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Lost Watches in American Newspapers 1770-1779
Essex Gazette, Salem, MA. Jan 2 1770:
“Lost…a flowered pinchbeck Watch, with a black ribbon and Key, the Owner’s Name was on a
piece of paper inside the Case”
Pennsylvania Gazette, Philadelphia, PA. Jan 19 1770:
“Was lost [At Buck’s tavern near Baltimore] a silver watch with a steel chain”
Pennsylvania Chronicle, Philadelphia , PA Feb 19, 1770:
“Lost…a silver watch, the works covered with a brass Cap, Maker’s name Benjamin Sidey,
London, Number 4242 or 4244, uncertain which, with a green Silk String, Seal, and Key
annexed to it”
Connecticut Courant, Hartford, CT Jan 15 1771
“Lost…a silver watch, silver face, on the back part of the case was a little flaw, tied with a pale
red ribbon and a green seal. “
Pennsylvania Chronicle, Philadelphia, PA July 29 1771
“Lost…[Kensington, Phila.] a plain gold watch, with an enameled dial plate, maker’s name Wheel-
House, Sheffield; number unknown; a stell chain with a brass key , and a cornelian seal”
Pennsylvania Packet, Philadelphia, PA July 27 1772
Lost [near Robin-Hood Taven, Phila.] …a Lady’s plain Gold Watch, with a steel chain and hook,
maker’s name William Post, London, on the inside work as well as on the face or dial-plate, with a
shell number forgot; The owners name, printed on paper is pasted on the inside lining of the outside
case. “
Connecticut Gazette, New London, CT Aug 7 1772
“Lost or Stolen, from Monsieur Abraham Delfort… a Gold Watch about as large in circumference as a
copper, studded round with stones, and a steel chain, with two seals set in Pinchbeck, fastened
thereto.”
Pennsylvania Journal, Philadelphia, PA June 8 1772
“Was lost…A Silver Watch, with a China face, a pale blue silk string, with pinchbeck key; maker’s
name Williams, London, No. 2457”
Pennsylvania Gazette, Philadelphia PA Dec 7 1774
“Was Lost…a silver watch with a china face, No. 11700, maker’s name J. Richards, the chrystal broke,
and the rim defaced by bending it over the chrystal ; she had a silver seal, with the effigy of a man on
the stone, fastened with a silk string.”
Pennsylvania Packet, Philadelphia PA March 27 1775
“Was lost…a silver watch makers name Henry Tristram, Tamworth; it has on the back of the outside
case a single cypher, I. P. a steel chain with links, two small rings to the swivel and two to the key and
seal, and a glass in imiatation of a cornelian stone.”
Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg, Va July 14, 1775
“Lost…a Silver Watch with a steel Chain and mason’s seal, marked on the ourside of the inner case
John Turner”
New England Chronicle, or Essex Gazette, Cambridge, MA July 21, 1775
“Lost…a Silver watch seal, with the letters JR engraved theron.”
New England Chronicle, or Essex Gazette, Cambridge, MA Jan 11, 1776
“Lost near the parade of Col Patterson’s Regiment, a silver watch with a small wire chain, and
pinchbeck seal and key…David Noble, Capt. in Col. Patterson’s Reg. “
New England Chronicle, or Essex Gazette, Cambridge, MA Feb1, 1776
“Lost on the road between Concord and Lexington, a pinchbeck watch, the outside case flower’d, a
china face, a steel wire chain, and pinchbeck seal and key.”
Pennsylvania Evening Post, Philadelphia, PA Feb 27 1776
“ Was lost at the old Ferry, the first inst. a Silver Watch, with a china face, a little piece broke our near
the spring, a green plated string, with a gold seal and steel key, the maker’s name and number forgot.
The owner was asked the time of day, upon which he pulled out his watch, when some person in
company desired to look at it which request he complied with, but not particularly observing the man
he lent it to, he was not able to get it again, the room being full of company. “
Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg, Va March 23, 1776
“ Lost, in or near York Town, A Gold Watch, with Gold hands, the maker’s name Delander; she runs on
Diamond, and had to her a Lady’s Steel Chain, with a seal of Virginia Stone set in Gold, ornamented
with a Coat of Arms”
Pennsylvania Packet, Philadelphia, PA April 29, 1776
“ Was lost… A silver faced Watch with a steel chain and common seal, maker’s Name Charleson,
London, the number forgot.”
Constitutional Gazette, New York, NY May 11 1776
“Lost…a silver watch, with a steel chain, the swivel has been newly brazed in and goes stiff, has been
lately cleaned by White Matlack , of this city and has one of his papers in the case [reward from
subscriber] in Col. Reed’s Regiment…George Whipple
Boston Gazette, or Country Journal. Watertown, MA June 3 1776
“Lost…a large silver Watch, the string gold and much worn, a small cornelian seal set in gold and
brass key. “
Pennsylvania Evening Post, Philadelphia PA November 26, 1776
“Was lost…a Silver Watch with a silver dial plate, maker’s name Reynolds, London, number forgot,
with a leather string and brass key, and a cracked silver seal marked I T”
New York Gazette, New York, NY Feb 10 1777
“A silver watch…with a gold chain and two gold seals, the stone in one of them is out, the other is a
fiery dragon on a wheel, with this motto, Fear god in life”
New York Gazette, New York, NY Feb 17 1777
“lost…a silver watch, maker’s name, James Ely, Fenchurch street, on the outward case, engraved in an
oval, J. B., a silver seal, engraved, J. B. a small gold antique seal, with three figures on a red stone, and
a steel chain TWO GUINEAS reward…”
Pennsylvania Evening Post, Philadelphia, PA April 12 1777
“Was Lost…a silver watch, maker’s name William Clayson, No. 1244, with a white riband and steel
key”
New-York Gazette, and Weekly Mercury, New York, NY June 16, 1777
“Lost a gold watch, with a gold watch, with a shagreen case, rather small size, London Made, with a
handsome steel chain, and one seal hanging to it. Whoever will the above watch to H. Gaine or Liety.
Hugh Fraser, 71st regt. or give such information as it can be found, shall receive one guinea reward..”
Pennsylvania Evening Post, Philadelphia PA June 17, 1777
“Was lost…a silver watch with a steel chain and green stone seal set in pinchbeck, maker’s name and
number forgot”
Rivington’s New York Loyal Gazette, New York, NY November 1 1777
“Lost…a silver watch, makers name Tutel, No. 883, Fenchurch Street, London, with a gold compass
seal.”
Rivington’s New York Loyal Gazette, New York, NY December 6, 1777
“Lost…a watch, the inner case, silver double gilt, the outer case covered with Nourse Skin; had a steel
chain, and a silver seal; the crest, a Boar’s Head with a dagger run through the snout, the motto “Hope
and despair not.”
Pennsylvania Packet, Lancaster, PA December 24 1777
“ Was lost…a double cased silver watch, maker’s Name Benjamin Lam, London, the number forgotten,
marked I I in a double cypher on the back of the outside case, the cypher somewhat worn, and small
red cornelian seal, set in silver, with the compass and square in the silver work.”
Pennsylvania Packet, Lancaster, PA Jan 14 1778
Was lost, a middling large silver watch, maker’s name John or Richard Penn, London; she has open
silver case over the inside works, a steel chain and key, a silver seal with a red stone and the mason’s
arms thereon”
Pennsylvania Ledger, Philadelphia PA Feb. 11 1778
“Lost..a flat gold enamelled French Watch, with a black ribband to it, to which there hung two seals
and two small keys and one of the seals a coat of arms, the other a head engraved on a white
cornelian”
Pennsylvania Packet, Lancaster PA March 11 1778
“was Lost…a silver watch with a spring case, pinchbeck chain, and seal seal, having a man’s head
engraved on the stone and had the letters A L cyphered on the outside of the case, makers name and
number unknown.”
Royal Pennsylvania Gazette, Philadelphia, PA March 27 1778
“Lost, A Pinchbeck watch chain with three seals, viz. two of composition, and one red cornelian set in
gold ; being a coat of arms, the field quarterly, upper sinister and lower dexter quarters, a Griffin
erect; upper dexter three bugle horns ; lower sinister a Saracen’s head ; the crest, a Griffin rampant.”
Royal Gazette, New York , NY April 18, 1778
“Last Wednesday, between this City and Fort Kniphausen, a silver watch, Maker’s name and number
unknown, with a blue ribband instead of a chain, and a pinchbeck seal.”
Pennsylvania Packet, Philadelphia PA July 14, 1778
“Was lost…a silver watch, makers name C. Reynell, London, No. 7195, with a steel chain and brass
key, and steel swivel seal”
Continental Journal, Boston, MA Dec. 31 1778
“Lost…a silver watch, engraved on the back of the outside case, in a double cypher T.S. 1777 with a
steel chain and key, and two small lock keys also a silver seal, engraved with the single cypher M. S>0
the hour and minute hands silver, set with polished steel”
Pennsylvania Packet, Philadelphia PA April 22 1779
“Was lost…a silver watch with a new steel chain, brass key and seal without a stone, the chrystal
broke, the maker’s name and number unknown”
Pennsylvania Journal, Philadelphia PA Dec. 29 1779
“Allan Meuross…makes and sells gold, silver, silk and worsted trimmings for hats, cords for ladies
cloaks; likewise, Gold, Silver, and Silk Watch and Cane strings. “