Godey and McMichael // Godey and M'Michael, Philadelphia

This firm only published books between 1841 and 1843. Although the timespan was short, it did publish T. S. Arthur first editions.

Louis Antoine Godey (1804-1878) was best known as the founder of Godey's Lady's Book. He was also the editor of The Young People's Book and Lady's Musical Library.

Morton McMichael (1807-1869) was the founder of several Philadelphia newspapers including the Saturday Evening Post and the North American. He served as Philadelphia's Mayor from 1836 to 1839.

Morton McMichael published the monthly Miss Leslie's Magazine: Home Book of Literature, Fashion & Domestic Economy at its inception in January, 1843. T. S. Arthur was a co-editor noted on the magazine's cover. In February, 1844 it had a new name The Ladies' Magazine of Literature, Fashion, and the Fine Arts published by E. Ferrett & Co. with T. S. Arthur as editor.

In 1841 Godey and McMichael formed a publishing house to print magazines and novels. There is no evidence that this house was in business after 1843. Of interest is that Godey did publish books on his own imprint as early as 1841.

The firm used several imprints. Godey and McMichael, Godey and M'Michael and L. A. Godey and Morton M'Michael have all been seen.

There were quite a number of T. S. Arthur first editions published by this firm. Two of the books, Six Nights with the Washingtonians and The Ruined family and Other Tales are first book editions but they actually contain material that was previously published in parts (small pamphlets) and then collated into the larger “first edition” books. As is noted below, the two books contain 22 “parts” that were previously published.

So in addition to the 22 parts (two books) there were six other first editions shown below.

Six Nights with the Washingtonians 1842/1843
Six separately sold parts make up this book. The initial advertisement noted that each part would be 32 pages and a reader could subscribe to the upcoming six parts for 75 cents and get them by mail.

This title was probably the most important temperance book written until Arthur's Ten Nights in a Barroom which was released in 1854.

The parts are as follows:
Night the First- The Broken Merchant (Announced as ready in April, 1842)
Night the Second- Experience Meeting
Night the Third- Tavern-Keeper (Ready in June, 1842)
Night the Fourth- Drunkard's Wife
Night the Fifth- Widow's Son (Announced as new in September, 1842)
Night the Sixth- Moderate Drinker (Announced as new in September, 1842)
The parts cost 12.5 cents each.

Pictures courtesy of the Huntington Library

In October,1842 citing the popularity of Arthur’s Six Nights with the Washingtonians, Godey and M'Michael announced a new series of temperance tales. They were to be published in sixteen weekly numbers for 6.25 cents each. The first part, The Ruined Family, was published in October, 1842. (I have placed in parentheses after each title the number of the weekly volume. There are discrepancies based on limited information.)

The parts were bound into two volumes and published in 1843. The two volume set was titled The Ruined Family and other Tales. The books were published in 1843.
Part I: (196 pages)
The Ruined Family (1)
Jim Braddock's Pledge (3)
The Cold Water Wedding (4)
The Rum-Seller's Dream
The Hasty Marriage (6)
Wine on the Wedding Night (7)
The Temperance Pledge (7)
The Sisters

The second volume with the later eight parts noted “Swearing Off” on the title page.
Part II: (195 pages)
Swearing Off (9)
The Failing Hope (9)
Flushed with Wine (10)
The Fiery Trial
The Temperance Drinker (13)
The Touching Reproof ?13
The Broken Pledge ?13
Thou Art the Man (14)
Julia Forrester (Published in January, 1843)

Later The Ruined Family was issued in one volume called "The Temperance Tales”. Swearing Off is on the title page for Part II. There is also evidence that Arthur’s Temperance Tales were published as a two volume set in July, 1843.

This book should not be confused with the later published and renamed Temperance Tales; or, Six Nights with the Washingtonians which only includes the stories from that book.

Here are the other Godey & McMichael first editions. They are all quite uncommon.

Village Doctors 1843 12 mo. 72 pages

Little Pilgrims; A Sequel to the Tailor's Apprentice

Making a Sensation 1843 12 mo 72 pages

The Ladies' Fair 8 vo. 30 pages -hunt

Tailor's Apprentice: A Story of Cruelty and Oppression 1843 (The first edition was published anonymously)

The Story Book 1843 141 pages
This little (6 x 4) book has one illustration (frontispiece)

In 1842 this publishing house reprinted “Insubordination”. The first edition had been published by Knight & Coburn.

In 1843 Godey and McMichael also published a new edition of Bell Martin: or, The Heiress. It was priced at 12.5 cents. The first edition was published earlier in 1843 by Burgess & Zieber.