This New Jersey town illegally printed America’s revolution into existence

James Parker’s Illegal Print Shop That Sparked Revolution

James Parker broke the law and changed America by putting ink to paper.

Born in Woodbridge in 1714, he ran from his printing apprenticeship only to be hired by Benjamin Franklin.

After success in New York, Parker came home in 1751 to set up New Jersey’s first legal print shop at 400 Rahway Avenue. Until then, printing presses had been banned in the colony.

Soon after, he launched The New American Magazine, the second of its kind in all the colonies. His press later printed New Jersey’s first newspaper as a direct shot at the hated Stamp Act.

The small building at Parker Press Park still stands as a testament to how one man’s press helped spark a revolution.

A Runaway Apprentice Started His Journey at Age 13

James Parker was born in Woodbridge, New Jersey in 1714, in a town with no printing press. At just 13, his parents sent him to New York to learn printing from William Bradford, a top colonial printer.

Young Parker worked hard but got tired of the strict seven-year training deal. He ran away before finishing, breaking his legal promise to Bradford.

This teenage rebellion led him to meet one of America’s most famous printers.

Franklin Spotted Talent in the Young Printer

Benjamin Franklin gave Parker a chance in Philadelphia during the early 1740s, seeing skills in the young printer who broke his training contract.

By 1742, they formed a six-year business deal, with Franklin giving Parker equipment to start printing in New York.

Franklin often helped former trainees set up their own shops, building a network of friendly printers across the colonies. Parker quickly made a name for himself in New York’s busy printing market.

The Post-Boy Became New York’s Must-Read Paper

Parker started the New-York Weekly Post-Boy newspaper in 1743, bringing fresh competition to colonial news. His paper quickly gained readers and became the top newspaper in the New York colony.

Through the Post-Boy, Parker built a name as both a skilled printer and smart publisher who knew what colonial readers wanted.

The paper’s success caught the eye of government officials, who started thinking about giving Parker official printing jobs.

New Jersey Banned Printing Presses for Decades

New Jersey leaders kept tight control over printing through the first half of the 1700s, with no regular presses allowed. Officials feared presses might spread ideas against British rule.

The government only allowed two short-term press setups, in 1723 and 1728, just for making paper money.

This ban meant New Jersey folks had to travel to Philadelphia or New York for all printing needs, from legal papers to business forms.

Traveling for Printing Became Too Burdensome

By 1750, New Jersey folks got tired of crossing rivers and traveling miles to nearby colonies just to get documents printed.

Government needed printed notices, merchants needed business forms, and churches wanted religious materials, all forcing long trips. The colony’s growing business made the printing ban more and more of a problem.

Officials finally saw that the money lost outweighed their worries about controlling information.

The Hometown Boy Returned with Inky Fingers

Around 1751, Parker came back to Woodbridge, his birthplace, planning to start New Jersey’s first real printing shop.

He set up at 400 Rahway Avenue, bringing professional printing to his home colony after decades of being banned.

The colonial government quickly named Parker as New Jersey’s official printer, giving him steady work from government jobs. His return marked a big change in New Jersey’s growth, ending the long-standing printing ban.

Money and Laws Rolled Off His Press

Parker’s Woodbridge press printed a steady stream of official papers that kept the colony running. His shop printed new laws, government announcements, and official notices that told citizens about colonial business.

The press made New Jersey’s paper money, needed for local trade before standard money existed. Parker also printed lottery tickets, a common way colonies raised money for public projects.

His control of government printing made his shop vital.

The Magazine That Put New Jersey on the Literary Map

In January 1758, Parker started The New American Magazine with local judge Samuel Nevill as editor. The magazine came out monthly for twenty-seven issues, ending in March 1760.

This groundbreaking publication became the first magazine edited and published in New Jersey.

Only Philadelphia’s American Magazine had come before it in the colonies, making Parker’s creation the second magazine in American history.

Readers Devoured Essays, Poetry, and Colonial News

The New American Magazine filled its pages with content that appealed to educated colonists hungry for brain food.

Readers enjoyed essays on philosophy, science, and current events along with poetry from colonial writers. The magazine shared news from across the colonies and Europe, connecting New Jersey readers to a wider world.

Parker’s publication created a new platform for colonial writers and thinkers to share their work.

His Secret Newspaper Fought the Stamp Act

Parker printed the Constitutional Courant in 1765, creating New Jersey’s first newspaper aimed at fighting British taxes.

The paper appeared with the fake publisher name “Andrew Marvel, at the Sign of the Bribe Refused, on Constitutional Hill, North America.”

This pen name protected Parker from British officials while he spread anti-Stamp Act content. The paper showed how independent colonial printers could organize political resistance through their presses.

The Printer Who Changed How Colonies Communicated

Parker’s Woodbridge operation proved that printing presses could operate without threatening colonial order, contrary to British fears.

His success established New Jersey as an independent center for publishing, breaking Philadelphia and New York’s monopoly on colonial printing.

The infrastructure Parker created later supported communication networks during the Revolutionary period, when rapid information sharing became crucial.

His work demonstrated the connection between media freedom and colonial autonomy, showing how access to printing technology changed power dynamics in pre-Revolutionary America.

Visiting Woodbridge, New Jersey

You can explore James Parker’s printing revolution at two free spots in Woodbridge. Parker Press Park at 400 Rahway Avenue hosts concerts and cultural events celebrating his legacy.

The Woodbridge History Museum at 86 Green Street opens Sundays 1-4 PM with exhibits about Parker and New Jersey’s first printing press. Groups can schedule tours by calling 732-634-1669 or emailing hawt1669@gmail.com to learn how Parker broke colonial printing restrictions and launched America’s second magazine.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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