The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-11-27
Woman in the Printing Office
SHORT SKETCHES OF REMARKABLE WOMEN
PRINTERS.

The introduction of women into tbs
printing Office is often spoken of of late
years 1t is referred TO with pride, as
being a special proof of the liberality of
printers of this generation, and not a
few of the craft believe it to be boon
for which they expect women to be duly
grateful. But this notion is founded
upon an error; our forefathers recog.
nized the value of women in the print.
ing Office, and we read of many instances
i'll which they were intrusted with
weighty responsibilities. 1t is true that
the proportion of female compositors al
compared with the male was much les.
than at present; yet the fact existed ais
the same, and our pioneer women print.
ers date their advent some fifty years
before the Declaration of Independence
The steady increase in number and use
fulness of this class is but growth and
development as natural as it has been
beneficial. 1t shows what persistence
and patience will accomplish in spite of
all artificial resistance. They who are
capable and faithful and who know how
to acait, are on the true road to win all
good gifts.
Reference has been made to the
Declaration of Independence; printers
may not know the fact, but even that
important document was originally print
ed by lady, Mary Cathariue Goddard
There were women in those days. To
print that immortal State paper in the
year of 1777 was to run the risk OF
losing ones head.
Miss Goddard was sister of William
Goddard, the first printer in Providence,
r. l. He also published the Maryland
journal in Baltimore, in the early part
of the Revolution When Benjamin
Franklin became postmaster
after Congress had superseded the
British government, he appointed God
dard Comptroller and Surveyor OF Post
Roads. While he was thus engaged in
public matters, his sister conducted the
affairs of the printing house with marked
ability, being able to personally perform
any of the duties of thorough printer,
while remaining clear-sighted, orderly
and energetic in her management of the
business.
Mention has been made of the fact
that women printers were known half
century before the war of the Revolu-
ton. One or two remarkable women
indeed, practiced the art nearly CEN
fury before that epoch, and these, if the
records are correct, must be named the
Pioneer Women Printers of the United
States. Mrs. Green, wife OF Samuel
Green, Boston printer, was deeply In
terested in all that appertained to print.
ing, and was known to be fully engaged
in the business as early as 1886. Al
most at the same time certainly in the
same ycar-a Mrs. Wilkins, of Boston,
commenced in that city the regular pub
LEGATION of misce laneous printed matter.
Of this woman it was said by the right
minded John Dunton, an English author
Of that day, "'tis virtue to know her,
wisdom to converse with her, and JOY
to behold her; or, to do her justice in
fewer words, she is the counterpart of
her husband, who is u pious man, if
there is such a thing in Boston" The
latter part of this praise seems little
eccentric in our day, but it was well
meant, and bears the stamp of sincerity.
Of Mrs. Green, the same author re-
marked that " she was indeed an extra
ordinary woman" but he adds, apparent.
ly, in conformity with habit of never
leaving out the husband when he praised
the wife, her husband is so good a
man she could not we'll be otherwise.
Both are said to have been excellent
mothers, managing their households with
as much ability as though they never
iabored in the printing Office.
Anne Franklin entered the printing
Office in 1882 Her husband, James
Franklin, (brother Of Benjamin. cstab
lished in Newport, Il. l., in that year,
but he died soon after and his widow
carried on the business successfully for
several years. She became Printer to
the Colony" and published pamphlets,
supplied the public Offices with blanks
of all kinds, and also carried on gen.
eral publishing business. The Newport
Mercury, now regularly issued, grew out
Of this printing Office in 1856, and is,
with one exception, the Oldest newspa'
per in the country. - 40, Mrs.
Franklin printed for the government an
edition of the Laws" containing $40
pages, considerable of on undertaking
for a woman in those days.
1t is sometimes stated that the wo.
men printers of early times were all
master printers" and not compositors
working regularly in the office. But
this is not the case. The majority were,
perhaps, master printers, before they
gained the reputation which placed them
on the historical records, but even these
must have worked, and worked perse-
ycringly at the ordinary business of the
printer. Mrs. Franklin, for example,
was assisted in the office by her two
daughters, who were quick and correct