Samuel Colman, Portland, Me., Boston, New York

S. Colman (1799-) began his publishing business in Portland, Maine in 1830. He had been a Portland bookseller since 1819.

Lilly and Wait (previously Wells and Lilly), booksellers, printers and publishers, joined Samuel Colman and Ezra Holden in October of 1832 to form Lilly, Wait, Colman and Holden. This firm was located in Boston at No. 85 Washington Street and in Portland, Maine in the name of Colman, Holden and Co.(as booksellers). Lilly and Wait continued to publish on their imprint at that time.

Ezra Holden (1803-1846) was a newspaper man who was involved with the Portland Argus, Boston Courier and Philadelphia Saturday Courier. It is unknown when his business relationship with Lilly, Wait and Colman ended.

The Boston firm was located at 121 Washington by December, 1833.

Lilly, Wait and Company continued to run its entire operation until October, 1834 when financial reverses necessitated its sale. In December, everything including plates, inventory and presses were sold.

By early 1835 the publishing house of Samuel Colman had succeeded Lilly, Wait and Co. after the 1834 death of Robert Lilly.

At that time Colman continued the publication of Parley's magazine.

By March, 1837 Samuel Colman had moved New York City at 114 Fulton street. Colman was still at the Fulton Street address as late as November, 1838. There are books though with the No. VIII Astor House, Broadway, New York address from 1838. Thus the move between the New York addresses occurred sometime in the late 1838 time range.

The Portland, Maine firm of Colman and Chisholm operated between 1836 and 1838. This firm's Colman was George, Samuel’s brother, and unrelated to the firms noted in this entry.

J. P. Giffing succeeded S. Colman in 1840.

Apparently Samuel Colman made a return to the publishing business in 1841 after sorting out his financial woes. Whether he took over from Giffing who had a short publishing business life or not is unclear but Samuel Colman was active until about 1847 although no books published by Colman have been seen from 1844-1845. In 1846 and 1847 Colman was publishing in Boston at 30 Cornhill. In 1848 Colman advertised his services as a negotiator for publishers, authors, booksellers and book buyers.

Colman's son, Samuel Colman, was a well known painter.

Addresses
85 Washington Street, Boston (1832-1834) as Lilly, Wait, Colman & Holden)
121 Washington Street , Boston (1833-1837)
114 Fulton Street, NY (1837-1838)
141 Nassau Street, NY 1838
8 Astor House, NY (1839-1840)
14 John Street, NY (1841-1842)
30 Cornhill, Boston (1846)