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Snapshot 1775 – North Carolina Declares itself Independent!
December 19, 2025 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
According to The Cape-Fear Mercury (from Wilmington, North Carolina) dated June 3, 1775, North Carolina declared itself independent long before the 13 colonies did so in early July, 1776. However, there is a slight problem. The issue containing this announcement was a forgery! Whereas we’ve included a copy of the article below, to grasp the extent of this complex forgery, it would be best to read Tim Hughes’ explanation on the issue’s listing itself: The Cape-Fear Forgery. Enjoy.
The first newspapers in North Carolina…
February 14, 2011 by TimHughes · 1 Comment
James Davis was North Carolina’s first printer, having come from Virginia to New Bern in 1749 to print government work. On Aug. 9, 1751 he established the “North Carolina Gazette“, the first 
newspaper in North Carolina, which would continue until 1778. He also created the colony’s second periodical, “North Carolina Magazine, or Universal Intelligencer” on June 8, 1764, it lasting until 1768.
Shortly thereafter on Oct. 17, 1764 Andrew Steuart began in Wilmington the “North Carolina Gazette & Weekly Post-Boy“, and yet another printer, Adam Boyd, began in Wilmington as well the “Cape Fear Mercury” on Oct. 13, 1769. It wasn’t until after the Revolutionary War that newspaper publishing in the colony began to flourish.
Even then they wondered, “what’s next?”…
October 10, 2009 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The “Mother Lode Magnet” newspaper from the small mining town of Jamestown in Northern California had an interesting item in its September 14, 1898 issue. One wouldn’t be surprised if it appeared in a newspaper today: