English
This collection consists of two volumes of letter press copies of
transcriptions of selected records between or pertaining to James Parker and
Benjamin Franklin that date from about 1739 to 1775. The transcriptions were done
around 1916 by Sarah Cresson from the Franklin letter books in the possession of the
American Philosophical Society.
Sarah Cresson transcriptions of James Parker letters and
documents, circa 1916
Am .0683/Collection 467
1 box, 2 volumes, 0.4 linear feet
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
James Parker (1714-1770), born in Woodbridge, New Jersey, became one of the nation’s
most well-known printers. During the 1730s, he was employed by Benjamin Franklin in
Philadelphia. By 1742, however, he had moved to New York and, with Franklin’s
assistance, created his first newspaper, the New York Gazette
Revived in the Weekly Post Boy. He also established himself as the public
printer for the province of New York in 1743. He opened New Jersey’s first printing
house in 1751 in his native Woodbridge. Parker was appointed controller and
secretary of the General Post Office of the British Colonies in 1756. Two years
later, he was named the government printer of New Jersey. In addition to newspapers,
Parker published novels, almanacs, magazines, and papers. He and Franklin remained
in contact until his death in 1770.
The first volume contains correspondence from James Parker and others to Benjamin
Franklin; the letters date primarily from the 1760s to the early 1770s with less
items dating from the 1730s, 1740s, and 1750s. Among the records transcribed in the
second volume are agreements, bonds, bills, receipts, memoranda, and other legal and
financial papers. Each volume is indexed.
Because the letterpress pages are fragile and some of the copy is fading or flaking,
photocopies of the letters have been made. Researchers are asked to use them before
using the original volumes.
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790
Parker, James, 1714-1770
The collection is open for research.
Gift of Sarah Cresson, 1916.
Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], Sarah Cresson transcriptions (Am
.0683), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Processed by: Cary Majewicz
Processing Completed: July 2009
Processing made possible by a generous donation from Mary Countess of Bessborough.
Benedict, William H. “James Parker, the printer, of Woodbridge.” Proceedings of the Historical Society of New Jersey, new
series 8:3 (July 1923): 194-199. [call #UNJ F 131 .N58]