Born: 1860 - Canada, NB, Saint John Died: 1945, May - Chile, Santiago Gender: Male Active: Chile
In the book "Fotografos en Chile Durante el Siglo XIX" by Hernan Rodriguez Villegas (2001) there is a biography of this photographer:
[Translated from the Spanish]
"Obder W. Heffer Bisset (Saint John, Canada 1860 -- Santiago [Chile] 1945
"Photographer in Chile from 1886.
"Heffer began as a professional photographer in his native Canada before moving to the United States, where he opened a studio at 18 Broadway in New York City.
"It is thought that he was hired by Felix Leblanc, owner of the prestigious Foto Garreaud in Santiago and Valparaiso.
"His arrival in Chile might also have been due to the influence of Eugene C. Spenser, a relative and fellow Canadian, who established a very successful studio in Chile ca. 1870.
"Heffer arrived in Santiago in 1886 and worked at the Casa Garreaud, which was then owned by Felix Leblanc and Esteban Adaro. Adaro retired from the enterprise that same year and in 1887 became an independent photographer in Santiago. Perhaps Heffer was hired by Casa Garreaud as his replacement."
The biographical entry continues, noting Heffer‘s different studios and photographic supplies shops, as well as their address. He traveled all over Chile, especially in the south, and photographed among the Araucanias (today Mapuche). He died in Santiago in May 1945 at age 85. He had a son, Obder Heffer Purves (Santiago 1895 -- Santiago 1949) who joined his father‘s studio in 1920.
[Contributed by Daniel Buck]
Genealogy of Obder W. Heffer
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