Ann Timothy

Ann Timothy (ca. 1727–September 11, 1792) was a newspaper publisher from South Carolina. She worked alongside her husband until his death in 1782, and after she had published by herself for years, she became the official printer for the state of South Carolina.

Ann Timothy
Born
Ann Donovan

circa 1727
Died(1792-09-11)September 11, 1792[1][lower-alpha 1]
Charleston, South Carolina, US
NationalityAmerican
OccupationNewspaper publisher
Known forOne of the few women newspaper printers in Colonial America
SpousePeter Timothy
RelativesElizabeth Timothy (mother-in-law)

Personal life

Ann Donovan was born circa 1727.[1][lower-alpha 2] She married Peter Timothy on December 8, 1745 in Charleston, South Carolina.[1] Peter was the son of Elizabeth Timothy who operated the first permanent newspaper in South Carolina.[5] Ann and Peter were believed to have had fifteen children, but seven of whom died as infants.[5][lower-alpha 3] Their children include Elizabeth–Ann and Frances–Claudia, who were on their own or married by 1780. The remaining children at that time were Anne, Sarah, Robert, Sarah, and Benjamin Franklin.[10]

Career
An eighteenth century printing press

Timothy and her husband took over publishing the South Carolina Gazette from Peter's mother, Elizabeth Timothy.[5] Peter wrote to Benjamin Franklin in 1772 that he was unable to continue publishing due to poor eyesight. He announced that he had pursued other lines of business, and also suggested that he would welcome "any Employment in His Majesty’s Service, that will not degrade me, which any Friend may think me fit for or can procure by his Interest."[9] After a break from March 1772 to November 1773, Peter resumed running the printing business.[9] There were intermittent periods where the newspaper was not printed, such as the destruction of the printing press due to fire.[11]

After the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, Peter printed broadside copies of the Declaration which were then hung in public places. To show his support, but also to identify himself as a revolutionary, Peter took the singular step by printers across the country to add “CHARLES-TOWN, Printed by PETER TIMOTHY” at the bottom of the document.[12]

In February 1780, the newspaper was suspended as the British approached the city for what became the Siege of Charleston from March 29, 1780 to May 12, 1780.[11] Peter was subsequently captured and exiled to a prison in St. Augustine, Florida for ten months for failing to take the loyalty oath. He was unable to return to Charleston.[13]

Peter set sail for Santo Domingo[5] within the West Indies in 1782,[13] Two of his daughters and a grandchild met up with Peter in Philadelphia, intending to travel to Antigua to visit one of his daughters. They perished during a storm off of the Delaware coast.[13] Peter and Ann's surviving children at that point were Sarah, Robert (disabled), and Benjamin Franklin Timothy.[13]

Timothy resumed operating the newspaper on July 16, 1783, after the death of Peter, upon the removal of the British from the city, and after peace was restored.[5][11] The newspaper operated out of the John Lining House at 106 Broad Street from 1783 to 1793.[14][lower-alpha 4] From 1785 to 1792, she was the official "Printer to the State. She worked until her death in 1792.[5] Timothy was said in death notices to be very worthy and valuable.[4] Her son, Benjamin Franklin Timothy, continued the family printing business[9] with the September 20, 1792 edition.[11]

Legacy

She was one of a few women publishers before and shortly after the American Revolution.[15] Since printing was often a multi-generational family business, there were some printing families with two or more generations of women printers, which was the case with Timothy and her mother-in-law, Elizabeth Timothy.[16] It was often a financial necessity for widowed women in the printing profession to carry on the business.[16] There were at least six women who were the official printers for various colonial governments, as Timothy did for the state of South Carolina.[16] According to a syndicated article, "Helped the Colonial Cause": "In nearly every case they advocated the colonial cause, and their editorials did much to arouse the spirit of patriotism in the men."[15][17]

See also

References

Notes

  1. Her date of death was reported as "yesterday" (September 11, 1792) in a newspaper dated September 12, 1792.[2][3] Her date of death was also reported on October 11, 1792 in various American newspapers, without a date of death. She died at about 65 years of age in Charleston, South Carolina.[4]
  2. She may have been born in Charleston, South Carolina,[5] and she may be related to Daniel Donovan,[1] who immigrated to the state between 1670 and 1698.[6] A Daniel Donavan's will was probated on February 14, 1728–1729 in Charleston, South Carolina. His household included his wife Ann, son Daniel, daughter Ann, and at least two enslaved women, both of whom were named Dinnah. One of the executors was Will Greenland, his brother. His other executors were his wife, Peter Cabe, and William Bellinger.[7] A Daniel Donovan was a witness to the will of Mary Izard in 1687.[8]
  3. Peter Timothy wrote to Benjamin Franklin in 1772 that he had lost eight sons to teething.[9]
  4. An apothecary operated from the same building beginning in the 1780s.[14]

Citations

  1. Humphrey, Carol Ann (2000). "Timothy, Ann (1727?–11 September 1792), newspaper printer". American National Biography. doi:10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0101146. ISBN 978-0-19-860669-7. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  2. Webber, M (1920). "Marriage and Death Notices from the City Gazette". The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine. 21 (3): 128. JSTOR 27569532. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  3. Olsen, Kirstin (1994). Chronology of Women's History. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-313-28803-6.
  4. "Mrs Ann Timothy", U.S., Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704-1930
  5. Appleby, Joyce; Chang, Eileen; Goodwin, Neva (July 17, 2015). Encyclopedia of Women in American History. Routledge. p. 193. ISBN 978-1-317-47162-2.
  6. Filby, P. William, ed. (2012), "Daniel Donovan, South Carolina immigrant, between 1670-1698", Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, Farmington Hills, Michigan: Gale Research, p. 73
  7. "Daniel Donavan", South Carolina County, District and Probate Courts, Charleston County, South Carolina
  8. A. S. Salley, Jr., ed. (1904). "Mary Izard will, Daniel Donovan witness" (PDF). The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine. Vol. 5. Charleston, South Carolina: South Carolina Historical Society. p. 220. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  9. "Founders Online: To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Timothy, 24 August 1772". founders.archives.gov. August 24, 1772. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  10. Charleston County (South Carolina) Wills and Probate Records 1670-1980, Charleston, South Carolina, I Peter Timothy of Charles town in South Carolina, being advanced in Years, and involved in all the Perils of a Siege, by an Enemy who do not promise to exercise all that Humanity distinguishes a generous Foe, and being also of sound Mind and Memory, but compelled in my later Days to share the Fate of a retreating Army — do make and declare this to be my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all of any former Wills or Will made by me made, that may be found after my Decease — that is to say — ALL the property I have in the World of whatever kind, I leave and bequeath to be divided and distributed between my beloved Wife Anne (in whose prudent Conduct I have the most perfect confidence) and my following children, Anne, Sarah, Robert, Sarah, and Benjamin Franklin, at her Discretion entirely — I have omitted my beloved Daughters Elizabeth–Anne and Frances–Claudia, not because less dear to me, but because the Fire in 1778, and my uniform political Conduct has not left me the Means to make that Provision I could wish for all; and because one has Property to live on, and the other has a Husband who I hope will take that Care of here, which becomes him... April 22, 1780.
  11. Brigham, Clarence S. (October 1924). "Part XVI: South Carolina". American Antiquarian Society Bibliography of American Newspapers, 1690–1820. p. 276.
  12. Gilder Lehrman staff (July 4, 2019). "The Declaration of Independence of Peter Timothy: Printer, Prisoner, and Patriot". www.gilderlehrman.org. Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  13. King, Martha J. (June 28, 2016). "Timothy, Peter". South Carolina Encyclopedia, University of South Carolina, Institute for Southern Studies. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  14. "106 Broad Street (John Lining House a/k/a Poulnot's Pharmacy a/k/a Schwettman's Pharmacy)". Historic Charleston Foundation. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  15. "Helped the Colonial Cause: Women Who Owned Newspapers During the American Revolution". Appleton, Wisconsin: The Appleton Crescent. February 12, 1898. p. 7 – via newspapers.com.
  16. Sanders, Beverly; American Federation of Teachers (June 2, 1980). "Book One Women In the Colonial Era and The Early American Republic 1607 - 1820" (PDF). Women in American History: A Series. p. 32.
  17. "Helped the Colonial Cause". Kenosha News. March 12, 1898. p. 2. Retrieved March 5, 2021.

Further reading

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