Printing in New Jersey: An Introduction

Bradford at the Beginning Among the original thirteen colonies, New Jersey was a very late bloomer in establishing its own permanent press. This is attributed mostly to the already bustling printing industries in nearby Philadelphia and New York City. In addition, Britain naturally had a vested interest in keeping printing efforts to a minimum in the colonies, and used its authority to limit the number of printers in any one colony. Generally, one printer was appointed Public Printer by the British governor of the colony, and that person was awarded the jobs printing King George's proclamations, or paper currency for the colony. During most of the early 1700's, documents for New Jersey were printed in either Philadelphia or New York. The printer most often responsible for these efforts was William Bradford, who holds the distinction of being Philadelphia's first printer (1685); as well as New York's first (1693). In 1723, by most accounts, Bradford also gained that title in New Jersey. He was the public printer for both New York and New Jersey, though he maintained no permanent office in New Jersey. In 1723 the colony needed to issue some laws and paper money, and in attempts to avoid fraud money was printed under supervision in the issuing colony. So, Bradford moved a press, probably by ferry, from New York to Perth Amboy, in order to print on Jersey soil. Historians disagree about whether he actually moved the press, because some documents he printed appear similar in all respects except that some have an imprint of New York, and some Perth Amboy. Most historians, however, do give him credit for printing here (McMurtrie.) Isaiah Thomas' Printing Press Ben Franklin Pays a Visit The second instance of printing in New Jersey took place in Burlington, and again the details are somewhat murky. In 1728 paper money was again issued, but this time the job was awarded to Philadelphia printer Samuel Keimer. Keimer and company did bring a press up to Burlington from Philadelphia, and the laws printed do bear his imprint. But it is unclear as to who actually did the work. Some accounts say Keimer came up with his new employee, Ben Franklin; others say Keimer sent Franklin and another employee, Hugh Meredith, (with whom Franklin later formed a partnership) to do the job. (McMurtrie, Nelson.) In any event, the press remained in Burlington for only three months, and then was returned to Philadelphia. Franklin Institute The First Permanent NJ Press The first permanent press in New Jersey was not established until 1754, by James Parker, a native of Woodbridge. Parker served an apprenticeship under William Bradford in New York, but "ran away" before his service was up. For a while, he took refuge under Ben Franklin's roof in Philadelphia, until (we can speculate) Franklin persuaded him to return and finish out his apprenticeship (Dyer.) Later, Franklin again helped him to establish his first print shop, in New York. Parker was an early defender of the freedom of the press (though this freedom had not yet really been won, in the colonies) when he was accused of libel for printing an essay by a Native American on the virtues of his Native religion. While still printing in New York, Parker started a newspaper, the New York Weekly Post-Boy,in 1743. This paper enjoyed wide circulation in New York. He was also New York's public printer from 1744-1752, which gave him all the government publications printing jobs. In 1753 he entered a partnership with his former employee, William Weyman, and Weyman stayed to run the press in New York while Parker returned to his hometown of Woodbridge. There he established New Jersey's first permanent press. In 1758 he started New Jersey's first magazine, the New American Magazine. It was published monthly for two years, and Dyer considers it Parker's greatest printing achievement in New Jersey. Parker was given the title Government Printer for New Jersey in 1758, and later King's Printer for New Jersey, a title he held until his death in 1770. In 1765 he established a press in Burlington, in the hope that his son, Samuel, would maintain the Woodbridge office. His son, however, disappointed him greatly in this regard. Dyer believes Parker's tragic flaw was his bad choice of partners, and much of his life he was embroiled in lawsuits with some of them. His one loyal lifelong friend, however, turned out to be Benjamin Franklin. Most of the early printers had trouble turning a profit; supplies were hard to come by, and subscribers often did not pay their bills. Thus, Parker died in debt, even though he had been New Jersey's primary printer for fifteen years. One of Parker's apprentices, Hugh Gaine, made an odd name for himself during the Revolution. For about three months, he fled the British in New York and printed his patriot-supporting newspaper, the New York Gazette in Newark. At the same time, Loyalist printers in New York continued to print his paper there (with obviously a different editorial slant), but still bearing Gaine's name. Then, he became a turncoat, and returned to New York to print his paper there as a Loyalist. Parker's Work Isaac Collins, Quaker and Patriot New Jersey's second permanent printer was Isaac Collins, who was originally from Delaware. He worked his apprenticeship under James Adams of Wilmington, who had been trained by Franklin. He also worked briefly for Philadelphia printer William Goddard before opening his own shop in Burlington in 1770. Collins was a Quaker and his biographer, Richard Hixson, believes that this early training in industry and skillful craftsmanship was responsible for Collins' achievements as an exceptionally good printer. At Parker's death in 1770, Collins beat out Parker's son Samuel to become public printer for New Jersey. In 1777 Collins was called upon by the New Jersey legislature to start a newspaper, which he did. The New-Jersey Gazette was New Jersey's first newspaper. His biographer states, "the Gazette was unique among 18th-century periodicals in that it was founded and edited almost exclusively for the patriot cause in New Jersey" (Hixson.) The paper often carried calls to arms written by General Washington or New Jersey Governor William Livingston, in the hope of rallying New Jerseyans to the Patriot's cause. During this time Collins found himself in the curious position of being the official printer to the King, as well as printer to the colonial legislature. His loyalties, however, clearly belonged to the Patriots. In 1778 Collins moved his operation and his family to the larger town of Trenton, partly because it was easier to get supplies there. The Quakers were one of the first groups opposed to slavery, and because of this Collins was inspired to print Granville Sharp's An Essay on Slavery, Proving from Scripture Its Inconsistency with Humanity and Religion, in 1773. He also very early freed his own slave. One of Collins' most famous printings is his King James Bible, completed in 1791, making it the second edition printed in America. The first one was printed by one of Massachusetts' most famous printers, Isaiah Thomas of Worcester. Collins' active political role as editor and printer during the Revolution actually got him thrown out of the Society of Friends, since the Quakers were pacifists. They readmitted him, however, ten years later. In 1796 the Collins family moved a final time, to New York City. They joined a cluster of other printers on Pearl Street in lower Manhattan. There Collins continued to print, as well as run a book and stationery store. His meticulous and elegant printing won him awards and earned him a reputation as one of the best printers of his time. He was also one of the few printers to run a profitable business his entire life, and left a sizable estate to his family at his death in 1817. Collins' Work Shepard Kollock: Patriot Printer The second newspaper started in New Jersey was also devoted to the American cause in the Revolution. This was the New Jersey Journal edited and printed by Shepard Kollock, who established it in Chatham in 1779. Kollock was originally from Lewes, Delaware, but he ended up stationed in New Jersey while serving as a lieutenant in the New York Militia and later the Continental Artillery Regiment (Anderson.) His brother decided to serve in the British forces, and they nearly came face to face in battle in Elizabeth(town). The British troops ended up leaving the scene just before Kollock arrived. Kollock essentially resigned his military position in order to start the newspaper in Chatham. Earlier, he had served his apprenticeship with Adams of Delaware, Goddard of Philadelphia, and later Collins. At this point in the War, New York and all its newspapers were in British hands. General Washington needed an organ to boost morale and gather support for the war effort in North Jersey and New York, as Collins' paper served South Jersey. And, someone had to counter the British accounts of war glory being printed in the New York papers. Kollock's New Jersey Journal became that organ. Kollock's paper often received supplies for paper making from the army. Plus, his location in Chatham, near Washington's Morristown headquarters from 1779-80, gave him excellent access to breaking war news. His editing provided a strong voice for the Revolutionary cause. Kollock also engaged in a lively printed debate on the war with New York Loyalist Printer James Rivington. Interestingly, it was later uncovered that Rivington became an informer for the Patriots (Anderson.) Here is an example of a patriotic poem of the day, which blasted King George III and deified George Washington, that was printed in Kollock's newspaper: A greater GEORGE than he Hath set America free, Immortalized shall be GEORGE WASHINGTON. The thirteen linked chain In union we'll maintain, 'Till time's no more. Behold! the tyrant frowns, See under foot his crown; We'll chain the monster down, To rise no more. May heaven our states defend In peace, world without end, Again, Again. Bless Lewis King of France, Approve our alliance, Than bid George defiance, Amen, Amen. Kollock also published works by Thomas Paine, and Kollock wrote scathing editorials denouncing Benedict Arnold for his traitorous acts against the Patriots. After the War, Kollock moved his printing interests to New Brunswick, where he entered a partnership with his brother-in-law, Shelly Arnett. For a while the two used a building at Rutgers as their print shop. Together, they started the first New Brunswick newspaper, The Political Intelligencer and New-Jersey Advertiser. Two years later in 1785 he again relocated, this time to Elizabeth. There he continued his newspaper, the New Jersey Journal which continues today as the Elizabeth Daily Journal, making it the fourth oldest continuous newspaper in the United States. In addition to newspapers, Kollock also printed several almanacs and an edition of the New England Primer. After retiring from printing, he served as Elizabeth's postmaster for nine years. He died in 1839, living to the extraordinary age (for the time) of 88. Even more unusual, his wife, with whom he had eight children, lived to be 90. Kollock's Work Some Lesser-Known Printers It is interesting to note that many of the early colonial printers were intertwined with one another, either by apprenticeship or by family relations. For example, when Ben Franklin first arrived in Philadelphia in 1723, he was given a place to stay by William Bradford's son, Andrew, who was also a printer. Andrew in turn ended up introducing Franklin to Samuel Keimer, who became Franklin's employer, although Franklin's printing skills far exceeded Keimer's. Franklin helped his friend Parker get started in printing, and Collins started printing in the shop abandoned by Keimer and Franklin. Collins wrote a letter of introduction for Kollock, and Collins was helped by Goddard. Goddard also trained Kollock, who was his nephew; and Arnett was Kollock's brother-in-law. Shelly Arnett was a lesser known printer who is probably most remembered for issuing the earliest New Brunswick imprints. He did most of his printing in partnership with others. After Kollock left for Elizabeth in 1786, Arnett began printing The Brunswick Gazette and Weekly Monitor.His partner in this venture became Abraham Blauvelt, another New Brunswick printer, who later took control of this paper. Arnett also printed the Laws Governing Queens College(now Rutgers), in 1788. The first Newark newspaper was printed by John Woods in 1791, and was called Wood's Newark Gazette and New Jersey Advertiser. In 1795 New Jersey native Philip Freneau, a noted poet during the Revolution, began printing The Jersey Chronicle near Freehold. James Tod was the first printer in Princeton, with his Princeton Packet and the General Advertiser, in 1786. Arnett's Work Another early Princeton printer was London-born David Borrenstein, who set up shop there in 1824. His work included the New Jersey Sunday School Journal, as well as various tracts on religion. Unfortunately, his biographer indicates he may have been run out of town, and fled to Philadelphia, to escape his many creditors (Miller.) Borrenstein's Work About New Brunswick printer Ambrose Walker, I know only that he issued imprints from New Brunswick in 1808. New Jersey historian Joseph Felcone relates that Walker was only in New Brunswick for three years, and then relocated to Philadelphia. Walker was also the author of a fictional work entitled The Highlands, a Tale of the Hudson which he had printed in Philadelphia in 1826. Walker's Work Early Children's Books Although none of the printers so far mentioned specialized in books for children, all of them produced at least one or two works intended for a younger audience. Parker printed an edition of The New England Primre (sic). Collins printed a book called Divine Songs, Attempted In Easy Language, For The Use Of Children. Kollock printed an edition of A token for children: being an exact account of the conversion, holy and exemplary lives, and joyful deaths, of several young children. This was apparently a popular title, as it was reprinted by many printers. Kollock also printed an edition of The Entertaining, Moral, and Religious Repository; Containing Upwards of Three Score Separate Performances, All Of Which Are Written in a simple yet pleasing Stile, And Are Eminently Calculated For The Amusement and Instruction Of The Youth Of Both Sexes.I mention this one mostly as an example of how fabulously long titles were back then. Walker printed what might be considered an early young adult book, entitled Parental Legacies, consisting of advice from a lady of quality to her children; delivered in the last stage of a lingering illness. One printer who did specialize in children's books was Benjamin Olds, whose print shop was in Newark. He printed many titles for children between 1820 and 1860, including: Holiday present: being a variety of stories for children and The English Reader. Olds' Work Printing Dates Here are the first ten New Jersey towns to establish a printing press, the year, and the printer. These and the following dates are courtesy of McMurtrie and Nelson. Perth Amboy, 1723. William Bradford. Burlington, 1727. Samuel Keimer and Ben Franklin. Woodbridge, 1754. James Parker. Newark, 1776. Hugh Gaine. Trenton, 1778. Isaac Collins. Chatham, 1779. Shepard Kollock. New Brunswick, 1783. Shepard Kollock and Shelly Arnett. Morristown, 1784. David Cree. Elizabeth(town), 1785. Shepard Kollock. Princeton, 1786. James Tod. Here are the dates when printing was first established in the colonies. Massachusetts, 1639. Virginia, 1682. Maryland, 1685. Pennsylvania, 1685. New York, 1693. Connecticut, 1709. New Jersey, 1723. Rhode Island, 1727. South Carolina, 1731. North Carolina, 1749. New Hampshire, 1756. Delaware, 1761. Georgia, 1763. Bibliography Images of Works by the Printers home This website was created as an independent study project as part of my fulfillment of the Master of Library Service (MLS) degree at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, May, 2000.