The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1860-06-14
The Printing BuSincss--lts Progress
in the u. 8.
THE FIRST PRINTER IN BOSTON.


1t was soout forty years after the first set
tement of Boston before any printing WAS done
in the place. All the printing hitherto in the
colony, or in any OF the colonies, had been done
al Cambridge. The first printer in Cambridge
was John Foster. He was born at Dorchester
and graduated al Cambridge in 1867. 1t doesn't
appear that he was practical printer. but hav-
ing oblalned permission Of the government TO
carry on printing he employed printers from
the Cambridge press. On the establishment OF
press in Boston, the General court passed the
following orderi
Whereas there is now granted that there ma v
be printing press elsewhere than at Cambridge
for the better regulation of the press it is order
and enacted that the Rev Mr. Thomus Thatch-
er and Rev. Increase Ma,her, OF Boston, be ad
ded unto the former Lcensers aud they are here
by empowered TO act accordingly"
Mr.. Foster Tor several years published Alma
macs, for which he made the alcula lions him
selt. To his almanac for 1851 he annexed an in
genius dissertation concerning comets which
were seen in Boston in November pnd Decr m.
Der and December, 1880. He died in 1851 at
the early age Of 33 years. He seemed to have
been man OF note and died respected aud lt-
nented. His gravestone bore a Latin inscfip-
tion, which is rendered in English us follows:
Thou, o Foster, who on earth didst study
the heavenly bodies, now ascend above the firm.
ament and survey the highest heaven. | do sur
yey aud inhabit this divine region. TO pos.
session am admitted through the grace OF Je.
sus; and to pay the debt OF gratitude hold the
most sacred obligation.
Poems were also written in honor Of the as.
tTonomer-painter. One by Rev. Joseph Capen
closed with the following lines:
"Thy body. which no actlveness did lack,
Now's laid aside like an almanack;
But for the present Only's out OF date;
Twill have at length far more active state,
Yea, though with dust thy body sOied bo,
Yet at the resurrection we shall see
fair edition. now In Heaven set forth,
'Tis but q word from God, tho great Creator,
1t shall be done when hO saith IHprimdfnr."
1t is thought by some that the above lines
gave franklin tho hint for his celebrated epi.
tsph on himself There was, however so much
originality in Franklins intellectual powers, tina
tits hardly necessary to suppose that he bor-
rowed the idea.
Samuel Sewal was the successor to Foster as
public printer in Boston. lie, like Foster, was
not printer by profession, but he was a magis
trate. and man much respected ltis amusing
to see how strictly tSe government guarded the
press in those early days of the colonies. HIS
license was recorded us follows:
Samuel Sewall. at the instance of some
friends, with respect 10 the accommodation OF
the publiCk, being prevailed with TO undertake
the management of the printing presse in Bos
ton, late under the command OF Mr.. John Fos-
ter, deceased, liberty is accordingly granted to
him for the same by this court, and none NAV
presume TO sci up any other presse without the
like liberty first granted
In 1884 Samuel Sewall, "by the providence of
God bang unable to attend The presse request ted
leave to be freed from his obligations which
request was granted.
The printers who succeeded TO the Boston
pr, SIS alter Mr. Sewsll were Mr.. Glen, Samuel
g een, IT,, son Of the early printer in Camhrdgr
OF that ma me- then Richard Pierce. Bartholomew
Green. son OF Samuel Green, Jr,, Jam Printer.
Thomas Elect, T. Crump, Samuel Kneedland,
and then comes James Frandlin. elder brother Of
Benismin Franklin.
Bartholomew Green was son Of the rele-
bTaied Samuel Green, of Cambridge, and worked
1t Cambridge some time with his father He
began business in Boston in 1850, Immediately