York: April 2009 Archives

A lottery, to help finance the American Revolutionary War, was held by the Second Continental Congress while they met in York. The Pennsylvania Gazette, also printed in York during that time, published several ads concerning lost lottery tickets.

Click here for more information on the York-printed Pennsylvania Gazette.

Philip Jacob King placed the ad below in the May 23, 1778 Pennsylvania Gazette. I suppose the newspaper notice was akin to cancelling your credit card when it is lost or stolen.

Collection pouches on wall on right in William Wagner 1830 drawing of York's German Reformed Church

In 1829, an anonymous Yorker, signing himself REFORM eloquently argued against passing the collection pouch at church. Since all the church services I have attended still have a designated time for the offering and pass the collection plate, I would say the custom still prevails.

See below for the writer's points, as published in the May 26, 1829 Recorder.