Bela Marsh facts for kids
Bela Marsh (born 1797, died 1869) was a book publisher and seller in Boston, Massachusetts. He lived and worked in the 1800s.
He published books by authors who believed in important ideas of his time. Some of these authors were spiritualists, who believed in communicating with spirits. Others were abolitionists, who worked to end slavery. Famous authors he published included Adin Ballou, Warren Chase, Lysander Spooner, and Henry Clarke Wright.
Bela Marsh had offices in several parts of Boston. These included Washington Street (around 1820-1832), Cornhill (around 1847-1852), Franklin Street (around 1854-1856), and Bromfield Street (around 1858-1868). He also worked with business partners like Nahum Capen and George W. Williams. He was part of groups like the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association.
Bela Marsh and Copyright Law
Bela Marsh was involved in a very important court case about copyright. Copyright is a legal right that protects authors and artists. It means no one can copy or use their work without permission.
The case was called Folsom v. Marsh in 1841. It happened because Bela Marsh published a shorter, two-volume version of letters written by George Washington. These letters had already been published in a much larger, 12-volume set edited by Jared Sparks.
The judge, Justice Joseph Story, decided that Bela Marsh had copied too much from the original set. This meant he had broken the copyright rules. This case helped to define what copyright means and how it protects creative works.
