William Hunter (publisher)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Colonial printer
- Printing press shop foreman
- British America Postmaster General
William Hunter, Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 1, 1700 Yorktown, York County, Virginia |
| Died | August 14, 1761 (aged 61) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1742-1761 |
| Era | |
| Known for |
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| Notable work |
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| Predecessor | William Parks |
| Successor |
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| Partner | Elizabeth Reynolds |
| Children | 1 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Matrilineage |
William Hunter, Sr. (1700-1761) was a Colonial printer and publisher for the Colony of Virginia in British America during the reign of George II of Great Britain.[1] William Hunter was of scottish lineage firmly established by his parents William Thomas Sempill Hunter Sr. from Clackmannanshire, Scotland and Elizabeth Cunningham from Corsehill, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Hunter was a resolute bachelor during adulthood along the Virginia Peninsula.[2] He had a natural son William Hunter, Jr. as an out of wedlock arrangement which excluded a marital union with Elizabeth Reynolds a resident of Colonial Williamsburg.[3][4]
The Colonial Williamsburg Print Shop was built by William Parks in 1736. The colonial American timber framed structure was recognized as the first letterpress printing establishments for the Colony of Virginia in the 18th century.
In 1743, William Hunter was apprenticed as a compositor with William Parks. By 1749, Hunter was delegated as shop foreman for the Colonial Williamsburg Print Shop. In 1750, upon the interment of William Parks, the Colonial Williamsburg publishing operations were lateral to William Hunter acquiring the typesetting talents of John Holt and a brother John Henry Hunter (1714-1774).
The print shop would persevere the publishing of the Colony of Virginia laws, House of Burgesses of Virginia journals, Virginia Almanack, and Virginia Gazette reasonably appeasing the social conscience of the governing British Crown during 18th century loyalism in British America.
The Hunter print shop sustained cordial relations with Colonial Williamsburg clergy publishing journals and sermons for ministers as John Camm, Samuel Davies, and George Whitefield. The clerical relations would flourish during the House of Burgesses litigating the Two Penny Act which eventually coerced Patrick Henry deliberating the ethical dilemma of the Parson's Cause of 1763.[5]
See also
Footnotes
Franklin Papers Archives regarding William Hunter in British America
- Franklin, Benjamin. "Philadelphia Post Office Record Books, 1737–53". Founders Online. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
- Franklin, Benjamin; Hunter, William (December 24, 1754). "Benjamin Franklin and William Hunter: Commission to Thomas Vernon, 24 December 1754". Founders Online. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
- Franklin, Benjamin (August 29, 1757). "Post Office Account with William Hunter, 29 August 1757". Founders Online. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
- Hunter, William (November 30, 1757). "To Benjamin Franklin from William Hunter, 30 November 1757". Founders Online. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
