Waite, Peirce & Co.

The Methodist Book-Depository was established by Rev. Dexter S. King in Boston in 1823. It sold Methodist books (mainly published by the Methodist Book Concern in New York) to preachers. King was succeeded by Waite, Peirce & Co. (1844-1847), Charles S. Peirce (1847) and Strong & Brodhead (1848-). These firms also published books.

Waite, Peirce & Co. was founded by Charles Waite, Charles H. Pierce and Josiah A. Brodhead.

1845 ad for Waite, Peirce & Co.


It appears that Brodhead left the Waite, Peirce & Co. house in 1845 to join John P. Hill and establish Hill & Brodhead. By 1847 Strong & Brodhead has started their own outfit.

1845 ad

Waite, Peirce & Co. introduced this series in 1845. Later Charles S. Pierce as well as Strong & Brodhead printed the set.

Six titles were initially released

Waite, Peirce & Co.'s Juvenile Library

1. Pastor's Stories: Moral Sketches for Youth by Abel Stevens
2. Royal Oak by Western Teacher
3. Home Made Happy; or, Right Tempers and Habits Taught by Examples by Anonymous
4. Stories from the Parsonage by Rev. A. Stevens
5. Mary Wilson: A Tale of New England
6. Shawmut or the Settlement of Boston by The Puritan Pilgrims (Charles K. True)

Several ads note that two other titles were part of this series. It is doubtful whether they were actually part of the series. The cloth covers of the books in the series actually note the series name. The two titles below have different cloth covers and do not note the set's name.

The questionable books are:

7. My Early Home and other Tales by Helen C. Knight, Mrs. M. O. Stevens,
Mary M. Griffin and Mrs. Julia Ann Emerym		 (Copyright 1844)
8. Widow's Jewels: in Two Stories by A Lady (Hannah Maynard Pickard) (Copyright 1844)

Cloth. Red seen. Blindstamped with an embossed pattern and lettering that states the publisher and series name.


Madam Guizot's Works

1. Little Robbers and Other Tales translated by Miss Anne T. Wilbur 1846

It is unknown how many titles are in this series.

This series was introduced by Waite, Peirce & Co. in 1846. It was also published by Strong & Brodhead. It is not known whether Charles S. Peirce also did a Guizot series.

Cloth. 4" x 6.25".