every direction… the Wyandots, Chippewas, Ottawas, Pottawatamies, Munsess, Delawares, etc. with 
whom I had the most friendly intercourse, at once passed over to Ameherstburg, and accepted the tomahawk and scalping knife…” “…On the evening of the 7th and morning of the 8th inst. the army… recrossed the river, and encamped at Detroit… Nothing, however, but honor was acquired by this victory; and it is painful consideration, that the blood of 75 galiant men could only open the communication as far as the points of their bayonets extended… On the 15th, I received a summons from him to surrender fort Detroit, of which the paper marked A is a copy. My answer is marked B… On the 15th, as soon as Gen. Brock received my letter, his batteries opened on the town and fort, and continued until evening… It now became necessary either to fight the enemy in the field; collect the whole force in the fort; or propose terms of capitulation… I feared nothing but the last alternative…” and more.
There is also an article pertaining to New Orleans. It seems that what may had previously been reported in earlier newspapers as a tornado hitting the city is now being reported as “…one of the seven year hurricanes of that country — but its effects were more destructive than any of the preceding ones…” . The article continues with further information on the destruction in the city, ships, surrounding areas and loss of lives.
~The Traveler
The Hatfields & McCoys… on Pinterest…
September 3, 2012 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
There are few conflicts which have been romanticized as much as the quarter-century battle between two extended families from the boarder mountains of West Virginia and Kentucky. Wikipedia describes the ongoing struggle as follows:
The Hatfield–McCoy feud (1863–91) involved two families of the West Virginia–Kentucky area along the Tug Fork, off the Big Sandy River. The Hatfields of West Virginia were led by William Anderson “Devil Anse” Hatfield while the McCoys of Kentucky were under the leadership of Randolph “Ole Ran’l” McCoy. Those involved in the feud were descended from Ephraim Hatfield (born c. 1765) and William McCoy (born c. 1750). The feud has entered the American folklore lexicon as a metaphor for any bitterly feuding rival parties. More than a century later, the story of the feud has become a modern symbol of the perils of family honor, justice, and vengeance… (view more via Wikipedia)
At Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers we’ve created a Pinterest Board so that those interested in seeing how these events were reported in the newspapers of the day can enjoy contemporary reports. As we often say, “History is never more fascinating than when it is read from the day it was first reported”.
Please enjoy: Hatfields & McCoys – The Famous Feud… on Pinterest
Tired of fishing him out of the well…
August 3, 2012 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
This tidbit from the “Olive Branch“, Boston, Nov. 19, 1853, expresses one Californian’s frustration.