Tag Archives: J. Beals Jr.

J. Beals, Jr

Daguerreotypes, ,

1845                Address Unknown, Springfield, Massachusetts.

J. Beals, Jr. appeared in one announcement on October 14, 1845 in the Daily Republican.  (Springfield, Massachusetts).  Hampden Co. Agricultural Fair.  List of entries at the Show, Oct. 8 and 9—concluded from yesterday.  Specimens Of Fine Arts.  Listed are

G. W. James,                           Springfield,                 12 Specimens Daguerreotype

Stock & Cooley,                     Springfield,                   6 Paintings and 4 Daguerreotypes

J. Beals, Jr.                              W. Springfield,             4 Daguerreotypes

G. W. James,                           Springfield,                   4 Daguerreotypes

J. T. Ames,                              Cabotville,                    2 Daguerreotypes

J. Beals, Jr. is not recorded in other photographic directories.

George W. James

Daguerreotypes, Portrait Painter, , , , , , ,

1845                Burt’s Building, Springfield, Massachusetts.                                                                      1845                Lombard’s new building, nearly opposite the Chicopee Bank, Springfield,                                      Massachusetts.

George W. James was recorded in three announcements and two advertisements.  The first advertisement ran from June 24 to 28, 1845 in the Daily Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts).  A Rare Chance, Is now offered for any young man who wishes to engage in a pleasant and lucrative business.

Mr. George W. James, Daguerreotype Artist, being about to engage in a different business, offers his establishment in Burt’s Building for sale.  He has recently fitted up his room in a superior style, and everything is in good order for taking Likenesses.  He will give any young man instructions in the art, so that he will be competent to take charge of the establishment with a very little practice.

Mr. James will remain here a few day longer, and will be happy to take any persons Likeness in a style superior to any that have been offered to the public.  P. S.  Any person taking the whole establishment will receive instruction gratis.

The second advertisement ran from August 5 to October 29, 1845 in the Daily Republican  (Springfield, Massachusetts).  New Daguerreotype Rooms.  Removal.  Mr. James, wishes to inform the citizens of Springfield, that he has removed his operating rooms from Burt’s to Lombard’s new building, nearly opposite the Chicopee Bank, where he is prepared to execute Likenesses in a style superior to any that have ever been offered to the inhabitants of this town or vicinity.

Miniatures taken of various sizes, from Breast Pins upwards, Mr. James Requests The Public To Call And Examine Specimens For Themselves.  Likenesses taken without regard to weather, and warranted correct.

The first announcement appeared on August 6, 1845 in the Daily Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts).  We refer our readers to the advertisement of Mr. James, who has concluded to remain in town, and has taken rooms in the new Lombard building.  His daguerreotype portraits, we believe, are satisfactorily executed.

The second announcement appeared on October 14, 1845 in the Daily Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts).  Hampden Co. Agricultural Fair.  List of entries at the Show, Oct. 8 and 9—concluded from yesterday.  Specimens Of Fine Arts.  Listed are

G. W. James,                Springfield,         12 Specimens Daguerreotype                                                  Stock & Cooley,          Springfield,            6 Paintings and 4 Daguerreotypes                                        J. Beals, Jr.                   W. Springfield,      4 Daguerreotypes                                                                      G. W. James,                Springfield,            4 Daguerreotypes                                                                        J. T. Ames,                     Cabotville,              2 Daguerreotypes

The third announcement appeared on October 16, 1845 in the Daily Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts).  Hampden Co. Agricultural Fair…A Frame containing twelve Daguerreotype Likenesses, by G. W. James—among which we recognized several of our citizens as natural as life.  Also, another by the same, taken from miniature paintings, well executed.  Several admirable Daguerreotype Miniatures of large size and near to life, by Stock & Cooley.

George W. James is not recorded in other photographic directories.

J. T. Ames

Daguerreotypes, , , , , , , , , , , ,

J. T. Ames is recorded twice in the Daily Republican newspaper, published in Springfield, Massachusetts on October 14, 1845. His name appears in a list of entries of the Hampden County Agricultural Fair under Specimens of fine arts which was held on October 8 & 9th. J. T. Ames possibly (James T.) from Cabotville (Chicopee) exhibited two daguerreotypes; J. Beals, Jr. of West Springfield exhibited 4 daguerreotypes; G. W. James probably (George W. James) from Springfield is listed with two entries first exhibiting twelve specimens of daguerreotypes and the second entry exhibiting four daguerreotypes; and Stock & Cooley who exhibited six paintings and four daguerreotypes.[1]

The second time he is mentioned was on September 29, 1851 also in the Daily Republican in an announcement for the Seventh Annual Cattle Show and Fair of the Hampden Agricultural Society…The following are the Committees on the various departments of the exhibition:…Under Paintings and Daguerreotypes.—T. W. Carter, Chicopee, James T. Ames, Chicopee, Edmund Freeman, Springfield.

In looking in Craig’s Daguerreian Registry he list a Joseph Ames as an artist and painter at 5½ Tremont Row from 1852-1856 the same address as Southworth and Hawes.  From 1857-1858 at 41 Tremont Row and 1859-1860 at 16 Summer Street.  He goes on to say that another source noted him as a daguerreian who gave assistance to Southworth and Pennell in their early stages (1840.)  John cites the business directory and WW as his sources.  W. W. is William Welling’s Photography in America: The Formative Years 1839-1900.  On page 20.  Welling writes Southworth & Pennell, meanwhile, at some point in the spring or summer of 1840, established a daguerreotype business in Cabotville, near Boston.  “We had the sympathy and substantial assistance of Messrs. Ames, Chase and Bemis.”  This information comes from The Philadelphia Photographer Volume 8, No. 94, October 1871 Page. 315-323. An Address To The National Photographic Association of the United States, Delivered at Cleveland, Ohio, June 1870.  By Albert Southworth. The passage is on page 317.

Checking The New York Historical Society’s Dictionary of Artist in America 1564-1860 there is a listing for Joseph Alexander Ames as working mostly in Boston from 1841-1847; he went to Italy in 1848, returning to Boston, visiting New York city in 1850, was in Baltimore, Maryland in 1870, and thereafter in New York City where he died on October 30, 1872.  There is no mention of an association with Southworth and Hawes, Southworth and Pennell or daguerreotyping.

In conclusion I believe that the attribution to Joseph Ames is based on the 5½ Tremont Row Address in Boston, not the Cabotville (Chicopee) location where Southworth & Pennell resided in 1840. Further research into J. T Ames (James T.) is needed, we know he made daguerreotypes in 1845 and still resided in Chicopee in 1851.  It is possible J. T. is the Ames mentioned in the Southworth Address to the National Photographic Association of the United States, not Joseph Ames.

[1] Three names J. T. Ames; J. Beals, Jr. and G. W. James are new name and not recorded in A Directory of Massachusetts Photographers, 1839-1900.