Easterly & Company

The EASTERLY & COMPANY photographic studio was established in Petaluma by George Bascombe Easterly in August 1891. Previously occupied by the photographer, Lafayette F. Sheppard, it was located on the second floor of the Steiger Building at 649 Main Street, one door above the First National Bank. Thoughout its two years and four months in operation, the studio was not advertised in the local papers. However, an interesting article was published in the Petaluma Daily Morning Courier on October 19, 1892 describing in detail Easterly’s skills as an artist and photographer. (Unfortunately, the article misspelled Easterly’s name Z. B. Easterley.) In November 1893, Easterly sold the studio to Amon James Tuft Joslin.

Petaluma daily morning courier, Oct. 19, 1892, p.5

George Bascombe Easterly was born in 1859 in Russell County, Virginia and died November 8, 1906 in Lake County, California. He ran his Petaluma photography studio for just over two years before moving to Lake County, California where he worked as a photographer in the town of Lakeport. Later he opened a studio in the community of Glenbrook, California. Easterly died in 1906 and was buried in the Middletown Cemetery, Middletown, Lake County, California.

Active in Petaluma: August 1891 to November 1893

Bibliography: https://digital.sonomalibrary.org/about/photographers. Petaluma Courier, August 19, 1891, p. 2; August 25, 1891, p. 6 September 23, 1891, p. 2; December 2, 1891, p.2. Petaluma Daily Morning Courier, December 15, 1891, p. 3; May 13, 1892, p. 2; Oct. 19, 1892, p. 5; Nov. 10, 1906, p. 3. Santa Rosa Republican, November 10, 1906, p. 5. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/263636097/george-b-easterly.

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