Hugh Gaine

Gaine was born in Belfast, Ireland, about 1726 and came to the British colonies at New York in 1745. Gaine came from a working-class family in Ireland, and entered into a five-year apprenticeship with James Macgee in Belfast before emigrating at the age of eighteen to New York City in 1745. He became a journeyman and worked for six years under James Parker, who was the official printer for the city of New York, before becoming proficient enough and publishing his own newspaper. Gaine purchased a modest property in Hanover square, and used his house as book and stationery store, while he increased his printing, where his business ventures soon became extensive and successful. He remained at this location for forty years printing pamphlets and other works for himself and others. ==Printing career==

Gaine first entered into business as a printer and bookseller in New York city in 1750, and on August 3, 1752 established the New York Mercury, a weekly newspaper. In 1767, Gaine modified the name and added Gazette to his newspaper, now referred to as ''Gaine's New York Gazette and Mercury'' from that point on. He also functioned as a pressman, compositor, folder, and distributor of his own newspaper, which had a circulation of upwards to four hundred copies. When the Stamp Act of 1765, with its proposed taxation of newspapers, legal documents and the like, was about to become law, Gaine, like many other American printers, suspended the publication of his newspaper in protest. For his printing of both patriot and loyalist articles, the Sons of Liberty stormed Gaine's printing shop and threatened to destroy it in November 1775, which Gaine resented as his editorship was of a neutral nature in regards to American independence. They had advertised that their printing shop "has been open to publication from ALL PARTIES". When the Revolutionary war ended Gaine submitted a petition to remain in New York City, which was granted, but soon after he was compelled to hand over the publication of his failed newspaper, and confine his business ventures to private printing and bookselling, which he did do well at. ==Final years and legacy==

Gaine started out in life as a poor man, but was said to be punctual in his business dealings, and "of correct moral habits, and respectable as a citizen", and became the founder of two New York newspapers. Gaine's printing business became the most successful in New York during its existence. Gaine died on April 25, 1807, at the age of eighty-one. Because of Gaine's wavering loyalties during the uncertainty of the American Revolution, however, colonial American historian Isaiah Thomas said that "Gaine's political creed, it seems, was to join the strongest party" at any given time, After a printing career that lasted more than forty years Gaine retired a fairly wealthy man with a handsome estate. ==See also==