131

garet.⁷⁵

Bonsal and Niles, of Wilmington and Baltimore. -
Hezekiah Niles, destined to become the editor and pub-
lisher of the famous Niles¹ Weekly Register, made his
first appearance in Baltimore as junior member of the
firm of Bonsai and Niles, in 1799.

The partnership of Bonsal and Niles had been
formed early in 1799, for bookselling and job printing,
between Vincent Bonsal of Wilmington and the young
Niles, who had completed his apprenticeship in Phila-
delphia about two years earlier.⁷⁴ A branch office
was established in Baltimore very soon, but no indi-
cation that they would undertake printing is to be
found in their first advertisement:

Bonsai & Niles, booksellers. Have just opened
their store near Sear's Tavern, no. 173, Market
street, Baltimore. A general assortment of
books & stationery, which they are willing to
dispose of on moderate terms, wholesale or re-
tail. Among their assortment of books, are
several new & interesting publications. They
have also for sale, excellent red clover seed,
and a few barrels of shoes.⁷⁵

Only two publications have been recorded for this
firm during 1799, two editions of the Baltimore Reposi-
tory, for the year 1800,⁷⁶ printed for distribution
by the different booksellers in the city. During 1800

73 Baltimore. Wills, Liber W.B. no. 9, folio 224.

74 Stone, R.G. Hezekiah Niles as an economist.p.37.

75 American. May 22, 1799.

76 Appendix A. Imprint bibliography, items 474, 475.