Alexander MacPherson

Full Name:

Alexander 
 
MacPherson

Date of Birth:

May, 
26, 
1900

Place of Birth:

Boston, Massachusetts

Antigonish District:

St. Andrews

Service Rank or Number:

902012

Date of Enlistment:

March, 
22, 
1916

Location of Enlistment:

Antigonish, Nova Scotia

Theatres of Service:

Europe

Conflicts:

First World War
Date of Retirement of Discharge:
March, 
30, 
1919

Location of Retirement of Discharge:

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Rank on Retirement or Discharge:

Private

Medals & Decorations:

British War Medal
Victory Medal

Biography

Private Alexander MacPherson was born May 26, 1900 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the son of Martin MacPherson and Catherine Anne “Katie Anne” Cameron. MacPherson’s father Martin died in South River, Antigonish County in 1901. By 1911 MacPherson was listed as a domestic in the home of Donald and Janet McDonald in St. Andrews, Antigonish County. Janet was his maternal grandmother’s sister. Prior to enlistment MacPherson was a student.

MacPherson enlisted in the 193rd Overseas Batalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, March 22, 1916 in Antigonish. He arrived in Liverpool, England on May 17, 1917 on the S.S. Northland. MacPherson was then transferred to the 256th Railroad Construction Battalion on May 31. This unit renamed the 10th Canadian Railway Troops the same month. He arrived in France to served with the 10th Canadian Railway Troops June 19, 1917 and continued to serve with this unit in France and England until demobilization. MacPherson was discharged due to demobilization in Halifax on March 30, 1919.

After the war, MacPherson lived with Janet McDonald at her son Dan McDonald’s farm in St. Andrews in 1921. The 1921 Census of Canada lists MacPherson as an adopted son. In the late 1920s, MacPherson had returned to the United States and married Margaret McDonald of Nova Scotia in New York in 1929. By 1930, MacPherson and Margaret MacDonald were living in Bronx, New York City where MacPherson worked as a lineman. They had a daughter Kathleen M, born in 1930 and a son Alexander D. born in 1931. Later in life, MacPherson and his wife moved to Massachusetts. MacPherson died in New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts on May 25, 1983. He is buried in Saint Anthony’s Catholic Cemetery, Nanuet, Rockland County, New York.

 

 

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St. Anthony's Catholic Cemetery, Nanuet, Rockland, New York — Courtesy of Find A Grave

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