Historic Newspapers: Search Results

THE LONDON MAGAZINE, England, July, 1775  Although there is other good American content here, near the back has a great account of the very historic Battle of Bunker Hill signed in type: Tho. Gage, which overshadows all else. This report takes nearly an entire page and begins: "I am to acquaint your Lordship of an action that happened on the 17th of June instant between his Majesty's troops and a large body of the rebel forces. An alarm was given at break of day on the 17th...troops advanced,…

SALEM REGISTER, Massachusetts, Nov. 3, 1803  Beginning on the front page is the complete text of the Louisiana Purchase Treaty with the two conventions, a small portion carrying over to page 2.
As noted in the National Archives website, the Louisiana Purchase was an agreement by which the United States acquired the entire Louisiana territory—over 828,000 square miles—from France. It consisted of three separate parts: a treaty of cession and two conventions providing for the exchange of money.
On…

LONDON CHRONICLE, England, July 25, 1775  Page 2 has a fine account of the famous Battle of Bunker Hill. The account describes the march of the British Regulars stating in part that they: "...advanced within two miles of Cambridge without any considerable opposition; but they were there met by General Putnam at the head of 5000 men, who gave them a very warm reception...it is suppose 3 or 400 men were killed on each side, and the provincials retreated...without the least disorder. The Regulars…

TRANS-CONTINENTAL, Boston, June 29, 1870  This is a very fascinating newspaper, borne in the ingenious mind of a publisher who decided to take a small printing press on board the first transcontinental railroad excursion and publish 6 issues westbound and 6 issues eastbound.  Printed on a Gordon press in the baggage car, it is considered the very first newspaper composed, printed, & published on a train.
This is issue number 10, published at Grand Island, Nebraska. Each issue recorded the…

THE PENNSYLVANIA LEDGER OR THE PHILADELPHIA MARKET-DAY ADVERTISER, March 7, 1778  This was a strongly Tory (supportive of the British cause) newspaper which began in 1775 and closed shop in May of 1778 when the British evacuated Philadelphia.
Most of the front page is taken up with a: "...letter from Vice Admiral Lord Viscount Howe, to Mr. Stephens, dated on board his Majesty's ship Eagle in the River Delaware, Oct. 25, 1777" which has some great reading, portions of which can be seen in the…

DEADWOOD DAILY PIONEER, Black Hills, (South Dakota) May 23, 1889  A rare publication from this famous, "old west" town. This city would arguably be--along with Tombstone & Dodge City--one of the more famous of all the towns from the rough & tumble days of the Old West, and only rarely do such issues come to light. It attracted larger-than-life Old West figures including Wyatt Earp, Calamity Jane, and Wild Bill Hickok (who was killed there). "Union List of Newspapers" notes only two…

THE TOMBSTONE EPITAPH, Tombstone, Cochise County, Arizona, Feb. 4, 1882  The front page of this sought-after Old West issue is dominated by a spectacular array of local advertisements, including an illustrated ad for the Arizona Mail and Stage Line, notices for the Schieffelin Hall theater featuring the Fifth Avenue Comedy Company, and local merchants such as the Cosmopolitan on Allen Street. The interior pages contain fascinating, short frontier briefs from across the territory, featuring a…

NEW YORK WEEKLY TRIBUNE, March 9, 1861 Page 2 has nice one column heads announcing the significant news of Abraham Lincoln's first inauguration, the heads including: "THE NEW ADMINISTRATION" "Inauguration of President Lincoln" "THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS" "Quiet, Good Order, Enthusiasm".
The text covering the inauguration takes a full column on page 2 and 2 1/2 columns on page 3. It begins: "The inauguration of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States passed off with marked success..."
At…

THE LONDON GAZETTE, England, July 28, 1670  The top of the front page has a report from Vienna noting: "The Jews have offered great sums of money to the Emperor to dispence with his order for their banishment, or at least to give leave that a considerable number of them may be permitted to continue here, but have effected nothing and are consequently preparing to be gone within the time prescribed having already taken care to remove their Synagogue."
The back page has a brief item mentioning…

THE PENNSYLVANIA PACKET OR THE GENERAL ADVERTISER, Philadelphia, May 27, 1779  The front page begins with two detailed reward ads for deserted soldiers.

One-third of the front page and over one-third of page 2 are taken up with the: "Report of Commissioners for Settling a Cartel for the Exchange of prisoners" this being addressed: "To his Excellency GEORGE WASHINGTON, Esquire, General and Commander in Chief of all the Forces of the United States of America."

The report begins by introducing the…

THE MASSACHUSETTS GAZETTE, Boston, Feb. 13, 1766  Earlier issues of this title were: "The Massachusetts Gazette And Boston News-Letter" with typical volume and issue numbering, along with the notation of Richard and Samuel Draper as publishers.
It is curious that this issue is numbered "0", that no publishers are listed, and the title is shortened. Here is clarification:
As noted in Brigham: "...With the issue of April 19, 1765, the Drapers changed the title to "The Massachusetts Gazette";…

THE CRISIS, Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 27, 1862  This anti-war newspaper insisted slavery should not be abolished, so consequently much content has an anti-North bias.
Certainly the most notable content 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. Following Greeley's letter, Lincoln replies, which includes his famous quote: "...My paramount object...is to save the Union, and…

THE MEXIA DEMOCRAT, Mexia, Texas, Aug. 22, 1889  A very rare newspaper, as Gregory's "Union List of American Newspapers" believes it existed from 1887 to 1893, however, only one American institution had any holdings. That was the Bancroft Library, which had just two issues, both deaccessioned, one of which is this one. No other institutional holdings are known to exist.
Eight pages, discrete archival strengthening to a portion of the blank spine, a printing error to the bottom of page 7, nice…

MERCURIUS POLITICUS, London, England, May 27, 1652. Pages 7, 8, and 9 of this extraordinarily rare newsbook feature the complete twelve-article text of the Treaty of Jamestown under the heading: “Articles agreed on and concluded at James City in Virginia, for the surrendering and settling of that Plantation under the obedience and Government of the Commonwealth of England…”. Concluding with its official sign-off on March 12, 1651 [1652 using today’s calendar], this publication represents what

SUNDAY NEWS, New York City, August 17, 1969  If there were a collection of newspapers that defined the counterculture movement of the 1960's, this issue must be among them. The Woodstock Music Festival, late summer of 1969, brought the turbulent decade of the '60's to a close. Rolling Stone magazine listed it as one of the 50 moments that changed the history of rock & roll. The festival still stands for many as a example of America’s 1960's youth counterculture at its best.
The banner…

THE PENNSYLVANIA JOURNAL & THE WEEKLY ADVERTISER, Philadelphia, May 9, 1771  See the photo for the terrific & large engraving in the masthead, making this a very displayable colonial newspaper.
Pages 1 and 2 are taken up with European reports, with a few brief references to America. Page 3 has an address to John Penn, Lieut. Governor of Pennsylvania, followed by a: "Proclamation".
Four pages, two small mends inside at margins, nice condition.

NILES WEEKLY REGISTER, Baltimore  A set of 7 issues which contain all eight essays by publisher Hezekiah Niles titled the: "Mitigation of Slavery" in which he puts forth five propositions to that end.
The issues are dated May 8, 15; June 19, 26; July 17; Aug. 14 & 21, 1819. The May 22 issue (essay #3) is lacking.
The following details are excerpted from www.civilwarcause.com:
"In 1819, in the midst of intense frustration over the defeat of tariff legislation by slave-state senators, Niles…

FACTS FOR THE PEOPLE, Washington, D.C., Oct, 1853  A very scace title, not listed in Gregory, nor in Union List of Serials.
This is the volume 1, number 5 issue which apparently listed until May, 1854. or 11 issues. Then there was a "new series" printed from May, 1855 thru April 1856.
This was an anti-slavery newspaper with articles including; "Does the Constitution Require Freemen To Hunt Fugitive Slaves?" "Slave Case--Judge McLean's Opinion" "The Southern Platform; or, Manual of Southern…

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 LONDON MAGAZINE, England, August, 1776  Although there are 2 1/2 pages of reports headed: "American Affairs" with accounts of the Revolutionary War, certainly the prime content is that which consumes  most of the back page.
Prefaced with: "The following is the substance of the declaration of independency by the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress assembled, July 4...", what follows is the text of the Declaration of Independence, signed in type at its…