Sarah Goddard | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sarah Updike c. 1701 |
| Died | 1770 (aged 68–69) |
| Nationality | English |
| Occupation | Printer |
| Known for | Printing the first newspaper in Providence, theProvidence Gazette and Country Journal |
| Notable work | Providence Gazette and Country Journal |
Sarah Updike Goddard (c. 1701 – January 5, 1770) was anearly American printer, as well as a co-founder and publisher of theProvidence Gazette and Country Journal, the first newspaper founded inProvidence, Rhode Island. She worked closely with her sonWilliam and daughterMary Katherine, who both also became printers and publishers, forming one of the earliest influential publishing dynasties in theAmerican colonies.[1]
Sarah Updike was born at Cocumscussuc,Rhode Island, just north of the village ofWickford, where her parents, Lodowick Updike (anglicized from Opdyck)[1] and Abigail (Newton) Updike, had inheritedSmith's Castle, the original site ofRoger Williams' trading post.[2][3][4] Sarah was one of six children; her brother Daniel would go on to serve as attorney general of theColony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.[2][3]
She was well educated, studying French and Latin in addition to more usual subjects.[1][2]
In 1735, she married Giles Goddard, a well-to-do physician, and they settled inNew London, Connecticut.[1][3] Giles Goddard was also thepostmaster in New London, and when he fell ill in 1755, Sarah served as postmaster in his place.[5] Both of their surviving children —Mary Katherine andWilliam — became involved in the printing and publishing businesses.[2][3]
Sometime after Giles's death in 1757, Sarah moved toProvidence, Rhode Island, where in 1762 she financed her son William to set up Providence's first print shop and an associated weekly newspaper, theProvidence Gazette and Country Journal.[2][5] Both Sarah and her daughter Mary Katherine worked in the shop and developed into accomplished printers alongside head printer John Carter, who had apprenticed withBenjamin Franklin.[2][6]
In 1765, due to a lack of subscribers, William suspended publication of theProvidence Gazette and moved away.[2] Sarah took over management of the print shop with the help of Mary Katherine and issued broadsides and pamphlets as well as the annualWest's Almanack under the imprint "S. & W. Goddard". In 1766, she revived theProvidence Gazette with "Sarah Goddard & Company" as the publisher.[2][5] That same year, she printed the first American edition of the letters of the essayist and poetLady Mary Wortley Montagu.[2] She added a bookstore and bindery to her operation before selling the business in 1768 to John Carter.[2][7]
Goddard and Mary Katherine then moved to Philadelphia, where William had launched a new paper, thePennsylvania Chronicle and Universal Advertiser. This paper had run into trouble due to William's erratic management and many absences.[5] Goddard took over management of the paper and provided financial support, which allowed theChronicle to survive.[2][5] However, she died within a year of the move, leaving her daughter as the paper's manager.[2][5]
A contemporary obituary praised Goddard for her "uncommon attainments in literature" and her "sensible and edifying conversation".[2]
In 1998, Goddard was inducted into theRhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.[7]
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