Type-founder, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on the 26th of June 1781; died in New York City on the 6th of July 1886. Coming to New York at the age of fourteen, he was apprenticed to a bookbinder, and, with his brother David, afterward drifted to Philadelphia, Albany, then back to New York. They had had some printing-house experience, and in 1806 opened a book-printing office. Three years later they were able to move to a better locality. In 1812 the secret of stereotyping was learned by David during a visit to England, and the brothers henceforth employed the process in their work, finding it necessary to cast their own type, and in various other ways overcome obstacles. The New Testament, in bourgeois (1814), was their first stereotyped work. In 1816 they abandoned the printing business and became exclusively type-founders, erecting in 1818, on Chambers Street, the present foundry. George Bruce introduced many improvements in types, and, assisted by his nephew David, his brother having retired from the business, invented the only successful type-casting machine. Mr. Bruce was connected with various industrial societies, and was noted for integrity and benevolence.
