Peter Timothy

Peter Timothy (1724 – 1782), originally named Peter Timothee, was an 18th-century Dutch-American printer and politician. He immigrated to the American colonies with his parents, French Huguenots, Lewis and Elizabeth Timothy. Lewis worked for Benjamin Franklin and learned the trade in Philadelphia before moving to Charleston, South Carolina (called Charles Town before the American Revolutionary War. His parents ran the South Carolina Gazette, which was turned over to Timothy after his father's death, his mother's period of operating the printing business, and after he became of age. In addition to running the newspaper, Timothy, ran a printing business, was postmaster, and politician. He was particularly active in the period leading up to and during the war. A notable event was his publication of the Declaration of Independence for public viewing, which included his name as printer. Afraid that his printing press would be damaged or confiscated, there were periods of time, such as during the Siege of Charleston when he had suspended publishing. He was taken prisoner as a traitor and held for ten months at the alligator-protected prison at St. Augustine, Florida. He died during an ocean voyage, after which is wife Ann Timothy took over the printing business.