Typographical Beginnings in Baltimore

November 5, 1772, that the following announcement appeared in the Mary-
land Gazette:

Baltimore, Oct. 31, 1772.

Printing, In all its Different Branches, Performed with the greatest neatness, accuracy
and dispatch, by Hodge and Shober, At their new Printing-Office in Gay-Street a few doors
below Market-Street, and opposite to Dr. Henry Stevenson's; who intend shortly to ex-
hibit Proposals for publishing a News-Paper, which shall be justly entitled to the Attention
and Encouragement of this Flourishing Town and Province, both for Entertainment and
Elegance.

All kinds of Blanks, Hand-Bills, &c. &c. done in the neatest and most speedy Manner,
at said office.

For some reason the expectations of these two printers came to nothing.
They removed in this same year to New York, and no imprint remains to
attest that their press was actually set up and operated in Baltimore.

Robert Hodge, of this firm, was born in Scotland, where he learned his
trade. In 1770 he came to America, settled in Philadelphia and worked for
two years in the printing house of John Dunlap. His partner, Frederick
Shober, was German born. Coming early to this country, he served his ap-
prenticeship with Anthony Armbru ester of Philadelphia. Both of these print-
ers bore the reputation of being industrious, prudent men as well as good
workmen. In 1775 Hodge sold to Shober his share of the establishment which
they had set up in Maiden Lane, New York, on their removal to that city
from Baltimore, and during the next few years found employment in a Bos-
ton printing house. At the close of the Revolution he returned to New York
and established a book shop and publishing business in which, with varying
success, he continued almost until his death, at his home in Brooklyn, in the
year 1813.

After the dissolution of his partnership with Hodge, Frederick Shober
formed with Samuel Loudon, under the name of Shober & Loudon, a firm
which printed in New York for a few months, but becoming discouraged by
the certainty of war, he sold out to Loudon and became a farmer. He died
about the year 1806 near Shrewsbury, New Jersey.¹

ENOCH STORY, THE YOUNGER, 1774-1775

Isaiah Thomas is authority for the statement that Enoch Story, the
younger, came to Baltimore sometime in the year 1772, immediately after
the expiration of his apprenticeship to William Hall of Philadelphia, but as
there exist no imprints from his Baltimore press before the year 1774, one
must conclude that the earlier date is questionable. This printer was a rel-

¹The above facts relative to Messrs. Hodge & Shober after their departure from Baltimore are taken from
Isaiah Thomas.

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