James Ripley Osgood (1832-1892) was a creative and innovative publisher who was skillful in identifying authors and works for publication, but was unable to manage his companies well enough to keep them. He established the firm James R. Osgood and Company in Boston in 1871. Osgood had previously been a partner in the firms Ticknor and Fields, and then Fields, Osgood and Company. Osgood inherited some of America's most celebrated authors from Ticknor and Fields, and was successful in finding a number of others. The company, however, was beset by financial difficulties and in 1878 merged with Hurd and Houghton to form Houghton, Osgood and Company, which lasted only two years. Osgood then established James R. Osgood a second time, but again succumbed to financial problems, in 1885. The company was continued by Benjamin H. and Thomas B. Ticknor as Ticknor and Company, until that too became bankrupt in 1889 and was acquired by Houghton Mifflin.
James Osgood moved to New York where he worked as a clerk for Harper and Brothers, and in 1886 he moved to London as their literary agent. He was a partner in the firm Osgood, McIlvaine and Company in London between 1891 and 1892, when he died.
