Samuel Conrad McPherson was born on May 13, 1885 at Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama. His parents relocated to Nassau when he was six months old. As a boy he attended Woodcock Day School and later Boys Central School.

After completing his early education he was apprenticed to Robert M. Bailey as a tailor. When World War II ended he migrated to Miami, Florida where he worked at Burdines for two and a half years.

His employers were so impressed with his work that they asked him to recommend other Bahamian tailors. He worked at this trade for sixty years until failing eyesight forced him to stop.

While in Miami he joined The United Negro Improvement Association. He returned home in 1923 and began to encourage Bahamians to form an organization in which they could exchange experiences and methods to improve their work as domesticates. As a result the Working Women's Wheel Association was formed. Mrs. Essie Fisher spearheaded the organization. Mr. McPherson stressed honesty, loyalty and a good day's work.

His political career began when he was nominated to contest the election for the Southern District of New Providence in a by-election. He was elected in 1923 and was returned at the end of the term. During his seven year term the Government High School was built. When A. C. Burns presented a Bill to close the school and remove its headmaster, Albert Woods, Mr. McPherson opposed it.

 
   
   
         
           
 

Aided by the late Alfred Francis Adderley, the late R. W. Sawyer and other members, Mr. McPherson defeated the Bill. He remained a member of the House of Assembly until 1933.

Mr. McPherson was also a founding member of the Citizen's Committee - a group of people who decided to take a stand against racism exhibited by the Film Censorship Board. The board refused to allow movies to be shown that depicted black people as the equal of their white counterparts.

S. C. McPherson was an active member of Christ Church Cathedral where he played the violin. He died and was buried June 22, 1972. The S. C. McPherson Secondary School was named in his honour.