Anna Talbott McPherson
Encyclopedia
Anna Talbott McPherson wrote more than 22 biographies of famous Christian
s. Many of these books are still being read in Christian schools, and as part of the curriculum for home school English programs. A list of Anna's books can be found here. A list of currently available books by Anna is available from Amazon Booksellers.
Anna is also known for her unique pen and ink drawings, wherein she used shadings and colorings on scripted text to appear to magically form images of famous presidents and portrayals of Christ on the page. These drawings can be found in a number of Christian bookstores today.
. She attended Asbury College during the 1927-28 and 1928-29 school years. Anna graduated in 1929 with a major in Greek and Latin. While at Asbury, she published the first in what became a series of “written pictures” in 1929. She has also illustrated and authored several books. Her writings include Forgotten Saints (1961), They Dared to be Different (1967), They Dared to Overcome (1983), Praying Parents Take Heart (1975), H. Robb French—Pioneer, Prophet and Prayer Warrior, Spiritual Secrets of Famous Christians (1964), and Down a Candle Lighted Pathway, which is based on real events in her life. She taught college classes in subjects including Greek and Mathematics.
Anna married Chase Roe McPherson, a descendant of Forest McPherson. Chase was a graduate of Asbury College (1930) and Asbury Theological Seminary
(1933) and became a minister (Methodist, and later Wesleyan
). Anna went with him and shared his duties in
Iowa, Ohio, and Virginia. She and her husband had five children. They were affiliated with the Wesleyan Methodist Church
where Rev. McPherson was Conference Secretary of Evangelism and General Evangelist of the Allegheny Conference. Anna died at the age of 98. In 1978, a portion of Anna’s written pictures were donated to the school from among the books and papers of a former Asbury professor, H.J. Hervey. These pieces include “The Madonna and Child” (1938), “The True Shepherd” (1930), and “The Man of Sorrows” (1929). Also, a brief biography was found in the Asbury College archives entitled “Story of Anna
Talbott McPherson”: “When Anna was fourteen, the well-known profile of Abraham Lincoln
emerged as she looked at the copy of the Emancipation Proclamation
written in fine italic script. That experience so intrigued her that she determined to try to accomplish the same effect. In the years that followed, she succeeded by using a crow-quill pen, various colored inks for italic script suitably spaced and shaded, and an infinite amount of patience. In time, three heads of presidents – Wilson, Harding, and Washington – appeared. The latter has been displayed near the entrance of the Library of Congress. Later the pictures of Christ emerged within appropriately selected Biblical passages. Copies of all her pictures are in the archives of the Library of Congress.
Anna and her husband, Chase R. McPherson, met at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky
, and married following his graduation in 1930. After two years in seminary for his B.D. degree, Chase began his Methodist ministry. In 1945 they settled in Damascus, Ohio
, where Chase completed 50 years of service within the church. In 1986 they came to Copeland Oaks Retirement Center in Sebring, Ohio
, where Chase entered Crandall Health Care unit and died the following year.
All of Anna's stories are true character sketches. Fifteen books of children’s story collections have been published, and one,
Spiritual Secrets of Famous Christians, is now in its second printing to be released soon.”
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s. Many of these books are still being read in Christian schools, and as part of the curriculum for home school English programs. A list of Anna's books can be found here. A list of currently available books by Anna is available from Amazon Booksellers.
Anna is also known for her unique pen and ink drawings, wherein she used shadings and colorings on scripted text to appear to magically form images of famous presidents and portrayals of Christ on the page. These drawings can be found in a number of Christian bookstores today.
Biography
Anna was born into a Quaker home in Damascus, OhioDamascus, Ohio
Damascus is a census-designated place in southwestern Goshen Township in Mahoning County and northwestern Butler Township in Columbiana County in the U.S. state of Ohio. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44619. Its elevation is 1,211 feet , and it is...
. She attended Asbury College during the 1927-28 and 1928-29 school years. Anna graduated in 1929 with a major in Greek and Latin. While at Asbury, she published the first in what became a series of “written pictures” in 1929. She has also illustrated and authored several books. Her writings include Forgotten Saints (1961), They Dared to be Different (1967), They Dared to Overcome (1983), Praying Parents Take Heart (1975), H. Robb French—Pioneer, Prophet and Prayer Warrior, Spiritual Secrets of Famous Christians (1964), and Down a Candle Lighted Pathway, which is based on real events in her life. She taught college classes in subjects including Greek and Mathematics.
Anna married Chase Roe McPherson, a descendant of Forest McPherson. Chase was a graduate of Asbury College (1930) and Asbury Theological Seminary
Asbury Theological Seminary
Asbury Theological Seminary is a multi-denominational, graduate institution that offers a variety of master degree and postgraduate degree programs through the schools of Biblical Interpretation and Proclamation, Theology and Formation, Practical Theology, World Missions and Evangelism, and...
(1933) and became a minister (Methodist, and later Wesleyan
Wesleyanism
Wesleyanism or Wesleyan theology refers, respectively, to either the eponymous movement of Protestant Christians who have historically sought to follow the methods or theology of the eighteenth-century evangelical reformers, John Wesley and his brother Charles Wesley, or to the likewise eponymous...
). Anna went with him and shared his duties in
Iowa, Ohio, and Virginia. She and her husband had five children. They were affiliated with the Wesleyan Methodist Church
Wesleyan Church
"Wesleyan" has been used in the title of a number of historic and current denominations, although the subject of this article is the only denomination to use that specific title...
where Rev. McPherson was Conference Secretary of Evangelism and General Evangelist of the Allegheny Conference. Anna died at the age of 98. In 1978, a portion of Anna’s written pictures were donated to the school from among the books and papers of a former Asbury professor, H.J. Hervey. These pieces include “The Madonna and Child” (1938), “The True Shepherd” (1930), and “The Man of Sorrows” (1929). Also, a brief biography was found in the Asbury College archives entitled “Story of Anna
Talbott McPherson”: “When Anna was fourteen, the well-known profile of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
emerged as she looked at the copy of the Emancipation Proclamation
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War using his war powers. It proclaimed the freedom of 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves, and immediately freed 50,000 of them, with nearly...
written in fine italic script. That experience so intrigued her that she determined to try to accomplish the same effect. In the years that followed, she succeeded by using a crow-quill pen, various colored inks for italic script suitably spaced and shaded, and an infinite amount of patience. In time, three heads of presidents – Wilson, Harding, and Washington – appeared. The latter has been displayed near the entrance of the Library of Congress. Later the pictures of Christ emerged within appropriately selected Biblical passages. Copies of all her pictures are in the archives of the Library of Congress.
Anna and her husband, Chase R. McPherson, met at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky
Wilmore, Kentucky
Wilmore is a city in Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 6,134 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, and married following his graduation in 1930. After two years in seminary for his B.D. degree, Chase began his Methodist ministry. In 1945 they settled in Damascus, Ohio
Damascus, Ohio
Damascus is a census-designated place in southwestern Goshen Township in Mahoning County and northwestern Butler Township in Columbiana County in the U.S. state of Ohio. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44619. Its elevation is 1,211 feet , and it is...
, where Chase completed 50 years of service within the church. In 1986 they came to Copeland Oaks Retirement Center in Sebring, Ohio
Sebring, Ohio
Sebring is a village in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,912 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, where Chase entered Crandall Health Care unit and died the following year.
All of Anna's stories are true character sketches. Fifteen books of children’s story collections have been published, and one,
Spiritual Secrets of Famous Christians, is now in its second printing to be released soon.”
External links
- http://www.whwomenclergy.org/booklets/bibliography.php
- http://www.wbbm.org/church-history-west-blocton.htm