AnsonClark

Anson Clark-Daguerrean Photographer
from West Stockbridge,MA
Last updated 1-8-04
from article in "The Daguerrian Annual 1991"-Official Yearbook of the Daguerreian Society by Richard Bolt
Pg1-Cover page
Pg2
Pg3
Pg4
Pg5
Pg6-Daguerreotype of Agrippa Hull
Pg7-Appendix with Anson's Photo notes.
Pg8-Appendix
Pg9-Appendix
Pg10-Appendix
Pg11
Pg12
My old article posted here with permission of the Daguerrean Society

Photos from the Anson & Edwin H Clark family. Most of these if not all are relatives.These top row were bought from the family in 1970s. Photos below are/were in Anson Clark collection at library in Berkshire County MA

Clark & Bradley family photos David F. Bradley 1846 Emily, wife of Edwin I Moses M. Bradley of West Stockbridge 1848, brother of Emily (Bradley) Clark	Middle batch has an ambrotype by Schoon Makers of Troy NY?	Top photo is of a relative in Troy NY area.	Emily (Bradley) Clark, wife of Edwin Clark Eunice ( Durfee) Bradley Emily (again)
Anson Clark family women. Actually the Bradley family home in Great Barrington MA. This was taken by Edwin Clark. Its a 1/2 plate ambro.Edwin married into this family twice! See Edwin's 1st wife ( Harriet E. Bradley) to far right & black man next to horse.	Anson Clark Daguerreotype	CDV of Edwin H Clark This CDV was still in family	West Stockbridge Center Church in scene was dedicated on Jan. 18th,1844. Whole Plate Daguerreotype
Anson Clark add	Anson Clark add	All 3 plates are: 3&5/16X7&7/16 inches Top: Middle:A two dollar bill with girk in circule, state of New York. Bottom:One Dollar bill stamped in top plate "Gorduan & Co. N (V or U?) Daguerreotype process of paper money. This was to make printing plates for bank money. It was either counterfit effort or printing experiment to sell to banks! Top plate no longer in West Stockbridge library! In their great wisdom, they sold it to a private collector several yrs ago!	This was one of Anson Clark's Daguerreotype cameras. Lens is 3&9/16 in OD Box is 5&9/16X5&9/16 (front) Box is 6 inches deep A 1/4 plate camera ? Seems to be of Birds Eye Maple No labels No nail holes or screw holes in rear No glas in lens, front or rear Lens tube slides in & out

Reference a book "Mirror Image" by Richard Rudisill in 1971, note ID of some of the photos were proven incorrect via family archives.
"NE Burried Treasure" 1946 book or article by Clay Perry.
"The Daguerreotype in America" Pgs. 38,68 &142

John Craig's good comments to article are not posted yet.
This article of yrs ago took alot sweat & tears by Peter Palmquist to get my tarred words into his Peter's pearley ones!
Also there was much data to be ground down and may hours of my wife typing of almost unreadbile old document words that made it happen.
It is assumed Anson made, used and possibly sold this style of Dag camera. Anson invented a machine to strip vineer for such uses, as well as making musical instruments.
The Stockbridge Library in their great wisdom sold at least two of the Daguerreotype bills, one was sold to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the other to John Craig.
Edwin Howard CLARK , son of Anson operated a photo studio in Great Barrington.
One of the Anson family operated a photo studio in nearby NY state also. Edwin
Genealogical Info on Anson & Edwin H Clark.

Anson & Lydia CLARK were from CT.
Anson b. 1788.
Great Barrington MA Census of 1880 Info.
Edwin H CLARK
Household
    Male
Other Information:
    Birth Year--<1812>
    Birthplace--MA
    Age--68
    Occupation--Piano Tuner
    Marital Status--W <Widowed>
Race--W <White>
    Head of Household
Edwin H CLARK
    Relation--Self
    Father's Birthplace--CT
    Mother's Birthplace-- CT
Source Information:--Census Place
Great Barrington, Berkshire, Massachusetts

From 1880 census
Household:
Name
Relation
Marital Status
Gender
Race
Age
Birthplace
Occupation
Father's Birthplace
Mother's Birthplace

   Edwin H CLARK
Self
W
Male
W
68
MA
Piano Tuner
CT
CT
   Phillip CLARK
Son-S-Male-W-20
MA
Druggist
MA
MA
   A. Jane CLARK
Sister
S
Female
W
49
MA
Keeps House
CT
CT

1860 Census of Great Barrington
No Anson Clark-died before!
Edwin H 48 Artist
Emily R 34
Louisa E 3
Phillip K 10/12
Mary Doud 26, servant from Germany

1870 Census of W Stockbridge
Edwin H 29, b. NY? Son of Edwin Sr?
Mary Anne 26
Hattie 6
Minnie B 1/12

From John Craig's on line archives of photographer data.

Clark, Anson

                                    Born in Lisbon, Conn., he and his son Edwin H. Clark
                                    learned the daguerreian process in late 1840 or early
                                    1841. By May, 1841 they had opened a gallery in the
                                    Clark home in West Stockbridge, Mass. They also
                                    manufactured cameras of their own at the time, and
                                    offered instruction. Students included George Reed
                                    and Roland P. White. They soon opened a branch
                                    gallery in Great Barrington, Mass. Anson Clark may
                                    have retired from the business as early as 1844, and
                                    died at his home in 1847. Examples of his cameras,
                                    and his early records are housed at the local historical
                                    society. Information corrected to November, 1997; © 1996, 1997
                                    John S. Craig

Clark, Edwin Howard

                                    The son of Anson Clark, he and his father probably
                                    learned the daguerreian process in late 1840 or early
                                    1841, and had established a gallery at the father's
                                    home in West Stockbridge, Mass., by May, 1841.
                                    They also manufactured their own cameras, and
                                    offered instruction in the art. They established a branch
                                    gallery in Great Barrington, Mass. in 1841 or 1842.
                                    Anson Clark died in 1847, and his studio was
                                    continued by Edwin. He also employed Ezekial Booth
                                   at the time. He was listed in Great Barrington in 1860
                                    as an ambrotypist, and continued in the photographic
                                    business until sometime in the late 1870's. One
                                    reference spelled his last name Clarke. Information
                                    corrected to November, 1997; © 1996, 1997 John S. Craig

MARRIAGES in West Stockbridge MA
BRADLEY, Albon and Julia Ann Porter, int. Nov. 7 [? 1830]. [Almon, m. Dec. 5, 1830, C.R.1.]
Elishu L. and Lucy Barnes, Mar. 6, 1831.* C.R.1.
Zalmon T. of G[t]. Barrington, and Eunice Durfy, int. Sept. __, 1810.

BIRTHS in West Stockbridge MA
CLARK, Caroline F., d. Horace F., machinist, and Sarah M., May 29, 1847.
     David Bottom, s. Anson and Lydia, June 11, 1818.
     Edwin Howard, s. Anson and Lydia, Apr. 20, 1812.
     Emeline, d. Samuel and Louis, Aug. 28, 1810.
     Henry, s. Samuel and Louisa, Feb. 1, 1820.
     Ira, s. Lemuel and Ruth, June 3, 1789.
     John, s. Samuel and Louis, Nov. 28, 1817.
     Lydia Sophia, d. Anson and Lydia, Apr. 10, 1814.
     Mary Ann, d. Anson and Lydia, May. 27, 1816.
     Milton, s. Daniel and Phebe, Feb. 28, 1849.
     William, s. Samuel and Louis, Jan. 25, 1814.

DEATHS in West Stockbridge MA
CLARK (see Clarke), David, Capt., Apr. 5, 1818, in 65th y.
     Hannah, wid., Dec. 27, 1814, a. 92. [mother of Amasa and James, in 92d y., G.R.2.]
     Harry, s. Reuben and Jemima, Dec. 11, 1799, a. 9. G.R.1.
     Henry, s. Samuel and Louis, May 7, 1815, in 3d y.
     Sally Loiza, d. Anson and Lydia, May 12, 1822, a. 17 m. 3 d.
     _______, ch. Samuel and Louis, Jan. 20, 1817, a. 6 w.
     _______, ch. Mr. S., Jan. 18, 1831, a. 4. C.R.1.

BRADLEY, David, widr., farmer, b. N. Haven, Conn., old age, July 8, 1844, a. 85 y. 4 m. 6 d.
     [a. 85, C.R.1. G.R.2.]
     Martha (see _______ Bradley).
     _______, w. David, Aug. 21, 1828. C.R.1. [Martha, a. 67, G.R.2.]

Great Barrington MA Vitals (?) related to Anson Clark family

BRADLEY, Bethua, wid., Oct. 8, 1838, a. 78. C.R.1.
Bulah, ______, 1838. C.R.1.

CLARK, Frank, twin s. Edwin A. and Harriet, June 11, 1849.
Frederic, twin s. Edwin A. and Harriet, June 11, 1849.
_______, d. Almira, May 8, 1848.
_______, d. J. J., June 3, 1848.
_______, d. William and Laura, Feb. __, 1849.
_______, s. Richard, Apr. 29, 1849.

BRADLEY, Mary Abigail, d. Mark, Aug. __, 1847.

Great Barrington MA Marriages
CLARK (see Clerk), Caroline and Douglass Vernon Austin, Dec. 6, 1841.*
Edwin H., 35, of W. Stockbridge, s. Anson and Lydia, and Harriet E.
Bradley, Nov. 3, 1847.*
Esther of Sandisfield, and Samuel Brown, Feb. 24, 1785, in Sandisfield.*

Great Barrington MA Marriages

BRADLEY, Abigail of Lee, and Sylvenus Foot, Oct. 4, 1804.*
Amand of Lee, and William H. Backus, Apr. 4, 1839.*
Dan and Fanny Presby, _______ [rec. between Apr. 30, 1816, and
Apr. 30, 1817].*
Eunice M. and Samuel H. Sears, Oct. 24, 1838.*
Francis [sic] L. and Luther Williams, June 6, 1838.*
Harriet E. 25, d. Zalmon P. and Eunice, and Edwin H. Clark, Nov. 3, 1847.*
Mark and C[l]arissa Scott, Nov. 10, 1842.*
Rachel and Alvah Jarvis, Sept. 22, 1813.*
Rhoda of Lee, and Andrew Cornish, Oct. 4, 1804.*
Zibe and Abigail Hart, Jan. 8, 1807.* P.R.1.