Community Chat

[Oznell]

This is some fascinating historical trivia for the wind-up of the glorious Fourth.  Actually, they had an even more provocative title in the Time article where I discovered this-- their headline was "The Woman Who "Signed" the Declaration of Independence".   A bit of a teaser, but catchy!

Her name was Mary Katherine Goddard, and her name appeared on the first copy of the Declaration meant to be archived, dated January, 1777.  It proclaimed that it was "printed by Mary Katherine Goddard".

Her back story is, that she and her family were in printing and publishing, and she eventually had her own newspaper, "The Maryland Journal",  where she printed articles and speeches tweaking the British over their taxation, etc.   Not only that, she was printer and postmaster to the Second Continental Congress in Baltimore.  It is even believed by some, that she was the first female postmaster in the U.S., according to the piece.

It makes sense that an active newspaper publisher with a scarce and precious printing press (for the era) would be called upon to print official and even rarefied and exalted documents of the newly-hatched United States, like the Declaration...

So she gets immortalized on that early, official copy along with the others.   Pretty neat!

[Greeneyedlady21]

@Oznell Thanks for posting this. If I've ever read about her I don't remember doing so.

[Oznell]

Nor have I, @Greeneyedlady21.   Love stumbling on nuggets like this....

[cimeranrose]

Thanks for sharing this interesting information - I had never heard of her.

[Oznell]

I know, @cimeranrose,  you'd think she'd be more well-known b/c of that.  Perhaps because she is not on every single one of those first copies, but just some of them-- they kind of implied that...

KInd of makes you realize there are other, interesting figures of the past out there, lurking in the mists of history, and waiting to be widely known, perhaps! 

[Cakers3]

And she was removed from her postmaster position because as a woman it would be too difficult for her to travel.  *sigh*

[Oznell]

Not only that, @Cakers3, I think I read that there were additional, murky political patronage issues resulting in professional setbacks for her-- a shame.

[BirkiLady]

@Oznell  Doubtful that was included in the tours we have taken. What a disappointment!

[Nataliesgramma]

Thanks for the nugget of knowledge!!... I love History

[meallen616]

@Oznell,

Thanks for the info, I enjoy learning new facts!