Historic Newspapers: Search Results

THE PENNSYLVANIA LEDGER, Philadelphia, August 10, 1776

• Great year to have (1776)
• re. Declaration of Independence
• American Revolutionary War

This was a decidedly Tory newspaper, supportive of the British efforts in America. This newspaper ended publication in June, 1778 when the British evacuated the city. This issue was printed less than a month after it printed the Declaration of Independence (July 13 issue).
The front page includes an ad for the reprinting of a pamphlet titled: "American

THE PENNSYLVANIA LEDGER, Philadelphia, August 17, 1776

• Post Declaration of Independence
• American Revolutionary War

This exceptional, content-rich issue was published just weeks after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, capturing the frantic military, diplomatic, and social upheavals of the summer of 1776.

Perhaps most interesting is a page 3 article which contains a stunningly prophetic address to the American public, warning: "Remember, in all your deliberations, you are engaged in

THE PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST, Philadelphia, Feb. 29, 1776

• General Benedict Arnold
• American Revolutionary War
• Great year to have (1776)

This remarkably historic Revolutionary War issue contains a wealth of foundational content from the early months of 1876. 
Page 2 carries an exceptional military report from Montreal detailing the ongoing American campaign in Canada, reading in part: "Quebec is inclosed by a considerable body of forces under Brigadier General Arnold. They hope to avoid storming &

THE PENNSYLVANIA LEDGER, Philadelphia, Feb. 24, 1776

• Governor John Penn
• American Revolutionary War
• Great year to have (1776)

The front page has half a column taken up with 2 desertion reward ads, with much detail. Over a column is taken up with the verbatim cross-examination of Governor Penn of Pennsylvania, which carries over to take one-third of page 2. A few questions & answers include: "...Q. In what estimation was the Congress held? A. In the highest veneration imaginable by all ranks and

THE LONDON CHRONICLE, England, December 31, 1776 and January 2, 1777

• Battle of Long Island - New York City
• American Revolutionary War - 2 issue set
• Continental Army - George Washington loss

These two issues contain an excellent report on the battle for New York and the eventual evacuation of the city by George Washington.
Beginning in the Dec. 31 issue and taking over 2 complete pages is the beginning of the report which continues on the front page of the January 2, 1777 issue along with the

THE CONNECTICUT JOURNAL, New Haven, July 24, 1776

• News of the Declaration of Independence spreads
• Battle of Sullivan's Island - General Charles Lee
• American Revolutionary War - great year to have

A great issue from less than 3 weeks after the Declaration of Independence was endorsed by Congress. Relating to this, page 2 has a report from New York: "Thursday last the Declaration of the INDEPENDENCY of the United States of AMERICA, was published at the Court House." A very notable report and great

THE GENTLEMAN’S MAGAZINE. London, August 1776

• Original Declaration of Independence... the complete text
• From our American Revolutionary War foe

This issue contains one of the earliest British magazine printings of the foundational American document, with the full text headed: “Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress Assembled, July 4.” It begins with the immortal opening “When in the course of human events…” The document continues on the following

GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, London, July, 1776

• American Independence
• John Hancock (July, 1776)
• Great month & Year to have

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,

THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, London, January, 1776

• American Revolutionary War
• Captain James Cook vogage
• South Pole map - HMS Resolution

This is a fine issue from this significant year of the Revolutionary War, with much war-related content.
Included are two pages on an: "Act for Prohibiting all Trade with America" which is followed by an: "Act of Massachusetts Bay for Fitting out Armed Vessels" which takes 3 pages.
Also reported here is a: "Declaration of the Continental Congress on a late

THE WESTMINSTER MAGAZINE, London, July, 1776

• American Independence
• John Hancock (July, 1776)
• Great month & Year to have

Certainly a very uncommon title from the 18th century, formatted much like the more common 'Gentleman's Magazine" or the era.
An inside page has a great document headed: "American United Colonies, In Congress, May 15, 1776" which is a statement concerning the lack of ability to give allegiance to the King and the desire to authorize each of the 13 colonies to form a new

THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, London, April, 1776  The prime feature is the great map showing all of the western hemisphere titled: "A New Projection of the Western Hemisphere of the Earth on a Plane shewing the proportions of its several parts nearly as on a Globe, By J. Hardy, at Eton College." 
The map is dated at the bottom: "by F. Newbery, Ludgate Street, May 1, 1776".  It measures 9 by 11 1/4 inches, in very nice, clean condition. There is a related article within this issue concerning the

GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, London, November, 1776

• Capture of New York City
• Rare Connecticut & Rhode Island map
• American Revolutionary War

This issue begins with "Proceedings in the House  of Commons..." which includes discussion on the Revolutionary War, including: "...Nothing could have afforded me so much satisfaction as to have been able to inform you...that the troubles which have so long distracted my colonies in North America were at an end; and that my unhappy people, recovered from their

THE PENNSYLVANIA LEDGER, Philadelphia, Nov. 30, 1776

• Rare Revolutionary War era title
• Tory issue from Pennsylvania
• Great year to have (1776)

(editor's copy) This was a decidedly Tory newspaper, supportive of the British efforts in America. This newspaper ended publication in June, 1778 when the British evacuated the city.
The front page has a very detailed "Twenty Dollars Reward" ad for a runaway slave named Caesar. Page 2 has a report concerning an expedition into the western portion of what

THE PENNSYLVANIA LEDGER, Philadelphia, March 9, 1776

• Rare Revolutionary War era title
• Tory issue from Pennsylvania
• Great year to have (1776)

This was a decidedly Tory newspaper, supportive of the British efforts in America. This newspaper ended publication in June, 1778 when the British evacuated the city.
Over half of the front page is taken up with: "The following rules for establishing a Society for Relieving the Distresses of Prisoners...". Page 2 has reports from Williamsburg, Worcester,

THE ESSEX JOURNAL & NEW HAMPSHIRE PACKET, Newburyport, Massachusetts, March 1, 1776

• Paul Revere masthead engraving
• American Revolutionary War
• Great year to have (1776)

There were but a few masthead engravings of the 18th century which were created by Paul Revere. The "Massachusetts Spy" is perhaps the most famous, plus there is the engraving in the "Boston Gazette" as well, with these two newspapers being among the most common, in a relative sense. But even these are quite rare.
Revere also

THE PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST, Philadelphia, March 26, 1776  Wonderful to have a newspaper not just dated 1776, but from Philadelphia as well. As an added bonus this issue is printed on aqua "necessity paper" as the regular stock may have been disrupted by war-related events.

The front page has a few war-related items including a report: "... that General Clinton is landed in North Carolina, & that the troops, who lately dispersed the insurgents in that colony, are on their march to meet

NEW-ENGLAND CHRONICLE OR ESSEX GAZETTE, (Cambridge), Feb. 22, 1776

• American Revolutionary War
• Great year to have (1776)
• Battle of Quebec - Canada
• General Benedict Arnold

The top of the first column begins with a report from Cork that: "...there has been commotions amongst the soldiers who are to embark for America; that a great numbers of them have deserted & that several of the officers who are absent have sent letters to acquaint their officers that they shall not join their regiments to be

THE TOWN & COUNTRY MAGAZINE, London, May, 1776

• Pre Declaration of Independence
• American Revolutionary War

Certainly one of the less common titles from the Revolutionary War, but a format & layout much like the more common 'Gentleman's Magazine".
Over 4 pages are taken up with a continued article: "The Present State of America" which includes "Religion & Civil Government of New England" "The Different Governments in North America Explained" & "Different Provinces of New England" with more.
Near

THE PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST, Philadelphia, April 23, 1776

• Pre Declaration of Independence signing
• American Revolutionary War original
• Great year to have (776) - very rare

Most of the first column on the front page is taken up with reports of ships trading in the Caribbean & related news. Also on the front page is: "The French appear exceedingly friendly to the American cause which they would have promoted by a much larger supply of arms & ammunition than they have hitherto imported had they

THE PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST, Philadelphia, April 18, 1776

• Great year to have (1776)
• American Revolutionary War
• Rare mention of Button Gwinnett
• Birth of the American Postal System

A front page report from Savannah includes: "Friday last our Provincial Congress proceeded to the election of delegates to represent this province in the grand Continental Congress..." with the winners noted, one of which was Button Gwinnett,.
This is rare mention of Button Gwinnett, who has the dubious distinction of

THE PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST, Philadelphia, March 30, 1776

• American Revolutionary War
• Great year to have (1776)
• Benjamin Franklin song

The front page begins with a wonderful letter beginning; "The Ministry have boasted much of their regular, their disciplined troops, which they fancied capable of beating all the irregulars in the world. One would wonder how men of any attention to what has passed, could deceive themselves into such an opinion when so many facts, within the memory of men not

THE PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST, Philadelphia, Jan. 25, 1776

• The "dishonest malevolence" controversy
• Thomas Paine "Common Sense" & Robert Bell
• Great year to have (1776) Revolutionary War

As a bit of a back story, printer Robert Bell ran an advertisement taking most of a column in the January 27 issue attacking both Paine and Bradford and ingenuously accusing them of "dishonest malevolence." He also continued his efforts to sell his own second edition of Thomas Paine's famous work 'Common Sense'.

THE PENNSYLVANIA LEDGER, Philadelphia, Sept. 28, 1776

• Rare Revolutionary War era title
• Tory issue from Pennsylvania
• Great year to have (1776)

This was a decidedly Tory newspaper, supportive of the British efforts in America. This newspaper ended publication in June, 1778 when the British evacuated the city.
The front page has an ad for the desertion of two soldiers from military service, with details. Page 2 begins with a report noting: "General Lee writes from Purrysburg...that he is going to

NEW ENGLAND CHRONICLE OR THE ESSEX GAZETTE, Cambridge, Jan. 4, 1776

• Traitor Dr. Benjamin Church
• British General Thomas Gage
• American Revolutionary War
• Great year to have (1776)

See the nice engraving in the masthead.
Fully two-thirds of the front page is taken up with a lengthy & detailed: "Letter from General Lee to General Burgoyne" datelined: "camp on Prospect Hill, Dec. 1, 1775". The letter includes in part: "As I am just informed you are ready to embark for England...An opportunity is now

THE AMERICAN GAZETTE; OR THE CONSTITUTIONAL JOURNAL, Salem, Massachusetts, June 25, 1776

• Very rare Revolutionary War publication
• Volume 1 Number 2 issue - great year to have

This is the volume one, number two issue of a very rare newspaper. Its rarity would seem to be sufficient for its desirability, as it existed for only seven weekly issues, from June 18 thru July 30, 1776. 
But the content is nice as well, particularly given that this issue was printed just 9 days before the Declaration of

THE UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE, London, England, August, 1776

• Original Declaration of Independence... the complete text
• As reported from Great Britain

It would be difficult to argue for a more important document in American history than the Declaration of Independence. It remains a desire of most collectors to find issues containing reference to it, and ultimately a contemporary printing of the actual document.
With American newspaper printings commanding $100,000 or more in nice condition--if