What was advertised in a revolutionary American newspaper 250 years ago today?

“THE Publisher of this Paper, sincerely returns Thanks to his former Customers for past Favours, and hopes for a Continuance.”

It was the first issue of the Boston-Gazette published in seven weeks.  It was also the first issue of the Boston-Gazettepublished in nearby Watertown rather than in Boston.  The newspaper underwent other changes following the battles at Lexington and Concord.  A notice placed by the printer (rather than by the printers) hinted at some of them.

Benjamin Edes and John Gill had been partners in publishing the Boston-Gazette since April 7, 1755.  Over the course of two decades, they developed a reputation as two of the printers who most ardently supported the Patriot cause.  In his diary entry for September 3, 1769, John Adams recorded that he joined Edes and Gill and other Sons of Liberty in spending the evening “preparing for the Next Days Newspaper – a curious Employment.  Cooking up Paragraphs, Articles, Occurences, &c. – working the political Engine!”  When the Revolutionary War began, all the newspapers in Boston either folded, relocated, or suspended publication.  Edes and Gill published their last issue on April 17, two days before the momentous events at Lexington and Concord.  They then dissolved their partnership.  Edes moved to Watertown and resumed publication with continuous numbering despite the change in location.  The Boston-Gazetteremained there more than a year with a new issue every Monday.  The last Watertown issue appeared on October 28, 1776.  On November 4, Edes once again published the Boston-Gazette in Boston.

The first issue in Watertown featured only four advertisements, two of them placed by the printer.  In one, Edes expressed his appreciation “to his former Customers for past Favours, and hope[d] for a Continuance” of their subscriptions.  He also needed “also those who are in Arrears, forthwith to discharge their respective Balances, in order to enable him to discharge his just Debts, at this very critical Season.”  In addition to cash, Edes needed other resources to continue publishing the Boston-Gazette.  Another advertisement announced, “CASH given for clean Cotton and Linnen RAGS, at the Printing Office in Watertown.”  Those rags would be made into paper.  Edes had limited access to that essential item; throughout most of the summer his newspaper consisted of only two pages (a half sheet) rather than the usual four pages (a full sheet).  The other two advertisements offered employment opportunities, one to “Journeymen Taylors” and the other to “Journeymen Saddlers.”  In addition, a notice at the top of the first column on the first page invited “THOSE Persons who are possessed of any of Governor Hutchinson’s Letters … to forward them to the Printer hereof, in order for Publication.”  Edes wished to embarrass the former governor and score political points, as he had done two years earlier.  The printer moved his press to Watertown, yet he continued the same political activism.