Christopher Sower Company
—Christopher Sower (Saür), the founder of this house, issued in 1733 as his first venture in publishing, a schoolbook entitled Ein A B C und Buchstabier Buch. In 1747 he published a German and English Grammar; in 1750, The Golden A B C, or the School of Knowledge in Rhymes (English translation of German title); in 1771, The New England Primer, Enlarged. Although he began publishing in German, he was soon printing in both German and English, and he issued from six to twelve books a year until his death. His most important educational publication was Die Schul-Ordnung, written by Christopher Dock, a remarkable schoolmaster in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. This is known as the first American treatise on school teaching.
In 1758 Christopher Sower was succeeded by his son, Christopher Sower, 2nd, and he by his son, Samuel. In 1799 another son, David, Sr., took charge of the business. In 1842 Charles G., son of David, Jr., succeeded his father. In 1888, 150 years after the founding, the firm was incorporated as the Christopher Sower Company, with Charles D. Sower as President. In 1910 the officers were: Albert M. Sower, President; James L. Pennypacker, Vice President; Daniel B. Hassan, Secretary and Treasurer.