The History of the Colony of Nova-Caesaria, or New-Jersey: Containing, An Account of its First Settlement, Progressive Improvements, the Original and Present Constitution, and Other Events, to the Year 1721.

SMITH, Samuel.

Item Number: 115584

Burlington, New-Jersey: James Parker, 1765.

First edition of the first published historical account of the state of New Jersey; one of only 600 copies printed by James Parker on a press owned by Benjamin Franklin. Octavo, bound in full contemporary calf with a red morocco spine label lettered in gilt and raised bands to the spine. In very good condition. From the library of George and Rebecca Burr with their ownership names to the title page and front free endpaper, and later their grand-nephew Alfred Burr with his bookplate to the pastedown. In very good condition.

One of the rarest and most valuable of the Jerseyana group, Smith's history was published in 1765 at Burlington by James Parker who had moved his printing press temporarily from Woodbridge for the purpose. David Hall of Philadelphia, whose name appears on the title page, sold the book at his shop. A century later, a second edition was published containing a brief sketch of its author and a map engraved by William Faden, London 1777. The original edition had no map. A third edition of the history was printed by the state of New Jersey and distributed to the schools and elsewhere in 1893. Samuel Smith was born of Quaker patronage at Burlington in 1720. He held important official positions in the province, and in addition to writing his history of New Jersey he prepared material for a history of Pennsylvania which was never published.