McHarg (MacHarg) flies, late 1800’s

[Mike N]

Jim S reminded me of this post I made on ORCA Reel Talk from the 1905 Who’s Who New York.





The US v. British tackle wars need a some research and a well-written article.

Mike

[roycestearns]

Mike,
There's been some research on the McHarg legacy on this forum in the past :
viewtopic.php?f=64&t=41378

Also in Tom Kerr's book "Early American Rods and Rodmakers" starting on pg 271

[Mike N]

Thanks, Royce.

I just received this insightful email from Jim S. which alters my thinking on this matter.

"I think you'll find that the later cards are from the Sr. McHarg, which is different than John B. MacHarg, the son that took over the business. I'm not at home right now or I'd look through my files.

The odd looking stag in Hatch's post I believe are Allcock's from England, not at all from McHarg."


Mike N.

[hatch]

Wouldn't McHarg Sr. and son McHarg Jr. spell their names the same? On a side note, my great grandfather was a big name in stamp collecting (philatelist) in Nova Scotia, Canada in the late 1800s. His name was Henry Hechler. Sometimes his last name was spelled Heckler. No one seemed to make a big thing about it. Both spellings seemed to be used interchangeably. Perhaps this was not uncommon during this time period?

[crowebeetle]

Phonetically, Hechler and Heckler are the same to most ears.

[cwfly]

Although the subject of an obituary generally has no oversight on the accuracy of the article, these two notices are both from the Rome (NY) newspaper. They refer to

John B. MacHarg

without exception.

[hatch]

I have to believe the correct company name spelling is McHarg. I say this because of Mike N's McHarg stamped spoons and spinners. You don't have possibly 100s of spoons and spinners stamped with your company name and then market those spoons and spinners with your business name spelled incorrectly on them. Now, the theory that the senior McHarg used one spelling of the family name and then when the son took over he changed that spelling? This is possible, but if I'm the son taking over a successful, established business I think I would do everything I could to capitalize on the family name and company reputation that my father had built, not change it. I appreciate the theories and these are just my opinions. I could be 100% wrong. Mike N's "knock off theory" keeps sounding better and better. I can't help but think that there is more to this spelling story. As far as the obituary and other printed items using the MacHarg spelling. My Great Grandfather who died in the same time period has his name spelled differently depending on what obituary you read. I'm looking forward to solving this mystery. Thanks to all who are digging.

[cwfly]

The company that put out this catalog certainly should have gotten it right.

[hatch]

Bob Jones- NFLCC- NY, shared this 5th version of a McHarg envelope with me. It has both the stag and the fox as well as “John B. McHarg’s Best Reversed Wing Trout Flies.”

(Tap on photo to enlarge)

cwfly--Here is another envelope (top) posted by Mike N using the McHarg spelling. Are they both "right"? Did the company use both spellings? That seems unlikely. We are talking about a time period when your product packaging was a large part of your company advertising. Interestingly , the top card in the framing uses the "smiling stag" (Mike N's description) which in this thread has been attributed to possibly Allcock's.

For the record, In Tom Kerr's book "Early American Rods and Rod Makers" All reference to McHarg is spelled McHarg including an 1874 ad from Forest and Stream.

[cwfly]

There is more about McHarg flies in this link, including post 13. I'll add more a bit later. But be careful with some of the information. It is suggested that McHarg sold his business to Clarks-Horrocks in 1901. Tough to do. He died in 1899 and at least 5 of his patents were auctioned off by the company's receiver on August 8, 1900.

viewtopic.php?t=129593

[cwfly]

The catalog page I posted is from the 1907 C-H catalog (available online). Observers will see that it spells the deceased’s name as MacHarg, similar to the 1899 obituaries, one of which seems to have been cribbed from the other. The 1907 catalog page also has the “trade mark” fox with fish. So can any sense be made of this? Some – perhaps.
Lot 13, Section D in the Rome Cemetery in, quite naturally, Rome, NY provides some help. There we find, next to each other, several headstones. Our “John Brainerd McHarg” is one. Also, however, we find “John Brainerd MacHarg” and his sister “Susan MacHarg.” This (John) is the MacHarg, nee Mcharg who headed west from Rome as a college professor. The son of JB Mc took on JB Mac, as did his sister, Susan. Why? Who knows. But it is a good reason to confuse everyone in the vicinity of Rome. And for all I know, when C-H put out the “MacHarg” flies, perchance they were referring to the son. After all, they may have bought the business and the trademarks from him, John Brainerd MacHarg. Below I have posted the Receiver’s patent auction notice and three of the headstones. And Hatch, I am very, very familiar with Tom’s book. I do not recall that he and I ever discussed the different spellings.
Charlie

[hatch]

Charlie, thanks for the digging. If different members of the same family used two different spellings of the McHarg and MacHarg name in their lifetimes its possible that with the change in family member leadership within the company, products in that company could, over time, carry two different spellings of the family name . Perhaps a new patient owner had a desire to change the spelling of the name. I don't think it is a wise business move but, at the time, nobody asked me.

A Google search brought this information about the names "Mac" and "Mc". "Strictly speaking there is no difference between Mac and Mc. The contraction from Mac to Mc has occurred more in Ireland than in Scotland, with two out of three Mc surnames originating in Ireland but two out of three Mac surnames originating in Scotland. Mac and Mc come from the Gaelic word Meic meaning son of. "

Thanks again for your effort. Probably a lot of people don't give a hoot but I think progress has been made in this little mystery. I enjoy these puzzles.

[roycestearns]

Thank you Charlie, and Hatch. These are puzzles that may always have a missing piece but it's fun to try to find it!

[hatch]

In summary:
McHarg Co.

MacHarg (related to original McHarg Co, genealogy yet to be unraveled)

" smiling stag" not related to McHarg Co.



Not even close to McHarg Co.

[cwfly]

FWIW, when John B., Jr. graduates from Cornell in June of 1893 as a civil engineer, his name is McHarg. Ten years later, when recorded by Cornell, J. B. Jr. is now MacHarg. See below. Question is why he and his sister changed the spelling.

[hatch]

These are just some stabs in the dark as to why the McHarg brother and sister might have changed the spelling of their names.
My maternal grandmother's name was McLaughlin. At the turn of the century people of Irish decent were referred to as "Mcs" this was not a term of endearment.
Could there have been a falling out between dad and children? If so I'll bet the kids still spelled their name McHarg when they went to the bank and accessed dad's account.
IN the early part of the century it was not uncommon to "Americanize" your name by adjusting the spelling. Maybe they thought Mac distanced them from Mc which is clearly Irish? ( Of course Mac is clearly Scottish )
Grandfather and father built a successful company under the name McHarg. It must have carried some weight in New York state if not the entire North East and farther. As offspring, it is a name I would have been very proud of.
This is pure speculation on my part. Hey, to my knowledge we have not figured out why Ed Payne's name on the Philbrook and Paine reel has a different spelling!

[headwaters]

Thanks for the fabulous peeks at some of your collection, Tom!

[Dwight]

Interesting that the flies pictured are touted as tied on “needle pointed” hooks when they actually appear tied on beautiful hand filed points characteristic of the Victorian Era where the underside of the point is not touched by the file. In contrast, needle pointed hooks are a product of the Post Industrial Revolution and are made with a conical point formed by spinning the preformed hook and forming the point with a hone (I assume) in the same way needles and pins are made. I love seeing the gorgeous wet flies displayed in this post, especially tied on the beautiful old blind-eye hooks!

[roycestearns]

Dwight, I'm assuming you're talking about the loose flies with paper. Most of the flies pictured don't go with the paper. Not only are they not needle point hooks, they don't match the pattern or size listed on the paper. This is not uncommon in paper today, for some reason over time collectors have put random period flies with paper and there is no association other than the approximate time period. The flies attached to the paper can usually be trusted by checking the fading and attachment.

[Sidemount Fan]

As Mike indicated above, I stated that the Jr. McHarg (or MacHarg) used the Mac vs. Mc.
Year ago I was asked to help ID and appraise a few things from the Adirondack Museum - now called the Adirondack Experience - and found this undated catalog from John B. MacHarg Jr.


At the time, I was most interested in a few of the reels within, most notably the Billinghurst reels that were offered for $1 each. As for dating the catalog, I know it can't be any older than 1895 since there are two Meisselbach reels, each introduced around then (the Allright and the Featherlight reel).

I'll add this image of a few carded flies from my collection that have both spellings as well:


Jim