1886 Canadian Businessman & Banker William McMaster Penned Letter Thanking Northwestern Historical Society For Honorary Membership
12428On offer is an 1886 handwritten letter from the office of William McMaster to Ben W. Austin Esquire, Secretary of the Northwestern Literary Historical Society. He is writing thanking the Society for making him an honorary member.
Discernible text reads:
Toronto 29th March 1886
Ben W. Austin Esq.
Secretary // Northwestern Literary Historical Society // Sioux City // Iowa
Dear Sir, Absence from home must be my apology for not sooner answering your esteemed letter of the 6th just advising that the members of the Northwestern Literary Historical Society of your city have unanimously elected me as an honorary member of the Society, which I highly appreciate, and for which please convey to them my best…
I am // Dear Sirs // Very Truly Yours…
Wm. McMaster
William McMaster was a Canadian businessman, politician, banker, and philanthropist in the 19th century. McMaster University was named after him and he was a driving force behind the creation of the Canadian Bank of Commerce, of which he served as the founding president from 1867 to his death in 1887.
Benjamin W. Austin who was at one time the secretary of the Northwestern Literary and Historical Society in Sioux City and later, the functioning as secretary of the Trinity Historical Society in Dallas, Texas, 1885-1894 often promoting the honorary or non resident membership in the society and requesting autographs, photographs, and pamphlets.
According to Professor André De Tienne, Ben Austin assembled his collection by deceptive methods, for instance “making them [people] believe that they were being honored with a membership in non-existent scholarly societies, such as the Northwestern Literary and Historical Society, or the Trinity Historical Society in Texas.”
This piece is 5 x 8 inches. There is an old paper clip mark at top and the letter was previously glued into a manuscript book. The left edge is ragged and the lower right corner has a fold. Very Good condition.
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