Family of American book-publishers of wide reputation. The business was established in New York City by the sons of Joseph Harper, a Newton (NY) farmer. The firm’s name was, at first (1817), J. & J. Harper; the members were James, born on the 13th of April 1795; mayor of New York in 1844; died on the 27th of March 1869, and John, born on the 22nd of January 1797; died on the 22nd of April 1875; in 1833 the firm assumed its present name of Harper Brothers, and took in Joseph Wesley, born on the 25th of December 1801; died on the 14th of February 1870, and Fletcher, born on the 31st of January 1806; died on the 29th of May 1877. Their first book was Seneca’s Morals. Their plant grew to occupy nine buildings on Pearl street, New York, when it was destroyed by fire in 1853, a net loss (above insurance money) of $750,000; the stereotype plates were saved, however, and the stock of books quickly replenished. The new building, on Franklin Square, is entirely fire-proof, and forms the most completely equipped house of the kind in the world. Their four periodicals—two weeklies, Harper’s Weekly and Harper’s Bazar; two monthlies, Harper’s Magazine and Harper’s Young People—are widely read and very profitable. The schoolbook department is a very important feature, and contains such standards as Anthon’s Classics and Harper’s Latin Dictionary. In fiction a number of high-class, copyrighted works are constantly placed upon the market. The owners of this great business are now a number of sons and grandsons of the founders.
