William Hunter (publisher)

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William Hunter
The Printing Office & Post Office.jpg
Colonial Williamsburg shop sign
Bornearly 1700s
Yorktown, Virginia
DiedAugust 14, 1761
Resting placeWilliamsburg, Virginia
Occupationprinter
Known forpublisher in the Colony of Virginia
ChildrenWilliam Hunter Jr.
Parent(s)William Hunter (Sr.)
Mary Ann Hunter

William Hunter (died August 14, 1761) was a colonial American newspaper publisher, book publisher, and official government printer for the colony of Virginia. He was a journeyman apprentice for Virginia's first government public printer, William Parks. Hunter was the printer of the laws of Virginia, owner and printer of the Virginia Gazette, and merchant of a bookstore. He printed George Washington's first official report. He was a close friend with Benjamin Franklin and became deputy postmaster general with him as co-director of the colonies in the mid-eighteenth century, managing all the post offices south of Annapolis, Maryland.

Early life[]

Hunter had his birth in Yorktown, Virginia at an unknown date in the early eighteenth century.[1] His parents were William Hunter Sr. (d. 1742), a merchant of Elizabeth City County, and his wife Mary Ann Hunter (d. 1743) of a second marriage.[2] Because of Hunter's father's first marriage he was a half-sibling to Colonel John Hunter, a Hampton merchant who was an agent for the British in the French and Indian War and confidant to Lieutenaut Governnor Robert Dinwiddie.[2] When Hunter grew up he received a good education in the local schools and had advanced schooling in business management to become a merchant.[3]

Hunter's sister Elizabeth, sometime after the deaths of his parents, in October of 1749[3] married John Holt, a merchant, printer, and the mayor of Williamsburg (1752—1753). Since all of Hunter's sisters were minor children and had no parents, they moved in with Elizabeth and her new husband at his house.[4] Hunter and his sisters lived in the large house owned by Holt from 1745 to 1754, known as the "Ravenscroft property" (two half-acre lots) at the corner of Nicholson Street and Botetourt Street in Williamsburg. Hunter was then the owner of the property after Holt's death in 1754, until his death.[4][5]

Mid life[]

Hunter's store next door to print shop

Hunter was a journeyman apprentice under Virginia's first "public printer" ("printer to the public") William Parks.[1] He was an adult in 1749 and then became the foreman of Parks' print shop.[6] Upon Parks’ death in 1750, Hunter took over his position as the official government "public printer" for the colony of Virginia.[7] He was the "public printer" for the House of Burgesses in the colony of Virginia from 1751 to 1761.[1][8] Hunter's salary was increased from Parks' last salary of £280 per year to a yearly salary of £300 when he became the official "public printer" for Virginia in 1751. His salary was again increased to £350 per year in 1759.[8] Hunter's print shop foreman for several years was Joseph Royle.[9]

The print shop where Hunter did his daily work for Parks on Duke of Gloucester Street was only about a block away from where he lived at the "Ravenscroft property" at the time he was an apprentice. Hunter did the printing of the Virginia Gazette and took over the newspaper upon Parks' death on April 1, 1750. He remained owner of the Virginia Gazette from January 3, 1751 until his death in April 1761.[1] Hunter started his own identity of the Gazette with "no. 1" in February 1751.[10] It contained news of the Virginia colony, neighboring colonies, and news from England and parts of Europe. Hunter bought out Parks' print shop interest from his heirs in 1753 for £288, which consisted of the printing presses and associated equipment.[11]

  • Printing press

  • Printing press set-up

  • Printer demonstration

  • print shop reconstructed

Later life and death[]

Hunter was a close friend of Benjamin Franklin.[1] In 1753, he and Franklin were appointed deputy postmaster general as co-directors of the colonies.[12] The postal business up to this point was a losing enterprise for years, as the cost of operation exceeded the income. Franklin's salary was 600 pounds for running the mail service in the colonies, of which half he paid to his assistant Hunter. In 1757 the deficit reached 900 English pounds money. By 1760, with the help of Hunter, he had a surplus of 278 pounds and by 1761 it had grown to 494 pounds which he sent to England to help pay off the debt incurred.[13][14] Franklin was responsible for the post offices in the northern colonies and reorganized the mail service for better efficiency to make it profitable.[15] Hunter was in charge of the post offices south of Annapolis, Maryland, a position Hunter held until his death.[2] Hunter also held the position of Justice of the Peace for the York County Court from 1759 until he died.[2] Hunter died on August 14, 1761.[9]

Works[]

Hunter's main work consisted of printing the laws of Virginia, the publication and distribution of the Virginia Gazette newspaper, and maintaining a bookstore.[1] In 1754, Hunter printed George Washington's first official report of October 1753 to January 1754.[16][17][18]

Printed cover page samples of Hunter's publications:

  • The Virginia Gazette
    February 14, 1751

  • 1754 Journal of Major George Washington

  • 1733 Virginia Acts of Assembly

  • 1732 Virginia Acts of Assembly

Some additional publications credited to Hunter are:

  • 10 editions The journal of House of Burgesses from 1752 into 1761.[19]
  • 5 editions of The speech of Robert Dinwiddie.[20]
  • 4 editions of Acts of Assembly of General Assembly.[21]
  • 3 editions of A letter to Right ... 1758[22]
  • 3 editions of Anno regni Georgii II.[23]
  • 2 editions of Duty of living peaceably. Revd William Giberne, Rector of Hanover Parish.[24]
  • 2 editions of Anno regni Georgii III.[25]
  • 1 editions of Speech of Francis Fauquier.[26]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Bryson 2000, p. 526.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d David Rawson (2020). "Hunter, William (d.1761)". Encyclopedia Virginia. University of Virginia - Library of Virginia. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b McKerns 1989, p. 347.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Tenny, Anne (1981). "David Holt of Virginia, and John Holt of Williamsburg and New York City". National Genealogical Society Quarterly. National Genealogical Society. 69 (29): 254.
  5. ^ Margaret W. Cooper (1998). "The Ravenscroft Site". The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  6. ^ Ford 1959, p. 31.
  7. ^ Wroth 1964, p. 43.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Virginia State Library 1908, p. 108.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b Thomas 1970, p. 555.
  10. ^ Thomas 1970, p. 558.
  11. ^ Wroth 1964, p. 67.
  12. ^ "Notes on Stamps - R.E.G." The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. July 2, 1932. p. 3. Retrieved August 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  13. ^ "Washington Letter - Vicissitudes of Early Days". Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, Mississippi. October 22, 1934. p. 4. Retrieved August 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  14. ^ "Improves Mail Service". The Springfield Press. Springfield, Missouri. April 12, 1933. p. 3. Retrieved August 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  15. ^ "Mail: It's come a long way". The Muscatine Journal. Muscatine, Iowa. June 7, 2000. p. 4. Retrieved August 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  16. ^ Virginia State Library 1908, p. 148.
  17. ^ Ford 1959, p. 11.
  18. ^ "A History of The Virginia Gazette". vagazette.com. The Virginia Gazette. 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  19. ^ "The journal of the House of Burgesses". Open Library. Internet Archive. 2009–2012. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  20. ^ "The speech of the Honorable Robert Dinwiddieauthor=". Open Library. Internet Archive. 2009–2012. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  21. ^ "Acts of Assembly". Open Library. Internet Archive. 2009–2012. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  22. ^ "A letter to the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord-B-----p of L------n". Open Library. Internet Archive. 2009–2012. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  23. ^ "Anno regni Georgii II. Regis Magnae Britanniae, Franciae, & Hiberniae, tricesimo tertio". Open Library. Internet Archive. 2009–2012. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  24. ^ "The duty of living peaceably with all men recommended". Open Library. Internet Archive. 2009–2012. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  25. ^ "Laws, etc. (Session laws : 1762 Jan.)". Open Library. Internet Archive. 2009–2012. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  26. ^ "The speech of the Honourable Francis Fauquier, Esq; His Majesty's lieutenant-governour, and commander in chief, of the colony and dominion of Virginia, to the General Assembly=". Open Library. Internet Archive. 2009–2012. Retrieved 17 October 2013.

Bibliography[]

  • Ford, Thomas K. (1959). The Bookbinder in Eighteenth-century Williamsburg. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. ISBN 0910412154.
  • Virginia State Library (1908). Report of the Virginia State Library, Volumes 5-7. Virginia State Library, Division of Purchase and Printing.

External links[]

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