Green's Almanac Precursor, Daily Advertiser 1877 FOUND!

A recent donation from a Green-relation estate clean-out has revealed a heretofore unknown precursor to the popular August Flower almanac. Before Woodbury's multimillionaire, G.G. Green, introduced the world to his patent medicine remedies by way of his colorful August Flower almanacs, shown above, it is now known that he first experimented with a newspaper format. The first of his almanacs appeared under the title Green's Pictorial Almanac and began publication on September 1878. The newly discovered Daily Advertiser Vol.1, No.1 predates Green's almanac format by nearly a year, with a publishing date of February 22nd, 1877.

U.S. Patent Image

This is the only known issue and the fact that it resembles a common daily newspaper of the time probably had more to do with a clever advertising technique than any desire on the part of the firm to continue regular publication. In any case, the newspaper format was switched over to the colorful almanac, which by 1878 was beginning to grow in popularity and usage for other patent medicine firms. Green's almanac was printed in-house at his Green Avenue, Woodbury, NJ laboratory utilizing his nine printing press fleet (see image below). It proved so popular for him that he took out a patent for the publication in 1882. In 1883 alone, five million copies of his almanacs printed in English, German, French, and Spanish were distributed worldwide. As a result, Woodbury's Post Office ranked seventh in the state for postal revenue. Not bad for a small (but growing) rural community at the time.

Green's Laboratory Printing Room

Editions of the August Flower almanac are routinely found worldwide in academic library and museum collections pertaining to early American ephemera and advertising and this recent discovery is an important part of the U. S. patent medicine advertising timeline. Given its current deteriorating condition and being the only issue in possible existence, it is important that this undergoes professional conservation treatment. As always, if you'd like to donate towards the conservation, collection, and digital preservation of any historic item pertaining to Woodbury this can be done easily via our PayPal donation link to the left. For now, the pre-treated Daily Advertiser has been digitally scanned and we here at the VGPS proudly present this exciting publication for your enjoyment below.* Not to be missed is the Woodbury is Looking Up article found on page three. This virtual tour of 1877 Woodbury clearly describes the notable buildings and surroundings up and down Broad, Delaware, Cooper, Euclid and Evergreen and features the old Colonial-style Gloucester County Court House, Woodbury Town Hall and more. Download and view the following images on your computer for easier reading.

For a more comprehensive chronology for the Green's August Flower Almanac visit: 

An Annotated Catalogue of the Edward C. Atwater Collection of American Popular Medicine and Health Reform 

August 1878 announcement of new almanac publication

* These images are property of the Village Green Preservation Society and may only be used for educational purposes or personal use. A credit statement and link attributing the Village Green Preservation Society, Woodbury, NJ must appear alongside any reproduction.

Lewis M. Green

Lewis M. Green, one time travelling clock salesman, notable Freemason and five-term mayor of Woodbury, made his eventual fortune from a handful of flowers. A sufferer of dyspepsia, Green was prescribed various herbal remedies that worked so well (not least to mention some of the ingredients being opium and alcohol, legal in those days), he purchased their formulas and went on to market, "Green's August Flower" and "Boschee's German Syrup". Green eventually sold the business, with an annual royalty agreement and stipulation that the enterprise need remain within Woodbury, to his son George Gill, who went on to become the city's first millionaire.

The Green family are largely identified with the general improvement of Woodbury during the Victorian era, adding to its growth and beauty by the erection of magnificent dwellings and places of business and entertainment. Lewis M. Green's own home is not exempt from this proud status. Once located at 255 South Broad St.,  on the NW corner of W. German St. (now Barber Ave.) and Broad St., the former site of this fine Italianate structure is now home to a drug store chain and large parking lot. It was torn down in 1944 for a gas station. Let that be a lesson to us. NOT ALL PROGRESS IS GOOD. Sigh... *

This fine home was built soon after the Civil War.
It stood for almost 75 years and was known for its
French plate glass and handsome ironwork.

circa 1886

circa 1883

Lewis M. Green was personally responsible for constructing the Second Empire style mansard roofed Green Castle Hotel which has been recently threatened to be razed. Another notable contribution was the establishing of the lovely Green Cemetery located on Barber Avenue. Carpenter and Carter (1937) write:

In the early spring Lewis M. Green had purchased 2000 trees and shrubs for transplanting in his cemetery enterprise out Glassboro avenue. They included European larch, curl leaf birch, many varieties of evergreens, the variegated althea which flowers early in the fall, and many other ornamental trees and shrubs. The cemetery was a favorite interest of Mr. Green, and in his last will he made ample provision for its permanency.

On a Tuesday evening, 2 Jan 1894, Lewis M. Green at age 77 died at his home. He was buried Saturday the 6th in Green's Cemetery. Happy to say his cemetery at least still exists today in 2012.

image: Walter Hellerman

image: Walter Hellerman

Carpenter, J. D., & Carter, B. F. (1937). History of Woodbury, New Jersey: From 1681 to 1936. Woodbury, NJ: Gloucester County Historical Society.

Cushing, T., & Shepard, C. E. (1883). History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey : With biographical sketches of their prominent citizens.Woodbury, NJ: Gloucester County Historical Society.

Woodbury (N.J.). (1971). Century of progress: Woodbury, N.J., 1871-1971. Woodbury, N.J: The Committee.
 

* this is what the site of the house looks like today: