<img src="/images/cathead_moments.gif" alt="Newspapers from Moments in American History" />
Landmark event in women's history: former slave woman petitions as an heir to her brother's estate...
Item #705927
October 22, 1817
COLUMBIAN CENTINEL, Boston, Oct. 22, 1817
* Former Woman slave Pamela Sparhawk
* Newton, Massachusetts petition for estate
In 1818 a woman named Pamela Sparhawk petitioned the Mass. General Court to be recognized as heir to her brother’s estate.
What makes this remarkable? Pamela Sparhawk was a formerly enslaved Black woman.
Pamela separated from her brother in childhood... See More
Billiards, and the Great Eastern...
Item #705917
January 01, 1859
LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED, New York, Jan. 1, 1859 Inside has a print of: "Michael Phelan's Billiard Saloons..." and a: "Diagram of Shot" in billiards. The centerfold has a nice print of: "The Great Eastern Steamship As She Will Appear At Sea" with another small print of it. Lengthy article as well.
Inside also has a full page print of the: "State Inebri... See More
The Spanish-American War: map of what America is gaining... Death of Bismarck...
Item #705888
August 01, 1898
THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, Georgia, Aug 1, 1898 The front page features a nice map headed: "UNCLE SAM'S NEW TERRITORY AS A RESULT OF THE WAR" noting Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the Philippines.
The front page has various reports on the Spanish-American War with reports headed: "MILES' ARMY WILL REST NEAR PONCE" "To Move Troops To The North" "... See More
The Spanish-American War: Is peace at hand?
Item #705887
August 03, 1898
THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, Georgia, Aug 3, 1898 The front page has various reports on the Spanish-American War with reports headed: "SPAIN ACCEPTS PEACE TERMS PROPOSED BY UNITED STATES" "Sagasta & His Associates Ask for Some Slight Amendments to the Conditions Imposed by President & His Cabinet Members" "McKINLEY TOLD SPAIN ACCEPTS" "His is Unof... See More
The Battle of Sugar Point...
Item #705882
October 06, 1898
THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, Georgia, Oct. 6, 1898 The front page is dominated by much reporting on the Battle of Sugar Point, with heads: "UNITED STATES FORCES ARE MASSACRED BY ENRAGED INDIANS ON BEAR ISLAND" "General Bacon, with 100 Men.l..Goes to Supress a White Earth Indian Outbreak" "Desperate & Bloody Battle Between the Forces" "The Indians...Ambush ... See More
A Democratic Party organ...
Item #705755
May 19, 1841
KENDALL'S EXPOSITOR, Washington, D.C., May 19, 1841
Being from the nation's capital it is not surprising that there are various political reports.
This was a biweekly published from 1841 to 1844. Founded by Amos Kendall, a prominent political figure and former Postmaster General under Presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren, it served as a Democratic Party organ, refle... See More
The first convention of clubs: the birth of organized baseball...
Item #705698
January 23, 1857
NEW YORK HERALD, January 23, 1857
* Birth of organized baseball
* First convention of clubs
The back page has a report which could be considered the birth of organized baseball. And printed the day after the event happened!
The second column has an article headed: "Our National Sports" with subheads: "The Game of Base Ball--Convention of the Various Clubs Of the ... See More
The first full-fledged Broadway musical...
Item #705696
September 12, 1866
NEW YORK TIMES, Sept. 12, 1866
* "The Black Crook" opening premiere
* Very first musical theatre performance
* The first ever modern day musical
* Niblo's Garden - Broadway - New York City
A terrific and historic issue relating to the first theatrical musical, "The Black Crook".
As Wikipedia notes: "Its significance is being considered the fi... See More
Woodhull & Claflin... The Ku Klux Klan...
Item #705690
November 05, 1872
NEW YORK TIMES, Nov. 5, 1872
* Victoria Woodhull & Teenie Claflin indicted
The front page has: "The Ku Klux" "Greeley's Friends at Work in Kentucky--They Hang a Man, His Wife, and Daughter to the Same Tree".
Page 2 has: "Woodhull & Claflin" "An Indictment Found Against Them--A Writ of Habeas Corpus for Col. Blood--Arrest of Stephen Pearl ... See More
Jefferson Davis is captured...
Item #705686
May 14, 1865
NEW YORK TIMES, May 14, 1865
* Jefferson Davis captured (1st report)
* Irwinville, Irwin County, Georgia
A very historic issue with larger column heads than typical: "GLORIOUS ! " "JEFF. DAVIS CAPTURED" "Official Announcement by Secretary Stanton" "Davis and His Family Surprised at Irwinsville" "The Fourth Michigan Cavalry are the Fo... See More
News on the John Brown invasion... Capture of a slave ship...
Item #705682
November 15, 1859
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, Washington, D.C., Nov. 15, 1859
* John Brown's insurrection - invasion - raid
* Harpers Ferry WV West Virginia trial ending
The front page has an article: "Arrival Of A Captured Slaver" concerns the barque Emily, captured on the coast of Africa: "...This is the fourth slaver taken within six months by the African squadron...".
Also on ... See More
Woodhull & Claflin open the first women's brokerage firm on Wall Street...
Item #705681
February 05, 1870
NEW YORK HERALD, Feb. 5, 1870
* Historic 1st female Wall Street brokerage opens
* Victoria Woodhull and Tennessee Claflin sisters
* "The Bewitching Brokers" shatters tradition
The top of the back page has an intriguing report of a very notable--yet widely unknown--Wall Street "first".
Under the column heads: "THE QUEENS OF FINANCE" "The Palac... See More
Portrait of an early baseball player...
Item #705668
September 29, 1866
LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED, New York, Sept. 29, 1866 Page 4 has a 3 by 2 inch portrait of: "Edward Beadle, Gotham B. B. Club Of New York." Included is a report headed: "Our Base Ball Illustrations" that compares the "new school" of ball players to the "old boys" and then describes the talent and skills of Beadle, a first baseman for the Gothams.
There is also... See More
Portrait of baseball player James Maxwell...
Item #705667
September 01, 1866
FRANK LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED, New York, Sept. 1, 1866 Inside has a one column portrait of: "Mr. James Maxwell, of the Susquehanna B. B. Club, Wilkes Barre, Pa." The same page has an article on him: "Our Base-Ball Illustrations" which begins: "Number six of our portraits of prominent baseball players is that of Mr. James Maxwell, the noted catcher of the Susquehanna... See More
View of Chattanooga...
Item #705665
September 08, 1866
LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED, New York, Sept. 8, 1866 Inside has a full page print: "Chattanooga, Tennessee, From Lookout Mountain". Other prints include: "Bacon's Castle, Surry, Virginia" "The Steamer Wyoming on the Banks" & other scenes near Long Branch, New Jersey; "Great Conflagration at Jersey City...Destruction of the Petroleum Docks Adjoining the... See More
Preparing for the Statue of Liberty... Oklahoma Boomers... Tenement House fire…
Item #705664
May 16, 1885
LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED NEWSPAPER, New York, May 16, 1885 The front page is a montage of prints concerning the trial of Richard Short for the assault on Capt. Phelan.
Inside has a very dramatic print of: "The Tenement House Fire...A Father's Desperate Resort--Four Children Thrown from a 3rd Story Window". Another full page shows a reunion of Union & Confederates soldiers ... See More
From a silver mining ghost town in Colorado...
Item #705657
December 15, 1881
THE ELK MOUNTAIN PILOT, Irwin, Gunnison County, Colorado, June 15, 1882
* Rare ghost town publication
A quite rare mining town camp newspaper which lasted about 5 years. At the turn of the 19th century this title was resurrected in nearby Crested Butte. The only holdings of this title from Irwin noted in Gregory (Union List of American Newspapers) by any institution have since be... See More
A pair of issues: the inauguration & death of President W. H. Harrison...
Item #705650
April 13, 1841
THE GREENSBOROUGH PATRIOT, North Carolina, March 26 and April 13, 1841
* William Henry Harrison
* Presidential inauguration
* Illness and then death
A nice pair of issues of the same title with the inauguration of President William Henry Harrison, and his death report one month later.
March 16: the entire front page and over half of page 2 is taken up with the: "Inaugural... See More
Early newspaper from Long Island...
Item #705630
July 08, 1843
THE CORRECTOR, Sag Harbor, Long Island, New York, Aug. 21, 1897 An early newspaper from this once-famous whaling town near the eastern end of Long Island, now more famous as a playground for the rich & famous who frequent the neighboring Hamptons.
Various news & ads of the day. Four pages, never bound nor trimmed, some minor margin tears and minor paper breaks at the central f... See More
On Lincoln's seminal speech which lead to the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates...
Item #705620
July 06, 1857
NEW YORK TRIBUNE, July 6, 1857
* Abraham Lincoln speech
* Springfield, Illinois
* Lincoln-Douglas debates prelude
Page 3 has nearly 2 columns taken up with a seminal report on Lincoln's political career. Lincoln had been in the audience when Stephen Douglas made his June 12 speech defending the Dred Scott Decision of 3 months prior. Lincoln gave a speech on June 26 in which... See More
Great account of the last of the Lincoln-Douglas debates...
Item #705619
October 23, 1858
NEW YORK TRIBUNE, Oct. 23, 1858
* Abraham Lincoln & Stephen Douglas
* The Great Debates of 1858 (last one)
* Alton, Madison County, Illinois
Keeping in mind that this was from the period of the Lincoln/Douglas debates, page 4 has a report from Springfield headed: "Illinois Politics" which talks of Stephen Douglas.
Taking over a full column on page 6 is a fine re... See More
This paper lasted but two issues... A supplement as well...
Item #705604
March 01, 1870
THE NELSON CLARION, New Hampshire, March, 1870
* Extremely short-lived
* Cheshire County
This is the volume 1, number 1 issue of an exceeding rare newspaper. In fact, the only other date which existed was May, 1871, which was volume 1 number 2. "Union List of Newspapers" notes only two institutions have this title, neither being the American Antiquarian Society.
... See More
'Official' report of the gold discovery in California...
Item #705603
December 07, 1848
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, Washington, D.C., Dec. 7, 1848
* Gold discovered in California
* Official government report
* Pre 49ers- Forty-Niners
Beginning on the front page and taking all of page 2 and most of page 3 is the: "President's Annual Message" to the nation, in which is a rather lengthy & detailed report on the discovery of gold in California.
Al... See More
Terrific, early views of San Francisco and Sacramento...
Item #705589
November 29, 1851
SATURDAY EVENING POST, Philadelphia, Nov. 29, 1851
* Very early San Francisco city view print
* California gold rush era & Sacramento
The front page has a great & very early: "View Of San Francisco From the Foot of Telegraph Hill" with a related article on the city which: "...has now a population of about 40,000, with over 100 miles of streets ... See More
Extoling the climatic virtues of San Diego...
Item #705584
January 19, 1871
THE SAN DIEGO UNION, California, Jan. 19, 1871 Front page items include: "The Pacific Paradise" which extols the great climate of San Diego over that of Nice, France. "How to Fight the Apaches" "The Transcontinental Railroad" and more.
Four pages, great condition.
Baseball... the technique of pitching...
Item #705581
May 11, 1895
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, May 11, 1895 The front page is a political cartoon by W. A. Rogers captioned: "All Broke Up - the Only Cure For A Financial Spree."
Inside has a full page with 7 scenes of: "Sandy Hook Lightship--The Only Electric Lightship in the World"; a page on "Fort Snelling, Old and News" including 5 prints/photos of the Minnesota military s... See More
The science behind a curve-ball in baseball...
Item #705580
September 15, 1883
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT, New York, Sept. 15, 1883 The title is a bit of a misnomer as this was actually a separate, stand-alone publication, not a supplement to the regular title.
Inside has a fascinating article headed: "Base Ball Science" which begins: "We are in receipt of several communications relative to the question o whether a projectile can be thrown so as to ... See More
Thomas Edison and his phonograph...
Item #705578
July 06, 1878
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, New York, July 6, 1878
* Inventor Thomas A. Edison
* Phonograph invention
The prime content is the nice one-third pg. illustration captioned: "The Phonograph and Its Inventor, Mr. Thomas A. Edison." showing a young Edison with his newly invented & crude looking device which was his phonograph. There is a related article on the same page headed:... See More
Exceedingly rare Napoleon occupation newspaper...
Item #705576
January 05, 1811
COURRIER D'AMSTERDAM or the COURIER VAN AMSTERDAM, January 5, 1811 (No. 5)
* Exceedingly rare Napoleon Bonaparte occupation newspaper
This was a daily newspaper published in Amsterdam during the French occupation of Holland. It is bilingual: half printed in French and half in Dutch. Two mastheads as well, one in each language.
In 1810 Napoleon Bonaparte annexed Holland to hi... See More
Beginning a "war of extermination" in Texas...
Item #705571
November 07, 1835
NILES' WEEKLY REGISTER, Baltimore, Nov. 7, 1835
* Texas War for Independence begins
* Battle of Gonzales TX
Inside has 2 1/2 pages of news under the heading: "Texas" concerning events from the beginning of their war for independence. The reports seem to reference the Battle of Gonzales (first battle of the Texas war for independence) but there is no direct mention ... See More
Notable Supreme Court case in establishing Indian sovereignty...
Item #705569
March 10, 1832
NILES' WEEKLY REGISTER, Baltimore, March 10, 1832
* United State Supreme Court
* Samuel Worcester v. Georgia
* Cherokee Indians - Native lands
Inside has a very notable Supreme Court case, "The Cherokee Case", being Samuel A. Worcester vs. the state of Georgia. In the case the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Cherokee Indians constituted a nation holding distinct ... See More
On the lives of Jefferson and Adams, recently deceased...
Item #705559
August 15, 1826
THE TIMES, London, England, Aug. 15, 1826 Page 2 has an entire column taken up with a fine report concerning the lives of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, appropriately headed: "Jefferson And Adams". These two founding fathers died on the same day, July 4, 1826, ironically the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
There are two portions to the detailed article, the ... See More
Female intrepidity...
Item #705537
December 20, 1800
WEEKLY MUSEUM, New York, Dec. 20, 1800 Among the articles: "Instance of Female Intrepidity" "Cruel Russian Punishment" "Tobacco" "Fire" and more.
Four pages, 9 1/2 by 11 1/2 inches, nice condition.
By the Shaker Community...
Item #705533
THE SHAKER, Shakers, New York, and Shaker Village, New Hampshire, February, 1876 * Uncommon publication
A monthly publication "Published By The United Societies" for those in the Shaker community, quite famous today for the style of furniture they produced.
Much religious content as might be expected.
Eight pages, 9 1/4 by 12 1/2 inches, glued at the spine, very nice ... See More
Jefferson Davis' family...
Item #705531
October 11, 1866
LANCASTER INTELLIGENCER, Pennsylvania, Oct. 11, 1866 Page 2 includes: "Jefferson Davis' Family" "How the President Feels" "A Wonderful Dream--Narrow Escape of a Railroad Train" and more.
Four pages, very nice condition.
Scarce French-English newspaper from Louisiana...
Item #705526
July 30, 1870
LE LOUISIANAIS, Convent, Louisiana, July 30, 1870
* Very rare publication from the deep South
* St. James Parish during the reconstruction era
A scarce title which existed from 1865 thru 1883, but of which very few issues surface. It is a single sheet newspaper with the front entirely in French while the reverse is in English save for the advertisements, most being in French.
F... See More
Beautiful & colorful front cover...
Item #705505
February 06, 1892
FRANK LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED, New York, Feb. 6, 1892 The very handsome front page shows two women, a child & a man: "Driving A Bargain." Done in full color--unusual for front pages at this time--making it a very nice display item.
Twenty pages, in very nice, clean condition.
Twenty pages, in very nice, clean condition.
Baseball... The technique of pitching...
Item #705500
May 11, 1895
HARPER'S WEEKLY, New York, May 11, 1895 The front page is a political cartoon by W. A. Rogers captioned: "All Broke Up - the Only Cure For A Financial Spree."
Inside has a full page with 7 scenes of: "Sandy Hook Lightship--The Only Electric Lightship in the World"; a page on "Fort Snelling, Old and News" including 5 prints/photos of the Minnesota military s... See More
Two eye-witness accounts of the Great Chicago Fire...
Item #705499
October 29, 1871
SAN DIEGO DAILY UNION, California, Oct. 29, 1871
* The great Chicago fire
* Accounts by eyewitnesses
The top of the middle column has: "LETTER FROM CHICAGO" "Description of the Fire by an Eye-Witness--A Graphic Account--After the Fire--The Future--A Hopeful Outlook". This is followed by another letter with column heads.
The text concerning the historic Chica... See More
Nice print of the Chicago baseball team...
Item #705497
June 06, 1885
FRANK LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED, New York, June 6, 1885
* Chicago White Stockings w/ Cap Anson
Certainly the most notable print in this issue is the page 5 half page print captioned: "Illinois--The Chicago Baseball Club" showing the entire team in uniform, with a nice article on them on another page.
This is a very nice print, and increasingly rare to find such early baseball image... See More
One of the earliest baseball illustrations to appear in any periodical...
Item #705496
December 27, 1856
PORTERS SPIRIT OF THE TIMES, New York, Dec. 27, 1856
* Earliest of baseball diagrams
* Pre-American Civil War era
This issue of this once popular sporting journal features one of the earliest baseball illustrations to appear in a periodical.
This simple illustration, which is actually a 3 by 3 inch diagram, shows the position of the players, and is part of an article: "Base Ball"... See More
Croquet, fishing, and more great prints...
Item #705494
September 06, 1890
FRANK LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED, New York, Sept. 6, 1890 The front page is a great print featuring: "Croquet in Connecticut--The Prize Tournament at Norwich" which includes 4 comic scenes as well.
Among the prints inside are: "A Turpentine Still near New Berne" "A Watermelon Auction on the North River Front, New York City" "Honors to Ericsson..." conce... See More
Baseball in England with a full page engraving...
Item #705493
August 15, 1874
THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS, England, Aug. 15, 1874 Formatted very much like Harper's Weekly with many nice prints, the prime feature of this issue is the very nice full page print titled: "The Americans Playing Baseball at Prince's Ground". The engraving shows the entire field with all defensive players plus a batter and a runner on first base.
On a preceding page is a n... See More
Great full page baseball print... Rare Bocce Ball print...
Item #705492
August 31, 1889
FRANK LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED, New York, Aug. 31, 1889 The full front page is a nice print: "At Lake George Landing--Saluting the Passengers".
But likely the most significant print is a great full page: "A Base-Ball Incident--Caught Between The Bases" which shows a player caught in a rundown.
Other good prints include a half page: "Gioca Di Bocci--Summer Afternoon... See More
The Colfax, Louisiana massacre...
Item #705491
April 15, 1873
NEW YORK HERALD, April 15, 1873
* Colfax massacre of 1873 Louisiana
* Former Confederate soldiers
* African Americans - freedmen
The top of page 7 has one column headings: "The Negro Riot In Louisiana" "Colfax Grant Parish in Possession of the Negroes--A Reign of Terror--The Whites Arming for Resistance".
Sixteen pages, nice condition.
AI notes: Th... See More
Early, detailed letter from San Diego...
Item #705489
April 24, 1847
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, Washington, D.C., April 24, 1847 Much reporting on the Mexican War, plus the front page has: "Late From California" which is a lengthy letter from San Diego reading more like a travelogue than a military report, although there is mention of a battle with the Mexicans.
Also on the front page: "Letter From Gen. Taylor" and "Santa Anna's Dis... See More
Early British Columbia, Canada...
Item #705487
January 29, 1879
MAINLAND GUARDIAN, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada, Jan. 29, 1879
* Rare publication
A quite uncommon title from this town in British Columbia, with various news and literary items of the day and a wealth of ads a well, several of which are illustrated.
Complete in four pages, typical folio size, never bound, nice condition.
AI notes: The Mainland Guardian was a pro... See More
Early print of the harbor of Honolulu...
Item #705478
April 19, 1851
THE SATURDAY EVENING POST, Philadelphia, April 19, 1851
* Early of Honolulu Harbor
* Kingdom of Hawaii - print
* Sandwich - Hawaiian Islands
The nice & quite detailed print at the top of the front page is captioned: "The Port Of Honolulu, In The Sandwich Islands", now known as Hawaii. There is a nice article on it as well beginning: "It is not many years sinc... See More
Republican party's first Presidential candidate...
Item #705477
June 21, 1856
NEW-YORK DAILY TIMES, June 21, 1856
* Republican Party is formed
* John C. Fremont nomination
* 1st nominated for United States president
A very historic issue for the Republican party as it reports their first Presidential nominee, John Fremont.
The report shown is of the North American Party, nominating Fremont & Johnston for President & Vice President. This party wo... See More
Early Robert E. Lee...
Item #705469
July 11, 1829
NILES' WEEKLY REGISTER, Baltimore, July 11, 1829
* Cadet Robert E. Lee
* West Point military academy
It's always fascinating to find mention of notable people long before they would become a household name.
Near the back is a great example. Under a list headed: "Military Academy" area the: "...names of the five most distinguished cadets in each class... See More
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