19. Mary Katherine Goddard served as Baltimore’s Postmaster throughout the Revolutionary War era
Starting with her brother’s newspaper in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1762, Mary Goddard learned the business of newspapers and printing. Her brother moved to Philadelphia in 1767, starting a newspaper there he called the Pennsylvania Chronicle. Benjamin Franklin and Joseph Galloway were among his financial partners, and Mary Goddard joined the venture as manager and printer. Mary purchased the printing press for the paper from New Haven, making it the first American newspaper printed on a press manufactured in America. All of Benjamin Franklin’s presses had been manufactured in England. In 1773, Mary journeyed to Baltimore, to manage another newspaper started by her brother in that city.
On May 10, 1775, the Baltimore newspaper, the Maryland Journal, changed its masthead to identify Mary Goddard as the publisher. Baltimore thrived during the Revolution, a haven for privateers and smugglers, and their ships carried the Journal to other ports. It became more or less a national newspaper. When Mary printed the first fair copy of the Declaration of Independence bearing the names of the signers, she added her name, as the printer, in a lower corner. The act added her name to those deemed to be treasonous by British authorities. She served as Baltimore’s Postmaster from 1775 until 1789. When she was removed in order to make the position a reward for political fealty, more than 200 Baltimore businessmen petitioned for her to remain. Today, she is little remembered in America’s history books.