Elihu Phinney
Encyclopedia
Elihu Phinney was the first printer in Cooperstown, New York
. In the early 1790s he lived in Canaan
, Columbia County, New York
, where he published the Columbian Mercury, and Canaan Repository of Rural Knowledge.
Phinney was invited to Cooperstown by Judge William Cooper
, the wealthy land developer who had established the Otsego County, New York
village. There in 1795, Phinney opened a printing and publishing business. In his weekly newspaper, The Otsego Herald; or, Western Advertiser, Phinney wrote that he, "in the winter of 1793, penetrated a wilderness, and broke a track, through a deep snow, with six teams, in the 'depth' of winter, and was received with a cordiality, bordering on homage."
It is said that James Fenimore Cooper
, Judge Cooper's son and future novelist, frequented Phinney's print shop and there, for his own enjoyment, learned the art of setting type. In fact, James Fenimore Cooper's daughter Caroline married Phinney's grandson, Henry Frederich Phinney, in 1849.
Early on, through his publications, Phinney provided political support for the Federalist
Judge Cooper, but by the end of the first decacde of the 19th century, Phinney had begun to support the Clintonian
Republicans
who by then had become a majority in the county. Besides endorsing Cooper's political opponents, Phinney went so far as to sponsor a petition to change the name of Cooperstown to "Otsego Village."
Phinney's company contribited to Cooperstown's status as a major publishing center through the first half of the 19th century. His sons, Henry and Elihu Phinney Jr., took over the business in 1813, upon their father's death and became known for the 138 Bible
editions that they publishing between 1822 and 1848, when their company, H. & E. Phinney, moved to Buffalo
.
A copy of H. & E. Phinney’s 1828 "Authorized" (i.e., King James) edition of the Bible, containing Old
and New Testaments, as well as the Apocrypha
was used by Mormon
founder Joseph Smith as a basis for his "translation" of the Bible written between 1830 and 1833.
Besides operating a book shop in Cooperstown, the Phinneys sold books (both their own and those of other American publishers) from large wagons and Erie Canal
"bookboats", which helped them expand into Western New York
.
From 1833 to 1840, Elihu Phinney, Jr. held office as the supervisor of the Town of Otsego
(in which the Village of Cooperstown is located). Henry Phinney later held the office 1850.
Elihu Phinney's name may now be associated as much with the game of baseball
as it is with the publishing business. It was claimed that Abner Doubleday
, the supposed inventor of baseball, regularly played the game on Phinney's farm. This led to the purchase of the lot for use as a baseball park now called Doubleday Field
, which is the site of the annual Hall of Fame Game.
PHINNEY- A prominent pioneer, and one who did much to advance the interests of the village, as Elihu PHINNEY, a native of Connecticut, who arrived in the place Feb. 28, 1795, bringing with him the
materials for printing a newspaper, and on the 3d of the ensuing April issued the first number of the Otsego Herald or Western Advertiser. He published this paper until 1813. Two sons, Henry and Elihu Phinney, conducted a large publishing business in this village until 1849, when, their establishment being destroyed by fire, the general business was removed to Buffalo. In 1854, H. F. Phinney removed to New York, and, with H. Ivison, formed the first of Ivison & Phinney. Elihu Phinney, Jr., resides in the village on the old homestead. Henry F., deceased.
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
. In the early 1790s he lived in Canaan
Canaan, New York
Canaan is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,820 at the 2000 census.The Town of Canaan is in the northeast part of the county.- History :The first settlers arrived around 1759....
, Columbia County, New York
Columbia County, New York
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
, where he published the Columbian Mercury, and Canaan Repository of Rural Knowledge.
Phinney was invited to Cooperstown by Judge William Cooper
William Cooper (judge)
William Cooper was the founder of Cooperstown, New York and father of writer James Fenimore Cooper, who apparently used his father as the pattern for the Judge Marmaduke Temple character in his book The Pioneers....
, the wealthy land developer who had established the Otsego County, New York
Otsego County, New York
Otsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-History:...
village. There in 1795, Phinney opened a printing and publishing business. In his weekly newspaper, The Otsego Herald; or, Western Advertiser, Phinney wrote that he, "in the winter of 1793, penetrated a wilderness, and broke a track, through a deep snow, with six teams, in the 'depth' of winter, and was received with a cordiality, bordering on homage."
It is said that James Fenimore Cooper
James Fenimore Cooper
James Fenimore Cooper was a prolific and popular American writer of the early 19th century. He is best remembered as a novelist who wrote numerous sea-stories and the historical novels known as the Leatherstocking Tales, featuring frontiersman Natty Bumppo...
, Judge Cooper's son and future novelist, frequented Phinney's print shop and there, for his own enjoyment, learned the art of setting type. In fact, James Fenimore Cooper's daughter Caroline married Phinney's grandson, Henry Frederich Phinney, in 1849.
Early on, through his publications, Phinney provided political support for the Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
Judge Cooper, but by the end of the first decacde of the 19th century, Phinney had begun to support the Clintonian
Clintonian
Clintonian is an ambiguous term that either refers to the political behavior of United States President Bill Clinton or his administrative style and personal group of political allies.-Ideological sense:...
Republicans
Democratic-Republican Party (United States)
The Democratic-Republican Party or Republican Party was an American political party founded in the early 1790s by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Political scientists use the former name, while historians prefer the latter one; contemporaries generally called the party the "Republicans", along...
who by then had become a majority in the county. Besides endorsing Cooper's political opponents, Phinney went so far as to sponsor a petition to change the name of Cooperstown to "Otsego Village."
Phinney's company contribited to Cooperstown's status as a major publishing center through the first half of the 19th century. His sons, Henry and Elihu Phinney Jr., took over the business in 1813, upon their father's death and became known for the 138 Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
editions that they publishing between 1822 and 1848, when their company, H. & E. Phinney, moved to Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
.
A copy of H. & E. Phinney’s 1828 "Authorized" (i.e., King James) edition of the Bible, containing Old
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
and New Testaments, as well as the Apocrypha
Apocrypha
The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical"....
was used by Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
founder Joseph Smith as a basis for his "translation" of the Bible written between 1830 and 1833.
Besides operating a book shop in Cooperstown, the Phinneys sold books (both their own and those of other American publishers) from large wagons and Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
"bookboats", which helped them expand into Western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
.
From 1833 to 1840, Elihu Phinney, Jr. held office as the supervisor of the Town of Otsego
Otsego, New York
Otsego is a town in Otsego County, New York, United States. The population was 3,904 at the 2000 census. The town is named after a lake on its border.The Town of Otsego is in the north central part of the county.- History :...
(in which the Village of Cooperstown is located). Henry Phinney later held the office 1850.
Elihu Phinney's name may now be associated as much with the game of baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
as it is with the publishing business. It was claimed that Abner Doubleday
Abner Doubleday
Abner Doubleday was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He fired the first shot in defense of Fort Sumter, the opening battle of the war, and had a pivotal role in the early fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg. Gettysburg was his finest hour, but his...
, the supposed inventor of baseball, regularly played the game on Phinney's farm. This led to the purchase of the lot for use as a baseball park now called Doubleday Field
Doubleday Field
Doubleday Field is a baseball stadium in Cooperstown, New York named for Abner Doubleday and located two city blocks from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.The grounds have been used for baseball since 1920, on what was Elihu Phinney's farm...
, which is the site of the annual Hall of Fame Game.
Published references
From History of Otsego County, New YorkPHINNEY- A prominent pioneer, and one who did much to advance the interests of the village, as Elihu PHINNEY, a native of Connecticut, who arrived in the place Feb. 28, 1795, bringing with him the
materials for printing a newspaper, and on the 3d of the ensuing April issued the first number of the Otsego Herald or Western Advertiser. He published this paper until 1813. Two sons, Henry and Elihu Phinney, conducted a large publishing business in this village until 1849, when, their establishment being destroyed by fire, the general business was removed to Buffalo. In 1854, H. F. Phinney removed to New York, and, with H. Ivison, formed the first of Ivison & Phinney. Elihu Phinney, Jr., resides in the village on the old homestead. Henry F., deceased.
External links
- George Glazer Gallery: Amos Doolittle, Bonaparte in Trouble, shows an engraving (c.1814) printed on paper which Elihu Phinney produced.
- Alan Taylor, Who Murdered William Cooper, quotes Phinney publications reporting Judge Cooper's death.
- Philadelphia Rare Books & Manuscripts Company, shows an example of the Phinney edition that was the basis for Joseph Smith's translation.
- Doubleday Field, A Diamond in the Pasture, explains how Phinney's farm became the famous baseball park.