Mary Katherine Goddard

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Mary Katherine Goddard (June 16, 1738 – August 12, 1816) was an early American publisher and the first American postmistress. She was the first to print the Declaration of Independence with the names of the signatories.

Her brother William Goddard had been the publisher and printer of a revolutionary journal called The Maryland Journal. Ms. Goddard took over control of the journal in 1774 when her brother was busy traveling to promote his Constitutional Post; she continued to publish it throughout the American Revolutionary War until 1784. Her brother forced her to give up the newspaper amid an acrimonious quarrel. In 1775 she became Postmaster of the Baltimore post office. She also ran a book store and published an almanac.

When on January 18, 1777 the Continental Congress moved that the Declaration of Independence be widely distributed, Goddard was one of the first to offer the use of her press. This was in spite of the risks of being associated with what was considered a treasonable document by the British. Her copy was the second printed, and the first to contain the typeset names of the signatories.

Goddard was a successful postmaster for 14 years, but was removed from the position in 1789 by Postmaster General Samuel Osgood despite general protest from the Baltimore community. Osgood stated that the position required "more traveling... than a woman could undertake" and appointed a political ally of his to replace her. On November 12, 1789, over 230 citizens of Baltimore presented a petition demanding her reinstatement, but it was unsuccessful. Following her dismissal, Goddard then sold books, stationary and dry goods. She died August 12, 1816, still beloved by her community.