John Pollock and the Philadelphia newspapers

Carlisle tavernkeeper John Pollock was a man with many irons in the fire including providing Philadelphia newspapers to those in Carlisle and the hinterland. For both historians and family researchers, John Pollock’s listings of those who owed him money for the newspapers he brought from Philadelphia between 1773 and 1775 are important because they put people in a specific place in Pennsylvania prior to the Revolutionary War.

The areas covered in Pollock’s “List of “unpaid” persons for 1773” include Cumberland County and what is now Franklin and Bedford counties. The other record is titled “List of papers carried by John Pollock from Phylada [sic] in 1775.” The weekly Philadelphia newspapers that Pollock delivered would have been Benjamin Franklin’s “Pennsylvania Gazette,” or “Poulson’s American Daily Advertiser,” and possibly the “Pennsylvania Packet and General Advertiser.”

It's possible that Pollock received newspapers on a weekly basis but given the poor state of the roads and the haphazard nature of travel, the newspapers may not have been delivered until several weeks after they were published. After receiving the newspapers, he had to employ waggoners or riders to transport them to central locations and leave them with a tavernkeeper or another location where subscribers could pick them up.
These lists retain Pollock's spelling.
“List of News Papers unpaid Cumberland County 1773” [All 6 shillings, 6 pence]
Ralph Nailer
John Kinkead
Low Settlement
James Galbreath, Esq.
Hugh Laird, Esq.
James Mentser
Saml Getti
John Trindle
John Clark
James Dill
Saml Williamson
Samuel Lamb paid
Thos. Craighead
James Crocket
Henry McKinley
Ralph Sterrit
David McClure Esq.
George Robinson, Esq.
James Oliver Esq.
Robt. McClure at Mt.

“List of Papers above Carlisle 177[4] [all 7 shillings 6 pence]
John Miller
John Martin [ ] Big Sp[ring]
Robert McFarlin
James Chambers
Wm. Hudson
Allen Leeper
David Herrin
Allen Scroggs
Willm Carithers
Willm Galbreath
James Laughlin
Thomas Butler
Joseph Brady
Daniel Duncan
James Dunlap
Andw Boyd
Saml Montgomery
James Piper Capt.
Widow Wilky
James McCall
Saml Perry, Esq.
Mathew Henderson, Esq.
James McConel
Robt. Scott
Robt Chambers
Willm Chestnut
Thos. Blair Path V[alley]
Hugh Wiley

Continued on next page- “List of Papers above Carlisle 177[4] [all 7 shillings 6 pence]

West Canagogig
James McDowell
Willm Smith
Andw Willabaugh
Thos. Smith
Henry Anderson
Willm Holmes
Henry Willson
Joseph Armstrong
James Guthery
John Eaton
Robert Culbertson
Alexr Sterrit
James Maxwell, Esq.
Willm McDowil, Esq.
John McDowil, Esq.
James Campbell
James Barr
John Welch
James Rankin
Willm Campbell
James Dickey
Rev. John King
Saml Kyle
Thos. John
Saml Finley
Rev. John Powell
Sterrit

Bedford
John Byrd
Willm McConel
John Frazer
Bernard Dougherty, Esq.
Robt Moore
Saml McKee
George Wood, Esq. paid
Thomas Woods

East Canagogig
James Brotherton
John Alison, Esq.
Patk. McLain
James Potter, Esq.
James Roddy
John Wallace
Joseph Cook
Willliam Gettis
John Andrews, Esq.
John Reynolds, Esq.
Matthew Willson, Esq.
Thomas Birney

4 ¼ x 3 ¼” Small booklet [amounts of money not included in this transcript unless indicated]
First page: “Miller, Jacob Cart, Thornburg Anderson, Dr. Davison, E. Steel, Robt Holmes
“Old Debts & cariage of News Papers”

Next page: “Sundry balances unsetld in old ledger”
Dr. Blair, Michl Burk, Wm. Brandon, Patr’k Beaty, John Brownlee, Thos Braken, John Brunty, Wm. Caldwell, Cochran & McDonel, Denis Christy, Randl Chambers son of Jas.,
Doct’r Conaly, Hugh Dougherty, Jas. Dixon York Co., Jas. Douglas at Richd Rankins, Joseph Dun, James Elliot Irish, Robt Fryer, Andw Forster, Willm Goodjohn, Dominik Hilands, George Hudson, Robt Hamerslay, James Hunter, Andw. Kinkead, Edwd Kenney Bedford,
Lt. Jas Long. Carried forward £63/18/11

Next page: Brought forward £63/18/11
“Widw Loghery, Jas Morrison SV [Shermans Valley?], Jas Monoghan, John Minteer Stoney Ridge, Morgan McSwine, John McCalister F. Pitt [Fort Pitt], Jas Mcmanis York Co., Neal McCoy, Jr., Andw Montgomery, Culbert Nicholson, Jas Orr, Alix Roddy, Alix Ralston, John Robison Iron Works, Lieutenant Watson, John Wilcocks & Ben’n Wood, John Ward barber, Robt Willson Paxton, Ezekiel Smith, John Scott wagn maker, John Carson at David English’s, Barn Dougherty, Esq. £109/4/2”

Next page: “Sundry Bal’s from Book A, & Court & Club book” Brought forward £109/4/2
Mr Arthers, M:Wilson’s [?], James Bailey Low Settlemt., Rev. Conrad Bougher [Bucher], Robt Brakenridge, David Bole, Widow Bole, John Bringham, Andw Black, Pat’k Campbell, James Carnaghan, Willm Carnaghan, Edw Cook, Robt Calhoon, Joseph Crunkleton, Fredk Diem sadler, James Elliot, Esq., Jas Dixon, Jas Forgison son of Wm., George Girty, Jas Guttery Back Creek, John Grahams Hanover, John Gibson nigh Widw Steel’s Yl Br [Yellow Breeches], Joseph Greenwood, John Greable York Co wine 4/” £130/14/7”

Next page: Brot forward £130/8/7
Thos Holmes, David Henderson, George Hays, Thos Hiser hatter, Wm Harkness Sinr [Sr.]
Willm Harris, Robt Hilands, Joseph Hudson, Patk Hartford, Thos James nigh Lisbon [Lisburn]
Robt Irwin distiller, Sr., James Lukins, Christr Limes, Mathias Lukins, James Mays gunsmith, John Mitchel at Mountain, Saml McCune, Esq. Willm McConel in Cove, Hugh McCray York Co., John McCray SV, Richd McCalister E. Pensboro, Thos Morehead Canagog £162/15/6

Next page: Brought forwd £162/15/6
Jeremiah Ong York Co., Mary Purdy, John Patton at mountain, Mathew Patton at Loudon, Thomas Patton SV, [Shermans Valley] Andrw Ramsey York Co., George Roseberry, Jas Rice up the spring, Henry Small, Willm Swaney, George Sanderson Sr., Richd Say, Jr., Willm Shaw at Big Spring, John Thompson Canagogig, Robert Walker, Jr., James Woods, Joseph Speer, George Stevenson, Esq., John Boyd in town, Robt McKinzie £185/5/6

Next Page: “List of papers carrid by John Pollock from Phylada [Philadelphia] to Cumberland Co. in 1775” [each person charged 7 shillings 6 pence]
“Henry Anderson, Joseph Armstrong, John Andrews, John Alison, Esq. Thomas Blair, Joseph Bready, Andw Boyd, John Byrd, James Barr, James Brotherton, Thos Birney, Thos Butler
£4/10/0 Andrew Calhoon, Esq., Jas Crocket, Willm Carithers, John Clark, Robt Chambers, Willm Chesnut, James Campbell, Willm Campbell, Joseph Cook, Symon Cake, John Davis, James Dill, Daniel Duncan, Barnard Dougherty, James Dunlap, James Dickey, John Elliot, John Eaton” [Total two pages] £11/12/6

Next Page: “Brot Forward £11/12/6 John Frazer, Saml Finley, Saml Gettis, James Guthery, Willm Gettis, Willm Galbreath, James Galbreath, Esq. Robt Galbreath Lisbon [Lisburn]
Matthew Henderson Esq., Willm Hudson, Thos John, Joseph Junkins, John Kinkead, George Kinkead ½ with J. Mitchel, Rev. John King, Saml Kyle, [blank] Martin storekeeper B. Sp [Big Spring?], Patk McKain, Robt Magaw, Henry McKinley”

Next Page: “Brot forwd £18/18/9 Saml Lamb, Willm Lauther, Hugh Laird, James Laughlin, Allen Leeper, James Moore taylor, David McClure, Esq., James McConel, James Menteer,
Robt McClure at Mt., Robt McFarlen, James McCall, James McConel nigh Shippens T.,
James McDowell, Willm McConal Cove, John Miller, Robt Moore, Saml McKee, Saml Montgomery, James Maxwell, Esq., Willm McDowil, John McDowil £27/3/9”

Next page: “Brot forwd £27/3/9 Ralph Nailer, Andw Norris, James Oliver, Esq., Saml Perry, Esq., Capt. James Piper, Rev’d James Powel, James Potter, James Rankin, John Reynolds, Esq., George Robison, Esq., James Rody, David Sample, Esq. Ralph Sterret, Capt. James Sharp, Willm Smith, Tomas Smith, Alix Sterrit, Henry Sterrit, Robt Scott, Rev’d John Steel £34/13/9”

Next Page: “Brot forwd £34/13/9 John Trindle, Thomas Taylor, Saml Williamson,
Willm Walker, Hugh Wiley, Henry Wilson, Thos Woods, George Woods, Esq., Andw Wilky,
John Welch, Matthew Wilson Esq., John Wallace, John Wormley £39/11/3”