Family Affair.

One of the most active publishers in the late colonial era, William Goddard had the aid of his mother, Sarah, and sister, Mary Katherine, in his newspaper ventures. Without their financial and managerial savvy it is unlikely that Goddard would have kept afloat any of his three newspapers. Although historians have traditionally focused on Goddard's career, they have ignored the fact that his mother and sister were accomplished printers in their own right.

Early Opportunities.

William Goddard was born on 20 October 1740 in New London, Connecticut, and received some schooling during his youth. His father was a wealthy doctor and postmaster. In 1755 Goddard started an apprenticeship in the New Haven shop of James Parker, one of the most successful printers in the colonies and comptroller and general secretary of all the post offices in British North America. John Holt actually...