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JOHN J. GIBSON (1851-1902)
OFFICIAL PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER
CHICAGO COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION-1893
DEPARTMENT STORE ENTREPRENEUR
CANADIAN/AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER
BY THOMAS YANUL, COPYRIGHT - PAGE 1
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J.J. GIBSON WAS BORN IN A THEN SUBURB OF
LONDON, ONTARIO,CANADA IN 1851. HIS APPRENTICESHIP
IN PHOTOGRAPHY CAME LOCALLY, AND IN 1870 HE
MOVED TO MICHIGAN AND BEGAN THE PRACTICE
OF PHOTOGRAPHY. IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS HE HAD
BECOME SOMEWHAT OF AN ENTREPRENEUR
BUYING STUDIOS, HIRING MANAGERS, AND MOVING
FREQUENTLY BETWEEN CITIES. IN THE MID 1880'S HE
MOVED TO ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN , MARRIED A
YPSILANTI GIRL, AND IN A FEW YEARS BEGAN HIS
QUEST FOR A POSITION AT THE CHICAGO
COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION - FINALLY FULFILLED
AS OFFICIAL PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER.
FOLLOWING THE EXPOSITION HE SET UP SHOP IN
DOWNTOWN CHICAGO AND BECAME A PRE-EMINENT
P0RTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER TO THE MIDDLE AND
UPPER CLASSES. IT WAS AN UPSCALE STUDIO WHICH
SOON BECAME A STOCK CORPORATION. HIS BENT FOR
OWNERSHIP OF OTHER STUDIOS CONTINUED, AND HE
BECAME, DERIDINGLY KNOWN AMONGST SOME OF HIS
PEERS, AS THE "DEPARTMENT STORE PHOTOGRAPHER".
SETTING UP CONCESSIONS IN ROTHCHILDS AND
SIEGEL-COOPER IN CHICAGO, KAUFMANNS IN PITTSBURGH,
AND BLOOMINGDALES IN NEW YORK CITY.
NOT ALWAYS SMOOTH OPERATIONS, BUT
APPARENTLY LUCRATIVE FROM THE CORPORATION VIEW.
UNFORTUNATELY AT THE TURN OF THE 20TH C. HE
BECAME ILL WITH TUBERCULOSOUS, EVENTUALLY DYING
OCTOBER 8, 1902.
HIS WIFE, MAY, CONTINUED THE BUSINESSES FOR SOME
9 OR 10 YEARS EVENTUALLY BOWING OUT FROM THE
PRESSURES OF INFIGHTING, EMPLOYEE
THEFT, AND GENERAL BUSINESS DIFFICULTIES.
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DAGUERREOTYPE PORTRAIT OF
JOHN JEFFERSON GIBSON, CA. LATE 1860'S
COLL. AUTHOR
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ABOVE , J.J. GIBSON'S COFFIN IN THE HOME, BEDECKED WITH FLOWERS.
RIGHT- A FLORAL TRIBUTE WITH HIS PHOTO
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IN THE SUCCEDDING PAGES I HOPE TO LAY OUT THIS INTERESTING, TALENTED BUT SHORT LIVED PHOTOGRAPHER'S KNOWN LIFE AND WORK AS BEST I CAN.
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A BRIEF CHRONOLGY
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JOHN JEFFERSON GIBSON, CA. 1886
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