George Goodwin

George Goodwin was a printer, publisher, and editor born on 7 January 1757 in Hartford, Connecticut. He was the son of Samuel Goodwin and his second wife, Laodamia Merrill Goodwin. He married Mary Edwards (d. 1828) on 2 December 1779; they had twelve children.

When he was only nine, George Goodwin started working for Thomas Green, the first printer of Hartford and the founder of the Hartford Courant. The Courant was purchased by Ebenezer Watson (d. 1777) in 1770; from 1770 to 1815, George Goodwin was a partner in the publishing firms of Watson and Goodwin, which became Hudson & Goodwin after Mrs. Ebenezer Watson remarried. The firm later became George Goodwin & Sons, then Goodwin & Co. Goodwin innovated with publication of the Courant, adding book publishing and printing large editions of a school Bible. George Goodwin eventually retired, leaving his sons in charge of the business. He died 13 May 1844.