ca. 1859-1875; bulk: ca. 1860-1865
Guide to the Photograph Collection
Abstract
This collection contains carte de visite photographs collected by Charles W. Jenks that depict Civil War soldiers and officers, American politicians and public figures, and European royalty, mostly dating from ca. 1860-1865.
Collection Description
This collection contains 1,356 cartes de visite and 2 tintypes collected by Charles W. Jenks during and after the Civil War. The cartes de visite depict both Union and Confederate officers and soldiers, as well as American political and public figures who were prominent during the Civil War. Many of the soldiers depicted served with various Massachusetts infantry, cavalry, and artillery regiments. There are also some photographs that depict European royalty, political, and military figures, as well as carte de visite reproductions of artwork and some views of places in Europe, Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia.
Many of the photographs in this collection are reproductions of earlier photographs (including daguerreotypes and ambrotypes) that were reproduced for mass publication. Publishers include E. Anthony (New York, N.Y.), who reproduced photographs taken by Mathew B. Brady and Brady's National Portrait Gallery; D. Appleton & Co. (New York, N.Y.), who reproduced photographs taken by Augustus Austin Turner; and J. E. Tilton & Co. (Boston, Mass.), who reproduced photographs taken by James Wallace Black, among others. There are also original photographers represented in the collection, including James Wallace Black, Antoine Sonrel, John Adams Whipple, and Silsbee, Case & Co., all of Boston, Mass., as well as Charles D. Fredricks & Co. of New York, N.Y., among others. Some European photographers and publishers are also present in the collection.
Most of the photographs are identified on their verso. Additionally, the collection includes eight volumes of indexes to the collection, all written by Jenks. Information from these volumes has been reproduced below in the Detailed Description of the Collection.
Acquisition Information
This collection was a gift to the Massachusetts Historical Society by Charles W. Jenks in Apr. 1894.
Arrangement
Boxes 1-9 contain portraits arranged alphabetically by subject. Box 9 also contains views and reproductions of artwork, which follow the portraits. Box 10 contains 8 vols. of indexes to the collection.
Summary Box List
Portraits, ca. 1859-1875
Views, ca. 1860-1870
Reproductions of artwork, ca. 1860-1870
Indexes to the collection
Detailed Description of the Collection
Abbot-Brownlow
Amory was captain of the 24th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Co. I; Rea was lieutenant of Co. K. of the regiment.
Inscription on verso: "Capt Aspinwall / Lost his arm at the Battle of Niagara".
Charles Babbidge's last name has alternately been spelled as "Babbage."
Inscription on the verso of Photo. #126.52 reads, "Capt Barrett/ Union Man from the South."
Misidentified in inscription on carte de visite as "H. J. Bigelow."
Photo. #126.112 was published by E. Anthony (New York, N.Y.).
Bruce-Elliot
Inscription on verso: "Capt. Cabot at Fort Warren Dec [illegible] '62".
NOTE: Photo #126.191 (Ojibway (Chippewa) man and unidentified man, possibly photographer Charles D. Fredricks, in Washington, D.C.) and Photo #126.194 (Ojibway (Chippewa) man in Washington, D.C.) have been digitized. Click on the links to see digital images.
Inscription on verso: "J. P. Cook Jr./ Prof of Chemistry."
The carte de visite is entitled, "The Neglected Picture."
Pseudonym of Mortimer Neal Thomson.
Inscription on verso: "F J Dryer/ minister to Sandwich Islands."
Inscription on verso: "Dr Elliot of St Louis."
Ellis-Harris
Inscription on verso: "Sheriff Ewing/ Phil, Pa".
Carte de visite includes photographs of nine generals, all unidentified.
Carte de visite includes portrait artwork depicting Robert Anderson (1805-1871), Nathaniel Prentiss Banks (1816-1894), Benjamin F. Butler (1818-1893), John Charles Fremont (1813-1890), Nathaniel Lyon (1818-1861), George Brinton McClellan (1826-1885), Winfield Scott (1786-1866), John Ellis Wool (1784-1869), and John [illegible].
Inscription on verso: "Lieut. Col Goodrich/ Burnside staff".
Samuel Griswold Goodrich was also known as Peter Palfrey.
Inscription on verso: "Grace of San Jacinto."
Partial inscription on verso: "Maj H[illegible]/ 79 N. Y. Reg".
Depicts Fletcher Harper (1806-1877), James Harper (1795-1869), John Harper (1797-1875), and John Wesley Harper (1801-1870).
Harris-Lansing
Photo. #126.486 was published by E. Anthony (New York, N.Y.).
Inscription on verso: "Holm Conf C[illegible] at Havanna".
Inscription on verso: "Capt Hovey / Staff Genl Taylor".
Inscription on verso may alternately read, "Dr. Jarnette."
Misidentified on verso as, "Gen A C Johnson, C.S.A."
Inscription on verso of Photo. #126.490: "Col Jones/ Fremont staff".
Also known as Ned Buntline.
Inscription on verso: "Miss Lander / sister to Col [Frederick West?] Lander."
Law-Morris
Photo. #126.651 is a photograph of an artist's reproduction of Photo. #126.650, published by E. Anthony (New York, N.Y.).
Photo. #126.674 is a retouched version of Photo. #126.673.
Inscription on verso: "Mason of South Carolina".
John Mason was a captain in the 35th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
Inscription illegible.
Photos. #126.710a-b are retouched copy photographs of Photo. #126.709.
Inscription on verso: "Capt Moore of the Congress - went down with the vessel".
Morris-Reno
Newell was also known as Orpheus C. Kerr.
Inscription on verso: "John Noble formerly teacher at the Latin School".
Inscription on verso of photograph: "Line officers of 44th regt".
Carte de visite includes portrait artwork depicting Daniel L. Brain, Samuel Livingston Breese (1794-1870), Tunis Augustus MacDonough Craven, Samuel Francis Dupont (1803-1865), Andrew Hull Foote (1806-1863), Hiram Paulding (1797-1878), C. Ringold, Silas Horton Stringham, and James Harmon Ward (1806-1861) (misidentified as "W. H. Ward.").
Payne was also known as Lewis Thornton Powell and Lewis Paine.
Also identified as "Mrs. Genl. Prim" by inscription on carte de visite.
Reynolds-Stowe
Partial inscription on verso: "Thos H Scott / Asst Sec of War".
Inscription on verso: "Judge Sprague of Albany, N.Y."
Inscription on verso: "Stetson of Zouaves".
Inscription on verso: "Lieut Stoddard who fired the first shot."
Partial inscription on verso: "Rev Dr Stone Brookline".
Possibly Andrew Leete Stone (1815-1892).
Possibly Andrew Leete Stone (1815-1892).
Inscription on verso: "Judge Story/ Gen Ewell".
Strahan-Warden
Published inscription on front of carte de visite: "The Fairy Wedding Group." The verso is signed by all of members of the wedding party.
Lavinia Warren Stratton was also known as Mercy Lavinia Magri, Countess M. Lavinia Magri, Mercy Lavinia Warren Bump, and Mercy Lavinia Warren Bumpus.
Inscription on verso: "Col Tompkins 2nd Regt".
Inscription with date on verso is partly illegible.
Artemus Ward was the pseudonym of Charles Farrar Browne.
Artemus Ward was the pseudonym of Charles Farrar Browne.
Worth-Zollicoffer
Includes carte de visite photographs of unidentified Civil War soldiers (including African American soldiers), members of European royalty and military, and other men, women, and children. Some of these cartes de visite have illegible inscriptions on the verso. Includes two tintypes, one of which is hand-colored.
Views, ca. 1860-1870.
Various photographers.Includes carte de visite photographs of various monuments and buildings in Europe (mostly unidentified); churches and houses in Bedford, Boston, Cambridge, and Lexington, Mass.; a military gathering on Boston Common; a view of Trenton Falls, N.Y.; and of the Jefferson Davis mansion in Richmond, Va.
Reproductions of artwork, ca. 1860-1870.
Various photographers.Indexes to the collection.
Written by Charles W. Jenks.Preferred Citation
Charles W. Jenks carte de visite collection, Photo. Coll. 126, Massachusetts Historical Society Photo Archives.
Access Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.