It was an ordinary day. Checking out front pages of the "Lancaster Journal" from the late 1790s and the early 1800s. Back in late January I wrote a few stories telling that the Lancaster Newspaper was celebrating the 225th Anniversary of their newspaper.
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| A variety of Nameplates from Lancaster's Newspaper. Click to enlarge. |
Many newspapers have come and gone during the last 225 years, but Lancaster's paper has survived in one the United States' first inland cities. Throughout 2019 the newspaper will publish a memorable front page every Sunday. I thought it would be interesting to save all the historic front pages and share some with you. Today I will give you a story or two from papers that were printed in 1795, 1805, 1809, 1814, 1820 and 1831. You may have a hard time reading them since they were hard for me to read and I lost more detail in publishing them for you. So, here are a few interesting items from Page 1 or each of the papers. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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The nameplate for the newspaper was The Lancaster Journal and was in a font with serifs as well as slightly italic. Under the nameplate, the motto read: Not too RASH - yet not FEARFUL - Open to all PARTIES, but not influenced by ANY. The masthead read: LANCASTER: Printed by WILLCOCKS & HAMILTON, at Euclid's Head, in King-Street, nearly oppofite Mr. Stofft's where Subfcriptions are taken in at Fifteen Shillings per Annum, Effays, and Articles of Intelligence thankfully received, and all manner of Printing performed with Fidelity, Accuracy, Elegance and Expedition. This is No. 5 dated WEDNESDAY, July 15, 1795 and is VOL. II. At the time, the letter "f" was substituted for the lower case "s". The entire front page of this 4-page paper was dedicated to the "TREATY, of AMITY, COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION, between His Britannie Majefty and the United States of America, by their President, with the advice and confent of their Senate. Click on page to enlarge. May still be hard to read!!
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| This front page is from 1805 and shows an ornate Old English font with a new motto which read: We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists: Etc. This was widely regarded as a call for unity in the wake of the bitter partisanship the 1800 election. Sound familiar to anyone? On this page 1 was a notice from two competing Philadelphia druggists who were seeking customers in Lancaster County. Both offered a long list of herbs and medicines available over the counter. A few of the patent medicines were listed such as: Patent Antibilious Pills, Worm Destroying Lozengers, Gout Cordial and Jesuit's Drops. A new business opening was also listed on this page known as Pennsylvania Arms. Another advertisement was: Clocks and Watches repaired at the shortest notice, and warranted. |
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This front page is from 1814 and features the "Grand State Lottery for Promoting Internal Navigation." Prizes were drawn over a series of days, ranging from $500 ($5,925 in today's dollars) to $40,000 ($474,072 in today's dollars. Once again, the lower right section of the paper is dedicated to what appears to be multiple "miracle cures from a local doctor named T.W. Dyott. He offers pills to stop bilious fever which caused a fever, nausea and vomiting. It was said that President Lincoln's son died from bilious fever. Below that ad was another from Dr. Robertson for his "Celebrated Stomachic Elixir of Health."
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