It is gruesome to say, but photographers who got into financial troubles left a richer paper trail than those who were sober and industrious. Poor John Bransom, he had big dreams. He purchased a property in 1858 on the Main Street in Coatesville (today East Lincoln Highway) and in 1863 he contracted with Robert Russell…
A con man is successful if he can get his mark to believe in an alternative reality. It was not hard for Louis Prevaust to get J. T. Wiley to believe having a studio in the prosperous borough of Oxford would be more lucrative than plying his trade from a traveling wagon. Wiley had been…
As we all tire of the cold dreary days of winter many in the southeastern Pennsylvania region enjoy visiting the Philadelphia Flower Show. First we inhale the fragrance of the flowers before we even see the brilliant colors and designs of the floral displays. It refreshes and inspires us. This was the same feeling that…
I was thrilled to find this gem-sized tintype on a carte-de-visite mount chock full of information on photographer C. Alfred Garrett. The label includes a ringing endorsement from West Chester photographer Eber Woodward who Garrett succeeded in business. Garrett even gives a very clear address for his studio – usually his imprints just say “West…
I am excited to feature new research by a guest author on Chester County Photographist. Today I am introducing Rebecca Oviedo, a professional archivist and family historian who is lucky enough to be related to photographer William W. West! She is blessed to have in her family’s photo archive many examples of West’s work. She…
Announcing an enlarged and greatly revised biography of photographer Levi Crowl! This West Chester photographer, like many northern photographers, migrated south for the winter. He started doing this in 1855. However, he liked North Carolina so much he stayed, that is, until the outbreak of the Civil War. I discovered a treasure trove of Crowl’s…
The research never ends. Just when you think you are at the end of the paper trail, something new surfaces. Take the case of photographer John Odiorne who died at the young age of 25 shortly after separating from his wife. Something does not add up with his cause of death. John didn’t realize the…
How do I find all the names of nineteenth century photographers for this study? Of course I use sources such as newspaper advertisements, directory listings, manuscript material, tax lists and census records. Sometimes eBay provides an image by a photographer I have never heard of. Searching on our local Chester County towns yielded a cabinet…
I am pleased to announce that my article “Visual Memories of Chester County” is featured in the latest edition of Chester County Ledger published by the Chester County Historic Preservation Network. The mission of the CCHPN “is to connect local governments, organizations, and individuals in their efforts to protect, preserve, and promote the historic resources and…
What if a woman had no interest in marriage and child rearing? What were the choices available in “woman’s sphere” as defined by society during that time? There were very few. She could stay home and care for her parents. If she was lucky, they might leave her some property she could live on or…
