Oct 27

Oct 27 Isiah Thomas Prints The Massachusetts Spy

Isaiah Thomas printed the Massachusetts Spy, a radical newspaper that became popular in pre-Revolutionary Boston.

Isaiah Thomas

Isaiah Thomas was trained as a printer as a young man, working in Massachusetts and the surrounding colonies to hone his craft.

Thomas was just 21-years-old when he established the Massachusetts Spy in 1770.

This radical newspaper took up the Patriot Cause during the build up to the Revolutionary War. With it, Isaiah became one of the loudest voices rallying sentiment against the Royal Governor and Parliament.

Evacuation

Despite attempts by the Royal Governor to shut down his business, Thomas persevered.

Additionally, he briefly published the Royal American Magazine which also spoke radically and even included some of Paul Revere’s engravings.

Eventually, Isaiah took things too far and decided to move his press out of Boston to the town of Worcester.

His decision proved timely, as just days later the Battle of Lexington and Concord broke out. Had he not fled, his entire operation would have been trapped in British held Boston for a year.

A dedicated Patriot, Thomas responded to the Alarm and joined in the Battle.

Premier Printer

Thomas would continue publishing from Worcester for the remainder of his life.

In addition to the Massachusetts Spy he spent several decades offering the New England Almanac.

Isaiah followed Benjamin Franklin’s lead by franchising out his operation to surrounding communities which built his wealth in the young nation.

Curiously, he was the first person to import to the United States a printing type which could be used to publish music.

Isaiah also spent decades writing the History of Printing in America. It was a milestone work which still has significant historical relevance.

American Antiquarian Society

Perhaps Thomas’ greatest contribution to the birth of the United States was as the founder of the American Society of Antiquaries.

Now known as the American Antiquarian Society, this organization collected books and records to preserve important history.

In addition to donating thousands of volumes from his personal collection, Thomas served as the Society’s president until his death.

There were many important Founders who ran print shops during the Revolution.

Here are a few you might like:

Mary Katherine Goddard Reveals the Signers of the Declaration

John Dunlap Announces American Independence

The Sedition of Benjamin Franklin Bache

There have been several biographies written about Thomas through the centuries.

‘Printer, Patriot and Philanthropist’ is about 80-years-old but is still one of the more recent tomes on this Founder’s life.

If you’d like a copy you can pick one up through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same).