J.S. Harned and T.C. White
( – )
Itinerant Daguerreotypists
Duo J.S. Harned and T.C. White opened their daguerreotype studio in the third floor of Joseph J. Lewis’ law office on Market Street, West Chester, PA in 1849. They are possibly the first of a succession of daguerreotypists to occupy this space. Today the building is known as the Lincoln Building, notable for Lewis’ biography of Abraham Lincoln which was published in the Chester County Times newspaper, printed there on February 11, 1860.
The only documentation available to record their gallery in West Chester is an advertisement in the Jeffersonian newspaper published January 23, 1849[1]:
“DAGUERREAN GALLERY – Messrs. J.S. Harned and T. C. White, have opened a room on the third story over Mr. Lewis’ office, for the purpose of taking Daguerreotype likenesses. The specimens exhibited are very excellent, and cannot fail to please the most particular. Call and see them”
Harned & White must have left before March of 1850, by then Samuel Broadbent and Mrs. Sarah Hewes rented that location.
Other evidence of a daguerreotypist named J.L. Harned can be found in Craig’s Daguerreian Registry[2] which records him working in Montpelier, Vermont in October of 1846 with partner J.S. Tileston[3]. It is possible that the variation of initials is a mistake on the part of one of the newspapers. Their advertisement appeared in the Green Mountain Freeman, October 15, 1846:
“Daguerreotypes. NOW IS YOUR TIME. Messers. Harned & Tileston (recently from Van Loan & Magill’s celebrated establishment, Philadelphia.) respectfully announce that they will remain at the UNION HOUSE during the session of the Legislature and will furnish likenesses (either separately or in groups,) in a style which in point of richness of tone, of beauty of finish stand unrivalled and cannot fail of giving satisfaction.They would particularly solicit the attention of members of the Legislature and strangers visiting Montpelier, as they are fully prepared to give all an opportunity of getting a perfect Daguerreotype likeness on the most favorable terms. Just call and examine specimens, and see if we don’t perform all we advertise, J. L. Harned, J.S. Tileston.”
©Pamela C. Powell, 2019
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The Jeffersonian. (West Chester, PA) 23 January 1849. ↑
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Craig’s Daguerreian Registry http://craigcamera.com/dag/ ↑
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Green Mountain Freeman. (Montpelier, VT) 15 October 1846. ↑
