The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-01-28
IS0LDNEI1|SpApERI|
Baltimore Americans Long ard
Eve1tfui History.
First Issued in IT'S, the NewsSsae.
Has Continued Without EresS
Until The Pre3sa. pay.

Many people find fascination N
old newspapers. They ike 20 read
that such and such paper is the cd
est in the country, or the first one
published III such and such q city.
And when newspaper changes own
ers, says Il writer in the Cnri>'ian
Science Monitor. it is always sure or
finding interested readers FOR the
scraps OF It's own history whicn 1t
prints along with the announcement
OF the change. Thus when Frank A.
Munsey's New York Herald. in "n-
nounc;ag recently 2tr. -ITnSey's paT-
chase Of the Baltimore American, re-
ferred to the American as "o!dcr than
the government of the United States
itse'f." and as the second eldest news
paper in America" many who saw the
item found their thoughts turning
hack to the days when newspapers
were far less common ti.an they are
today. But presumably none were
misled into taking that statement TO
indicate that the American was the
second newspaper. established in the
United States. OF course, there were
many before it.ja The Baltimore Amer
lean was first issued on August ~,
IT'S. It's founder was that William
Goddard who wasdat fhea time editor
of the Pennsylvania Chronicle of Phil
adelphia. and who, on the occasion OF
visit to Baltimore, was urged to un-
derrake q prs1ieatiea-ti there The Bal
timore American, WAS not specifically
the paper whfehs 5spAslaSd founded lin
Baltimore. ~ aasfst sjssae there %aD-
peared under the t.tle OF the Maryland
Journal and Baltimore Advertiser. and
continued Under that title until an
other Philadelph;an went to Baltimore
and. purchasing the newspapers,
changed its name to the Baltimore
American and Commercial Inteili-
eencer. Thus the name Baltimore
American first served as the heading
for the newspaper in 1T95.
But William Goddard was already
newspaper man OF demonstrated en-.
terprise and ability, even before his
experience with the Pennsylvania
Chronicle. Apparently he had served
as an editor in New York, and Ger
tsinly he had had newspaper expert
ence in Providence. r. l., where he
established TIE Providence Gazette and
Journal in 17GG2. Thus Goddard HIM
self appears to have had some coilnec-
ton with at least three newspapers
before he; ever thought Of the one
which eventually became the Ralt-
more American. And journalistic his
tory brings uD number Of newspaper
titles which were antecedant to his
Baltimore; foundation. There was the
New Englsnd group, of which the
Boston Newsletter first appeared on
April %, 17css, ard early found rivals
in the Boston Gazette, initiated De
cen,ber q, 1T19, and the New England
Courant. appearing on August Z, 1!21.
The first newspaper in the middle colo
nies. the American Mercury of Phila-
delph;a, began publication on Deeem-
ber %. 1719. The Pennsylvania Ga
zette, with which Benjamin Franlllin's
name was associated, lappearea on De
ceraber "a, 172s. Ahead Of Goddard
in Maryland. WilliaIn, Parks, who had
been made public printer there, es-
tablished the Maryland Gazette at
Annapolis, on September 10, 1927. But
the Baltimore American gained its
temporary precedence over newspapers
now in existence and claims its title
as the second Oldest in America. for
continuing issues without break from
the day, when Goddard first issued the
MARYLAND Journal in 1TT?3