Jackson, William Henry, 1843-1942 (photographer)
Dates
- Existence: 1843 - 1942
Biography
William Henry Jackson was born April 4th 1843 in Keeseville, New York, United States. When he was fifteen he was employed as a colorist in a photographer's studio (Jackson 1970, p.25). He moved to Rutland, Vermont, circa 1860, to work as an artist in the studio of Frank Mowrey (Jackson 1970, p.34). In 1862, with the American Civil War underway, Jackson joined the Rutland Light Guard, which became Company K of the Twelfth Vermont Volunteers (Jackson 1970, pp.42-44). He returned to Rutland and his job with Mowrey in 1863 (pp.69-70). In 1864 he began working for Mr. Styles in Burlington, Vermont (Jackson 1970, p73). In 1866, following a broken engagement, he went to New York and then west (Jackson 1970, p.83, 103). In 1867, after a variety of jobs, Jackson worked for a photographer in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1867 he bought out the business and began working with his brothers (Jackson 1970, p.171-172). Later that year he spent several months photographing the construction of the Union Pacific Railway (Jackson 1970, p.175). In 1870 Jackson accompanied a geological expedition led by Dr. Ferdinand Hayden to Wyoming (Jackson 1970, p.189). He officially joined the United States Geological Survey in 1871. Jackson accompanied numerous surveys of the west and southwest, in particular photographing the Yellowstone country (Jackson 1970, p.194). He returned to commercial photography in 1879, establishing a studio in Denver, Colorado (Jackson 1970, p.252 and 255). In 1881 he formed a partnership with Albert E. Rinehart. When this partnership disbanded, he entered agreements with Chain and Hardy and Walter F. Crosby to form 'W.H. Jackson Photograph and Publishing Co' (Jackson 1970, p.258). In 1894 he went on a world tour (Jackson 1970, p.266). In 1897 his company was taken over by the Photochrom Company and Jackson was given a post as director (Jackson 1970, p.323). Jackson died in 1943.
Publications:
Jackson, W.H. (1970), 'Time exposure; the autobiography of William Henry Jackson'. New York: Cooper Square Publishers.
Sources:
Jackson, W.H. (1970), 'Time exposure; the autobiography of William Henry Jackson'. New York: Cooper Square Publishers.
Found in 6 Collections and/or Records:
Chipata Falls, Black Canon, 1885
A view of the waterfall from the river below, showing the folded structure of the rockface over which the water drops.
Currecant Needle Black Canon, 1885
152 x 253 mm. A view from the railway track showing the sharp pinnacle of the rock on the far side of the Colorado River. The canyon, a gorge cut by this river, runs for 21 miles between northwest Arizona and southeast Nevada.
Hanging Rock, Black Canon, 1885
151 x 252 mm. A view looking along the railway line towards an approaching locomotive, on the front which sit two men. Above and beyond the train are the overhanging cliffs which give the locality its name, with the Colorado River just visible at the right of the picture. Photograph probably by W.H. Jackson.
Marshall Pass and Mt. Ouray, 1885
251 x 150 mm. A view looking along the newly completed railway, with felled pines on either side of the track and Mt. Ouray in the distance. The Marshall Pass and Mt. Ouray lie in the southern part of the Sawatch Range in Colorado.
[Pike’s Peak through Twins in Garden of the Gods], 1885
250 x 151 mm. A view looking out through a gap (or cave mouth) in the rocks known as the Siamese twins, across scrubland towards Pike’s Peak, a 14,110 feet mountain which likes ten miles west of Colorado Springs in the southern part of the Front Range in the Rocky Mountains. Photograph by Jackson (the initials are dimly visible in a dark area of the print, and look as though they have actually been written on the rock before the photograph was taken).
Ute Pass [Ute Pass, Maniton], 1885
Additional filters:
- Subject
- Colorado (state) 3
- Colorado River (river) 2