Chronology
Charleston photography, year by year
Every dated event on every photographer’s page, in one sequence, each with the source that carries it.
- before the warWashington Peale — Of Philadelphia; moved to Washington; a painter. Davis & Melton 2020
- 14 April 1865Jacob Frank Coonley — Credited with a stereo negative of the flag-raising ceremony at Fort Sumter. Library of Congress 99 Historic Images of Civil War Charleston
- 14 April 1865William E. James — Photographs the flag-raising at Fort Sumter, having traveled on the Oceanus. Library of Congress The William E. James Stereograph Collection
- 15 April 1861Alma A. Pelot — Photographs Fort Sumter for Jesse Bolles; his presence is noted in the Charleston Mercury the next day. Civil War Day by Day, UNC-Chapel Hill Library of Congress
- 15 April 1861Jesse H. Bolles — His operator Alma Pelot photographs Fort Sumter. Civil War Day by Day, UNC-Chapel Hill
- about 1808Philip Haas — Born in Germany. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1811James M. Osborn — Born in New York. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1819George N. Barnard — Born at Coventry, Connecticut, 23 December. Davis & Melton 2020 Library of Congress
- 1819George Smith Cook — Born at Stratford, Connecticut, 23 February. Dictionary of Virginia Biography
- 1821Samuel Abbot Cooley — Born at Hartford, Connecticut, 3 November. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1832Charles J. Quinby — Born at White Plains, New York, 29 February. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1832Jacob Frank Coonley — Born. Library of Congress
- 1834Philip Haas — Emigrates to America. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1835William E. James — Born, per the Library of Congress authority record. The William E. James Stereograph Collection gives 1841. Library of Congress The William E. James Stereograph Collection
- 1836Frederick Eugene Durbec — Born in Charleston. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1837–1845Philip Haas — Lithographer and publisher in Washington. Pioneer American Photographers, 1839–1860
- 1838George Smith Cook — In New Orleans, painting portrait miniatures. Dictionary of Virginia Biography
- 1843Philip Haas — Advertising daguerreotype likenesses at the eastern end of Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington. Pioneer American Photographers, 1839–1860
- 1849George LaGrange Cook — Born, the elder son of George S. Cook. South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina Dictionary of Virginia Biography
- 1849George Smith Cook — Settles in Charleston in October and opens a permanent studio. Dictionary of Virginia Biography
- 1850s–1860sAlma A. Pelot — Active in Charleston. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- 1851George Smith Cook — Manages Mathew Brady’s New York gallery for the summer. Dictionary of Virginia Biography
- 1852George Smith Cook — Recorded at 235 King Street. Craig’s Daguerreian Registry Pioneer American Photographers, 1839–1860
- 1852James M. Osborn — Moves to Charleston in November and opens a King Street gallery; recorded at 233 King Street. Davis & Melton 2020 Craig’s Daguerreian Registry
- 1857Charles J. Quinby — Comes to Charleston in February as successor to Tyler & Co. at 233 King Street. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1857Charles J. Quinby — Advertises as manufacturer and importer of photographic goods, with galleries at Charleston, Augusta and New York. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1858Frederick Eugene Durbec — Joins James M. Osborn in the Southern Stereoscopic & Photographic Depot. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1858James M. Osborn — Opens the Southern Stereoscopic & Photographic Depot with F. E. Durbec. Davis & Melton 2020
- about 1859William E. James — Opens a studio at 267 Fulton Street, Brooklyn. The William E. James Stereograph Collection Library of Congress
- 1860George Smith Cook — Buys two tracts on South Battery for $5,000 and builds. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1860James M. Osborn — The firm photographs the Rockville plantation series in October. Library of Congress
- 1861Charles J. Quinby — The gallery is at 261 King Street; Mary Chesnut and Edmund Ruffin sit for portraits. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1861George Smith Cook — Listed in Ford’s census of Charleston as the occupant of No. 265 King Street. Ford, Census of the City of Charleston, 1861
- 1861George Smith Cook — Photographs Major Robert Anderson in February; the carte de visite sells in thousands. Dictionary of Virginia Biography
- 1861James M. Osborn — Photographs Fort Sumter after the surrender; the Charleston Courier of 23 April reports twenty-six views. Civil War Day by Day, UNC-Chapel Hill
- 1861Jesse H. Bolles — Listed in Ford’s census of Charleston at No. 331 King Street, and living at No. 48 St. Philip Street. Ford, Census of the City of Charleston, 1861
- 1861–1863George N. Barnard — Works under Mathew Brady. Davis & Melton 2020
- April 1861Alma A. Pelot — Bolles advertises the views in the Charleston press. Civil War Day by Day, UNC-Chapel Hill
- April 1861Jesse H. Bolles — Advertises the Fort Sumter views in the Charleston press. Civil War Day by Day, UNC-Chapel Hill
- 1862Frederick Eugene Durbec — Partnership dissolved in February; enlists in the Beauregard Light Infantry Volunteers and is elected orderly sergeant. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1862Frederick Eugene Durbec — In action at Secessionville in June; resigns seven months after enlisting. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1862James M. Osborn — The partnership ends in February; Osborn opens his own gallery at King and Liberty streets. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1862–1863Washington Peale — In partnership with Philip Haas on the South Carolina coast. Library of Congress, Civil War Glass Negatives Davis & Melton 2020
- 1862–1865Samuel Abbot Cooley — Sutler to the 6th Connecticut Infantry on the South Carolina coast; photographs the Department of the South. Davis & Melton 2020
- September 1862Philip Haas — Enlists in the Union army. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1863George Smith Cook — Photographs from the parapet of Fort Sumter under fire on 8 September. Dictionary of Virginia Biography National Park Service
- 1863James M. Osborn — On the parapet of Fort Sumter with George S. Cook, 8 September. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1863Philip Haas — Photographs the Charleston campaign from Morris Island with Washington Peale. Library of Congress, Civil War Glass Negatives Library of Congress
- late 1863George N. Barnard — Employed by the Union army as a photographer. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1864George Smith Cook — Moves the family toward Columbia; his wife dies in April. Dictionary of Virginia Biography
- 1865George Smith Cook — Stored negatives, equipment and records burn with Columbia in February. Dictionary of Virginia Biography
- 1865Selmar Rush Seibert — Photographs a David-type torpedo boat aground at Charleston and captured ordnance at the arsenal. National Archives
- April 1865Samuel Abbot Cooley — At Fort Sumter; photographed on the parapet with his camera. Library of Congress Davis & Melton 2020
- March–April 1865George N. Barnard — Several weeks in Charleston; photographs the ruined city and Fort Sumter. Davis & Melton 2020 Library of Congress
- 1866George N. Barnard — Publishes Photographic Views of Sherman’s Campaign. Davis & Melton 2020 Barnard, Photographic Views
- 1868James M. Osborn — Leaves Charleston for New York in February; dies there later in the year. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1868–1871George N. Barnard — In partnership with Quinby & Co. at 261 King Street, Charleston. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1873–1877Jesse H. Bolles — A studio at the corner of King and Market streets, imprinted Jesse A. Bolles. Library of Congress Teal, Partners with the Sun
- 1873–1880George N. Barnard — Working in Charleston again. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1880George Smith Cook — Buys D. H. Anderson’s Richmond studio and about 20,000 negatives; moves to Virginia. Dictionary of Virginia Biography
- 1880s–early 1890sGeorge LaGrange Cook — Photographs Charleston and Summerville on glass. South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina
- 1887William E. James — Died. Library of Congress
- 1891George LaGrange Cook — The Charleston studio, which he had been managing, is closed. Dictionary of Virginia Biography
- about 1892George LaGrange Cook — Leaves for Richmond to join his father. South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina
- 1894Frederick Eugene Durbec — Dies at Clarkesville, Georgia, 1 October. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1900Samuel Abbot Cooley — Dies at Hartford, 15 May. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1902George N. Barnard — Dies at Syracuse, New York, 4 February. Davis & Melton 2020 Library of Congress
- 1902George Smith Cook — Dies at Bon Air, Virginia, 27 November; buried at Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond. Dictionary of Virginia Biography National Park Service
- 1915Jacob Frank Coonley — Died. Library of Congress
- 1920Charles J. Quinby — Dies at White Plains, New York, 13 March. Davis & Melton 2020
- 1966Philip Haas — The Library of Congress acquires the partnership’s original glass negatives. Library of Congress, Civil War Glass Negatives
- 22 October 1863Samuel Abbot Cooley — Commended by Brigadier General John M. Brannan after the action near Pocotaligo. Davis & Melton 2020