Shark fishing and Uncle Sam tale in old notes
A fishers diary describes shark fishing off Great Point with gear and peril, including catching and hoisting a large shark, oil livers, and jaws sold for manure and visitors. The passage shifts to a historical note about the nickname Uncle Sam, how Elbert Anderson’s provisions were labeled E A U 8, and how workmen popularized the joke, spreading nationwide with the onset of war.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Great Point
Sica
Uncle Sam
United States
Fathes
England
Elbert Anderson
New York
Troy
Hudson
Messrs
Ebenezer
Samuel Wilson
Uncle
Uncle Sam” Wilson
Words of Wisdom From Purity and Behavior
A fractured and partial excerpt reflects on morals and social conduct. The text critiques trust, virtue, and influence of bad company, with tangled phrases suggesting caution in judgment and the dangers of impure air and weak appeals.
Japan Population and Growth in Modern Era
A historical overview notes Japan's area of about 155000 square miles and a 33,625,678 population surpassing the U.S. census of 1860. It observes high island population density, compares with New York and neighboring states, and highlights Japan's industrious shift toward Western civilization and planned industrial exhibitions inviting American manufacturers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Japan
United States
New York
Pennsylvania
Delaware
Maryland
Ohio
Union
Hornet-Proof Lad Of Fritztown
In Fritztown Pennsylvania a man nicknamed Tommy is said to be immune to bee and hornet stings. He can remove honey from hives, disrupt bumblebees and destroy hornet nests without flinching, even when swarmed by insects. He empties hornet nests by shaking them from the opening.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Fritztown
Tommy
Portrait of a Ruthless Campaign Rampage in the Tunja Valley
An eye witness describes 5 000 to 6 000 regulars under heavy fire while Circassians and Bashi Bazouks loot and massacre Turkish villagers. He details a village turned to ruins near Suleiman Pacha’s headquarters, with women and the elderly killed and a mass of plunder headed toward Adrianople.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Suleiman Pacha
Tunja
Turkey
Eski Saghra
Yeni Saghra
Armanis
Albania
Thessaly
Smyrna
Alexandria
Lebannon
Palmyra
Aidin
Adrianople
Philippopolis
A Trying Ordeal And Burning Betrothal Customs
The article narrates a brutal bridal test described by a Bey from Aleppo where a bridegroom’s pain determines his fate. It recalls Captain Burnsby and references a St. Louis artesian well reaching 3,200 feet. The tale contrasts harsh rites with the inevitability of marriage.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Alpo
Captain Burnsby
Khiva
Asia
Aleppo
Iwan
Bey
Sean
St. Louis
Lucky Journalist Marries Widow of Wealthy Railroad Magnate
A New York journalist, noted for Bohemian charm, attended a railroad opening and befriended a widowed magnate’s wife. After months, he proposed and married her, later learning she possessed 1.75 million in securities. He refused to take the money, suggesting it be settled for their joint use. They sailed to Europe, and he wrote from Vevay Switz claiming happiness and praising his wife and the location.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York
Himssl
Destiny
Ageado
Europe
Vevay
Switzerland
Tomb of Peter the Great on an island fortress
An article describes the Neva island fortress and the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul crowned by a slender gilded spire with an angel and cross. It notes Peter the Great’s remains in marble caskets with Catherine the Great, Alexander I, and Nicholas. Nearby Peter the Great’s cottage displays his boat and jeweled image from Poltava.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Neva
St. Peter and St. Paul
Russia
Peter the Great
Catharine the Great
Alexander I
Nicholas
Peter
Poltava
Untitled fragment on Brass Helgiom living and a cart
A fragmentary note describes a method of making a living in Brass Helgiom. It mentions a person with a cart containing items, and a reference to a process or route, but the text is garbled and unclear about specifics.
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!