The Contribution of Women to Both the Printing Industry and the Forming of America

History is not always kind to those who have lived through it nor is the memory of history always accurate. Women have forever been seen as weak in body, mind, and spirit. It is no wonder that many times history forgets their sacrifices, contributions, and triumphs.

When we think of our female ancestors we automatically imagine them settled within their homes, engaged in domestic chores, and perhaps even working in the field. Nothing could be further from the truth. Women not only worked in many trades such as leatherworking, blacksmithing and printing but they excelled in those areas. They owned businesses and became masters of their trades. (The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 2009)Yet in our world today their names are not listed among their male counterparts. Indeed, many are shocked and amazed to realize that women actually worked outside the home at all, let alone in positions that were, and in many cases are still, considered part of a man's domain.

Focusing within the world of printing we can see that women have made their mark and helped to forge not only an industry but an entire nation. The time has come for us to demand of history who were these women printers, how did they come to be, and most importantly why have they been forgotten.

If you were to ask a passing stranger to name three famous printers you might hear names such as Johannes Gutenberg, Benjamin Franklin, or John Baskerville. These men are well deserving of their recognition but they are definitely not the only printers that are deserving of such high praise. Names such as Mary Katherine Goddard, Elizabeth Glover, and Elizabeth Timothy will most likely not be given. Their names have been lost in time, yet their contributions to the printing industry and to America as a country are just as great as their male counterparts. Considering the restraints under which women of the time were forced to live and work one could rightly say that their contributions should be given even more impressive than those of the men they worked alongside of.

Mary Katherine Goddard born June 16, 1738 in Connecticut was not only a printer and publisher but was also the first female American postmaster. (Bois, 1999) She would eventually be removed from her position as postmaster based solely on her sex. The idea behind her removal was that as a woman she incapable of traveling alone or as often as was required of a postmaster of the time. (Bois, 1999) Though she protested loudly and formally her position was eventually reassigned to a man. (Bois, 1999) Her struggle to retain her post serves as an example of how fragile and incapable women were thought to be and how easily men were able to control their lives.

Mary Goddard was of all things a strong, capable woman who believed in a woman's right to work and to have a life outside the home. (Bois, 1999) She was in many ways one of our first feminist.

She came to the printing industry by way of her brother William. Together they would eventually open the Maryland Journal and Baltimore Advertiser, which would be Baltimore's first newspaper. (George, 1998) After the paper was up and running William moved on to other endeavors leaving Mary to run the paper and print shop as she saw fit.

Mary used her newspaper, as many have done, to express her political views. She was a true American patriot and was also very outspoken about her beliefs. She not only covered America's struggle to freedom but she has the distinction of producing the very first printed copy of the signed Declaration of Independence for wide spread distribution. (George, 1998) This fact has escaped history books for years.

For her patriotism Mary was criticized, her offices raided, and her life was threatened on more than one occasion. (Perez, 2008) She stood against those attackers, fought for and won the right to openly express her opinions. She was also one of the first to stand up in an effort to safeguard freedom of the press for future generations. (Perez, 2008) She is a true American hero that no one remembers.

In 1638, Mrs. Elizabeth Glover opened the very first American printing business which she entitled The Cambridge Press. (National Women's History Museum, 2007) Elizabeth had inherited her printing press, some technicians, and several servants from her husband, Jose Glover, who died while both were traveling to America from England. (National Women's History Museum, 2007) She was, in fact, America's first official printer.

Elizabeth had to request special permission from officials to open and run her business because at that time in America it was not customary for a woman to own a business without the aid of a husband. (National Women's History Museum, 2007) Though this may seem odd and a bit insulting to us in this day and age it does serve to give us written prove as to her claim of first American printer. To add further insult to injury, Stephen Daye, known to many as "the first American printer", was in fact, one of the technicians employed by Elizabeth Glover. (Lienhard, 1997) Oddly enough, Mr. Daye could barely read or write both necessary skills for printers of the time. (Lienhard, 1997) Today he is remembered and given credit for her accomplishment where she has been forgotten.

Elizabeth ran the business successfully on her own for several years before she remarried in 1641 to Harvard University's first president, Henry Dunster. (National Women's History Museum, 2007) As far as documentation it appears Henry then took over the full operation of the business and Elizabeth faded away. (Lienhard, 1997) Most likely she continued to work within the shop until her death two years later in 1643. (National Women's History Museum, 2007) After Henry's death, total control of The Cambridge Press was turned over to Harvard University where it remains today. (National Women's History Museum, 2007) The fact that it all began with a woman named Elizabeth Glover is for the most part overlooked.

Elizabeth Timothy became the first female American newspaper editor, publisher, and journalist upon her husband's accidental death in 1738. (National Women's History Museum, 2007) Her husband had signed a contract with Benjamin Franklin which Elizabeth fulfilled gaining full ownership of the South-Carolina Gazette for her son Peter. (National Women's History Museum, 2007) Franklin praised Elizabeth highly for her business sense and her abilities, stating more than once that he preferred her business style over that of her late husband. (National Women's History Museum, 2007) This was indeed high praise and a testament to Elizabeth's abilities in not only printing but journalism and her general business skills as well.

She not only ran the paper and printed other items such as books and pamphlets but also achieved the position of official providence printer, making her responsible for the printing of all official documents for the South Carolina Assembly. (South Carolina Business Hall of Fame, 1999) Though Elizabeth made all the decisions she always used her son's name on all her work. (National Women's History Museum, 2007) This made her invisible to the masses and easily forgotten by history.

These women were just three of a very large group of female printers that operated throughout American history. Women most commonly found their way into printing by male family members, more often then not by the death of their husbands. (The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 2009) They also learned about the business and the trade from family members or through apprenticeships with masters. (The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, 2009) It was quite common for a printer's wife and children to be found working side by side with him in the shop. (DeLea, 2002) This would have given these women a greater understanding of the printing industry and the day to day operation of a business. It also primed them to succeed after their husband's deaths.

Women found their way to the printing industry not only by family but through slavery, indentured servitude, and apprenticeship. (DeLea, 2002) Printing was a hard, laborious, and tedious task. It required strength of body and will of mind. Most processes were done by hand including the placement of each letter. (DeLea, 2002) All this work took manpower and that was easily found for a price.

It should not be said that these women printers did not gain from their knowledge and position. In fact, their abilities within the printing trade could do nothing more than improve their life. This fact held true for wife, daughter, servant, and slave. (DeLea, 2002) Through the printing trade women found a freedom that they might not otherwise had found. Newspaper women such as Goddard and Timothy were able to express their ideas openly and influence others in a world where most women had no voice.

These women were able to not just work in the field but they could become masters, opened shops of their own, and took on apprentices of both sexes. They could earn a good living and gain respect for the work they did even if it was to be overlooked and they were to be deigned credit. They gained a sense of self worth that can only come from success and respect.

With all the contributions women have made to the printing industry and to the country as a whole, one has to question why they and their contributions have been almost totally forgotten. This can be attributed directly to the legal status and views held of women during Colonial Times.

Anyone who has done research into their family tree can tell you that one of the most frustrating tasks to undertake is to trace a female ancestor. The reason for this is because once married, a woman lost all legal rights and she became for all intents and purposes the property of her husband. This loss included even her name. Women are most often referred to in documentation by their husband such as Mrs. So-and-so or as the wife of So-and-so. (DuBois & Dumenil, 2005) The idea of women as property was so ingrained into law and the minds of the public that a husband being sued in court for his wife's legal wrongs seemed not only proper but somehow in order with nature itself. (DuBois & Dumenil, 2005) The effect of this was to erase married women as entities unto themselves. They only existed legally through their husbands. This made them totally dependant on these men and helped to forge the idea that women were incapable of caring for themselves.

The laws view of women was so backward and constraining that a woman could not own property, run a business, or even have say over her own children without a husband's permission. (Compton's New Media, Inc, 1995) Upon his death a wife was only legally eligible for one-third of his property. (Warber, 2009) Though she could take over and run his business after his death she was unable to become a guardian to her own children. (Warber, 2009) This lack of a legal presence effectively erased many women from history.

The lack of legal rights took everything a woman owned, created, or did and put it into the hands of her husband. This meant that if credit were to be given, it would go to him. (Compton's New Media, Inc, 1995) In the true sense of things a woman of Colonial Times would most likely not expect credit. Women adapted easily to what was expected of them by society without question as to its rightness or fairness. She accepted her lot in life and did so with quiet assurance. This only added to women's struggles in later generations when they went to regain the right to demand the same respect and acknowledgement of achievements that they had previously given away. In some ways the silent acceptance of our female ancestors still affects us today.

These women printers took on not only the traditional roles of mother, housekeeper, and wife but further added businesswoman, tradeswoman, and master. They helped to forge ideas, develop discussions, even risked their lives, and in doing so they helped to create a nation. They are the foremothers of our country. They each serve as a representation of what women are capable of and of the true greatness we each hold within ourselves. We can no longer remain silent and history must be made to acknowledge them. We must speak out for those who have remained silent and forgotten for so long in an effort to allow our daughters can see the influence women have had in the creation of our world as it exists today.

References:
Bois, Danuta (1999). Mary Katherine Goddard. Retrieved March 28, 2009, from www.distinguishedwomen.com Web site: http://www.distinguishedwomen.com/biographies/goddard-mk.html

Compton's New Media, Inc, (1995). Women's history in america Presented by women's international center. Retrieved March 28, 2009, from www.wic.org Web site: http://www.wic.org/misc/history.htm

DeLea Sayers, (2002). Colonial printing. Retrieved February 23, 2009, from http://www.colonialprinter.org/ Web site: http://www.colonialprinter.org/index_files/page0006.htm

DuBois, E., & Dumenil, L. (2005). Through women's eyes an American history with documents. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins.

George, Christopher, T. (1998). Mary katherine goddard and freedom of the press. Retrieved March 14, 2009, from www.baltimoremd.com Web site: http://www.baltimoremd.com/monuments/goddard.html

Lienhard, John (1997). First U.S. press. Retrieved March 28, 2009, from www.uh.edu Web site: http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi733.htm

National Women's History Museum, (2007). Women with a deadline. Retrieved March 14, 2009, from www.nwhm.org Web site: http://www.nwhm.org/womenwithdeadlines/wwd1.htm

Perez, Antonio. (2008). History shouldn't forget our 'Founding Printers'. USA Today. Retrieved March 14, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.

South Carolina Business Hall of Fame, (1999). Elizabeth Timothy. Retrieved March 28, 2009, from www.knowitall.org Web site: http://www.knowitall.org/legacy/laureates/Elizabeth%20Timothy.html

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, (2009). Printer and Binder. Retrieved February 23, 2009, from http://www.history.org Web site: http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/trades/tradepri.cfm

Warber, Adrienne (2009). About Colonial Women's Rights. Retrieved March 28, 2009, from www.ehow.com Web site: http://www.ehow.com/about_4571155_colonial-womens-rights.html