Other: R.H. Vance Other: Robert Vance Joint: Kemp & Vance
Born: 1825 - US, ME Died: 1876 - US, NY Gender: Male Active: US
An early daguerreotypist and photographer of California who in the winter and spring of 1851 financed, or took, a series of 300 daguerreotypes. In the autumn of 1851 these "Views in California" were shown in New York City and the catalogue of the exhibition survives. These may well include the first photographs taken of the Indians of California. The exhibition was not a commercial success and the plates were passed to Jeremiah Gurney and on to John H. Fitzgibbon and from that point on they have been lost.
The question of who took the "Views of California" is discussed in chapter 11 of Weston Naef's book Chasing Aurora (Available online: http://www.westonnaef.net)
Genealogy of Robert H. Vance
If you are related to this photographer and interested in tracking down your extended family we can place a note here for you to help. It is free and you would be amazed who gets in touch.
