Washington George

NH Newspapers Report George Washington's Death in 1799

A bound collection of New England newspapers, ca. 1797-1800, documenting the first reports of George Washington's death on December 14, 1799, as well as later accounts of his final illness, interment, and posthumous memorialization. Other topics of interest include the Adams administration, the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, and various local news stories ranging from drownings to epidemics. Promises to provide hours of enthralling reading! From the Baylies Family of Dighton, Massachusetts. This merchant family was highly influential during the American Revolution and early Federal period, and its members held various government offices.

The newspapers, issues of David Carlisle's The Farmer's Weekly Museum: Newhampshire [sic] and Vermont Journal (the name changed to Farmer's Museum or Lay Preacher's Gazette on April 1, 1799) were published on a weekly basis out of Walpole, New Hampshire. Issues ranging from April 4, 1797 to March 10, 1800 were bound in between board covers with leather wrappings. Many issues were signed with the names of former owners/subscribers: "Samuel Barnett, Esq."; "Samuel Sumner"; and "F. Salisbury". Expected moderate wear to the covers including loss to the corners, and with a fragile and weakened binding. The first few newspapers are missing pages or have folded or torn pages. Expected toning, foxing, and scattered stains commensurate with age and heavy handling. Pressed leaves and flower petals are scattered throughout. The massive volume measures 11.75" x 19" x 2.25". Elephant folio.

The Farmer's Weekly Museum was a 4-page weekly paper that featured local, national, and international news. Advertisements and notices are generally found on the first page, along with brief biographical sketches of famous persons or major news stories. The second and third pages contained domestic news under the heading "Columbian Intelligence" and world news under the heading "Foreign Intelligence". The last page was typically devoted to poetry and other miscellany.

General George Washington is mentioned at least twice in the newspapers before the first notice of his death. On December 31, 1798, the newspaper reported: "Lieutenant General Washington, having completed every martial arrangement, necessary at this crisis, has returned to Mount Vernon. The permanent army will be forthwith organized…"; and on May 20, 1799, "Gen. Washington attended personally to vote in favour of a friend to government" in the recent Virginia elections.

Washington's death was first reported on the top of page three in the newspaper's December 20, 1799 issue under the heading "Incidents at Home".

"On Wednesday last, we received the melancholy intelligence, of the sudden death of our much beloved, and universally lamented fellow citizen, General George Washington. The circumstance of a similar report being current during the last year which proved unfounded, kept the spark of hope, that this might likewise eventuate in the same manner, from being quite extinguished; till the mail of Friday brought us 'confirmation strong' of the sad event. We forbear to eulogize the virtues of the man, the high military qualifications of the general, or the distinguished abilities of the statesman. In each of these situations he has shone with meridian lustre: and the tears of his friends, and the general grief which is manifested throughout America, are testimonies of the high sense which is universally entertained of the importance of his services…He falls crowned with laurels lasting as time, and 'all his honours blushing thick upon him'".

News coverage of Washington's death continued into March 1800. In mid-January, the newspaper reported President Adams's decision to hold a state funeral procession. The services would be attended by members of Congress, the Society of Cincinnati, and the Freemasons, the report stated. In possibly one of the first printed references to the riderless horse, the report continued that the "General's Horse, with his saddle, holsters and pistols - boots in the stirrups, reversed" would appear at the event (January 13, 1800). Other memorial services/processions were held in Boston, Worcester, Charlestown, York, and New Jersey (January 27, 1800; February 3, 1800).

Information trickled in about Washington's last illness. After supervising property improvements at Mount Vernon in freezing rain, hail, and snow on December 12th, Washington complained of a severe sore throat that eventually precluded speech. His doctors applied vinegar vapors, blisters, and calomel and regularly bled the former president, but his condition only worsened. (January 13, 1800 and February 10, 1800).

Eulogies, tributes, and reminiscences of the dead president continued. On February 17, 1800, "A Brief Biographical Sketch of General Washington" appeared on the bottom of page one. Martha Washington's decision to allow Washington to be buried in the nation's capital was reported on January 27, 1800. On the bottom of page three, it is mentioned that Washington bequeathed a pair of pistols to the Marquis de Lafayette.

The newspapers are chock full of references to other significant individuals and events, including:

May 23, 1797 - Thomas Jefferson

July 24, 1797 - Marquis de Lafayette; Toussaint Louverture

October 30, 1797 - the frigate Constitution

January 16, 1798 - Tadeusz Kosciuszko

October 31, 1798 - Admiral Horatio Nelson

March 11, 1799 - Napoleon Bonaparte and his officers were falsely reported as having been assassinated at Cairo! The correction appeared a month later, on April 8, 1799.

Lastly, the newspapers provide us with an astonishingly complete portrait of late eighteenth-century New England life. Interspersed between its marriage announcements, obituaries, lost-and-found notices, and sailing news, the reader can find tantalizing references to murder, theft, suicide, drowning, fire, epidemics, severe weather events, Indian attacks, mad dogs, and the insane. Its articles and editorials cast a wider glance, reporting on revolutions, battles, slave mutinies, and piracy in Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.