Parks, William ( d 1750 )
A printer and bookbinder, who, between 1726 and
1737, was printer to the Lord Proprietor of the
Province of Maryland. Parks, an Englishman by
birth, was one of the most influential figures in
the history of printing in Colonial American
times, and had an important role in American
literary history as well. He did bookbinding as
well as printing in his establishment, advertising
that "Book-Binding is done reasonably, in the best
manner." In 1730 Parks established a branch
business in the Province of Virginia at
Williamsburg, and operated both businesses until
disagreement with the Assembly at Annapolis in
1737 caused him to move his entire operation to
Williamsburg. He was the first successful printer
in Virginia, and The Complete Mariner, a
manuscript volume of navigational exercises with a
title page printed in Williamsburg in 1731, was
one of the first products of his press. The
binding of this work is skillfully decorated in
blind with a roll and two other ornaments that
were also used on books issued by his Annapolis
shop and later on bindings executed in
Williamsburg. (200
, 301 , 347 )
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