Image Courtesy of Earnest Archives and Library

April 7, 1866, was a cold and dreary spring day in a part of Philadelphia known as the “Neck.” Nevertheless, members of the Christopher Dearing family were excited for they were to be visited by cousin Elizabeth Dolan. In the morning, Christopher Dearing readied the family rig to go retrieve Dolan. Before he left, Dearing sent Cornelius Carey, his seventeen-year-old indentured servant, and hired-hand Anton Probst into the fields with their work assignments. Confident that his orders would be met, Dearing bade his family farewell. When he said goodbye to his wife Julia and their children, he could not have known it was the last time he would see his family alive.

More than 100 years later, the 'great mystery' of the vanished USS Cyclops remains unsolved

One hundred years ago Wednesday morning, the USS Cyclops, a massive American World War I transport ship hailed as a "floating coal mine," should have been docked in the waters off Baltimore, fresh off a journey from Brazil.

 Early Use of “Bug” by Edison Makes Rare Appearance

                                                                                                                     Photo courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries

New York—Swann Galleries will offer an auction of Autographs on Thursday, March 22, featuring vestiges of history spanning the thirteenth to twentieth centuries. Revolutionary Americana makes up a significant portion of the auction’s pre-sale estimate, as do letters by scientists and some of humanity’s greatest luminaries.

Leading the sale is a 1778 letter signed by George Washington, as Commander-in-Chief, to General James Clinton. From his headquarters in Fredericksburg, Virginia, he discusses preparations for the Sullivan Expedition against Loyalists and enemy Iroquois in western New York and Pennsylvania. The letter carries an estimate of $25,000 to $35,000.

            Revolutionary Americana continues with a letter signed by Thomas Jefferson as Governor to Major-General Nathanael Greene, reporting on February 17, 1781 that he has ordered more than 1,000 riflemen to join him against the British General Cornwallis ($15,000 to $25,000), and a 1772 letter by the treacherous Benedict Arnold, at $3,000 to $4,000.

            The earliest item in the sale is a manuscript charter on vellum by William, the Bishop of Coventry, granting a church to an abbey in Cheshire in 1222, replete with the pendant Episcopal wax seal of William Cornhill, carrying an estimate of $3,500 to $5,000. Another early highlight is a 1470 document signed by Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy to Johann IV of Nassau, at the height of his powers and concerning his ongoing military campaigns across Europe, valued at $3,000 to $4,000. Additional European historical autographs include a letter that mentions the burning of Whitehall in 1689, fifteenth-century vellum legal decrees and various royal missives.  

                                       Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries

      Cephas Breed (1820-1917) was a native of western New York. Frustrated by the farming life, he enrolled as an adult in Geneva Medical College in 1847 and graduated in 1850, then traveled widely in the west and south in search of a suitable place to practice medicine or teach school. Among his stops were Richland, IL; St. Louis; Alexandria and Shreveport, LA; Cincinnati; Harrison, IN; and many more. In Paw Paw, MI, he found work at a pharmacy: "I made a mistake and dealt out tartar emetic for cream of tartar. . . . They mad some biscuits with it for supper. All 8 in number who ate supper . . . were immediately taken very sick with vomiting and purging" (30 September 1851).

Canoe unearthed by Hurricane Irma could be hundreds of years old

A Florida photographer on an early-morning bike ride the day after Hurricane Irma ravaged the coast stumbled upon an exciting find: a dugout canoe that may be hundreds of years old, according to officials.

5 killed in Salem witch hunt remembered on 325th anniversary

Five women targeted in the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts are being remembered on the 325th anniversary of their hangings.Salem and Danvers are holding ceremonies Wednesday.

¨     Jazz-themed programs to be presented July 14­–16

(DOVER, Del.—July 10, 2017)—The Johnson Victrola Museum, located at 375 S. New St. in Dover, Del., will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a series of programs that will take place now through the end of 2017. The museum highlights the life and achievements of Dover’s native son, Eldridge Reeves Johnson, founder of The Victor Talking Machine Company. Through machines, trademarks, recordings, objects, paintings and advertisements, the museum showcases Johnson, his company and the development of the sound-recording industry. Constructed by the State of Delaware with an endowment provided by the Johnson family, it opened to the public on Dec. 14, 1967.

During July 2017, the museum, in partnership with the Dover Public Library  and DonDel Productions, will feature six programs on the theme of jazz in honor of the 100th anniversary of the first commercially released jazz recording—Victor Records’ “Livery Stable Blues—Fox Trot” by the Original Dixieland ‘Jass’ Band. The three-day tribute to early jazz music will begin Friday, July 14 at both the Johnson Victrola Museum and the Dover Public Library with presentations, recorded music and films. At 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 15, the museum will host the DonDel Ensemble performing some of jazz music’s most memorable songs while the library will screen popular jazz films. On Sunday jazz films continue at the library.

Eclipse Phase, Second Edition RPG: Imagine a transhumanist, alien vs. predator style world being a part of a post-apocalyptic scene? This is exactly what this game is. The thing that makes this game unique are the illustrations, 3D renderings, and advanced lighting effects. Also, it has a philosophical meaning and portrays scenes that question the ethics of transhumanism. Nihilism, Utilitarianism, and Deontology take part of the story and all plays into the character’s personas or abilities. That being said, it is a table-top based RPG.

Kynseed - A Whimsical Sandbox RPG Adventure: Kynseed is a retro style sandbox RPG game. The game has some reminiscence of Runescape but also has a similar feel to sandbox games such as Minecraft. The pixel style is typical retro bit graphics and has 21st-century style game mechanics. Kynseed is well designed and can provide hours of entertainment.

The Blackwood for the Savage Worlds RPG System: A robin-hood style character, German folklore, and a well-designed mapping system is what makes this game enjoyable. However, the digital variation of the game isn’t up for sale on Kickstarter.

    Atari is known to have been a huge company in the past but in a way, they are still around. They just are not as active as they used to be. Today, I will be talking about 10 Retro Atari games you can play online at Atari.com that are known for its nostalgic. 

1. Space Invaders: Space invaders is known for its nostalgic value and its many variations. You can play Space Invaders online right now straight from Atari’s website, last I checked. As far as I known, the classic retro feel is still there. The difference is the speed and game physics is obviously going to be much higher, but it still gives the feeling of playing the game.

Image courtesy of Windsor Historical Society

     Marguerite Mills (1903-1985) was a descendant of some of the oldest Windsor, Connecticut families. Windsor holds the distinction of being "Connecticut's oldest English town." At a young age, Mills developed a deep respect and love for the town's history. She lived in the same home throughout her life. The house, located on Deerfield Road, was filled with beautiful antiques. 

       In September of 1921,  Mills joined Windsor Historical Society of Connecticut at the age of 17. She was not only one of the 100 charter members of the society, but Mills injected a vital energy. The Windsor Historical Society was formed with the objective of creating awareness among the public about various places, events, and people that share a significant part of the evolving history of Windsor. The Windsor Historical Society conducts various exhibitions, sessions, research activities, programs and interaction with those interested in preserving and interpreting Windsor’s historical records. 

      In 1925, the Lt. Walter Fyler House, thought to be one of the oldest wood-framed houses in the state, was to be demolished to make way for a gasoline station. Mills and other members made every effort to preserve the historic site which now houses the Windsor Historical Society.¹ Every year Mills analyzed reports prepared by the President of the Windsor Historical Society. The data resulted in a collection of funds raised for the construction of a fireproof building so the increasing number of collections and antiques could be safely preserved. 

                                                                      Image Courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries

Strongest Showing of Civil Rights Material Yet at

Swann Galleries’ Annual African Americana Auction

New York— On Thursday, March 30, Swann Galleries will hold an auction of Printed & Manuscript African Americana, featuring powerful ephemera both painful and uplifting from oft-overlooked chapters of American history.

            The earliest material in this annual sale relates to slavery and abolition, including an annotated early nineteenth-century bible belonging to an enslaved family ($800 to $1,200), and several letters concerning George Washington’s slaves on Mount Vernon (each $10,000 to $15,000). A copper slave badge made by Charleston silversmith John Joseph Lafar, 1824, is estimated at $8,000 to $12,000, while a vellum certificate of emancipation for a Maryland woman named Margaret Tillison, 1831, is valued at $600 to $900. Also available is the scarce 1795 edition ofBannaker’s Almanac, expected to sell between $30,000 and $40,000. There is a run of first-hand accounts of slavery written by people who had been freed, including the first edition of Solomon Northup’s Twelve Years a Slave, published in Auburn, New York in 1853 ($1,000 to $1,500).

     Women have influenced the acting and cinema sector for decades. We are well aware of many Hollywood actresses who have charmed the entire world with their beauty, elegance, and talent. Marilyn Monroe, Kate Winslet, Grace Kelly, Rita Hayworth are a few of these brilliant actresses. However, we know less about the actresses who ruled the American cinema during the early 20th century. One such beautiful and stunning actresses is Kathleen Clifford. She was an American vaudeville and Broadway stage talent and film actress during this period.

     Clifford was born on February 16. 1887 in Virginia in the United States.  Clifford’s acting career commenced on the vaudeville stages. She used to act in plays, mostly as comic relief, and was known for her impersonations of men. She was also known as “The Smartest Chap in Town” for her witty and humorous acts. Additionally, she worked in a play with a male impersonator, Bothwell Browne. Both actresses were constantly employed during those days.

     In 1907, Clifford was offered an opportunity to make her first appearance on Broadway. She accepted the offer and performed for the first time Broadway at the Lincoln Square Theatre in the J.J and Lee Schultz produced musical The Bell of London Town. Clifford was a prolific actor and as such, she appeared in many stage performances. Some of these are as follows:

• In 1911, she appeared in a musical triple bill named Hell, Temptations and Gaby at the Floies Bergere Theatre.
• During 1911-1912, she played in the original musical comedy known as Vera Violetta at the Winter Garden Theatre.
• In 1912, she performed at in the Florenz Ziengfield musical production A Winsome Window.
• In 1916, she worked in the H.H. Frazee Productions A Pair of Queens at the Longacre Theatre in which she was cast opposite the actor, Edward Abeles.

Maria Tesch – A Woman Who Made a Difference

      Today we have mobile phones to take photos on any occasion. Moreover, we can even shoot selfies while eating a pizza, driving a car [not recommended] or even while having a row with your partner. A camera has become an essential need. If this technological advancement was told to a layman living in the 1900s, he would not believe you and thought you had become crazy.

     During those days, photos were taken only on special occasions. People living in the 18^th and 19^th centuries preserved their photos. If you have gone through the photographs of your grandparents or even great-grandparents, those photos look natural, elegant and real. These photos were preserved for ages so the next generation could see and cherish their ancestor's memories. This appears contradictory to our present scenario. These days our mobile phones are loaded with selfies and photos and we delete those as soon as it has been uploaded as a "Display Picture" or "Profile Picture" on WhatsApp and Facebook respectively.

     We don’t even have to incur substantial expenses for clicking and discarding photos, and taking a photo has become a usual task. One does not require photography skills to snap picture perfect photos, thanks to the advancements in the field.  The cameras found in today’s mobile phones are comprised of advanced and dynamic features such as auto click, zoom, clarity, special effects, etc. A person from the 19^th century could not have even imagined so many remarkable improvements in the photography industry.

                  Image Courtesy of York County History Center

York County History Center

Presents Black History Month Exhibit,

Other New Displays

During the month of February the York County History Center will feature a variety of new exhibits and displays at the Historical Society Museum, Library & Archives.  Exhibits and displays will commemorate National Black History Month along with updates to the Lewis Miller Gallery, New Acquisitions display and additional temporary exhibits.

February-March:

Boy Scout Troop 11 – York’s First African-American Boy Scout Troop

     As part of National Black History Month, the History Center will be featuring a temporary exhibit of York’s first African American Boy Scout troop, Troop #11, later known as Crispus Attucks Troop 11, which was led by Joe and Mae Jenkins. The exhibit will include Troop 11 uniforms, badges, banners, and photographs.

    Troop 11 Award from the York History Center Collection

By Benjamin Truesdale, Department Head, Freeman's 

                                            Image Courtesy of Freeman's

      For a certain tribe of collectors, there is no thrill greater than diving straight into a dusty, wrecked steamer trunk, or some other such vessel, and sifting through scraps of old paper, bond certificates, postcards, photos, and any other mixed-up fragments from an earlier age. This particular bunch finds the grittiness of excavation thrilling, as such, but even more essential is the persistent hope that something intact, something coherent, may emerge from the confused shards, rubble, and ruin. The form of the found object may even be irrelevant to manuscript collectors; it could be a ledger, a sentiment album, or a marked-up, yellowed typescript. What matters instead is the discovery of unattested documentary materials, written in human hand, which transport one directly to the lived experience of the past. Most prized of all are those documents which may expand upon, or better yet push back against, otherwise commonly accepted historical narratives.

                         Happy Thanksgiving from Passed Time! Once again we turn to the scrapbook of Harry Batten of St. Georges Delaware for our holiday card. Circa 1920

     As we near the season of giving thanks, I found myself racing frantically to accomplish something. Anything. I need a win. As many of you can empathize, my time is spent juggling too many activities in days which seem to last about an hour. Recently, in a more surprising twist, I also struggled to find material to write about. For someone who finds the smallest scrap of paper interesting, this was a new one. Luckily, this gem fell into my lap. As a primary source, it my favorite source material. It is a thank you note and I am sure its timeliness is not lost on our audience. 

     In this day and age (the era of "throw it away and buy a new one"), the gift of a bulletin board might seem inconsequential. In 1938, Americans still struggled with effects of the Great Depression.  Like many small American towns across the country, Mt. Rainier, Maryland was on shaky financial footing and many of its citizens were in need.* As such, small gestures made a great impact.  

     Okay, here are the available clues to hopefully solve this mystery. (Do You Recognize Me? Where am I? Who are we? etc.)

1. The photograph

2. Two of the persons are identified on the reverse of the photograph (see below)

3. This is a Sanborn Studio photograph from Wil. Del. (see below)

Image Courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries

Fourteen Presidential Signatures on a Single Page

At Swann Galleries’ Fall Autographs Auction

New York— On Tuesday, November 1, Swann Auction Galleries will hold a sale of Autographs, with an emphasis on American political signatures in a nod to the upcoming presidential election.

            A Civil War-era album in the sale, originally signed by dozens of important political and military figures of the period, also contains an astounding page signed by fourteen U.S. presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and both Roosevelts. Additional presidential signatures—Bill Clinton, Andrew Johnson and Barack Obama—are on a following spread (Grant signed elsewhere). Other notable signers of the album include P.T. Barnum, Charles Sumner, Schuyler Colfax and George Armstrong Custer. The album was discovered in the 1950s and subsequently maintained by Manuscript Society president Herbert Klingelhofer (1915-2015). Spanning 1864 to 2010, this album is estimated to sell for $60,000 to $90,000.