Ann smith franklin township library2/21/2024 After the deaths of her remaining children, Ann, then age 65, returned to the printing press. Later years Īs Ann grew older, she turned over many business responsibilities to James Jr. In 1758, they published The Newport Mercury, Rhode Island's first newspaper. During this time, however, some of Ann's imprints continued to bear the name "Widow Franklin". ran the business, now called "Ann and James Franklin", with his mother. The daughters performed typesetting while James Jr. Though a second child died young, Mary, Elizabeth and James Jr. In 1741, she began selling her brother-in-law Benjamin's almanac, Poor Richard's Almanack, and in 1745, she printed 500 copies of the Acts and Laws of Rhode Island as a folio edition, her largest commission. Ann's most notable work was compiling and publishing five editions of the Rhode Island Almanack, for the years 1737–1741. To supplement her income, she printed sermons for ministers, advertisements for merchants, as well as popular British novels. In this official capacity, she printed the colony's charter granted by Charles II of England. She was awarded the contract, becoming the General Assembly's official printer to the colony, a position she held until she died. In 1736, Ann petitioned the General Assembly of Rhode Island, seeking printing work in order to support her family. After a long illness, James died in Newport in 1735, leaving Ann a widow, aged 39, with three young children to support, one child having died earlier. was apprenticed in the printing trade to his uncle Benjamin. attended Philadelphia Academy with his cousin William, Benjamin's son, before James Jr. They had five children including daughters Mary and Elizabeth, and son James Jr. Personal life Īnn Smith Franklin was married to James Franklin, a printer and the brother of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin. She was the country’s first female newspaper editor, the first woman to write an almanac, and the first woman inducted into the University of Rhode Island's Journalism Hall of Fame. She published the Mintunt, printed an almanac series. She inherited the business from her husband, James Franklin, brother of Benjamin Franklin. Newport, Colony of Rhode Island and Providence PlantationsĪnn Smith Franklin (Octo– April 16, 1763) was an American colonial newspaper printer and publisher.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |