Riot in Philadelphia July 7, 1844.
Title
Riot in Philadelphia July 7, 1844
Description
Discrepant news print showing a battle scene from the second series of anti-Catholic riots in Philadelphia in July 1844 that stemmed from the defensive arming of St. Philip de Neri Catholic Church in preparation of a July 4 Nativist party parade. Shows the melee around the city militia under attack from the Protestant rioters depicted as gentlemen in top hats and coats. In the foreground, a rioter picks up a brick as his compatriots fire at a charging band of militiamen near an illuminated lamppost. One soldier lays fallen on the ground as a rioter collapses over him. To the right, a mother flees with her children as men fight hand-to-hand in front of a group of onlookers. The crowd watches another band of militia attempt to guard the targeted Catholic church that is marked "I.H.S. A.D., 1840." In the background, rioters and the militia fire cannons at one another. In actuality, rioters gained control and set the church on fire by the morning of July 7, causing the militia to try and clear a neighboring street on which the combat and cannon fire occurred. The riot, which killed 15, was quelled by the state militia late that evening., Not in Wainwright., Philadelphia on Stone, POS 650, Historical Society of Pennsylvania: Bb 892 B 921, LCP exhibit catalog: Made in America, entry #63.
Creator
Bucholzer, H., artist
Date
[1844]
Location
Historical Society of Pennsylvania HSP Bb 892 B 921
Death of George Shifler in Kensington. Born Jan 24 1825. Murdered May 6 1844.
Title
Death of George Shifler in Kensington. Born Jan 24 1825. Murdered May 6 1844
Description
Sensational print showing the death of the 18-year old Nativist, the first person killed in the Nativist Riots at Kensington on May 6, 1844. Shows three men in suits surrounding Schiffler, who is attired in shirt sleeves, and collapsing to the ground. The gravely injured man half-kneels with one hand reaching for the bullet wound at his chest, and the other holding an American flag above his head. In the background, shadowy crowds of rioters clash with one another. The May riots (May 6-8, 1844) began during a confrontation between Irish-Catholics and participants of an American Nativist Party rally held in the Irish neighborhood of Kensington. Schiffler purportedly helped support the flag that hung on the speaker's stand at the Nativist Rally., Date range inferred from content of image and post-consolidation address of printer, 706 South Third Street, previously 264 South Third Street. See *GC - Genre [P.2005.36.17], Philadelphia on Stone, POS 176, Retrospective conversion record: original entry, edited., Free Library of Philadelphia: Castner 24:1, Historical Society of Pennsylvania: Bb 892 M191, See also the ca. 1850 print "Death of George Shifler in Kensington. Born Jan 24 1825. Murdered May 6 1844" held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. The unsigned lithograph is further captioned “Respectfully dedicated to the Native Americans by Shifler No. 1 Southwark Phila” and contains the imprint “Sold by Pierson No. 349 So. 2nd Phila. R. DeWitt, Tribune Buildings, N. York.” Pierson was Southwark (and Nativist supportive) bookseller Hiram B. Pierson (b. ca. 1814). DeWitt was New York publisher Robert DeWitt. Each concurrently operated from their cited business address between circa 1850 and circa 1853. Magee and Smith probably designed their lithograph after the ca. 1850 print after 1854.
Creator
Magee, John L., artist
Date
[ca. 1844-1860]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *BW - Riots [P.8729.17]
The three days of May 1844. Columbia mourns her citizens slain
Title
The three days of May 1844. Columbia mourns her citizens slain
Description
Memorial to nativist casualties of the violent clashes occurring between anti-foreigner "Native Americans" and Irish-American Catholics in Kensington, Philadelphia, May 6 through 8, 1844. The female figure of Columbia holds a large, billowing American flag near a broken column on which she places a wreath. On the column are the names of those Native Americans killed during the attacks on Catholic homes and institutions. At the top of the list, circled by Columbia's wreath, is the name of George Schiffler, the first and most famous of the nativist martyrs. Other names inscribed on the column are: Wright, Rhinedollar, Greble, Stillwell, Hammitt, Ramsey, and Cox. To the right of Columbia is an American eagle supporting a shield with the names of the wounded, including: Peale (the artist?), Whitecar, Lescher, Young, Wiseman, Willman, Schufelbaugh, Yocum, Ardis, Boggs, Ford, Bartleson, and Ort. Above the figure floats a streamer with the print's title. Below a similar banner reads "Deceased----We Revere Their Memory---Wounded---We Cherish And Reward Them---.", Not in Wainwright., Artist's signature lower left corner., LOC copy filed for copyright July 1, 1844., Philadelphia on Stone, POSP 254, Library of Congress: LOT 10615-34 [item] [P&P] Columbia, Description supplied by LOC catalog record.
Creator
Peale, Washington, artist
Date
c1844
Location
Library of Congress LOC LOT 10615-34 [item] [P&P] Columbia