Isaiah Thomas

This broadside was the first item Isaiah Thomas ever set in type and had printed for Zecheriah Fowle. Thomas was only 6 and did not know how to read, write or spell. Fowle provided an 18 inch high bench for his young apprentice to be able to reach the type cases.

Since he could not read,...

This document shows the changing hands of the responsibility of care for Isaiah Thomas from his mother, Fidelity Thomas, to a Mr. Zechariah Fowle, a childless printer who was willing to take in a six year old to do chores around the shop and to peddle ballads in the streets. ¹...

All colonial newspapers appeared weekly and were sold by subscriptions. While most colonial newspapers had circulations of between 500 and 1,000, the Massachusetts Spy had a circulation of 3,500 from subscribers throughout the thirteen colonies making it the most popular American...