The Scorpion (NV, 1857)

July 25, 2011

Roy Alden Atwood 1857, Alphabetical Order, Frontier Papers, Mining Camp Papers, Nevada, S, United States Leave a comment

Publication History:

Place of Publication: Genoa (Mormon Station), Nevada

Frequency:  Probably monthly

Volume and Issue Data: Feb. 1, 1857-ca.Dec. 1857

Size and Format:  12 columns, with illustrations; written in “a large, bold hand”

Editor/Publisher:  Stephen A. Kinsey

Title Changes and Continuations:  Unknown

General Description and Notes:

According to Lingenfelter and Gash, The Scorpion was the second handwritten newspaper produced in Nevada, following the lead of Joseph Webb’s Gold Canon Switch (ca. 1854).  The paper carried the motto:  “Fear no man, and do justice to all.”  The monthly publication reportedly contained 12 columns of stories and illustrations, including caricatures.  The paper said it would “contain a full and extensive digest of all the current news and discussions of the day,” and that “nothing which can interest the general reader will be omitted.”

Lingenfelter and Gash speculate that “the paper probably died before its twelfth number,” a year before the first printed paper, the Territorial Enterprise, appeared in the Nevada territory.  The Enterprise reported April 12, 1871 under the headline, “A Curiosity,” that the paper had been shown a copy of The Scorpion.  The Enterprise reported that the July 1, 1857 issue of The Scorpion was written in “a large, bold hand.”

Information Sources

Bibliography:  Bob Karolevitz, “Pen and Ink Newspapers of the Old West,” Frontier Times, 44:2 (Feb.-Mar., 1970), 31; Robert F. Karolevitz, Newspapering in the Old West:  A Pictorial History of Journalism and Printing on the Frontier (New York:  Bonanza Books, 1969), p. 115; Jake Highton, Nevada Newspaper Days:  A History of Journalism in the Silver State (Stockton, Calif.:  Heritage West Books, 1990), pp. 2; Dan De Quille, The Big Bonanza (New York:  Alfred A. Knopf, 1947); see also, Territorial Enterprise, April 12, 1871; Richard E. Lingenfelter, The Newspapers of Nevada (San Francisco:  John Howell-Books, 1964), p. 47; Richard E. Lingenfelter and Karen R. Gash, The Newspapers of Nevada (Reno:  University of Nevada Press, 1984), p. 89.

Locations:  None

Scorpion (CA, 1857)

July 25, 2011

Roy Alden Atwood 1857, Alphabetical Order, California, California Gold Rush Papers, Frontier Papers, Humor Papers, Mining Camp Papers, S, United States Leave a comment

Publication History:

Place of Publication: Placerville, California

Frequency: One known issue

Volume and Issue Data: 1857

Size and Format: Unknown

Editor/Publisher: Unknown

Title Changes and Continuation: None

General Description and Notes:

According to Kennedy, the paper may have been humorous.

“The Scorpion was a manuscript paper which roused the ire of a contributor of the Mountain Democrat.  In a letter published in that paper on March 27, 1857, the contributor, who signed herself “Manta,” violently belabored the Scorpion.  It seems to have been a scandal sheet, published by a group of men who resented the refusal of some young women to dance with them.  If the Scorpion was any more venomous than the women who described it, it must have been one of the most poisonous papers on record.”

Information Sources:

Bibliography:  Kennedy, Newspapers of California North Mines, 524

Locations: Unknown

The Plain Dealer (NC, 1857 or 1858)

July 16, 2011

Roy Alden Atwood 1857, Alphabetical Order, Images, North Carolina, P, School Newspapers, United States Leave a comment

The Plain Dealer (NC, 1857 or 1858)

Publication History:

Place of Publication: Wake Forest College, Winston-Salem, NC

Frequency:  Unknown

Volume and Issue Data:  No dates, but from dates found, it is from an issue of about 1857 or 1858.

Size and Format:  Only 2 pages remain–no cover page.

Editor/Publisher: Unknown

Title Changes and Continuation:  The Student?

General Description and Notes:

“The Plain Dealer” was the forerunner of the “Student“.  Printing was done with a pen, very neatly, and very readable.

Information Sources:

The Plain Dealer (NC, 1857 or 1858)

Bibliography:  “A Leaf from the “Plain Dealer.”  The Wake Forest Student, April 1905, XXIV No. 7, pp.483-485.

Locations:  University Archives, Z. Smith Reynolds Library, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC

Noilpum (CA, 1857-1858)

July 16, 2011

Roy Alden Atwood 1857, Alphabetical Order, California, California Gold Rush Papers, Frontier Papers, Humor Papers, N, United States Leave a comment

Publication History:

Place of Publication:  Hay Fork, Trinity County, California (ca. 1857-1858)

Frequency:  Unknown

Volume and Issue Data:  Unknown

Size and Format:  Unknown

Editor/Publisher:  Unknown (Isaac Cox?)

Title Changes and Continuation:  Unknown

General Description and Notes:

Kennedy notes that “except for a manuscript paper called the Noilpum, published at Hay Fork, all of Trinity County’s early newspapers were printed at Weaverville.  At most, only a very few copies may have been produced, and none are extant.

Isaac Cox reported in his history of Trinity County published in 1858,

We have named the “Noilpum” without spreading ourselves into explanatory easings, but now it comes.  It is the Hay Fork newspaper, an institution to absorb and assimilitate the literary exudations not otherwise provided for; a newspaper which, if presented to a Faust or Guttenberg of our day, would soon learn to know the “devil,” which again in all probability would cause relief in the tar and pitch market, the only operators in that commodity at present being the brokers of the squaw boudoirs.  The Noilpum is a goodly paper, and though it advocates the Administration in order not to hurt its books, would go dead downright for Jackson and Douglas in the question of “honest opinion.”   A paper is “ably” conducted, knowing nothing of Hoe and Co.’s Mammoth Cylinder, Anti-Friction, anti, etc. presses, or any other sleight-of-hand exponent of public greasing, being thus thrown back on pen and ink, will naturally get muddy and greasy enough to answer to the “mudsill” call and the pet name of printers’ cordiality, “dirty sheet.”  We may guess now you know what the “Noilpum” is.

Kennedy speculates that the Noilpum may have been a humorous paper (despite the lame attempt at humor above).

Information Sources:                        

Bibliography:  Isaac Cox, The Annals of Trinity County (San Francisco:  Commercial Book and Job Steam Printing, 1858), 125;  Chester P. Kennedy, “Newspapers of the California Northern Mines, 1850-1860–A Record of Life, Letters and Culture,” unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Stanford, 1949, pp. 30-31, 39, 289, 574-75, and 603)

Locations:  None located

Evening Star (IL, 1857)

June 20, 2011

Roy Alden Atwood 1857, Alphabetical Order, E, Illinois, Organization Newspapers, School Newspapers, United States Leave a comment

Publication History: 

Place of Publication: Wheaton, Illinois

Frequency:   Unknown

Volume and Issue Data:  Vol. 1, no. 3

Size and Format: Unknown

Editor/Publisher:  Student Lyceum League (later known as the Beltionian Literary Society), Wheaton College

Title Changes and Continuation: Unknown

General Description and Notes:

Illinois’ oldest literary society.

Information Sources:

Bibliography: None

Locations:  Special Collections, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL

The Casket (MA, 1857)

June 20, 2011

Roy Alden Atwood 1857, Alphabetical Order, C, Massachusetts, Organization Newspapers, United States, Youth Papers Leave a comment

Publication History:

Place of Publication: Boylston, Massachusetts

Frequency: Unknown

Volume and Issue Data:  1857

Size and Format: Unknown

Editor/Publisher: Unknown

Title Changes and Continuation: Unknown

General Description and Notes:

Amateur Newspaper, written with pen or pencil.

Information Sources:

Bibliography: None

Link: The American Antiquarian Society, Amateur Newspapers Collection

Locations:   American Antiquarian Society, Worcester,  MA

Beltionian Review (IL, 1857-?)

June 20, 2011

Roy Alden Atwood 1857, Alphabetical Order, B, Illinois, Organization Newspapers, United States Leave a comment

Publication History:

Place of Publication:  Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois

Frequency: Unknown

Volume and Issue Data:  4 years of copies (no dates given)

Size and Format: Unknown

Editor/Publisher:  Beltionian Literary Society

Title Changes and Continuation: “Sister” publication The Evening Star (produced by the Student Lyceum League, Wheaton College); extant copy: Vol. 1, No. 3.

General Description & Notes:

The Beltionian Literary Society located at Wheaton College, was preceded by the Student Lyceum League.  The Society was established in 1857 and functioned until 1958.

Information Sources:

Bibliography: None

Locations:  http://a2z.my.wheaton.edu/literary-societies/beltionian-literary-society; Special Collections, Wheaton College Archives, Wheaton, IL

The Bark Shanty Times (MI, ca. 1857)

June 20, 2011

Roy Alden Atwood 1857, Alphabetical Order, B, Community Papers, Michigan, United States Leave a comment

Publication History:

Place of Publication:  Bark Shanty or Port Sanilac, Michigan

Frequency:  Unknown

Volume and Issue Data: In the papers of Uri Urich Raymond, 1857-1883

Size and Format:  “Foolscap size and numbers about 200 pages”

Editor/Publisher:  Multiple, Uri Urich Raymond was a contributor

Title Changes and Continuation:  Port Sanilac Times

General Description & Notes:

According to a transcription produced by Cathi B. Campbell in 2005, Oliver Raymond (relative of Uri Urich Raymond) give a brief history of the town, key settlers and the paper: “Bark Shanty was the original name for Port Sanilac, and the Times was the first institution for the public weal. No types or presses were needed to conduct this enterprise; it was self executing and the editor was not howling continually for the subscribers to pay up. The community in general took a hand in editing the paper but Mr. U. Raymond acted as janitor and property man, though he disclaims any responsibility for its publications. He simply allowed blank writing paper to remain on the counter of his store and any and all were at liberty to write anything they chose and the public were at equal liberty to go and read without money and without price. As the pages were written they were sewed together. It is of foolscap size and numbers about 200 pages.”[emphasis added]

The book, Michigan: A Guide to the Wolverine State (1941), has a description of the paper and explanation of its role in the community (available through Google Books)

Information Sources:

Bibliography: Michigan: A Guide to the Wolverine State (Michigan Administrative Board, 1941), p. 458.

Locations:  Manuscript Holdings, Bentley Historical Library, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Library of Congress entry: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn97070569/

The Algona Bee (IA, 1857-1858)

June 20, 2011

Roy Alden Atwood 1857, A, Alphabetical Order, Frontier Papers, Images, Iowa, United States Leave a comment

The Algona Bee (IA, 1858)

Publication History:

Place of Publication:  Algona (Kossuth County), Iowa (ca. 1857-1858)

Frequency:  Weekly; irregular

Volume and Issue Data:  Vol. 1, No. 1, Dec. 21, 1857 (note:  another date, Jan. 8th, 1858 is marked out above the Dec. 21 entry)

Size and Format:  8 1/2 x 11 inches; two columns

Editor/Publisher:  Franklin McCoy; Algona Reading Club (et al.?)

Title Changes and Continuation:  Unknown

General Description & Notes:

The Bee was apparently produced by the Algona Reading Club, identified as editors and proprietors (see Vol. 1, No. 8, Feb. 8, 1858).  This number lists the paper’s office at “the wickeup No. 1 West State St. immediately West of the Post Office,” and identifies Franklin McCoy as “publisher.”  However, other pages (many of which are almost illegible) mention an “editress.”

The paper contains poetry, anecdotes, editorials and short story items.  The clear difference in handwriting style and script size between the numbers suggests at least two different writers were responsible for the paper’s production.  The first issue opens with the following introductory editorial:

“We are happy to present to our friends this first number of ‘The Bee’ as the first paper published in this ‘little world of Algona,’ and tho [sic] now small and may-be insignificant in the eyes of many–still we have sanguine hopes that it will thrive–and before many years stand the first and oldest among our village papers.  A person when first starting in an enterprise like this feels rather delicately.  Many fears arise wether [sic] the paper will suit the readers.  Knowing there are as many minds as persons and also knowing, that unless all these minds are satisfied, we are the losers, we feel still more anxiety than we would otherwise.

“The Bee is intended to be strictly a neutral paper.  We shall strive to please all by offending none.  It will abound in wit and humor–be graced with sound intellectual studies and pleasing stories–have all the news of the day–we hope none of the gossip [original emphasis].  We have able correspondents for the Bee who will favour it with their productions from time to time.  A few advertisements will be inserted just to help pay expenses.  We have tried to tell you imperfectly however what we shall strive to make the Bee, and we humbly beg our friends to stand by us and not allow it to sink into obscurity as the paper in our neighboring community has done.”

The Feb. 8, 1858 issue says, “The Bee is published weekly, but if the stories do not improve soon it will be published only Semi Occasionally.”  The editor also notes that “Business cards of not more than five lines in length published for the sake of the fun, flair and fancy.  Job work neatly executed upon reasonable terms.”

Information Sources:

Bibliography:  None

Locations:  Harvey Ingham Papers, Vol. 2, Box 2, Iowa State Historical Society, Des Moines, IA

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