The Nuthead Press William and Dinah Nuthead

well provided with money, she yet made plans to carry on a business in
which some knowledge of letters and a certain amount of capital is usually
regarded as indispensable. She was shrewd enough to realize, however, that
if she were successful in finding a journeyman printer to conduct her es-
tablishment, the possession of that rare article, a printing press, would
surely provide a decent maintenance for herself and her two children. Boldly
she made the venture.

On May 5, 1696, more than a year after her husband's death, "Dinah Nut-
head's Petition for License to Print was read and referred to the House that
if they have nothing to Object her Paper might be Granted provided she
give Security for the same."¹ Eight days later her petition was read to the
delegates, and the House expressed its willingness that she should have
leave to print if his Excellency pleased.² Evidently the Governor offered no
objection, for on the next day the persons described as "Dinah Nuthead of
Ann Arundell County Widow, Robert Carvile and William Taylard of St.
Maries County Gentn" gave bond to the Governor to the amount of one
hundred pounds lawful money of England for the good behavior of Dinah
Nuthead in the operation of her press. The instrument con tinues as follows:

"Now the Condition of this Obligation is such that if the said Dinah Nuthead shall exer-
cise and Imploy her printing press and letters to noe other use than for the printing of blank
bills bonds writts warrants of Attorney Letters of Admrcon and other like blanks as above-
sd nor Suffer any other person to make use thereof any otherwise than aforesd Unless by
a particular Lycense from his Exncy the Governor first had and obtained And further shall
save harmless and indempnifye his sd Exncy the Governor from any Damage that may
hereafter Ensue by the said Dinah Nuthead misapplying or Suffering to be misapplyed the
aforesd Printing press or letters otherwise than to the true intent & meaning before ex-
pressed, Then this Obligation to be Voyd or else to Remain in full force and Virtue."²

This fearsome instrument for the protection of the Province against the
evils of indiscriminate printing was signed by certain witnesses, by the two
bondsmen and by the principal, who, as one observes, was compelled to
make her mark instead of signing her name to the document, a disability
under which she labored to the end of her days. Clearly Dinah Nuthead
herself could not have intended to act as the compositor in the establish-
ment which she had brought up from St. Mary's to the new seat of govern-
ment at Annapolis.

For how long a period Dinah operated her "press and letters" in Annap-
olis, it has been impossible to determine. No imprints bearing her name have
been recorded, but it is quite possible that in addition to the blank forms

¹U. H. J., May 5,1696, Archives of Maryland, 19:306.
²L. H. J., May 13,1696, Archives of Maryland, 19: 370.
³Council Proceedings, May 14, 1696, Archives of Maryland, 20: 449.

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