Montgomery collection of Nielson family photographs

Turnbull Murdoch (1868-1927) was president of the Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic Railway Company, the Baltimore and Virginia Steamboat Company, and the Baltimore and Eastern Shore Railroad Company. Born in Baltimore, he married Alice Neilson, daughter of Albert and Louisa G. Wright Neilson in 1896.

Albert Neilson was the son of James Crawford Neilson (1816-1900) and Rosa Williams Neilson. James Crawford Neilson was the Maryland architect who, in partnership with John Rudolph Niernsee, designed many buildings in Baltimore including the Academy of Music on Howard Street and the Grace and St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal Church at Park Avenue and Monument Street. The Neilson family home was at Priestford, on Deer Creek in Harford County.

Alice Neilson Murdoch's sister was Louisa Wright Neilson Ford, married to Dr. William Weber Ford, a professor of bacteriology at the John Hopkins School of Hygiene. Louisa was an artist who also taught art classes and a charter member of the Baltimore Watercolor Club. At one point she operated the Country House Studio at Charles Street and Bellona Avenue, a gallery and gift shop. Among her other interests were labor and animal welfare.

Note: Several names related to this collection have variations in spelling. Neilson is sometimes spelled Nielson or Nelson; and Murdoch is sometimes spelled Murdock. Correct spellings are Neilson and Murdoch.