In 1997 I traveled to Yancy County, North Carolina, and spent three days with Ernest Morgan. He had been described to me as an old printer (ninety-two years of age) with plenty of good stories. On the first day, much to my surprise, he mentioned that he had been an apprentice in the shop of William Rudge in 1923 and yes, Bruce Rogers had been there. In the course of my visit Ernest went into detail about his experiences in Rudge’s shop. He gave me a line of type ornaments designed by Bruce Rogers that he took with him when he left in 1924: find them on page 24 of this book. He also talked extensively about his own enterprise, the Antioch Bookplate Company, where he had dealings with such bookish notables as Rockwell Kent and Lynd Ward. Ink-jet reproductions of their bookplates are included.

Ernest was also a social activist. During the Depression he had been a union organizer, a regional barter organization manager (as well as the printer of its currency), and Chairman of the Socialist Party of Ohio (as well as its canditate for govenor).

The text of Ernest Morgan: Printer of Principle is a transcription of his stories. Will Powers, who contributed an introduction and afterword to the text, started his career as a printer apprentice at Ernest Morgan’s Antioch Bookplate Company in 1968. From there he embarked on an illustrious career as a printer, designer of books, and a fine typographer.