Melvin Jacobson

1926-1977

Melvin Joseph Jacobson was born 9 October 1926, probably at Chatham, Northumberland County, New Brunswick, later part of the city of Miramichi.  Jacobson entered the University of New Brunswick on a Beaverbrook Scholarship in 1943, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1948. He then studied at the Syracuse University School of Journalism at New York, earning a master's degree about 1949. Following graduation, Jacobson was employed as a journalist with the British United Press, first in Halifax and then in Montreal.  He began focusing on writing novels, short stories, and poetry. Several of his short stories were published in The Canadian Forum, The Atlantic Advocate, and in the Nova Scotia Journal of Education. In 1971, he self-published a book of short stories, Minyan. Jacobson died at Montreal, Québec, on 13 September 1977.

Predominant New Brunswick Residences:

Chatham, Miramichi

Archival Material

•  Melvin Jacobson fonds
  ⌄
  Location

  Provincial Archives of New Brunswick

  Retrieval Number

  MC488

  Date Range of Material

   1948-[ca.1977]

  Extent

   20 cm of textual records

  Scope and Content Note

  The fonds consists of literary and personal records of Melvin J. Jacobson of Chatham, New Brunswick and Montreal, Quebec. It contains business correspondence with editors and publishers, notes, and manuscript drafts of his writings; his writer's notebook; and typescripts of short stories, poems, and novels, including the unpublished novel From Time Immemorial, originally titled Gordon's Story. There are also personal letters from family and friends; transcripts of academic grades; newspaper clippings; and a published copy of Minyan, his book of 10 short stories. A few photocopies of photographs taken of Jacobson at Syracuse, New York (1940s) and Halifax (1950s) and of his home and early life in Chatham are included. See P260 for photographs of Melvin Jacobson and his home.