When was the word brunch used in history?

The first known recorded use of the word "brunch" was in 1895 in an article published in "Hunter's Weekly", a New York City newspaper.

The article, titled "Brunch: A Plea," advocated for a new meal that would combine the best aspects of breakfast and lunch, serving as a later morning meal for those who had slept in on Sundays.

While this is the first documented use, it's possible the term was used colloquially before that, but without evidence, we can only point to 1895 as the year it entered the public consciousness.