Will Ransom

Born in St. Louis, Michigan, Ransom grew up in Snohomish, Washington, and began his career as a reporter, bookkeeper, and printer's devil for several papers in the Northwest.

[1] Long interested in design, and having printed several art books on his own, Ransom was persuaded in 1903 to study at Frank Holmes’ School of Illustration.

[1] Encouraged by his wife, Ransom again tried his hand at design, setting up shop as a freelance artist, designing advertisements for both Carson Pirie Scott and Marshall Field's department stores and the Rock Island Rail Road, as well as books for several publishers.

[1] He was credited by C. J. Bulliet, editor of the art magazine for the Chicago Evening Post and later art critic of the Chicago Daily News, of having introduced (in 1923) Helen West Heller to woodcutting, after which she went on to become one of the world's foremost practitioners of that field.

In 1930, he left Chicago for Rochester, New York, where he was employed by the Printing House of Leo Hart as a book designer for five years.