David Hall

Background

David Hall was born in 1714, in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Education

Hall learned the trade of printing in Scotland.

Career

After his apprenticeship David Hall went to London and found work in Watt’s printing office, in which William Strahan was employed as a journeyman. When Strahan established himself as a master printer, Hall seems to have been engaged to assist him, for in 1743, when Benjamin Franklin wanted an experienced and reputable journeyman in his Philadelphia printing house, his friend Strahan, subsequently the King’s Printer, sent Hall to him.

When in 1748 Franklin became very busy with a multiplicity of interests and public affairs, he took Hall, who was his foreman, into partnership; and from that time onward Hall carried on the printing business for the firm of Franklin & Hall and also edited and published Franklin’s Pennsylvania Gazette. The firm continued until February 1, 1766, when Franklin sold his interest to his partner.

Hall was not alone very long, for in May 1766 he took William Sellers, who had been his journeyman, into partnership, and as Hall & Sellers the firm was continued until Hall’s death. Since they had the government printing, including the printing of paper money for the Province of Pennsylvania, the business was lucrative.

It is significant that shortly after Hall’s arrival in Franklin’s shop, the volume which has been judged the finest piece of printing from Franklin’s press, Cicero’s Cato Major, was published (1744). Franklin also enlarged his Poor Richard’s Almanac, after he had a partner, and other almanacs were printed by the firm of Franklin & Hall, with whom the use of rubrication on almanacs became frequent. Like his partner, Hall conducted a bookselling and stationery shop in connection with his printing business in Philadelphia.

He died in Philadelphia, December 24, 1772, and was buried in Christ Church graveyard.

Achievements

• David Hall was known as a business partner of Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia. After Franklin's withdraw from business, Hall formed his own printing firm in 1766 and did publishing for the government and printing of paper money.

Works

More photos

• book

  • The History of Printing in America: With a Biography of Printers, and an Account of Newspapers (Classic Reprint)

    (By ISAIAH THOMAS, LL.D. PRINTER, LATB XBNIDBNT OF THB AXB...)

Personality

Quotes from others about the person

• “Mr. Hall gains ground daily in the esteem of all that know him. He is obliging, discreet, industrious and honest. " - Benjamin Franklin
  
  “Had he not been connected with Franklin, he might have been a formidable rival to him in the business of printing and bookselling. Hall was well acquainted with the art of printing; and was an industrious workman, of first rate abilities; a prudent and impartial conductor of the Gazette. ” - Isaiah Thomas
  
  “A very able, industrious, and honest partner. He took off my hands all care of the printing-office, paying me punctually my share of the profits. This partnership continued eighteen years, successfully for us both. ” - Benjamin Franklin

Connections

David Hall was married January 7, 1748, to Mary Lacock.

Father:

James Hall

Spouse:

Mary (Lacock) Hall

Daughter:

Deborah Hall

Partner:

Benjamin Franklin

Son:

David Hall

Son:

William Hall

Friend:

William Strahan

partner William Sellers