Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1902-06-14
A VETERAN PHOTOGRAPHER.
He Zee Devotea Nearly Har a CENT,


He Has Devoted Nearly Half Centur1
to the Art.
One of the Oldest photographers in
AeW York in years and experience.
George G. lockwood, Phi. D., celebrat,
ed last Friday at his home, 259 West
EtGhty-eightn street, his 10th birthday,
The date also commemorated his forty.
third year in the business life of tbs
city and his forty-seventh year as a
Photographer. He picked up the art in
his teens at Troy, n. Y, and three
years later opened a gallery in the old
Roosevelt building at Thirteenth street
and Broadway. He was the laughing
stock of his contemporaries, for Tblr-
teenth street was then the Harlem OF
old New York. remote from the bust
ness center. In the Roosevelt building.
which was burned in 1877, he photo.
graphed William Cullen Bryant, Hor-
ace Greeley, Willie n M. Evarts, Bay
ard Taylor, N. P. w ills, General Win
field Scott. Martin Van l en- and all
the other celebrities Of t; day, and
laid the foundation of a ceer that
contributed much to the advancement
Of photography in the United States.
Mr.. lockwood made the first carte
de Visite in this country in 1855. The
The baron was much interested in pho
Biography, and took lessons from MIR.
lockwood. 1t was the day of wet
plates, and while experimenting in his
boarding house the baron upset a sill
yer bathtub. The water trickied
through the ceiling, running wallpaper
and carpets to the extent of $4,000,
which sum he was obliged to pay. The
first woman of whom Mr.. lockwood
made vignette carte de visite was
Mrs. August Belmont. The carte de
visite became a fashionable fad, and
the young photographer was the man
of the hour. Since those days he has
given sittings in his studio to not less
than Il million persons. In his bust
ness career he has made only two re-.
movals, going from the Roosevelt
building after the fire to Fifteenth
street and Union square, and from
there to his present studio, in the
Holland building, which he has occu-
pied for eleven Yeas, and where were
made the popular photographs of Pres
idents Cleveland, Mckinley and Rose
welt
In his younger days Mr.. lockwood
was we'll known singer. He is still
the oldest American chorister, having
sung under DR.. John Ireland Tucker,
who introduced the first choral service
In this country at Troy, N. Y, ffty-six
years ago. He was for many years the
tenor of the quartet in Henry Ward
Beecher'S Brooklyn church, which in
cluded Emma Thursby, Antoinette
Sterling and Jules Lumbert.
81 frequently met Mr.. Greeley said
Mr.. lockwood, "an photographed him
both at my studio and in the WOODS
near Champagne, with an axe on his
shoulder. One day Mr.. Greeley cafne
to pay studio, tagged and worn our. In
posing him 1 started political discus
sion in the hope of securing an eager
look in his eye. To all nay efforts there
was one reply-a gentle snore.
81 was more successful with Major
Anderson of Fort Sumter" he contin-
ued. Major Anderson was my warm
personal friend. His calm, serene spirit
seemed to find relief in my enthusiasm,
and he came frequently to my estab-
lishment. One day when 1 had him
before my camera I said: Major, it is
stated in some of the newspapers cEat
there was time during the lombard
ment of Fort Sumter when you were
on the eve of surrender. Tell me, is
that true?
HE sat still for a moment, then,
slowly rising, he lifted his hand above
his head, and in the most solemn man
ner, and with great dramatic force,
said: No, Mr.. lockwood. No! When
/ raised that flag on high, with pray
er to Almighty God for it's protection,
knew that it would never come down
in disgrace
''In his second administration, Pres
GlA1y@lox,1 10 1I1,.xr
and when 1 saw him open the door, !
rose and, extending my hand, said:
Mr.. Cleveland, l am very happy tc
grasp the hand of the first Democratic
president l ever voted for Mr.. CleVe
lands face beamed with pleasure.
&c 4 am glad to know you voted fol
me, Mr.. lockwood re replied.
" Yes, 1 voted for you liz the 1rst
campaign said /. and if God will for
give me, 1 will never vote for another
Democratic president Mr.. Cleveland
burst into hearty laugh, and was in
this good humor when the camera
snapped.
To stimulate DIR. Seth Lows inter
est when he came to my gallery upon
the eve of his departure for Europe,
was not so easy a matter. In place OF
his usual sunny, genial smile when
greeting a friend. he wore thought
full, serious expression. was puzzled
for a moment how to disDel it
DR.. Low 1 began, did you ever
meet human being with whom you
would exchange personalities
He looked up with quizzical, in
quiring twinkle. while l went on, 1
don't mean conditions, but absolute
exchange of personalities; of being
4 don't know that 1 ever thought
of that he said with quickened inter-
est.
:" Well. 1 never did, said l, but ii
the man existed with whom l would
exchange, you are the man, DR.. Low.
He started, and hiS face was
study The man. 1 continued, who
could put down a cool million dollars
and say, I dedicate this to God and
the good OF my fellow men," that's the
man believe would be willing to ex-
change personalities with
EENavor ow's face assumed almost a