Early American Newspapers
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EARLY AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS Selected Newspaper Descriptions by State CONNECTICUT..................................................2 DELAWARE........................................................4 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA..................................5 GEORGIA...........................................................6 INDIANA .............................................................6 KENTUCKY ........................................................7 MAINE ................................................................7 MARYLAND........................................................7 MASSACHUSETTS ............................................8 NEW HAMPSHIRE ........................................... 16 NEW JERSEY .................................................. 18 NEW YORK ...................................................... 19 NORTH CAROLINA.......................................... 27 OHIO ................................................................ 27 PENNSYLVANIA .............................................. 28 RHODE ISLAND............................................... 32 SOUTH CAROLINA.......................................... 33 TENNESSEE .................................................... 34 VERMONT........................................................ 34 VIRGINIA.......................................................... 36 WEST VIRGINIA............................................... 37 w w w . r e a d e x . c o m s a l e s @ r e a d e x . c o m 800.762.8182 Readex Early American Newspapers starting with the issue of February 25, 1822, the CONNECTICUT paper was "conducted by John Gardiner Calkins Brainard and published by Penfield Beach Goodsell and John Hubbard Wells." CONNECTICUT [Hartford] From January 3, 1829 until the last issue, vol. 23, AMERICAN MERCURY (1784-1820) no. 1224, December 15, 1832, the paper was established by George F. Olmstead. Thereafter, the After the Revolution, newspapers began to appear Mirror merged with the American Mercury and in rapid succession in Connecticut. Of the eight continued as such. papers started in the 1780's, however, only two still were active a generation later. One of these was the CONNECTICUT [Hartford] American Mercury, begun at Hartford on July 12, HARTFORD GAZETTE (1794-1795) 1784, by Joel Barlow and Elisha Babcock. The Mercury had a contemporary reputation for Established as a semi-weekly by Lazarus Beach outspokenness and for many years was the state's and Roger Storrs, the first issue appeared on leading reform paper. It was a champion of January 13, 1794. The size was a small four page Jeffersonianism after a short time and helped to quarto. Although an eight page paper was promised secure legal equality for all religious sects. in the first issue, it was denied in the second as a report error. The paper remained four pages. CONNECTICUT [Hartford] The publishers did keep the rest of their promises CONNECTICUT COURANT (1764-1820) and the Gazette was printed on "good paper and [in] handsome type...." The paper also contained Thomas Green, the eldest son of the printer delightful, important, and useful information. It Samuel Green of New Haven, moved to Hartford, presented a high percentage of original material, which had no newspaper or printer at the time, to especially considering how common it was to establish the Connecticut Courant on Oct. 29, 1764. reprint articles from other newspapers. The Courant, the third newspaper in the colony, was By October, 1794, Storrs (the member with published weekly on Tuesdays on a sheet of pot size previous newspaper publishing experience) no paper. Today it is the oldest continuously published longer appeared in the imprint, and Beach was newspaper in the United States. In 1767 Green left joined by Ira Jones. Hartford for New Haven to establish the Connecticut The paper had been enlarged to folio size the Journal, eventually selling his interest in the Courant previous July, and with the February 19, 1795 to his partner, Ebenezer Watson, in 1771. issue, the Gazette became a weekly. The paper Isaiah Thomas commented that after New York lasted just one more month, ending on March 19 was in the control of the British forces, the with issue number 118. Beach and Jones moved Connecticut Courant was "of much consequence, the their press to Newfield and the next month number of copies at least equal to that of any other established the American Telegraphe. paper printed on the continent." In 1778 the Courant claimed circulation of more than 8,000. When paper CONNECTICUT [Hartford] became so scarce that some issues were printed on TIMES (1817-1820) wrapping paper before and during the Revolution, Watson built his own paper mill. In September of This weekly paper was established by Frederick 1777 Hannah Watson assumed control of the paper D. Bolles and John M. Niles on January 1, 1817. after the death of her husband. The prospectus states: "The publishers have no hesitancy in declaring, that their [political] principles CONNECTICUT [Hartford] are those of REPUBLICANISM ..." They went on to CONNECTICUT MIRROR (1809 - 1832) state that of the nine [actually there were eleven] papers being published in the state at the time, six Charles Hosmer established this weekly were Federalist and they estimated that more than newspaper on July 1, 1809. In advance of his first 15,000 copies of these Federalist papers were publication, Hosmer acknowledges that there are circulated each week. On the other hand, they already newspapers in Hartford, but says his paper estimated only about 4,000 Republican papers "...will be zealously devoted to the Federal politics of were issued in the same time. The prospectus also the nation, and to the great essential interests of the promised to promote the interest of agriculture, Commercial States." manufacturing, commerce and the arts, and "every After working with a number of partners, he sold species of lawful industry." the Mirror to Benjamin Hamlen, stating in the issue of Although neither Bolles nor Niles seemed to May 20, 1816, that because of ill health he found it have had any printing experience prior to the necessary to make the transfer. Times, they produced a very neat looking paper. Simeon Lincoln, born in New Britain, Ct., on April The paper was printed from good type, using many 2, 1790, together with William L. Stone acquired the faces and styles and a variety of interesting cuts. Mirror on October 19, 1818. Their diligence went so far as to correct some On October 4, 1823, Lincoln (by now working rather small errors. without William Stone) relinquished the paper, and Page 2 of 37 Readex Early American Newspapers In 1805, an elaborate political rally called the CONNECTICUT [Litchfield] "Festivals" was held by the Democrats in Litchfield. LITCHFIELD JOURNAL (1818) Timothy Ashley was sent to be the editor of a new LITCHFIELD REPUBLICAN (1819-1820) weekly paper, entitled the Witness, starting on August 14 of that year. In January of 1814, Isaiah Bunce began his first Ashley was not found to be sensational enough, newspaper enterprise at Ballston Spa, New York. so he was joined by Selleck Osborn to help carry Politically, the Saratoga Journal was Democratic, the the day for the Democrats. Together they managed party then opposed to the Federal party. Then, in to create a tremendous stir. Osborn went so far as 1816 the Saratoga Courier was established at to goad a Federalist storekeeper to the point that he Ballston Spa, reducing the patronage of the Journal was attacked by the man's son. This incident was, and leading to its death in February of 1818. of course, played to the hilt in the Witness. On March 11, 1818, exactly one month after the Finally both Osborn and Ashley were jailed on demise of his first paper, Isaiah Bunce established libel charges. Ashley apparently recanted and was the Litchfield Journal at Litchfield, Connecticut. The freed, but Osborn chose to become a political earliest issue located is April 8, no.5. martyr. A committee of Democrats was formed to Bunce, feeling he had "overpoliticized" with the report on the jail's conditions. The reports were Democratic Journal, sought to achieve financial regular bulletins in the Witness. A Festival was success by creating a "neutral" paper. This should planned in Osborn's honor where the first toast have proven successful, especially since no was, "Selleck Osborn! the Later Daniel in the lions' newspaper had been published in Litchfield since den. He is teaching his persecutors that the beasts 1809. But on October 20 Bunce gave up. He cannot devour him." explained: "Will a paper in this place, embracing no The work of the Witness was complete. The political discussion, receive sufficient encouragement Democrats won their desired notoriety and votes. to warrant the publisher in its continuance? I think... The paper ceased with the June 24, 1807 issue. the Litchfield Journal [has] received a fair (Sold with Litchfield Gazette 1808-1809) experiment...in the negative." Then, on May 12, 1819, Bunce began his Litchfield CONNECTICUT [Middlelown] Republican. In the earliest located issue, May 19, he MIDDLESEX GAZETTE (1785-1820) announced his political affiliations and stated that this would be a Republican paper in principle and The Middlesex Gazette was established by purpose as well as in name. The paper became a Moses H. Woodward and Thomas Green on strong supporter of the recently adopted state November 8, 1785, in the flourishing river port of constitution. He did, however, often quote from the Middletown, Connecticut.