William Bradford

He is best known as "the pioneer printer of the Middle colonies" and the head of a family that included publishers for 140 years. He was also known for controversies regarding freedom of the press.

'Father of American Press" Founder of New york's first newspaper, New York Gazette. 1725.

An early English printer in colonial British America. He is best known as "the pioneer printer of the Middle colonies" and the head of a family that included publishers for 140 years. He was also known for controversies regarding freedom of the press.

As was customary, he was apprenticed outside the family to Andrew Sowle, the foremost Quaker printer in London. By 1684, he had mastered the trade and married the master's daughter, Elizabeth. Sowle arranged for Bradford to join William Penn in his new colony in North America.

In 1685, the Bradfords emigrated to Philadelphia, where he set up Pennsylvania's first printing press and, in 1690, helped construct William Rittenhouse's paper mill, the first in the English colonies.