Founded by bookbinder Lewis Augustus Roberts and his two brothers, John and Austin, to publish high line photograph albums.

In 1863, they hired Thomas Niles away from Ticknor, Reed & Fields to develop book publishing business. Niles became a partner---and for all practical purposes the sole head of---the business. Niles had a more refined literary taste that did not approve of the literature of the masses. His first selection was Poems by Jean Inglow, an English author whose works wre critcal but not popular successes. His second work was LaFitte, the Pirate of the Gulf by J.H. Ingraham, professor of languages at Jefferson College. Although the book was dedicated to Longfellow, the poet publicly denounced it as "the worst novel ever written". Ingraham, undetered, wrote over 80 "trashy" novels. At age 46 he experienced a religious conversion, declared himself a born-again Christian and tried to halt all further publications of his work. Then he rededicated himself to writing religious works. From his pen flowed The Prince of the House of David The Pillar of Fire The Throne of David

Niles purchased these, sold over 100,000 copies. (When the copyright expired, Street and Smith issued a ten cent paperback version of each title.) (Ingraham, however, died in a freak accident and never saw any of the profits.)

Roberts, as a bookbinder, took pride in the appearance of his books, so when it became obvious that he had to compete with the likes of Street and Smith, he began the "American Tauchnitz Series" in 1876, high quality paperbacks for 50 cents each. The first of the series was Mercy Philbrick's Choice.

Published Stevenson's Treasure Island, published in London a month earlier by Cassell. Helen Hunt Jackson's Ramona.

Non-fiction successes included: Mary Tileston's Daily Strength for Daily Needs. Mrs. D.A. Lincoln's Boston Cook Book...which became... Fannie Farmer's Boston Cook Book.

Niles asked Mary Louise Alcott to write a book for girls similar to Oliver Optic's books for boys...The result was Little Women.

Niles introduced Balzac and George Meredith to American readers.

Niles died suddenly of a heart attack in 1894.

Roberts, devastated by the death of Niles, sold the book business to Little, Brown for $250,000. (A tremendous deal for Little, Brown...the works of Alcott alone generated more money than that!)

Niles assistant, Eugene Hardy, continued to publish books with Robert's financial support as HARDY, PRATT & CO. His best success came with cheap editions of Balzac and Moliere in his "Versailles Historical Series". He went out of business in 1905.

Return to Index

Robert Howard Russell, employee at DeWitt Publishing, became famous for high quality mass marketed books:

Published: Charles Dana Gibson, Fredrick Remington, Rostand, Richard Harding Davis

Return to Index