Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: V.F. Macom
Voorhees F. Macom who was born on March 20, 1893, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania according to his World War I draft card. In the 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Macom was the oldest of two sons born to John, an optician, and Mary. The family resided in Camden, New Jersey at 211 Stevens Street.
According to the 1905 New Jersey state census and 1910 census, the Macoms still lived in Camden but across the street at 204 Stevens Street. In 1910 Macom was a designer at a factory.
Camden city directories from 1911 to 1916 listed Macom as an artist at 429 Beckett. Where Macom received his art training is unknown. American Newspaper Comics (2012) said Macom produced two series for the North American Syndicate. First was Has This Ever Happened to You?, which ran from November 16, 1913 to December 6, 1914. It was followed by Movie Mat, debuting December 6, 1914 and ending July 4, 1915.
Macom signed his World War I draft card on June 5, 1917. His address was 554 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, New Jersey. Macom was an “illustrator and idea man” at Philadelphia-based advertising agency N.W. Ayer. His description was medium height and build with hazel eyes and brown hair.
Macom’s address was the same in the 1920 census. The advertising artist was head of the household which included his brother, George, and mother, a widow.
Bell Laboratories Record, November 1926, published Macom’s drawing.
Macom had an entry in the Eastern Edition of Advertising Arts and Crafts (1927).
Macom, Voorhees F., 1520 Chestnut, Rit 7137 Philadelphia, Pa. Nat’l Adv. Ill., Figure Heads, Ind. Rendering, Layout, Black and White, Color, Crayon, Dry Brush, Etching, Line Drawings, Oil, Pencil, Pen and Ink.According to the 1930 census. Macom and his mother were residents of Palisades, New Jersey at 1130 Palisade Avenue. He was an advertising illustrator.
Printers’ Ink, September 4, 1930, noted Macom’s change of agencies: “William Fink, formerly with Konor & Peters, New York art service, and Voorhees F. Macom, for the last four years with Young & Rubicam, Inc., New York advertising agency, and before that with N. W. Ayer & Son, have both joined the art staff of Pedlar & Ryan, Inc., New York advertising agency.”
On July 29, 1931 Macom and his mother arrived in Boston, Massachusetts from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. They sailed on S.S. Prince George.
The New York, New York, Extracted Marriage Index, at Ancestry.com, said Macom obtained a marriage license on December 19, 1934 in Manhattan where, sometime in 1935, he married Blanche H. Beard.
The New York Sun, November 9, 1935, reported “Arthur W. Munn, vice-president and art director, and Voorhees F. Macom of the art staff of Fletcher & Ellis. Inc., have resigned to open a studio in International Building, Rockefeller Center.” Four days later the Sun said “Marie Jacobi, art buyer of Fletcher & Ellis, has joined the recently organized studio of Arthur W. Munn and Voorhees F. Macom in the International Building.”
The New York Times, December 19, 1937, reported on housing in Jersey and said “The seven-room house at 178 Engle Street, Tenafly, on a plot of three-fourths of an acre, has been purchased by Voorhees F. Macom of New York City from the Clinton Towers Construction Company. The Alexander Summer Company acted as broker.” The house was pictured, on the adjacent page, with a caption, “Voorhees F. Macom, illustrator, had this house built to order at 178 Engle Street, Tenafly, by Clinton Towers Construction Company.”
Macom passed away before the enumeration of the 1940 census which listed his wife, a widow, and son, Vorrie, at the address stated in the Times article. An obituary has not yet been found.
—Alex Jay
Labels: Ink-Slinger Profiles
