Shepard Kollock, Jr. (September 1750 – July 28, 1839) was an editor and printer, who was active in colonial
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
during the period of the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
. He also held various government positions in the newly founded state of New Jersey during the early 1800s.
The ''
New Jersey Journal
The ''New Jersey Journal'' is the name of a newspaper established by Shepard Kollock in Chatham, New Jersey in 1779 while it was a village in the state of New Jersey, which had declared its independence in 1776 from the British colony named, the ...
'', which became the third newspaper published in New Jersey, was established by Kollock at his press during 1779 in the colonial village of Chatham, New Jersey, which had been settled in 1710 within the British
Province of New Jersey
The Province of New Jersey was one of the Middle Colonies of Colonial history of the United States, Colonial America and became the U.S. state of New Jersey in 1776. The province had originally been settled by Europeans as part of New Netherla ...
. The newspaper, which later was renamed the ''Elizabeth Daily Journal'', was a driving force in galvanizing support and disseminating information about the Revolutionary War efforts.
His newspaper continued to be published for 212 years following its original publication, until January 3, 1992.
Early life
Kollock Jr. was born in September 1750, the son of Mary Goddard and Shepard Kollock, in
Lewes
Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, Pennsylvania. He married Susan Arnett on June 5, 1777, daughter of Hannah White and Isaac Arnett. Shepard and Susan had twelve children. He is buried in the First Presbyterian Church of Elizabeth.
Career
He went to
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
to learn the printing trade from William Goddard, editor of the ''
Pennsylvania Chronicle
The ''Pennsylvania Chronicle and Universal Advertiser'' was an American colonial newspaper founded in 1767 that was published in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, prior to the American Revolution. It was founded by William Goddard and his silent busin ...
''. He remained in Philadelphia until he was twenty. Because of failing health, he then went to
Saint Christopher
Saint Christopher (, , ; ) is venerated by several Christian denominations. According to these traditions, he was a martyr killed in the reign of the 3rd-century Roman Empire, Roman emperor Decius (), or alternatively under the emperor Maximin ...
in the
West Indies
The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...
, where he carried on the business of printing.
When he heard of the revolutionary
Battle of Lexington
The Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 were the first major military actions of the American Revolutionary War between the Kingdom of Great Britain and Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot militias from America's Thirteen Co ...
, he returned to the colony of New Jersey. He received a commission as Second Lieutenant in the
Flying Camp
A flying camp was a military formation employed by the Continental Army in the second half of 1776, during the American Revolutionary War.
History
After the British evacuation of Boston in March 1776, General George Washington met with members o ...
in New Jersey, and in January 1777, was made First Lieutenant in the company of Colonel Niell of the
Continental Artillery Regiment
The Continental Artillery Regiment, also known as Gridley's Continental Artillery Regiment or Knox's Continental Artillery Regiment, was the only large American unit of artillery in the early part of the American Revolutionary War. It was authoriz ...
. He was at the battles of Trenton, Fort Lee, Short Hills, and other engagements.
He resigned his commission in 1779 and, at the insistence of the
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a series of legislature, legislative bodies, with some executive function, for the Thirteen Colonies of British America, Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after ...
, established the ''
New Jersey Journal
The ''New Jersey Journal'' is the name of a newspaper established by Shepard Kollock in Chatham, New Jersey in 1779 while it was a village in the state of New Jersey, which had declared its independence in 1776 from the British colony named, the ...
'', in the village of Chatham. The ''New Jersey Journal'' became the third newspaper that started publication in New Jersey.
His ''New Jersey Journal'' became a catalyst in the revolution. News of events came directly to the editor from the headquarters of
George Washington
George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
in nearby Morristown. His publication boosted the morale of the troops and their families. He also conducted lively debates about the efforts for independence with both those who opposed and those who supported the cause he championed.
During the evacuation of
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
in 1783, he moved his press to that city and established the ''New York Gazetteer'', published first weekly and then three times a week. He also founded a paper in
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Elizabethtown and adopted the name of the new location into his original newspaper title. He remained its owner and editor until 1818, when he sold his printing establishment. The '' Elizabeth Daily Journal'', which had advocated for presidents
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...
,
James Madison
James Madison (June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison was popularly acclaimed as the ...
, and
James Monroe
James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American Founding Father of the United States, Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. He was the last Founding Father to serve as presiden ...
while Kollock was its owner and editor, ceased publication on Friday, January 3, 1992. This was 212 years after its original start. At that time it was the fourth oldest newspaper published continuously in what now is the United States and the oldest newspaper published in New Jersey.
By 1808, he was publishing the ''Journal of the Proceedings'' and ''Minutes of Joint Meetings'' of the
New Jersey Legislative Council
The New Jersey Legislative Council was the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature under the New Jersey Constitution of 1776. It replaced the New Jersey Provincial Council under colonial rule and was replaced by the New Jersey Senate under the ...
.
He also was a judge of the
Court of Common Pleas
A court of common pleas is a common kind of court structure found in various common law jurisdictions. The form originated with the Court of Common Pleas at Westminster, which was created to permit individuals to press civil grievances against one ...
in New Jersey for thirty-five years. At different times, he held all of the more important governmental offices in Elizabethtown, including alderman. He was appointed aide-de-camp for New Jersey Governor
Joseph Bloomfield
Joseph Bloomfield (October 18, 1753October 3, 1823) was the fourth governor of New Jersey. He also served two terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1817 to 1821.
The township of Bloomfield, New Jersey, is named for him.
Birt ...
, and was re-appointed by his successor
Aaron Ogden
Aaron Ogden (December 3, 1756April 19, 1839) was an American soldier, lawyer, United States Senator and the fifth governor of New Jersey. Ogden is perhaps best known today as the complainant in '' Gibbons v. Ogden'' which destroyed the monopoly ...
.
After he sold his printing establishment, under President Monroe, he was appointed as
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office, responsible for all postal activities in a specific post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization (usually sponsored by a national government), ...
of Elizabethtown, which office he held until his retirement in 1829. He was admitted as an original member of The
Society of the Cincinnati
The Society of the Cincinnati is a lineage society, fraternal, hereditary society founded in 1783 to commemorate the American Revolutionary War that saw the creation of the United States. Membership is largely restricted to descendants of milita ...
in the state of New Jersey after it was established in 1783.
Kollock published several books in Chatham:
*''The United States Almanack, for the Year of our Lord 1780'' in 1779
*''The New-England Primer Improved, for the more easy attaining the true Reading of English, To which is added, the Assembly of Divines, and Mr. Cotton's Catechism'' in 1782
*''Ebenezer Elmer, Surgeon of the Regiment, An e ogy on the late Francis Barber, Esq: Lieutenant Colonel Commandant of the Second New-Jersey Regiment'' in 1783
Today, Shepard Kollock Park, a recreational field named after him, exists in
Chatham, New Jersey
"The Chathams" (, ) is a term used in reference to shared services for two neighboring municipalities in Morris County, New Jersey, United States – Chatham Borough, New Jersey, Chatham and Chatham Township, New Jersey, Chatham Township. The two a ...
. It borders on the
Passaic River
The Passaic River ( or ) is a river, approximately long, in North Jersey, northern New Jersey. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburb ...
.
References
Bibliography/recommended reading
* Anderson, John R. ''Shepard Kollock: Editor for Freedom''. Chatham, New Jersey: Chatham Historical Society, 1975.
* Cunningham, John T. ''Chatham: At the Crossing of the Fishawack''. Chatham, New Jersey: Chatham Historical Society, 1967.
* Philhower, Charles A. ''Brief History of Chatham, Morris County, New Jersey''. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1914.
* Thayer, Theodore. ''Colonial and Revolutionary Morris County''. The Morris County Heritage Commission. ''(government publication)''
* Vanderpoel, Ambrose Ely. ''History of Chatham, New Jersey''. New York: Charles Francis Press, 1921. Reprint. Chatham, New Jersey: Chatham Historical Society, 1959.
* White, Donald Wallace. ''A Village at War: Chatham and the American Revolution''. Rutherford, New Jersey: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1979.