Excerpt from Henry S. Nourse’s “History of the Town of Harvard Massachusetts 1732–1893,” written in 1894.

The Harvard Printing Press has been incidentally mentioned. It was established about 1800 by Luther Parker, son of Dr. Isaiah Parker, the first pastor of the Baptist Society. The business of printing was carried on by him and his brother Sewall at his dwelling-house in the northerly part of Still River village, for about 10 years. They were but just of age when they entered upon this enterprise. The first example of the handiwork now known is:

“A Sermon delivered at Harvard, June 3, 1801; at the Ordination of the Rev. Stephen Bemis to the care of the Congregational Church and Society in that place. By Joseph Lathrop, D.D., pastor of the first church in West Springfield. Harvard: Printed by Luther Parker, 1801.”

This pamphlet is admirably printed, with neatly engraved and tasteful headpieces. It would do credit to any modern press. The second work found with the local imprint is the pamphlet of Dr. Isaiah Parker’s sermons in 1804, already noted, printed by Sewall Parker, the workmanship being good, but inferior to the former. An almanac was issued from this press for several years by Sewall and I. S. Parker. The title of this in 1810 was:

“Frufant’s family Almanac and Daily Register, Harvard, printed by SEWALL PARKER, Proprietor of the Patent, sold by him wholesale and retail at his Printing Office, and at various other places in the New England States. (Price 9 dolls. per gross, 87 cents per doz., 12 cents single.)

This annual, besides the usual calendar and astronomical matter, contained ruled and dated blank leaves for a diary, lists of courts and stage routes, and several pages of anecdotes, riddles, arithmetical problems, culinary and medical recipes and letters upon agricultural topics. The last were mostly from the pen of a local wiseacre, Phineas Willard, who claimed that his advice to his brother farmers was prompted by his own successful practice.

Having reason to believe that the husbandmen of the present day in Harvard are not all versed in the methods of culture commended by Phineas, an item or two from his oracular articles will be given. He inveighs against the common practice of applying fertilizers to corn, either in the hill or by spreading upon the field and ploughing in at the time of planting, alleging that the stimulant is then largely appropriated by leaf and stalk; and states that he has secured at least one-third more grain by making the application at the time of “half hilling” about the roots of the corn. He discourses of the salutary lunar influences upon “buggy” peas thus:

“Peas are a profitable esculent, which will not impoverish lands where they are raised. They will be more fruitful in a moderate soil than in a rich one, but a particular time ought to be observed in sowing them to prevent their being buggy, which is the third day after the full moon in April, May or June.”

Joseph Trufant, who probably gave name to the almanac and perhaps was its compiler, at this time resided in Harvard, having come thither from Groton in 1800. Luther Parker removed to Michigan and Sewall Parker to New York.

Printing has also been done in a very limited way at the Shaker village, for example:

“WILLIAM LEONARD. A Discourse on the order and propriety of Divine Inspiration and Revelation, showing the Necessity thereof, in Ages, to Know the Will of God; Also a Discourse on the Second Appearing of Christ in and through the Order of the Females. And a Discourse on the Propriety and Necessity of a United Inheritance in all Things in order to Support a true Christian Community. Harvard, published by the United Society, 1853, pages 88.”

The printed reports of Harvard officials begin with that of the selectmen for the year ending March 6, 1837, which is a broadside from the press of the Concord Gazette. The selectmen continued to print their annual statements of expenditures and receipts, including the reports of the treasurer and overseers of the poor, on single sheets, increasing in size from year to year until 1865. The press work was done sometimes in Boston, sometimes in Fitchburg or Clinton, but more usually in Groton. The report for 1864 and those since 1865 have been in pamphlet form, gradually including more and more statistical information.

The first school committee’s report made in print is that for the year ending in April, 1855. The Assessors’ Inventory and Valuation of Estates were printed in the years: 1866, 1870, 1882, and 1890. The town has no file of these reports in either the town-clerk’s office or public library, and anything near a complete set can now be found in but one or two houses in Harvard.