From George Partridge Bradford’s copy of Vols. 1-5 (Vol. 1, No. 1, June 14, 1845-Vol. 5, No. 21, October 30, 1847) of a total of eight volumes published.  Inscribed with Bradford’s signature.  From the CFPL Vault Collection.  Source undetermined.

As the inscription on the title-page shows, the Concord Free Public Library’s copy of The Harbinger—the weekly Brook Farm newspaper—once belonged to George Partridge Bradford.  Published initially at Brook Farm and later in New York, The Harbinger (1845-1849) was a major organ for Associationism and Fourierism in America.  Although the paper did publish literary works, reviews, translations, and John Sullivan Dwight’s music criticism, it was first and foremost a reformist journal, and one that did not outlive by long Brook Farm itself. 

George Partridge Bradford was a brother of the learned Sarah Alden Bradford Ripley (daughter-in-law of Ezra Ripley and wife of Samuel) and a friend of Emerson, Thoreau, Alcott, and Hawthorne.  A member of and teacher at the Brook Farm community, he also lived in Concord for a time.

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