John Peter Zenger

German-American printer whose acquittal in a landmark 1735 trial established the principle that truth is a defense against libel.

Notable work and positions

Public printer, New Jersey — from 1738
Public printer, New York — from 1737
New-York Weekly Journal — printer and publisher, from 1733 (continued by Anna Zenger, then John Zenger (son), until 1751)
Own printing business, Smith Street, New York — from 1726 (after a short partnership with Bradford in 1725)
William Bradford’s printing shop — apprentice (from 1711)

Biography

John Peter Zenger was born in 1697 in Germany (Britannica; Encyclopedia.com) and died in New York City on July 28, 1746. At age 13 he sailed to the New York colony with his parents, brother and sister; his father died during the voyage. NPS gives his arrival as 1711.

His training was a printing apprenticeship with William Bradford, which Britannica gives as eight years and Encyclopedia.com dates 1711–1719. He married Mary White in 1719 (she died shortly after) and Anna Catherine Maulin in 1722. In 1720 he moved to Chestertown, Maryland, to print the Maryland Assembly’s session laws, and returned to New York within two years. He was naturalized on July 6, 1723 (NPS). After a short partnership with Bradford in 1725, he opened his own business on Smith Street; Britannica and Encyclopedia.com date this to 1726. He printed political and religious pamphlets, many in Dutch.

The New-York Weekly Journal first appeared on November 5, 1733. The Popular Party founded it and chose Zenger as its printer. After about a year of publication, the Council ordered issues burned, and Zenger was arrested on November 17, 1734 under a Council warrant for printing seditious libels. He was held in the attic of City Hall; Britannica and Encyclopedia.com say nearly ten months before trial. On April 16, 1735, the court struck his lawyers Alexander and Smith from the attorney rolls. The trial began August 4, 1735, and the jury found him not guilty.

Zenger returned to printing and became public printer for New York (1737) and New Jersey (1738). Anna Zenger published the Journal until December 1748; John Zenger managed it until it ceased in 1751.

Career highlights

1. New-York Weekly Journal, first issue November 5, 1733. Printed and published the paper for the Popular Party, which opposed Governor William Cosby. James Alexander, William Smith and Lewis Morris were the anonymous head contributors. Zenger did not write the major pieces but, as publisher, was legally responsible for the content.

2. Arrested for seditious libel, November 17, 1734. Held in the City Jail in the attic of New York City Hall. Bail was set at £400 plus £200 in bail insurance, which he could not pay. Anna Zenger kept the paper publishing weekly during his imprisonment.

3. Trial and acquittal, August 1735. The trial began August 4, 1735. Andrew Hamilton of Philadelphia argued that the jury could decide whether the printed statements were true. The jury found Zenger not guilty. Britannica calls the verdict the first important victory for freedom of the press in the English colonies.

4. A Brief Narrative of the Case and Tryal of John Peter Zenger, 1736. Account of the case published in 1736. The sources disagree on authorship (see Notes on the record).

5. Public printer, New York (1737) and New Jersey (1738). Per Encyclopedia.com; Britannica states he served as public printer in both colonies.

6. Peter Venema, Arithmetica, 1730. Printed in 1730; Encyclopedia.com describes it as the first arithmetic text published in New York.

Colleagues and mentors

1. William Bradford — master printer. Zenger was apprenticed to Bradford, whom MTSU calls New York’s only printer, for eight years (NPS; Britannica). Encyclopedia.com dates the apprenticeship 1711–1719. NPS records a short partnership with Bradford in 1725.

2. James Alexander, William Smith and Lewis Morris — Weekly Journal contributors. Named by NPS as the anonymous head contributors to the Journal. Alexander and Smith were struck from the attorney rolls on April 16, 1735 (NYS Courts).

3. Andrew Hamilton — defense counsel. Philadelphia attorney retained by Zenger’s allies; admitted that Zenger published the articles and argued the truth of the statements (NYS Courts).

4. John Chambers — court-appointed counsel. Entered the not-guilty plea and twice challenged the jury lists (NYS Courts).

5. Anna Catherine Zenger — wife. Married 1722 (Encyclopedia.com). Kept the Journal publishing during his imprisonment and until December 1748; son John Zenger managed it until it ceased in 1751.

6. Opposing parties. Governor William Cosby (sought the prosecution); Chief Justice James De Lancey (presided); Attorney General Richard Bradley (stated the information).