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Sunday, November 5, 2023

September 21 News - 1897 – Francis P. Church responds to a letter to the editor that is known as the famous "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" letter.

Welcome to our blog, where we embark on a captivating journey through time, exploring the rich tapestry of history and genealogy.  In this edition, we'll delve into the treasure trove of historical news articles dated September 21, unearthing stories that resonate with genealogists and history enthusiasts alike.  From local happenings to global events, we'll uncover the stories that shaped the lives of our ancestors, providing valuable insights for those on a quest to discover their roots.  So, grab your magnifying glass and step into the past as we unravel the September 21 historical headlines that may hold the missing pieces of your family's history puzzle.
    Preston, Connecticut, USA (Poquetanuck)

    1918 - PRESTON TO DECIDE ON FREE TEXT BOOKS


    The town of Preston is in the throes of the free school books question and will settle it by a vote of the towns people at the annual town meeting next Monday night.

    A prominent citizen of the town who has interested himself in the pros and cons of the question outlined some fo these on Friday as follows:

    First. One hundred and thrity-five towns out of the 168 in Connecticut have already adopted this system. Fifteen states in the United States have made the furnishing of text books... Read MORE...

    Norwich Bulletin -  Norwich, Connecticut -  September 21, 1918
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    Dr. Price's Delicious Flavoring Extract of True Vanilla

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    Manhattan, New York, USA (New York City) (New Amsterdam) (Washington Heights)

    1897 - September 21 – Francis P. Church responds to a letter to the editor that is known as the famous "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" letter. (wikipedia)


    "DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
    "Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
    "Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
    "Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

    "VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
    "115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

    VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia,... Read MORE...

    The Sun -  New York, New York -  September 21, 1897
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    1800s Cooking Tips and Recipes



    KISS PUDDING

    One quart of milk, four tablespoons of 1883 Texas Cookbookcornstarch, mixed with a little cold milk, and five eggs.

    Beat the yolks of the eggs with one cup of sugar and the corn starch. Put in the milk and let it boil until it...Read MORE...



    The First Texas Cookbook, 1883

    1938 - Sept. 21 - The Great Hurricane brought terror to large parts of New England and Long Island


    A great hurricane smashed into Long Island and bisected New England causing a massive forest blow down and widespread flooding. Winds gusted to 186 mph at Blue Hill MA, and a storm surge of nearly thirty feet caused extensive flooding along the coast of Rhode Island. The hurricane killed 600 persons and caused 500 million dollars damage. The hurricane, which lasted twelve days, destroyed 275 million trees. Hardest hit were Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Long Island NY. The ""Long ... Read MORE...

    WeatherForYou.com
    September 21, 1938
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    Howland Photographer
    74 Fountain Square
    Cincinnati, O.

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    1938 - Sept. 21 - The Great Hurricane brought terror to large parts of New England.


    A great hurricane smashed into Long Island and bisected New England causing a massive forest blow down and widespread flooding. Winds gusted to 186 mph at Blue Hill MA, and a storm surge of nearly thirty feet caused extensive flooding along the coast of Rhode Island. The hurricane killed 600 persons and caused 500 million dollars damage. The hurricane, which lasted twelve days, destroyed 275 million trees. Hardest hit were Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Long Island NY. The "Long... Read MORE...

    WeatherForYou.com
    September 21, 1938
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    1800s Advice and Etiquette for Men



    Though her suspicions be perfectly groundless; though they be wild as the dreams of madmen; though they may present a mixture of the furious and ridiculous, still they are to be treated with the greatest lenity and...Read MORE...



    The Young Husband’s Book, 1837
    Clinton, Massachusetts, USA

    1896 - Dynamite Exploded in Water-Works Aqueduct at Clinton


    FOUR MEN KILLED, ONE BADLY HURT.
    Dynamite Exploded in Water-Works Aquaduct at Clinton.

    Four men were killed and one was fatally injured by an explosion of dynamite in the tunnel of shaft No. 2. Metropolitan water-works aqueduct, at Clinton, Saturday afternoon. The dead are ANDREW KELLY, 35, of Jersey City; JAMES PERRY, colored, 30, of North Carolina; SPENCER BURDEN, colored, 30, of Mississippi; WILLIAM GREEN, colored, 27, of Apple Grove, Va. The injured man is James Foley, 38, of Homestead, ... Read MORE...

    The Fitchburg Sentinel -  Fitchburg, Massachusetts -  September 21, 1896
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    Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA (Marlboro)

    1827 - ACCIDENT.


    In Marlborough on Wednesday last, as the workmen were raising the frame of a building designed for an Academy and Masonic Hall, an accident occurred of very painful consequences. When the whole frame except the roof had been raised, there were eleven persons standing on the roof. In this situation, the support of the beam gave way, and the beam broke and fell, precipitating the whole eleven into the cellar; in falling, the beam was broken and shattered into several pieces. Five of these persons ... Read MORE...

    Salem Gazette -  Salem, Massachusetts -  September 21, 1827
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    Belchertown, Massachusetts, USA

    1843 - Giant Cow


    Ira Fenton, of Belchertown, Mass., has raised a Durham cow, which is now eight years old, and weighs 1740 pounds. On the 29th of May she brought a calf, and the owner had the curiosity to measure her bag, it was two feet in depth, two feet in length, and eighteen inches in width! The calf was then put upon one side, and 90 pounds of milk taken from the other side at the same time. After the calf had done, 21 1-2 pounds more were taken from that side! - Twenty-four highly respectable citizens of ... Read MORE...

    genealogybank.com
    Emancipator -  New York -  September 21, 1843
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    1886  September 21 - Three Deaths at New Vineyard
    FARMINGTON, Sept. 20. Capt. Leonard Hackett, eighty-five years old, Hannah Wilcox, sixty-five, and Jonathan Look, jr., aged forty-four, all died Saturday in the neighboring town of New Vineyard, suddenly. The first named was one of the oldest citizens in town and had been a member of the Legislature at one time.

    Bangor Daily Whig and Courier
    Bangor, Maine

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    1784  September 21 - The Nation's First Daily Newspaper Began Publication
    The nation's first daily newspaper, the Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser, began publication on September 21, 1784. Many independent newspapers ran before that on a weekly or monthly basis. America's first independent newspaper, the New England Courant, was published by Benjamin Franklin's older brother in 1721. By the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775, there were 37 independent newspapers to keep the colonists informed.
    www.americaslibrary.gov

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    1947  September 17–September 21 – The 1947 Fort Lauderdale Hurricane in southeastern Florida, and also in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana causes widespread damage and kills 51 people.

    wikipedia.org

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    1878  How a Hat Saved a Life
    MAJ. RUBE ALLEN, Com. Vanderbilt's favorite veteran engineer of the Central Road, a man of giant stature, with a brave heart, which is as tender as a woman's, had a new hat for one of the freight brakeman of the road when he can find the right man. One day last week he was coming to Utica, drawing an express train. Just as he approached one of the small stations he saw the foreman of a section gang standing sideways in the middle of the passenger track, apparently watching a passing freight...
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    St Joseph Herald
    Saint Joseph, Michigan

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    1878  A Little Traveler
    The passengers by the through Intercolonial train from St. John, N.B. to Montreal, which arrived at Bonaventure Station this morning, was very much interested in a little girl about seven years of age, who was traveling alone, friends having placed her aboard the train at St. John on Tuesday night, and left her to the tender mercies of passengers. She was very neatly dressed, and had a white pasteboard card tightly sewed to the left shoulder of her jacket, upon which was written in a neat,...
    Read MORE...


    St Joseph Herald
    Saint Joseph, Michigan

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    1896  Big Blaze at Oswego.
    OSWEGO, N. Y., Sept. 21. - At an early hour yesterday morning fire destroyed the entire plants of the Silver Metal company and the Seliger Toothill Novelty company, together with the three-story block of Timoth Donovan and the houses of Patrick Murray and William Grant. The loss will probably aggregate $100,000. Two hundred and fifty hands are thrown out of employment.

    North Adams Transcript
    North Adams, Massachusetts

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    1896  Big Plant is Burned
    Berlin, N. H. Sept. 21 - The lumber mills, cabinet factory, grist mills and considerable lumber, owned by the Berlin Manufacturing company, were destroyed by fire Saturday night. The burned buildings covered a large area the railroad depot. A large number of men will be thrown out of employment. The loss is about $50,000, and is partially covered by insurance. The fire caught near the engine room, probably from a hot box.

    The Fitchburg Sentinel
    Fitchburg, Massachusetts

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    1893  September 21 - First Gasoline-Powered Automobile
    The first successful gasoline-powered automobile was perfected by Charles and Frank Duryea in Springfield. September 21 – Brothers Charles and Frank Duryea drive the first gasoline-powered motorcar in America on public roads in Springfield, Massachusetts.
    www.e-referencedesk.com/ resources/state-history-timeline/ massachusetts.html

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    1875  September - Twelve inches of snow fell Friday, at Riviere du Loup, P. Q., doing great damage to fruit and shade trees.


    St. Albans Daily Messenger
    St. Albans, Vermont

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    1870  Boiler Explosion at Auburn - A Building Demolished and One Man Killed
    AUBURN, N. Y., Sept. 20. - The steam boiler in T. R. STALKER's planing-mill exploded at 6 o'clock this morning completely demolishing the large brick building in which it was located, and badly damaging other buildings in the immediate vicinity. The foreman having charge of the engine was buried in the ruins, and taken out dead, being scalded from head to foot. His name was JAMES HAMILTON. The boiler was of twenty-horse power. The total damage will reach $15,000.

    The New York Times
    New York, New York

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    America - Did you know?

     January 24, 1848 - Gold is discovered at Sutter's Mill in California.

     

    Quebec - Did you know?

     Canada produces about 70% of the world’s pure maple syrup. Out of that 70% about 90% is from the province of Quebec.
     

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    Died September 21



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