BI 5: The Norristown Gazette 1799-1800
This relatively rare file of 32 issues of The Norristown Gazette in Norristown, Pennsylvania (from August 30, 1799 to May 23, 1800) although missing nine issues, does contain five of the six black bordered issues on the stories of George Washington's death and funeral missing only January 3, 1800. However, facsimile copies of the Ulster County Gazette for January 3, 1800 are included (see the Library of Congress bulletin). According to Clarence S. Brigham's: History and Bibliography of American Newspapers 1690 - 1820 Vol. 2, pp. 883-884, only one source, the Berks County Historical Society, has a complete file of this Gazette which was only published for one year. The American Antiquarian Society has all six issues covering Washington's death. The Library of Congress has none of those issues. The Minnesota Historical Society has only August 9, 1799. This file was discovered in 1985 and as Brigham's book was published in 1847, other files may have been unearthed.
1799
Aug. 30 Massena reports a victory on the Lower Rhine / French Council of 500 report difficulties facing the Directory / Austrians discover a huge treasure of paintings, medicines, church plate, cloth, gold bars and 40 carriages the French left / Fever in Philadelphia table of mortality (repeated each month until October when the fever left) / The Republican actions cause higher taxes / Ads: Printing apprentice wanted, runaway negro girl, The Norristown Gazette to be published early every Friday at one dollar per annum, printing for sale in German and English
Sept. 6 Letter by "A Craftsman" extolling Republicanism / If Switzerland is conquered by the French, a Bern Congress may draw up a constitution similar to the United States / French advance in Italy / Lord St. Vincent has a large fleet in the Mediterranean Sea / "A newspaper requires variety" / The Bey of Tripoli is reconciled to the United States
Sept. 13 The Directory outlines danger to France / Turin surrenders, French leave / News from Washington that there will be no Indian war / News from India that Bonaparte has invaded Egypt / An article "A Native Citizen" pleads for unanimity
Sept. 20 French and Spanish fleets at Carthagena, rumor that British fleet has engaged the enemy / There is hope that the fever has abated in Philadelphia / The article "To the People": our liberties threatened by the address "Live Free or Die" published in the Norristown Gazette and the Philadelphia Aurora
Sept. 27 Riots in Dublin / Allies victories put France in turmoil / In Hayti, Touissant is in a war of extermination / A juror refuses to serve on Saturday
Oct. 4 Qualifications for a Chief Magistrate / Tippoo defeated / French driven out of Italy / British fleet take Surinam / French and Spanish fleets at sea / American Envoys to go to France / In Philadelphia, health has improved / English Indemnity treaty gone
Oct. 11 Details of the French evacuation of Italian cities / French have taxed Europe heavily / Surrender of Mantua / Poem: Bachelor's Wish / Anecdote: An Indian tasting Madeira wine thought it was made of a woman's tongue and a Lion's heart as he could talk forever and fight the Devil / Article on cards and card-players
Oct. 18 Russia sending 300,000 troops to the Rhine / Tsar declares war on Spain, a French ally / French defeat Austrians / Riots France / Dutch surrender to English / Bonaparte still in Egypt / Tippoo Saib is captured / News from Trenton that there are indictments for treason / 763 Philadelphians died of fever last month but since the city is healthier, casualty reports will cease
Oct. 25 Details on the battle of Novi that the British won / Turkey is at war with Spain / Massena take St. Gotthard / General Joubert dies replaced by Champoint as Commander-in-Chief of the Italian army / Fresh French troops drive into Germany / Dutch fleet surrenders to the British / "Touissant victorious" / German almanacs for sale / Poem on anger / An oration in praise of drunkenness
Nov. 1 is missing
Nov. 8 Generals Grouchy and Perogon were lost at the battle of Novi / Insurrection at Paris / Rumor that Russia is at war with Prussia / France is in turmoil / President Adams wants to resume trade with St. Domingo / Adams investigating detention of American ships by the British / Americans capture two French privateers / During the fever epidemic in Philadelphia, robbers took advantage of families leaving the city and stole furniture from houses and goods from a grocer / Anecdote: A farmer tells a young thief, when asked about his crop, that he grows hemp for rope to be used in hangings
Nov. 15 Rumor: French defeated at Heidelberg / Dutch surrender to English / French threaten civilians / 70,000 English and Russian forces in Holland / The people of the Mississippi Territory state grievances / Yellow fever in New Orleans / 114-year-old man the father of triplets, the littlest is 12 pounds / Tippoo is dead, Seringopatam taken / Poem "To God"
Nov. 22 Allies take Egypt, French lose battle of Aboukir / Pope Pius VI dies / Bernadotte on a secret mission / Prussia wants peace / Bombardment of Philipsburg / Prussia will not enter war / French cross the Rhine / French cutting the dikes in Holland / Louis XV's daughter dies / Oliver Ellsworth and William Davis are envoys to France
Nov. 29 Official account of the victory at Seringopatam / French advance in Alps / Rebels being rounded up in France / Riot in Rhedy / Mentz sets a curfew / 104-year-old man volunteers for French army / Russian ports are closed to Danish ships / Losses on lower Elbe
Dec. 6 Bombay: news from Seringopatam (last May) / Magazine blows up in Milan / Bonaparte may leave Egypt / Philipsburg burned / Tortona captured / The boundary between Georgia and Florida is disputed by the United States, Spain, England and the Indians / Rumor: peace between France and Prussia / French fleet off of Ireland, martial law in Waterford and Tipperary counties / In Dublin smuggler taken / President Adams addresses Congress
Dec. 13 Allies lift siege of Philipsburg / General Hotze killed in French victory / English victories in Holland / Village of Kosduk burned / French fleet is near the northern counties of Ireland that are in rebellion / Ads: Farming man wanted, turkeys for sale / Anecdote: Prussian King asks three questions
Dec. 20 * Black-bordered * Governor-Elect Thomas McKean thanks voters for their support / Extract from General Washington's letter: root out dangerous enemies / French victories in Holland / Bonaparte is at Corsica / (black bars) "We have the painful task to announce to our readers, that the Father, the Deliverer of our Country, George Washington is no more! - Panegyric and Eulogy cease here to be eloquent - the inexpressible sensations of the heart of a true American, can alone do the melancholy event justice. - This mournful scene took place on the 14th instant at 11 o'clock in the evening - it was occasioned by an inflammatory affection of the throat, which did not last 24 hours" / Poem "Address to Peace"
Dec. 27 * Black-bordered * Sir Charles Hamilton in Holland / {Washington's death} Columbia's Urn: Marshall - "First in war, first in peace, first in the heart's of his countrymen / Tributes from President Adams, Tobias Lear, etc. / Government resolutions / Funeral procession in Georgetown / Funeral at Mt. Vernon "The Son of Glory was set forever / Lavater massacred in Zurich / Poem on benevolence
1800
Jan 3 Two Ulster County Gazette reproductions - * Black-bordered * Much the same news as in the Norristown Gazettes
Jan. 3 is missing
Jan. 10 * Black-bordered * Notice: Bricks stolen / Great plague in Barbary / French victory in Strasburg / Napper tandy affair / Sugar from beets / Bonaparte cheered in Paris / Columbia's Urn: Senate resolutions (Henry Lee) / Funeral procession in Richmond, Virginia / New-York funeral procession and oration by Governor Morris / Mourning in Baltimore / Poem: Elegy on the Death of General George Washington
Jan. 17 * Black-bordered * Napper Tandy / The pope's burial in Rome was resisted by the French / French victories in Italy / Cornwallis will retire as Lord Lieutenancy of Ireland / Bonaparte in Berlin/ Columbia's Urn: Correspondence between President Adams and Martha Washington / Washington's will / Adams declare February 22 as a holiday for Washington / Freed slave gives thanks / Ads: Black Horse tavern for sale / Poem on the death of Washington
Jan. 24 * Black-bordered * French leave Rome / French may invade Ireland / Napper Tandy is delivered to English, such action is denounced / Nelson sails to Genoa's coast / Bonaparte has overturned the Republican government / A triumvirate is formed /Assassination attempt Bonaparte fails / Rumor that George III has died / Columbia's Urn: Pottsgrove holds funeral for Washington / Death of Thomas Mifflin / Poem on Life
Jan. 31 Two forts now in Savannah / American ship strikes to French / Bonaparte's Proclamation / Please pay for your paper / (black bars) Mifflin's death / Poem "Unanimity for all Americans"
Feb. 7 Speech of Lucien Bonaparte / Paris tranquil / French piracy and murder / Melancholy accident, children killed / The miseries of war / French may release American prisoners / Bonaparte may set up a government that resembles that of the United States
Feb. 14 Governor Thomas McKean's message to Pennsylvania legislature / France may restrain privateers / New French government to have three Consuls / The University of Pennsylvania to sell a house in Norristown / Road repairs / Virginia will select presidential electors by popular vote / Treasury report
Feb. 21, Feb. 28, Mar. 7, and Mar. 14 missing
Mar. 21 In England, a bookseller transported for libel / Royalist conspiracies in Toulouse / Indian Talk from the Cherokees: Cowasso asks that his plea be put into newspapers / French riots / French privateer captures an American ship / In Nicaragua, British officers on half pay to enter the service of the United States / The establishment of schools / A book written in 946 predicts the French Revolution / Luxury and avarice allegory "Vows" anecdote / "No news at all"
Mar. 28 The new French Constitution calls for Supreme Consul, Tribunate, Conservatory and Legislature / French losses / American ship Taunton clashes with French near Barbados / A duel is not mortal / New territory tries to attract settlers / Poem: Desperate Negro
Apr. 4 Correspondence between Bonaparte, the First Consul, and the British Government in an attempt to find peace after eight years of war / Tragic shipwreck / Truxton's defeat / Jefferson issues orders to detain William Duane, publisher of the Aurora in Philadelphia, for libel against the Senate / Poem "Crazy Jane"
Apr. 11 English victory at Coni / Appears that Bonaparte has left the army in great debt / Russia has 20,000 French prisoners and refuses to exchange Napper Tandy / British take American ship and impress the crew / War situation reviewed / Duane has absconded with nine libel suits pending / More libel suits / Fire in Reading, PA / Union of England and Ireland / Murder of Julia Elanore Sands / Warsaw is desolate / Story of a woman who became a British sailor / A man complains to Governor McKean after being dismissed from office
Apr. 18 The French Republic -One - Indivisible / Correspondence between Bonaparte and Sultan Tippoo Saib / Tribute to Washington / French victories in Near East / Lord Elgin arrives in Egypt / French capture American schooner, but ship is recaptured by Americans who also take four French privateers / Message from Bonaparte / Levi Weeks, defended by Burr, declared not guilty of Julia Sands murder / French have 140 privateers near Guadeloupe that take many American ships / A curious case of war / Anecdote of Whitefield / The horse President will cover
Apr. 25 is missing
May 2 Turks capture French supply train / Bonaparte orders mourning for Washington / Irishmen duel / Vienna refuses French overtures / Bowles surprised in West Florida "Georgia obliged to Florida for ridding them of this pest to society" / Attempt to poison Priestley / Poem on death
May 9 American ship claims / King George trying for peace with Germany / Large British fleet sails from Torbay / London fire / Conspiracy in Venice / Fever in New-Jersey / Switzerland conditions deplorable / Court cases / Anecdote similar to a Lincoln story / Riddle
May 16 Our Commissioners are well received in Paris / Bonaparte's peace efforts / Admiral Nelson in the Mediterranean Sea / "The Culture of the Vine" / American ship fights off French privateer / Presidential Proclamation to remit restraint on Hispanola trade / "To make a Fashionable Lady"
May 23 Turks have driven the French away / 11,000 people are in poverty in Liverpool / Bernadotte is made a Lt. General / Miradeau's widow dies / Distressful conditions in Switzerland / Alexandria buildings are struck by lightning / Admiral Pellew captures an American ship / Jacquemel captures Touissant's forces, yet other accounts say that Touissant is successful / Fatal duel / Man and wife with 19 children receive 300 acres to raise their large family / Advertise for settlers to live on the Scioto River / Anecdote: Rheumatism and Stupidity / Article on agriculture / Ads: Distillers
For questions, please contact Dr. Doug Cumming