William Brewster's Collections - Rare Book Collection - Kenison Library

Photo of William Brewster's collection

William Brewster's Personal Collection

William Brewster, son of founder John Brewster, put his father's will into action and sat on the first Board of Trustees of Brewster Free Academy throughout his life until his death. William lived from 1851 to 1919, and was a well-known and highly respected ornithologist in his time. William's personal collection of books, which include novels, works of Shakespeare, works of Thoreau, who was a huge influence to him as a naturalist, books of essays, a 19-volume collection of Washington Irving’s works, and more, sit on the bottom shelf of the cabinet.

William Brewster's bookplate

This is William's bookplate, which is pasted inside the front cover of most of the books in his collection. It is an engraving of the Mayflower ship, and it is believed that William and John Brewster were descendants of a William Brewster who came to America on the Mayflower, though this has not been confirmed and even William was unsure of this. Interesting that he chose this image as his bookplate.

William Brewster: Bird Lover and Naturalist

Article from Birdobserver.org
An online article that delves deep into William's life as an ornithologist and naturalist. Tells the story of his "patches" - the places where he most loved to hike, camp, and observe, including Cambridge and Concord, MA and Lake Umbagog, NH. You can still visit "Brewster's Woods" in Concord. See link below. Also describes his work founding numerous ornithological societies, including the Nuttall Ornithological Club and the American Ornithologists' Union.

Brewster's Woods

Brewster's Woods Wildlife Sanctuary
Brewster's Woods Wildlife Sanctuary is a 130-acre property located along the banks of the Concord River in Concord, MA that was formerly part of the country homestead of William Brewster, the first President of the Massachusetts Audubon Society. Brewster called his little slice of woods "October Farm".

Portrait of William Brewster

This portrait of William hangs outside of the Kenison Library's front doors.

Bad Child's Book of Beasts

This delightful book was given to William when he was a child by his aunt, who wrote him a letter that is included in the book. The letter is in verse, witty and fun. His aunt mentions his love of the outdoors and of wild creatures, already present when he was just a kid.

Brief Life of a Bird Lover

Brief Life of a Bird Lover: An article from Harvard Magazine
This article presents an overview of William's life, from the perspective of his work at Harvard.

Online Repository of William Brewster's Diaries and Birds

An Ornithologist's Legacy
While we have his books, William left other parts of his life's work to his beloved Harvard. Here, you will find an online repository of William's diaries, photographs, and field journals. From Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology. Includes some photos of his collected birds.

William Brewster Obituary

The Auk: A Quarterly Journal of Ornithology
In this emotional obituary, William Brewster's friends and colleagues commemorate his life and work. Includes a much longer and detailed story of William's life including photos. Brewster Academy is mentioned.

Works Cited

American Ornithologists’ Union. The Auk. American Ornithologists’ Union, 1920, pp. 1–808, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/54106.

“Brewster’s Woods Wildlife Sanctuary.” Mass Audubon, https://www.massaudubon.org/places-to-explore/wildlife-sanctuaries/brewster-s-woods. Accessed 20 Dec. 2023.

Emmet, Alan. “Brief Life of Ornithologist and Writer William Brewster.” Harvard Magazine, 1 Nov. 2007, https://www.harvardmagazine.com/node/2656.

October 2019 | William Brewster: At the Right Place at the Right Time. https://www.birdobserver.org/Issues/2019/October-2019/william-brewster-at-the-right-place-at-the-right-time. Accessed 17 Dec. 2023.

“ William Brewster.” CURIOSity Digital Collections, https://curiosity.lib.harvard.edu/william-brewster-an-ornithologists-legacy. Accessed 2 Nov. 2023.