1850                Over White & Hunter Drug Store, Ottawa, Illinois.

A. Fletcher was recorded on one advertisement and two announcements in The Ottawa Free Trader (Ottawa, Illinois). The advertisement ran from April 6 to 20, 1850.

Premium Daguerreotypes.  Mr. Fletcher, from Chicago, Daguerreotypist, would respectfully announce to the citizens of Ottawa and vicinity that he has taken rooms for a short time over the Drug Store of White & Hunter, opposite the court house, where he will be happy to wait on all who may favor him with a call. 

Being furnished with an extensive and superior Apparatus throughout, and having had many years’ experience in his profession in the Eastern, Middle and Southern states, and being in possession of all the recent improvements in the art, he flatters himself that he will be able to give satisfaction to his patrons.

The Highest Premium for Daguerreotypes was awarded him by one of the Massachusetts Fairs.

Miniatures taken in all weather, with or without coloring, and neatly set in Morocco cases, rosewood frames, gold lockets, bosom pins, finger rings, watch keys, bracelets, &c.

Ladies and Gentlemen are respectfully invited to call and examine specimens.  Ottawa, April 6, 1850.  A. Fletcher.

N. B.  Instructions in the art given on reasonable terms.

The first announcement appeared on April 13, 1850.  A Deserving Artist.  The Aurors Beacon, speaking in very complimentary, and we may add just terms of the skill of Mr. Fletcher, the daguerreotypist, who has taken rooms over White & Hunter’s Drug store, in this continues:

We believe Mr. F. designs visiting Ottawa next week.  If he does, we would commend to him as the best looking man in that town, as a model specimen for his gallery, brother Osman of the Free Trader.  Holbrook, of Peru Telegraph, is another beauty.  In short, it will be found that editors are the handsomest class of men in the State.  Mr. Fletcher has discovered this, and hence takes their likenesses gratis, for the purpose of obtaining specimens and showing what he can do in his line.

The second announcement appeared on April 27, 1850.  Persons wishing daguerrean pictures must call on Mr. Fletcher within the coming week.  We can assure our readers, that both as an artist and a gentleman, Mr. F. ranks vastly above the common run of daguerreotypist by whom our town is generally visited.

A. Fletcher is not recorded in other photographic directories.