Anna Catharina Zenger

[1] Her family moved through Rotterdam to England and on to New York City in 1710, where she grew up, eventually marrying a member of the same refugee group, John Peter Zenger.

[1] That year William Cosby became the colony's new governor, and, in responsive to his perceived capriciousness, an opposition party was formed and Zenger was hired to publish their tracts and pamphlets.

[3] As their conflict with the governor intensified, the opposition founded a newspaper, the New-York Weekly Journal, with John Zenger as the editor, publisher and printer.

[1] John Zenger, unable to meet bail requirements, ultimately spent more than eight months imprisoned, and during this time Anna Catharina took over his publishing duties.

[1] In 1748 she gave control of the printing business to her stepson, John Zenger, Jr., and moved to a rural area outside of the city where she opened a small bookstore.