author
Joel Munsell
1808–1880
A tireless 19th-century printer and publisher, he helped preserve the history of Albany and the craft of printing in books that still matter to researchers today. His work joined practical press experience with a deep love of local history, genealogy, and bibliography.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in Northfield, Massachusetts, in 1808, Joel Munsell became an American printer, publisher, and writer whose career was closely tied to Albany, New York. He set up as a printer there in 1827 and went on to edit or publish several newspapers and periodicals during a long working life.
Munsell is best remembered for his historical and bibliographical work. He wrote and published books on printing and paper making, and his major compilations on Albany’s past helped preserve records, stories, and biographical details that might otherwise have been lost. His interest in the history of printing was especially strong, and he built a notable collection of materials on the subject.
He died in Albany in 1880. For readers today, his books offer more than raw facts: they show the energy of a man who believed local history, old documents, and the printing trade were worth saving with care and patience.