Oliphant & Skinner, Auburn, New York
H. Oliphant and H. and J. C. Ivison, Auburn, New York
H. Ivison, Auburn, New York
Thomas Skinner (1791-1880) was a native of Connecticut. In 1816 prior to his association with Oliphant he published the Auburn Gazette with Wm. Crosby. It was renamed the Cayuga Republican in 1818. Later it merged with the Auburn Free Press in 1833 to form the Auburn Journal and Advertiser. This latter paper was published by the firm of Oliphant (Henry) and Skinner. Oliphant and Skinner published the People's Friend in 1836.
Henry Oliphant (1804-1867) was born in London, England. In 1829 he took over the Auburn Free Press.
The Oliphant & Skinner firm was active until Skinner retired in 1839. Henry Oliphant continued to publish on his namesake imprint thereafter.
Henry Ivison (1808-1884) was born in Glasgow. He served an apprenticeship with William Williams in Utica, New York before moving to Auburn in 1830 and establishing a bookstore. He published on his namesake imprint, H. Ivison & Co., as early as 1832. In 1842 he co-published books with J. C. Ivison and Henry Oliphant. Not much is known about this short lived firm. He left for New York City in 1846. He became well known as a book publisher, first with Newman and Ivison and later with Ivison and Phinney, and also with Ivison, Phinney and Blakeman, etc.
John C. Ivison was a book publisher. After Henry Ivison left for New York, John C. Ivison published on his own imprint. He died in 1854 at the age of 34 from an "accidental discharge of his gun".
Summarizing:
1833 Henry Oliphant
1833-1839 Oliphant & Skinner
1840-1846 Henry Oliphant
1832 H. Ivison 1842-1843 H. Oliphant and H. and J. C. Ivison
1841-1846 H. & J. C. Ivison
1846 J. C. Ivison
The companies noted above published several series for juveniles: