Dedication.

James Parker dedicated a good part of his life to the written word, establishing printing houses in three colonies and founding several newspapers. Considered one of the best printers in colonial America, Parker gave a measure of respectability to the field of journalism and developed a reputation for accurate reporting. Some historians maintain that as a newspaper editor he was the superior of both William Bradford III and Benjamin Franklin.

Youth.

Parker was born in Woodbridge, New Jersey, the son of a cooper. When his father died in 1727, Parker traveled to New York City to become the apprentice of Bradford, but he ran away from his master before his eight years of service had expired. Arriving in Philadelphia, the energetic youth impressed Franklin, who gave him a job in his printing establishment. In February 1742 the two men formed a six-year...