Introducing Andrew Dougherty

Andrew Dougherty was born on March 15, 1826, in Londonderry, Ireland, and came to the United States in 1834 with his father and mother. The family settled in Brooklyn, New York, which would be Andrews home for the rest of his life. During his early years Dougherty had many great learning experiences, not least of which was two years at sea aboard The Bark Condor. On firm ground, he spent time under the employment of two well-known stationers and playing card sellers, David Felt and George Cook. There he mastered the manufacturing/stationery trades and was introduced to what would become his future career. After being presented with the opportunity to purchase playing card making equipment and machines from Thomas Crehore’s estate in 1847, before long, Andrew entered business for himself. 

Known as “The Cardman of New York”, Dougherty made lower Manhattan his base of operations and was continually expanding there. Throughout his career, he made some of the most beautiful and industrially prolific decks of American Playing Cards. Dougherty’s Centre Street factory was a symphony of his own invention and ingenuity and would produce cards faster than any other maker in the world. This was no easy feat considering the production capacities of his direct rivals including, Samuel Hart and L.I. Cohen.

With rich political connections and an equally rich heart, Andrew Dougherty used his influence for the good of the people and assisted in many important issues facing the nation at a pivotal time. He was a friend of Abraham Lincoln and a champion of Immigrant/Civil Rights, and was fondly remembered in New York at the time of his death in 1901.

To Learn Andrew Dougherty’s Full History - Read, Paper Empires Vol I