Hannah Bunce Cotton, Hannah Bunce Watson, Hannah B.Watson, Hannah Hudson

Female

December 28, 1749

September 27, 1807

Lebanon , CT

Hartford, CT

Ebenezer Watson (1771)
Barzillai Hudson Sr. (February 11, 1779)

Hannah Bunce (Watson) Hudson was first married to a man of the last name "Cotton" with whom she had a daughter. A widow at the young age of 21, she remarried Ebenezer Watson, editor of the Connecticut Courant (known today as the Hartford Courant). Together, they had four children but Ebenezer passed away from smallpox in 1777.

Despite being a woman, Hannah continued to run the newspaper as editor and handled the finances while George Goodwin, her business partner, did printing. She is known as the first female publisher in the colonies, but it is noted that many women participated in running newspapers. Her participation and dedication to keeping the newspaper running was pivotal for the American Revolution. Tories, colonist favoring the monarchy, burned down the mill, ...almost destroying the newspaper. Hannah and others worked together to raise money to keep the newspaper alive and functioning.

On February 11, 1779, Hannah remarried her neighbor, Barzillai Hudson. Together, they had four children, one of which became Mayor of Hartford, Henry Hudson. At 57 years old, Hannah passed away from the flu. She is buried in the Old South Burying Ground in Hartford.

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