Notes

Brothers Samuel and John Neilson continued a printing dynasty that had begun with their uncle William Brown, founder of the Quebec Gazette.

When William Brown died in 1789, Samuel took over the press. He greatly improved the quality of the Quebec Gazette and allowed more space for news and essays. Although he only printed the Gazette for four years until his untimely death in 1793 from tuberculosis, he significantly expanded the print shop in that short time.

Upon Samuel’s death, the Gazette went to his 16-year-old brother John, who until he came of age and took over the responsibility, had a guardian who acted on his behalf.

John would further expand and improve the Quebec Gazette. John kept impeccable records and from them we have a fair idea of the operation of a print shop in the early 1800s. He produced numerous pamphlets, religious texts and school books. He was probably the first to publish music in Canada. No other examples of Canadian musical typography have been discovered.

In 1795 he purchased new type from England for the printing of hymn books. In 1801 he purchased a new press and brought in apprentices from Scotland and the United States. Neilson’s apprentices were well trained and a few went on to establish their own presses. Louis Roy was recruited by John Graves Simcoe to set up the first press in Upper Canada. Another apprentice, John Bennett, would become Upper Canada’s first King‘s Printer.

Like Joseph Howe in Nova Scotia, John entered politics in 1818, where he consistently opposed the union of Upper and Lower Canada. After entering politics he transferred control of the press to his son Samuel. He later served in the Legislative Assembly and Council of the Province of Canada.

John died in February 1848. In 1976 he was made a National Historic Person.

On November 11, 1850, Robert Middleton became sole proprietor of the Quebec Gazette, thus ending 86 years of ownership by the Brown and Neilson families.

References:

Sonia Chassé, Rita Girard-Wallot, and Jean-Pierre Wallot, “NEILSON, JOHN,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 7, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed July 27, 2024, https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/neilson_john_7E.html.

Claude Galarneau, “NEILSON, SAMUEL (1800-37),” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 7, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed July 27, 2024, https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/neilson_samuel_1800_37_7E.html.