Historic Newspapers: Key items from our latest catalog.

GAZETTE OF THE UNITED STATES, New York, Sept. 30, 1789  Certainly the most significant & historic content is the page 3 report that: "The President of the United States has been pleased to nominate, and by & with the advice & consent of the Senate, to appoint, JOHN JAY, of New York, Chief Justice..." followed by a list of the Associate Judges of the Supreme Court as well.
Also of great significance are the other appointments listed: "Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State, Edmund Randolph,…

SOUTHERN RIGHTS, Jacksonville, Florida, Oct. 4, 1862  A fascinating issue with a story similar to that of the iconic Vicksburg Daily Citizen issue of July 4, 1863, when the Union troops found the newspaper still in the press, changed the final paragraph to report the Union takeover, and printed the issue.
This newspaper's story is found in a listing by the American Antiquarian Society:
"Captain Valentine B. Chamberlain was in command of a company of the 7th Connecticut Volunteers who found the…

THE POLYNESIAN, Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaiian Islands, Jan. 18, 1845  One of the earliest newspapers we have offered from Hawaii, and fourteen years earlier than the few of this title we offered in recent years.
The "first series" of this title existed for just 1 1/2 years from 1840 to 1841. It proved unprofitable and was shut down. The editor reestablished the paper under the same title in May, 1844. Two months later, it became the "Official Journal of the Hawaiian Government" and remained so until…

THE INDEPENDENT CHRONICLE & THE UNIVERSAL ADVERTISER, Boston, Sept. 24, 1778  The entire front page and part of the back page are taken up with a lengthy & very detailed account of the trial of General Burgoyne concerning his surrender of the post at Saratoga.
The report begins: "That this house will now resolve into a committee of the whole house to consider of the state & condition of the army which surrendered themselves on convention at Saratoga, in America; and also by what means that army…

THE NEW-YORK WEEKLY JOURNAL, Oct. 7, 1734  On October 29, 1733 this publisher, John Peter Zenger, was arrested & jailed for the critical comments he made in his newspaper about a decision made by the British Governor of New York, William Cosby.
The result was a famous libel case (begun July 29, 1735) in which Zenger was acquitted, the argument being that he had printed the truth and that truth is not libelous. It was--and still is--considered a landmark decision in establishing freedom of the…

THE LONDON CHRONICLE, England, July 16, 1789  Certainly one of the more desirable events to have in a period newspaper is the first inauguration of George Washington. American issues with such content are virtually unobtainable today, and reports in any newspapers worldwide are extremely uncommon.
Here is a nice report of this significant event found on page 2, datelined: "Extract of a Letter from New York, dated May 1" with the text giving more details on the inauguration than is found in…

THE PROVIDENCE GAZETTE & COUNTRY JOURNAL, Rhode Island, Dec. 26, 1778  The entire front page and half of page 2 are taken up with the  second half of the: "Treaty of Amity and Commerce Between the Most Christian King and the United Starters of North America", this being the treaty of assistance between French and the colonies, which did much to support the American cause against the British and eventually lead to victory within 3 years.
At its conclusion if it signed in type by the American…

THE LONDON GAZETTE, England, Oct. 4, 1666  One of the greatest calamities and more notable events to strike London in its long history is the Great Fire which destroyed much of the city in September, 1666.  Finding period references to it are exceedingly difficult, as the number of newspapers publishing in 1666 was extremely small, this title certainly being the most significant.
Page 2 contains a brief report with a "Westminster" dateline of September 28, noting: "This day the House of…

THE VIRGINIA GAZETTE, Williamsburg (with Supplement), April 28, 1775  This newspaper was published by Alexander Purdie, a distinction to be made since there were three newspapers of this title printed in Williamsburg during the early period of the Revolutionary War.
This issue was printed 9 days after the battle of Lexington and Concord, however, the news of that historic beginning of the Revolutionary War had yet to reach Williamsburg.
Half of the front page is a report from London which…

NEW YORK TRIBUNE, July 14, 1876  One of the better newspapers to be found on the famous Custer Massacre battle at Little Big Horn, as this was one of the only newspapers we have encountered which contained a map on the front page of the vicinity, making this a very graphic & displayable newspaper.
The map is at the top of the front page and is headed: "Scene Of the Little Big Horn Massacre" beneath which is a key noting the various locations of the points in the map. Various Indian teepees are…

NEW YORK HERALD, Nov. 8, 1806  Page 2 has a somewhat brief yet very noteworthy report concerning Lewis & Clark and their exploration party. 
It is an "Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman at St. Charles to his friend in Washington..." and reads: "I have the pleasure to inform you of the arrival of captains Lewis and Clark. They were the first white people that ever visited that country. By the best accounts they could get, there are about ninety or one hundred thousand inhabitants (Indians) on…

KE KUMU HAWAII, Honolulu, Oahu, [Hawaii], Sept. 12, 1838
The very first newspaper in Hawaii was essentially a student newspaper, titled “Ka Lama Hawaii” (The Hawaiian Luminary), done by Protestant missionaries at their school at Lahainaluna on the island of Maui.
But it was just a few months later when the second newspaper in Hawaii–and considered the first “regular” newspaper on the islands–was published. “Ke Kumu Hawaii” began publication on Nov. 12, 1834 (some references cite an October…

THE DALLAS TIMES HERALD, Texas, November 22, 1963  Serious collectors always try to obtain historic newspapers from the city where the event happened. For JFK's assassination that would be a Dallas newspaper.
Of the two newspapers which published in Dallas in 1963 only the TIMES HERALD reported the assassination on the same day it happened--November 22--and only in their 2nd and 3rd editions. The MORNING NEWS, being a morning newspaper, reported the assassination in its November 23 issue.
…

THE ALASKA TIMES, Seattle, Washington Territory, Dec. 25, 1870  This paper had moved from Sitka to Seattle in 1870 and continued published under the same title despite no longer being in Alaska. Oswald's "Printing In The Americas" reports: "...he moved it to Seattle where he published two numbers only...", however I've had about a dozen issues all with different dates. Truly a rare item.
Articles include: "Alaska & Its People" "Three Years An Indian Captive" "The Russian Demand" "A Visit to…

SEYMOUR WEEKLY CRESSET, Seymour, Baylor County, Texas, June 9, 1887  A very rare newspaper which is believed to have existed for ten years, from 1879 to 1889, however records are not clear. Gregory's "Union List of American Newspapers" notes that only the Bancroft Library had any holding of this title, and those were deaccessioned many years ago. This is one of the deaccessioned issues. No institutions still have any holdings of this newspaper.
Eight pages, a minor ink stain to the front page,…

NEW YORK WEEKLY DAY-BOOK CAUCASIAN, April 22, 1865  A decidedly racist newspaper which began well before the Civil War & lasted a few years after. As such their reporting on war events provides a contrasting perspective beyond most other Northern newspapers.
With this issue, all factious leanings and biased commentary is set aside to report the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The entire front page reports--with considerable detail--the tragedy of the era with first column heads: "A Terrible…

THE ST. JAMES'S CHRONICLE OR BRITISH EVENING POST, London, Oct. 12, 1776  Nearly half of the front page is taken up with a very fine account of the British landing on Long Island and their advance toward Manhattan Island, resulting in the historic Battle of Long Island. It is datelined: "Camp at New-Town, Long Island, September 3, 1776".
This is one of the best accounts of the Battle of Long Island we have seen, and great to have it on the front page. The lengthy report is signed at its…

NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, Washington, D.C., Aug. 26, 1807  The back page has a very lengthy: "Proposals...For Publishing LEWIS and CLARK'S Tour to the Pacific Ocean, through the Interior of the Continent of North America..." noting the details that will be in "Volume First" as well as "Volume Second". And this is followed by another descriptive notice headed: "Lewis & Clark's Map of North America..." with many details. All this takes an entire column.
All of the front page is taken up with:…

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM, Philadelphia, October, 1787  Certainly the most notable article is the over 7 page account headed: "Adventures of Col. Daniel Boon, one of the Original Settlers at Kentucke" which is signed by him at its conclusion: Daniel Boon, Fayette County, Kentucke.
This is a wonderful report, by Daniel Boone himself, with great detail. It is rare to find accounts about Boone from when he was still living (died in 1820), let alone from his own pen.
Among other articles are:…

THE WEEKLY HERALD, New York, March 11, 1865  The front page features a large Civil War map headed: "CAPTURE OF THE REBEL GENERAL EARLY. Sheridan's Ne Movement Up the Shenandoah--It Success--The Race for Lynchburg--Tightening of the Lines Around Richmond." Much related report on the war events as well.
But the prime content is the report on Lincoln's second inauguration, with front page column heads: "WASHINGTON" "Second Inauguration of President Lincoln" "Scenes at the White House, in the…

THE LONDON CHRONICLE, England, Oct. 7, 1773  An extraordinary issue, as page 5 contains what might be the first periodical publication of one of Phillis Wheatley's poems, "On Imagination".
Wheatley was an American writer considered the first African-American author of a published book of poetry. Born in West Africa, she was kidnapped and subsequently sold into slavery at the age of 7 or 8 and transported to North America, where she was bought by the Wheatley family of Boston. After she learned

THE IREDELL EXPRESS, Statesville, North Carolina, Dec. 3, 1863  A very rare Confederate newspaper. Gregory's "Union List of American Newspapers" notes it began in 1857 with an unknown ending date, however one institution has an issue from April, 1865. Gregory lists a total of just 4 known dates (known are Dec. 3, 1863), although the Am. Antiquarian Society also records two issues.
Various Civil War reports on on page 3 including: "For the 4th Regiment "Gov. Vance's Message" "A Buck in Camp"…

THE NEW YORK TIMES, Oct. 20, 1862  Page 5 contains one of the more moving articles on the horrors of war, brought home to the residents of New York through an exhibition of "Pictures of the Dead at Antietam" in Matthew Brady's Manhattan Gallery.
The article is headed: "'Brady's Photographs" and a website chronicles the exhibition comparing the brutality & reality of war, to the callousness of New York's residents who read the daily papers but did not relate to the horrors they reported.
The…

"An Astronomical Diary Or An ALMANACK..." for the year 1738, printed in Boston by John Draper.  This is a great rarity, and one of the earliest American imprints we have been fortunate enough to offer in many years. Complete in 16 pages, some wear at the margins which is typical of almanacs (heavily used), rounding of a lower corner, a few indents at right margins, generally in good condition for an almanac. Measures 4 1/2 by 6 3/4 inches.

NEW YORK TRIBUNE, Aug. 25, 1862  On page 4 is one of the more famous letters from Abraham Lincoln, being his reply to Horace Greeley's editorial of August 20, "A Prayer of Twenty Millions", which urged emancipation.
Lincoln replies in his letter with his famous quote: "My paramount object...is to save the Union, and it is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do…

SPOONER'S VERMONT JOURNAL, Windsor, Dec. 8, 1794  Certainly the prime content takes most of page 3, being the: "SPEECH Of His Excellency George Washington, Esq." to Congress, which was his annual state-of-the-union address. It is signed in type at its conclusion: Geo. Washington. Within the address, Washington notes the issues of the day, the events of 1794, and some thoughts about the future.
The presidential annual address was a tradition that began with Washington and continues to this…

GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, London, July, 1776  It is rare to find newspapers or magazines with the magical date of "July, 1776". Here is one.
The first article is: "Debate on the American Restraining Bill" with has much interesting reading and takes six pages. There are also 3 pages of text on events in America, including: "Proceedings of the American Colonists since the Passing the Boston Port Bill" with various reports, including one stating that: "...the main army of the United Colonies has…