William Bradford (1663-1752)

William Bradford (May 20, 1663- May 23, 1752) was an early British printer in North America, and the head of a family that included leading publishers for 140 years.

William was born in Leicestershire, England where his father was a printer. As was customary, he was apprenticed outside the family to Andrew Sowle in London. By 1685 he had mastered the trade, acquired his own press, and married the master's daughter. The young couple emigrated to Philadelphia. William had the first press in the middle colonies.

In 1692 William was arrested and tried in the first case in America that raised the issue of Freedom of the Press. He printed a tract of George Kieth that contained material objectionable to the Quaker community leaders. He and John McComb, a taverner who distributed the paper, were briefly jailed, and his press was seized. The trail resulted in no decision, based on a split jury, but soon after release he decided to leave Philadelphia.

Bradford moved to New York in 1693, where he was made the official printer for that colony. He died there in 1752. His son Andrew did return to Philadelphia.