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Photographers of Franklin County
In the early days of photography, photographers were important professional tradespersons in the community, as they made accessible to the average person a new way of recording and sharing family faces, community events, and historic happenings.Photographs give some of the best clues and insights into understanding and interpreting our past. Undated, un-labeled photographs can cause historians many frustrations if no one is still alive to identify the place or people depicted. When a photograph is without a date or notation, knowing who the photographer was can help date the subject matter.
Although Ben Winans is Franklin County's most famous photographer, other photographers worked around the county in this exciting new medium. Below are some examples and notations on known Franklin county photographers and photographic presentation of their time. (Click on the thumbnail links to view examples and information)
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Photograph Sizes and Mountings These small photographs, items 1 - 5, are called
"carte de visite" or card photographs. There were intended to
be used like calling cards. They were introduced to the United States in New
York in 1860. Note that item 5 is dated on the back 1882. The others appear to
be prior to that date. In each case, the photographer's name is on the back to
advertise his work. -Photos and information courtesy Don Dunaway |
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The slightly larger size photos, items 7 - 12, are all of uniform size and were primarily made for family photo albums. All of these have a larger mounting ( 4 1/4" x 6 1/2") to allow the photographer's name to be visible in the family album. |
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| Items 13 and 14 which are roughly 5" x 7" were often framed and hung on the wall of the family home. |  13) Rollin Rockafellar(?) |
 14) T.W. Cowey |
 15) Ben Winans |
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