Mary Katherine Goddard
She was born in 1738 not far from New London, Connecticut, and traveled with her brother William when he founded the Providence Gazette, a newspaper, in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1762. His newspaper soon endorsed the Patriots' operations. William also started a newspaper in Baltimore called the Maryland Journal, and in 1774 Mary took over publishing of the Maryland Journal when he went to Philadelphia to start yet another newspaper. She subsequently became among the first female publishers in history.
In addition to continuing to publish the Journal, she also assumed the responsibilities of Baltimore's Postmaster in 1775. She is regarded by some as the country's first female federal employee. When the Continental Congress in Philadelphia agreed to print the Declaration of Independence, Goddard offered her press to produce the version that is now known as the Goddard Broadside. Goddard's newspaper had supported the Patriots in the early stages of the conflict. It was the first to incorporate the signatories' names in typeset, and Goddard added her own name to the paper in a lower corner. She could have been accused of treason as a result.
In 1784, Elizabeth was made to resign from her post as publisher of the Maryland Journal by Goddard's brother William. She remained Baltimore's postmaster until Postmaster General Samuel Osgood thought the position was too demanding for a woman in 1789. Her reinstatement was not granted despite a petition from more than 200 Baltimore residents. She stayed in Baltimore and ran a bookshop there until she passed away in 1816.
- Born: June 16, 1738Connecticut
- Died: August 12, 1816 (aged 78)
