George Gardner Rockwood (April 12, 1832 – July 10, 1911) was a 19th-century celebrity photographer. His New York City studio photographed over 350,000 persons.[1]
Rockwood was born in Troy, New York, in 1832 to Elihu R. Rockwood, a hotel keeper, and Martha Gardner Burnham Rockwood.[2] George's early education was at the Ballston Spa Institute, an elite boys' boarding school. Rockwood used to say that his mind was turned to inventions by meeting Samuel Morse when the inventor of the telegraph was exhibiting his instruments at the United States Hotel in Saratoga. Rockwood was a hallboy in the hotel at that time. Morse took a liking to the young Rockwood and took time to explain the workings of his invention.[3] As a young adult, he worked in a printing office, and then became a reporter for the local Troy newspaper.[4] The 1855 New York State Census lists George living in Troy with his wife Araminta, newborn daughter Mary and a female servant, with his occupation listed as restauranting.[5]
Photography studio
He took up photography in St. Louis in 1853 and in 1858 produced the first carte de visite made in the United States.[1][3][6] His first subject was Baron Rothschild.[4] Mrs. August Belmont was the first woman of whom he made a vignette carte de visite. He was an inventor as well as a photographer and made many improvements in the tools of his trade.
Rockwood moved to New York City in 1857 and went into partnership with his brother, Colonel Elihu R. Rockwood. The studio in which Rockwood and his brother came to be best known was in the Roosevelt Building at Broadway and 13 Street. It was in this studio that the Rockwoods met, photographed and made friends with so many of the famous men and women of their time. During the Civil War, Rockwood's brother Elihu enlisted, and George worked as a war photographer, working out of a mobile field van.[7] His brother achieved the rank of colonel while serving with the 10th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
Elihu Rockwood's army friends were frequent visitors at the Rockwood studio, and George Rockwood got to know them well. He was fond of relating his talks with Major Anderson, General Dix, and others who had taken part in the war. He knew Horace Greeley well and made several photographs of him, both in the studio and in the woods near Chappaqua where Greeley posed, axe in hand. For a short period of time in 1865 Rockwood's studio employed photographer William Kurtz, prior to his pioneering work with halftone printing.[7]
Personal life
Rockwood married Araminta Bouton in 1853. They had several children, one of whom, George H. Rockwood, was also a photographer and associated with his father in business. Rockwood's reputation brought him a large business, but near the time of his brother Elihu's death in 1908 he filed for bankruptcy, with assets consisting of a note for $66, two patents and 514 shares "of no value".
George Rockwood received an honorary PhD from Columbia University late in life for his contributions to the arts.[7] Rockwood died at his country home in Lakeville, Connecticut, on July 10, 1911.[8]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to George G. Rockwood.
^ ab"Famous Photographer Dead". The Washington Post. July 12, 1911. p. 3. from the original on June 14, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^"United States Census, 1850". FamilySearch. from the original on June 14, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ ab"George G. Rockwood Is Dead". New York Sun. July 12, 1911. from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
^ ab"Historic Camera". Historic Librarium. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^"New York, State Census, 1855". FamilySearch. from the original on June 14, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
^ ab"George G. Rockwood". The Photographic Times. 43: 315. 1911. from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
^ abcShields, David S. "George Gardner Rockwood". Broadway Photographs. from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
^. Archived from the original on February 11, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
george, rockwood, george, gardner, rockwood, april, 1832, july, 1911, 19th, century, celebrity, photographer, york, city, studio, photographed, over, persons, george, gardner, rockwoodborn, 1832, april, 1832troy, yorkdiedjuly, 1911, 1911, aged, lakeville, conn. George Gardner Rockwood April 12 1832 July 10 1911 was a 19th century celebrity photographer His New York City studio photographed over 350 000 persons 1 George Gardner RockwoodBorn 1832 04 12 April 12 1832Troy New YorkDiedJuly 10 1911 1911 07 10 aged 79 Lakeville ConnecticutResting placeOakwood Cemetery Troy New York NationalityAmericanOccupationPhotographerSpouseAraminta Bouton Contents 1 Early life 2 Photography studio 3 Personal life 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External linksEarly life EditRockwood was born in Troy New York in 1832 to Elihu R Rockwood a hotel keeper and Martha Gardner Burnham Rockwood 2 George s early education was at the Ballston Spa Institute an elite boys boarding school Rockwood used to say that his mind was turned to inventions by meeting Samuel Morse when the inventor of the telegraph was exhibiting his instruments at the United States Hotel in Saratoga Rockwood was a hallboy in the hotel at that time Morse took a liking to the young Rockwood and took time to explain the workings of his invention 3 As a young adult he worked in a printing office and then became a reporter for the local Troy newspaper 4 The 1855 New York State Census lists George living in Troy with his wife Araminta newborn daughter Mary and a female servant with his occupation listed as restauranting 5 Photography studio EditHe took up photography in St Louis in 1853 and in 1858 produced the first carte de visite made in the United States 1 3 6 His first subject was Baron Rothschild 4 Mrs August Belmont was the first woman of whom he made a vignette carte de visite He was an inventor as well as a photographer and made many improvements in the tools of his trade Rockwood moved to New York City in 1857 and went into partnership with his brother Colonel Elihu R Rockwood The studio in which Rockwood and his brother came to be best known was in the Roosevelt Building at Broadway and 13 Street It was in this studio that the Rockwoods met photographed and made friends with so many of the famous men and women of their time During the Civil War Rockwood s brother Elihu enlisted and George worked as a war photographer working out of a mobile field van 7 His brother achieved the rank of colonel while serving with the 10th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Elihu Rockwood s army friends were frequent visitors at the Rockwood studio and George Rockwood got to know them well He was fond of relating his talks with Major Anderson General Dix and others who had taken part in the war He knew Horace Greeley well and made several photographs of him both in the studio and in the woods near Chappaqua where Greeley posed axe in hand For a short period of time in 1865 Rockwood s studio employed photographer William Kurtz prior to his pioneering work with halftone printing 7 Personal life EditRockwood married Araminta Bouton in 1853 They had several children one of whom George H Rockwood was also a photographer and associated with his father in business Rockwood s reputation brought him a large business but near the time of his brother Elihu s death in 1908 he filed for bankruptcy with assets consisting of a note for 66 two patents and 514 shares of no value Rockwood was for many years the tenor in the quartet in Henry Ward Beecher s Plymouth Church which included Emma Cecilia Thursby Antoinette Sterling and Jules Lumbert and for 35 years he was musical director in various well known city churches He was a member of the National Photographers Association and the Sons of the Revolution 6 George Rockwood received an honorary PhD from Columbia University late in life for his contributions to the arts 7 Rockwood died at his country home in Lakeville Connecticut on July 10 1911 8 Gallery EditSelected photographs by George G Rockwood Buffalo Bill Cody Charles Dickens 1860s Ulysses S Grant Clara Morris Wild Bill Hickok Theodore Roosevelt 1900 Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna c 1870References Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to George G Rockwood a b Famous Photographer Dead The Washington Post July 12 1911 p 3 Archived from the original on June 14 2015 Retrieved June 2 2015 via Newspapers com United States Census 1850 FamilySearch Archived from the original on June 14 2015 Retrieved May 31 2015 a b George G Rockwood Is Dead New York Sun July 12 1911 Archived from the original on May 27 2015 Retrieved May 27 2015 a b Historic Camera Historic Librarium Retrieved May 31 2015 New York State Census 1855 FamilySearch Archived from the original on June 14 2015 Retrieved May 31 2015 a b George G Rockwood The Photographic Times 43 315 1911 Archived from the original on June 17 2016 Retrieved May 28 2015 a b c Shields David S George Gardner Rockwood Broadway Photographs Archived from the original on May 27 2015 Retrieved August 5 2017 George Rockwood Photographer 1832 1911 Archived from the original on February 11 2015 Retrieved May 31 2015 External links EditGeorge G Rockwood at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George G Rockwood amp oldid 1159376549, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
