Robertson, Alexander Mitchell (A. M. Robertson, Aleck Robertson)
Alexander Mitchell Robertson (April 1855 - February 12, 1934) was an influential San Francisco bookseller and publisher. Known as 'Aleck', Robertson was considered the 'dean of San Francisco booksellers'. Robertson was known for his patronage of San Francisco writers. Robertson was born in Ontario, Canada, but he had deep connections to San Francisco - his father, a highland Scot named William David Robertson, came to San Francisco in 1849 to seek his fortune in the Gold Rush and, reportedly, 'made his pile.' The Robertson family returned to San Francisco in the 1860s, and A. M. grew up there, studying at Lincoln Grammer School. He fell in love with books, taking a job at Beech's Bookstore in San Francisco's Union Square when he was just 12 years old (he later took over the firm in 1875 as Billings, Harbon and Company, of which the 'company' was Robertson). From 1881, he spent time gold prospecting in Arizona and New Mexico and was one of the first settlers of Tombstone, Arizona. By 1886, he was back in San Francisco, where he bought out Billings and Harbon, establishing himself with a partner as Pierson and Robertson. The bookstore, later renamed A. M. Robertson, became a literary mecca, frequented by such luminaries as Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson, Rudyard Kipling, and Brete Harte. He was a regular at the Bohemian Club. Robertson died in San Mateo after a lingering illness.
AKA: A. M. Robertson, Aleck Robertson
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