University of Virginia Library

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169

SOUTH CAROLINA.

The publication of a newspaper was not attempted in this
colony till the year 1732.

CHARLESTON.

The first newspaper published in the Carolinas, made its
appearance in this city January 8, 1731–2, printed by
Thomas Whitmarsh.[1] It bears the title of

It was published on Saturdays, through that year, and,
as circumstances required, on a sheet or half sheet of paper,
pot size, but soon after was discontinued, on account of the
sickness and death of its publisher. See Appendix M.

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Imprint, "Charles-Town: Printed by T. Whitmarsh, at
the Sign of the Table Clock on the Bay. Where Advertisements
are taken in, and all Persons may be supplied
with this Paper at Three Pounds[2] a Year."

After the Gazette published by Whitmarsh had been
discontinued some months, another paper with the same
title was, in February 1734, begun by Lewis Timothy.
This gained a permanency. It was published weekly, on
Saturdays, printed on a half sheet of paper of pot size, but
sometimes on a whole sheet, and often on a type as large
as english, and at other times on long primer. Price 15s.
currency, per quarter.

Timothy died about the year 1738, and the paper was
continued by his widow for a short time, with the aid of her
son. The son, in 1740, published it on his own account.
His imprint was, "Charles-Town: Printed by Peter Timothy,
in King-street, where Advertisements are taken in.
Price 15s. a Quarter."Some years after, it was printed
"in Broad-Street."

The size of this Gazette was enlarged from time to time,
until the year 1760, when it was printed on a sheet of the
size of medium, four columns in a page; and a cut of the
king's arms was added to the title. The day of publication
was changed to Monday; but it seldom made its appearance
on that day. No mail was then established between
the southern and northern colonies, and the Gazette
depended on the arrival of vessels from distant ports for
supplies of intelligence. The publisher often waited
several days for arrivals; but the Gazette dated Monday
was always issued within the week.

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The publication was interrupted a few weeks in 1765, at
the time the British stamp act was to take place. The
Gazette had a large number of advertising customers; and
it was ably conducted. It supported the cause of the
country, and energetically opposed the measures of the
British administration.

In 1772, this Gazette was printed by Thomas Powell,
who continued it two or three years, at Timothy's printing
house. Powell, during this time, accounted to Timothy,
the proprietor, for a certain proportion of the proceeds.

About May, 1775, the Gazette was discontinued; but it
was revived by Timothy in April, 1777, when the title was
altered to The Gazette of the State of South-Carolina. Timothy
conducted this paper until the city was about to be surrendered
to the British in 1780, when it was again suspended,
and the publisher became a prisoner of war.

After the restoration of the city, Timothy being dead,
his widow, Anne Timothy, revived the Gazette, and from
December, 1782, published it twice a week, on Monday and
Thursday, until her death, which took place in 1792.

On the death of Anne Timothy, the Gazette was published
by her son, Benjamin Franklin Timothy, who soon
took a partner, and the Gazette appeared under the title of
The South-Carolina State Gazette, and Timothy and Mason's
Daily Advertiser. "Printed at the corner of Bay and Broad
Streets." When the partnership of Timothy and Mason
was dissolved, the Gazette was printed by B. F. Timothy
until 1800. In that year the publication of it finally ceased.
B. F. Timothy died in 1804.

[See Peter Timothy,[3] I, 342; Thomas Powell, I, 345.]

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172

This paper was first published in 1758, by Robert Wells.
It was printed on a medium sheet, four columns in a page;
the day assigned for the publication was Friday, but although
so dated, it did not regularly appear, but was at
times delayed several days; it was published, however,
without intermission once in a week. It had a cut of the
king's arms in the title; and, some time after its first publication,
the following motto from Horace was adopted:
"Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri." Imprint,
Charlestown: Printed by R. Wells and G. Bruce, for
Robert Wells, at the Great Stationery and Book-Store on
the Bay."

After this Gazette had been printed a few years by Wells
and Bruce, the connection between them was dissolved,
and Wells printed and published the paper in his own name,
a short intermission excepted when the stamp act of 1765
was to have taken effect, until 1775. Wells being a royalist
he went to England soon after the war commenced, and
this Gazette was continued by his son John Wells until
1780, when the city fell into the possession of the British;
on which event the paper was discontinued, and John
printed a Royal Gazette. Very few original essays appeared
in The South Carolina and American General Gazette;
but while it was published by the senior Wells, the intelligence
it contained was judiciously selected, and methodically
arranged, and it had a large share of advertisements;
for which reason it was often accompanied by an additional
half sheet.

After the younger Wells became the editor, it supported
the cause of the country until about the period when it was
discontinued.

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173

This paper was established in opposition to the British
American stamp act, November, 1765, and was published
without stamps about the time the act was to have taken
effect. The title bore a cut of the king's arms. Tuesday
was the day of publication, and it was printed on a sheet of
demy, folio, from a new bourgeois type. It was often accompanied
by a half sheet supplement. Imprint, "Charles-Town:
Printed by Charles Crouch at his Office in Eliott-Street,
Corner of Gadsden's Alley."

The general opposition of the colonies to the stamp act
induced the public to patronize this Gazette. It immediately
gained a large list of respectable subscribers, and a
full proportion of advertising customers.

Of the three newspapers printed at that time in Charlestown,
this only appeared regularly, on the day it was dated.
These papers were all entitled Gazettes, in order to secure
certain advertisements, directed by law to be "inserted in
the South Carolina Gazette."

Crouch published his Gazette till he died in 1775. His
widow continued it a short time, but it finally ceased.