The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Munsell, Joel

MUNSELL, Joel, American printer: b. Northfield, Mass., 14 April 1808; d. Albany, N. Y., 15 Jan. 1880. He established himself in Albany in 1827, and was publisher and editor of the New York State Mechanic from 1841 to 1843. At various times he was the publisher of the Unionist, the Albany Daily State Register, Morning Express and Statesman, and other journals. Munsell made a close study of the art of printing, in its history and application, and his collection of works on the subject, the largest in America, was in part purchased by the State for the New York State Library. He contributed papers to the ‘Transactions’ of the Albany Institute, of which he was a founder, and published ‘Outlines of the History of Printing’ (1839); ‘Annals of Albany’ (1849-59); ‘Every-Day Book of History and Chronology’ (1856); ‘Chronology of Paper and Paper-Making’ (1857; enlarged 1870); and ‘Manual of the First Lutheran Church of Albany, 1670-1870’ (1871).