Stephen Daye

Stephen Daye. He was an English locksmith and printer who emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony and is credited with operating the first printing press in British America. Under the patronage of Rev. Jose Glover, Daye's work culminated in the production of the Bay Psalm Book in 1640, a landmark in the history of American literature and printing. While his technical skill was limited, his efforts established the foundation for the print culture in the Thirteen Colonies.

Early life and background

Stephen Daye was born around 1594 in England, though precise details of his birthplace and early years remain obscure. He worked as a locksmith and mechanic in Cambridge, England, where he likely acquired basic mechanical skills. In 1638, he embarked on a transatlantic voyage to the New World as an indentured servant to the Puritan minister Rev. Jose Glover. Glover had purchased a printing press and type in London with the intention of establishing a printing operation in the Massachusetts Bay Colony to support religious and educational endeavors. The journey was tragic, as Glover died during the Atlantic crossing, leaving Daye, his family, and the press to arrive in Boston under altered circumstances.

Printing career and the Bay Psalm Book

Upon arrival in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the execution of Rev. Jose Glover's plans fell to his widow, Elizabeth Glover, and Stephen Daye, who was tasked with setting up and operating the press. The first known product of the press was the Freeman's Oath, a broadsheet printed in 1639, though no copies are known to survive. The press's most significant and enduring work was The Whole Booke of Psalmes Faithfully Translated into English Metre, commonly known as the Bay Psalm Book, printed in 1640. This psalter was translated and compiled by Richard Mather, John Eliot, and Thomas Weld to provide a more literal translation of the Hebrew Psalms for congregational singing in Puritan churches. The production was rudimentary, featuring uneven inking and typographical errors, reflecting Daye's lack of formal training as a printer. Nonetheless, the Bay Psalm Book is considered the first book printed in British America and a monumental achievement in colonial history. Following this, Daye and the press produced other works, including an almanac for 1641 compiled by William Pierce and the colony's first law code, The Book of the General Lawes and Libertyes published in 1648.

Later life and legacy

After the death of Elizabeth Glover and her subsequent marriage to Henry Dunster, the first president of Harvard College, the printing press was transferred to the management of the college. Stephen Daye's direct involvement with the press diminished, and he returned to working as a locksmith and farmer in Cambridge. He held minor public offices, serving as a constable and a surveyor of highways. Daye died on December 22, 1668, in Cambridge and was buried in the Old Burying Ground there. His legacy is fundamentally tied to the Bay Psalm Book; a surviving copy sold at auction in 2013 for a record price, highlighting its immense historical value. While his successor, Samuel Green, who took over the Cambridge Press, achieved greater technical proficiency, Daye's role as the pioneer of printing in the United States is firmly cemented. The press he operated is recognized as a crucial instrument for the dissemination of Puritan theology, colonial law, and early education in New England.

Category:American printers Category:People from colonial Massachusetts Category:1594 births Category:1668 deaths