Crocker & Brewster

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Crocker & Brewster (1818-1876) was a leading publishing house in Boston during its 58-year existence. The business was located in today's 173-175 Washington Street for nearly half a century; in 1864 it moved to the adjoining building where it remained until the firm's dissolution.

The firm was founded by Uriel Crocker and Osmyn Brewster, with ongoing participation of their earlier employer Samuel Turell Armstrong (afterwards mayor of Boston and acting governor of the Commonwealth). In 1815 Crocker was made foreman of Armstrong's printing-office, and in 1818 was with his fellow-apprentice Brewster taken into partnership with Armstrong. They agreed that the bookstore was to be conducted in the name of Mr. Armstrong, and the printing-office in that of Crocker & Brewster.

In 1821 a branch of the business was established in New York City. However, five years later it was sold to Daniel Appleton and Jonathan Leavitt, thus becoming the foundation of D. Appleton & Sons.

After 1825 the entire business was carried on under the name of Crocker & Brewster (although Mr. Armstrong continued a member of the firm until 1840). The printing-office was then in Mr. Crocker's charge, and the bookstore in that of Mr. Brewster. The firm continued with good business and strong sales until 1876, when it relinquished its active publishing business. At this point, the stereotype plates, copyrights, and book stock were sold to H. O. Houghton & Co., which in turn became Houghton Mifflin. The partnership itself, however, continued until dissolved by Crocker's death in 1887.

The books published by the firm were many and important, largely standard and educational works. One of the principal of them was Scott's Family Bible in six royal octavo volumes, the first large work stereotyped in the United States. It sold twenty to thirty thousand copies, a large number for those days. The firm introduced in Boston the first iron-lever printing press, and printed from the first power press in Boston.

Crocker & Brewster's papers are archived in the Boston Athenaeum.

[edit] References

• Bacon, Edwin M., Editor. Men of Progress: One Thousand Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Leaders in Business and Professional Life in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Boston: New England Magazine, 1896.

This article is derived from the Men of Progress entry for Crocker, on which copyright has expired.