University of Virginia Library

DELAWARE.

Printing had a late introduction into Delaware; it was,
Georgia excepted, the last of the thirteen colonies where a
press was established. The laws, etc., were printed in
Philadelphia previous to the year 1761.

Wilmington.

The first printing house introduced into that colony was
opened in that town only about fourteen years before the
commencement of the war, by

James Adams, who was born in Ireland, and learned
the art of printing in Londonderry. When of age, he
came to Philadelphia, and was there employed seven years
by Franklin & Hall.

He began business for himself, in that city, about the
year 1760; but, in 1761, he removed his press to Wilmington,
and established himself there. In 1762, he
published proposals for printing a newspaper; but not
meeting with encouragement, it was discontinued after
being published six months.

He printed for government, and although his business
was not extensive, he acquired considerable property.
Several works on religious subjects, came from his press;
and he published one or more almanacs annually, and
bound and sold books.

Adams was a good workman, an exemplary Christian,
and much esteemed. When the British army were approaching
Philadelphia, in 1777, he removed his printing
materials, family, etc., to the vicinity of Doylestown, Bucks
county, Pa. There he printed an Almanac, but otherwise
his press was not employed. When the British

evacuated Philadelphia, in 1778, he returned with his
press, etc., to Wilmington.

He died near the close of the year 1792, aged sixty
three years. He left a large family; four sons and six
daughters. The sons were all brought up to printing.
Two of them succeeded their father, but were not successful
in business.

The following anecdote finds a place here. Adams had
hired a man to pull a press, while an apprentice was employed
to beat the form. The man had engaged at a
shilling a token. The boy was repeatedly, in the course
of a day, called by the mistress for culinary and house
purposes, whereby the man was much injured. Finding
his bill, each week, to fall short of his maintenance, he
fell upon a plan to augment his wages, and at the same
time fulfil his engagement. When the boy was called
away he would still pound and pull the sheets as usual,
leaving sufficient time between each for the form to be
inked. Adams on inspecting the heap, and perceiving so
many faintly impressed copies, asked the meaning. "I
suppose the boy has not beat them;" replied the man,
"and I am sure I leave him time enough and have also
performed my duty in pulling." Adams was diverted
with the humor of the man, and ordered the boy to be no
more called from the press.

Adams was the only printer who settled in Delaware
before 1775.