McGill Libraries
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Identity area
Type of entity
Person
Authorized form of name
Hershman, William Handford
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1851-1931
History
William Handford Hershman was an Indiana educator, university administrator, farmer, and museum curator. Beginning his career as a schoolteacher at age eighteen, he taught in several Indiana communities before serving as superintendent in New Albany, where he introduced educational initiatives such as literary clubs. He later became president of Vincennes University and worked at Hammond School before leaving education in 1905 to pursue farming.
Born in Benton County, Indiana, he married Sarah Jane Lyons in 1873, and they had two children, Ara and George. Hershman was also a dedicated scholar, earning an A.B. degree from Indiana University in 1898 and later an A.M. from the University of Chicago after additional study. In addition to his educational work, he served as a curator for the Indiana State Museum.
After retiring from teaching, Hershman operated farms near Noblesville and later near Columbus, Indiana. He spent his final years there until his death from declining health, including Bright's disease, on 22 February 1931. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Brook, Indiana.