Category: Politics In General

----- Benjamin Harris & Publick Occurrences . . .----

9/28/2018

Benjamin Harris was born in London in 1673, and immigrated to New England in 1686, leaving his family behind. He eventually returned to London and died in 1716. He was thoroughly anti-Catholic throughout his life.

His most notable publication The New England Primer, used in every school, made him socially influential.

With particularity, Harris attempted to publish Boston's first newspaper on September 25th, 1690, sixty years and two months after the Puritans arrived in Salem.

The Publick Occurrence . . . may well have been a most innovative publication. Here is one example; the fourth page was left blank so the readers could write their personal “news” or views before they passed the paper to neighbors. Wouldn't this be fun or scandalous today??

The initial publication detailed suicides, several hostile Indian events, health matters like small-pox, fires, citizens suffering depression, and continued to debauch the French monarch's incestual sleeping habit. Yet, one of his promises in the first and only edition was “towards the Curing, or at least the Charming of that Spirit of Lying, which prevails amongst us.”

Unfortunately, four days after the first edition, September 28, 1690, the "Governour Council" shut down the paper, based on "doubtful and uncertain Reports."

Harris was the first to lose the initiative. By 1800, over thirty-nine newspapers began and collapsed in Boston. A handful survived into the 19th Century. It was a very risky business.

References;

By rough count The Boston Public Library, microfilm records had at least 39 different newspapers for the period. I had to give up counting.

Here's a tabulation;
https://www.colonialsociety.org/publications/301/list-boston-newspapers-years-1704-1780

Massachusetts Historical Society, collection https://www.masshist.org/search?terms=newspapers&start=40&num=10 tracks many of the most influential and enduring papers.

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Local Bostonians engulfed in the unique history of our town. We enjoy walking and talking history, it is more interesting than historical fiction. We will tailor any tour to the nature of your group, college, high school/middle school, international, retirees, history buffs, general public wishing to walk beyond the Freedom Trail., Tours can be adjusted to be ADA compliant.

Date: Fri, jun 22, 2018, 3:57 pm
subject: re: walk boston history Tour
to: n>

The tour of the freedom trail with the emphasis on Paul Revere was very informative. We started at the state house and learned about its architecture. We continued through Boston Commons and past the burial grounds. We then continued to the north end and Paul Revere’s house. At each stop Mitch had many interesting and little known facts to tell us. We were surprised by the number of occupations Paul Revere had. During our walk through the north end Mitch pointed out various restaurants to eat in. The tour was about 2 miles of walking and lasted about 1 hour 45 minutes and was most enjoyable. We would definitely take another tour with Mitch in the future.
Betsy, florida

6/5/2018

Hi Sheila,

I just wanted to tell you and Mitch how very much I enjoyed today. Mitch is passion for history comes through loud and clear in his delivery.

I learned new facts about Paul Revere that I had never known before.

Mitch was so well-prepared including all of the pictures and it was obvious that heput a lot of time and effort into this tour and the presentation.

So thank you so much for the invitation
He did a great job!
leslie b, Natick

10/18/2017Hi Mitch, finally getting to say thank you for such an enjoyable day and tour of Paul Revere etc.. I truly learned so much and loved walking through so much of historic Boston! PHYLIS, nh

9/5/2017
Hi Beth,
Thanks for asking us to go on your tour, Mitch, of Boston’s historic sites. Your enthusiasm and love of history is contagious. You made history come alive. Sorry I had to leave early. I bet the tour of the North End was equally exciting! You put your all into it.
sarah r. Wellesley

6/15/2017 gxxxxen@snhu.edu Comment 6/1/2017, Your remarks about John Hancock really painted a historical image of the man.

Irishman1987
I was there that day with members of Jerusalem lodge #104 Keene NH, I am so glad I had the chance to attend this event and pay my respects.

6/3/2017 GS, SNHU,edu, Mitch your remarks about John Hancock really painted an historical image of the man.

10/15/2016 Thank you so much for the Boston Massacre Tour. I never knew it was such a complicated affair. I particularly liked the incidental historical stops about Colonial Boston. I hadn't been downtown for years. You opened up so much for me. June, Natick Ma.

----- Benjamin Harris & Publick Occurrences . . .----

The Two Grandsons of Paul Revere who Fought in the Civil War to end the Compromise with Slavery

The Roots of a surname in a Revolutionary Soldier Amos Lincoln 1753-1829 twice Paul Revere’s Son-in-Law

------The Unmasking of Mrs Silence DoGood------

John Rowe, the Colonial Merchant, May Have Been the World’s Greatest Fisherman

Abraham Lincoln & Carl Sandburg

John Hancock’s Admiralty Trials End Feb 1769

350 Years of Impressment of Sailors by the English Empire; Was it a form of Slavery?

We were Englishmen at heart but Antagonist in Law

United States vs Massachusetts Constitution

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Tours can be modified to be ADA compliant