 | BRITISH COLONIES. The history of printing in America, with a biography of printers, and an account of newspapers ... |  |
BRITISH COLONIES.
NOVA SCOTIA.
Printing was introduced into Nova Scotia in 1751; but,
at that time, there was but little encouragement for the
press.
Halifax.
The first press was established at Halifax, and there was
not a second in the province until 1766.
Bartholomew Green Junior has already been mentioned.
He was the grandson of Samuel Green, of Cambridge,
and was of the firm of Green, Bushell & Allen, of
Boston. He removed to Halifax with a press and types in
August, 1751. He died in about six weeks after his arrival,
aged fifty-two years.
John Bushell, who had been the partner of Green in
Boston, immediately succeeded him in Halifax. He printed
for government, and in the first week of January, 1752,
published the first newspaper printed in Nova Scotia. The
work for government was inconsiderable, but was the chief
support of Bushell. He was a good workman, but had not
the art of acquiring property; nor did he make the most
economical use of the little which fell into his hands.
Bushell died in February, 1761. He left one son and a
daughter. The son was sent to New England, and served
an apprenticeship with Daniel Fowle, printer in Portsmouth,
journeyman in Philadelphia, and at the same time kept a
tavern at the Cross Keys in Front street. He died February
4, 1797.
The daughter, whose name was Elizabeth, had been accustomed
to assist her father in the printing house. She
could work both at case and press; and was, in the language
of printers, a swift and correct compositor.[1]
Bushell
left little, if any, property to his family. His daughter
was handsome, but unfortunate.
Anthony Henry succeeded Bushell as a printer at Halifax.
He was a German, and had lived some time with a
printer, but had left his master, and became a fifer in one
of the British regiments. With this regiment he came to
America. In 1758, the time for which Henry had enlisted
being ended, he was discharged from the regiment, which
was then stationed in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. He
then went to Woodbridge, and was employed some months
in the printing house of James Parker; after which he
went to Nova Scotia. There was then no printer in the
province, and his pretensions to skill in this art greatly
facilitated his introduction to business in Halifax. He
began with the press and types which had been used by
Bushell. He published the Gazette; and government,
executed.
In 1766, a printer with a new and good apparatus, came
from London, and opened another printing house in Halifax.
He published a newspaper, and was employed to
print for government.
Henry, who had been indolent, and inattentive to his
affairs, did not despond at the establishment of a formidable
rival; but, much to his credit, exerted himself and did better
than he had done before. After a few years trial, his rival,
not finding his business so profitable, nor the place so
agreeable as he expected, returned to England, and Henry
was again the only printer in the province. He procured
new types and a workman better skilled than himself.
Henry's printing from this period was executed in a more
workmanlike manner than formerly; he having employed
a good workman in his printing house as a journeyman.
He remained without another rival until the British
army evacuated Boston in March, 1776, when the printers
in that town, who adhered to the royal cause, were obliged
to leave that place; and they, with other refugees, went to
Halifax. Henry continued printing until his death. He
possessed a fund of good nature, and was of a very cheerful
disposition. Although not skillful as a printer, he was
otherwise ingenious. In 1787, Henry having procured
German types from the foundery of Justus Fox, in Germantown,
Pa., published a newspaper in the German
language, of the same title with that which he continued
to publish in English. This German paper was conducted
by the journeyman[2]
before mentioned.
When Henry arrived in Halifax, he became acquainted
with a woman of African extraction, who was a pastry
cook, and possessed a small property, the fruit of her industry.
To acquire this property, Henry consented to a
connection with this sable female. The property which he
acquired by this negotiation enabled him to purchase the
few printing materials which had belonged to Bushell,
and to build a house in which he afterward lived. His
companion died, in two or three years, without issue by
him. Desdemona, in another case of particolored nuptials,
wished:
"That Heaven had made her such man."
Henry's consort had probably a like desire, for it is said
the proffer of marriage came from her.
In 1773, Henry married a countrywoman of his, who
had been his housekeeper for ten years.[3]
He died December, 1800, aged sixty-six.
Robert Fletcher arrived at Halifax from London, in
1766, with new printing materials, and a valuable collection
of books and stationery. He opened a printing house
and bookstore near the parade; published a newspaper,
and printed for government. Until this time there had
printing with neatness, and raised the reputation of the
art in Nova Scotia. He remained at Halifax until 1770,
then sent his printing materials to Boston for sale, and
returned himself to England.
John Howe began printing in Halifax, in 1776.[4]
After the peace, in 1784, printing found its way into the
province of New Brunswick.
There have been many instances of women performing the work of
the printing house. The nieces of Dr. Franklin, in Newport, [See Newport]
were expert compositors; and so were, it is said, the daughters of Mr. D. H.
of Philadelphia. Mr. William Mc Culloch, of Philadelphia, informs me that
he saw in a printing house near Philadelphia, two women at the press,
who could perform their week's work with as much fidelity as most of the
journeymen. As compositors, women and girls hare not unfrequently
been employed, not only in America, but in Europe. Some printers from
Scotland have assured us that the daughter of the celebrated typographer
of'Glasgow, Foulis, was an adept at the business. Foulis & Son flourished
as printers about 1765.
These remarks apply to the year 1815.
This journeyman, named Henry Steiner, arrived at Halifax, in 1782,
with the last detachment of Hessian troops that came as auxiliaries to the
British in our revolutionary war. He was a corporal. He had been
regularly bred to printing. As hostilities ceased soon after his arrival, he
obtained a furlough, to work with Henry. When the detachment to
which Steiner belonged was about to return to Europe, his officers, according
to his account, contracted to sell him to Henry for the term of
eighteen months, for thirty-six guineas. Steiner, supposing this sale to
be legal, continued with Henry the time stipulated; after which, receiving
good wages, he remained with him till 1789. Steiner then went to
Philadelphia. When Steiner left Henry, his German paper was discontinued.
On the occasion, the following paragraph appeared, February, 1774,
in the Boston Evening Post. "Married at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Mr.
Anthony Henry, aged about 30, to Mrs. Barbary Springhoff, aged about
96; it is said she has two husbands now living, seven children, ten grand
children, and fifty great grand children."
This statement is not correct. Henry was then forty years old, and
Barbary not more than fifty-five. She had several children and grandchildren;
but not near the number mentioned.
CANADA.
The art was introduced into Canada soon after its conquest
by the British. There was, however, but one press
established there before 1775.
Quebec.
Soon after the organization of the government of the
province by the British, a printing house was established
in Quebec by William Brown and Thomas Gilmore, under
the firm of Brown & Gilmore. They were the first who
introduced the art into Canada. They printed in both
English and French; and their work was executed in a
very handsome manner. Brown, I am informed, was a
Scotchman, and had been employed some years in the
printing house of William Hunter, in Williamsburg, Va.
Gilmore was a native of Pennsylvania, and served an apprenticeship
with William Dunlap, in Philadelphia.[5]
Their
partnership continued till 1774. From that time, Brown,
the senior partner, carried on the business for himself.
The intelligence sent to me from Canada respecting the country where
these printers were born, as published in the first edition, I find was
erroneous. I have since received more correct information respecting
them.
ADDENDA.
Christopher Sower Third.—The following article,
handed to the author from a gentleman in Philadelphia,
reflects much honor on the character of Christopher Sower,
the third.
Capt. Coleman, who took Sower prisoner in his excursion
to Germantown, was himself, sometime after Sower's release,
taken prisoner by the British, and confined on board
a prison-ship in New York, with others from Germantown
who were acquainted with Sower. Some time after their
confinement, Sower, with some of his British friends, went
on board of the prison-ship, but did not know of the capture
and confinement of his Germantown acquaintance. Sower
soon recognized Coleman and the others, who rather
shunned than courted an interview with him. However,
Sower went to them, familiarly accosted them, and expressed
his surprise at finding them in their present situation.
He told them, particularly Coleman, that they had
nothing to fear from his resentment, but that, on the contrary,
he was disposed to befriend them as much as lay in
his power; and for that purpose inquired into their present
circumstances. Soon after Sower left the prison-ship he
supplied Coleman with linen and other necessaries, and in
the course of a few days effected his liberation, and that of
the two others, his companions, without an exchange.
| BRITISH COLONIES. The history of printing in America, with a biography of printers, and an account of newspapers ... | |