Lentz, William Henry
/WILLIAM HENRY LENTZ was born in 1847 in Baltimore, Maryland. The date and place of his death have not been identified.
Before arriving in Petaluma in October 1866, Lentz worked in San Francisco for Carleton Eugene Watkins, a famous photographer known for his views of Yosemite.
Petaluma Weekly Argus, November 29, 1866, p. 2
Lentz began working as a photographer in Petaluma when he took over Bryan R. Johnson’s Petaluma studio. Taking advantage of the reputation Johnson had built in Petaluma, Lentz’s imprint stated, “From W. H. Lentz’s (Late Johnson’s) Photographic Gallery, Main St. Petaluma.” On October 4 the Petaluma Weekly Argus reported that Lentz had purchased Bryan R. Johnson’s “Pioneer, Premium Photograph Gallery, so long and favorably known as ‘Johnson’s Gallery.’”
Lentz quickly began advertising his ability to produce sun pearls, ambrotypes, melancotypes and patent enameled carte de visite. Lentz repeatedly advertised his services in the Petaluma papers using a clever, eye-catching technique of repeating his text on alternating spaces.
On October 25, 1866, the Petaluma Weekly Argus reported that the City was indebted to Lentz for, “…a fine, large photographic view of Main Street. It is taken from the lower end of the street, and presents a life-like view of our business mart, with its fleet of ‘prairie schooners,’ heavily laden with Ceres and Pomona’s liberal gifts; its vehicles of every sort and description; its busy bustling masculine pedestrians, and fair daughters.”
On October 10, 1867, Richard Percival advertised in the Petaluma Weekly Argus that he had purchased Lentz’s photographic rooms and was open for business. After this date, it appears Lentz no longer worked as a photographer in Petaluma, and in October 1868, the Petaluma Weekly Argus announced that Lentz was to replace the deceased James Hunter (1824-1868) as the city’s Postmaster. Although praised for overseeing improvements to the post office in April 1869, by 1872 Lentz was on trial for defaulting as Postmaster. The Petaluma Weekly Argus reported that Lentz had been admitted on bail, failed to appear and was arrested in Virginia City.
Petaluma Photographic Studio: On October 4, 1866, Lentz purchased Bryan R. Johnson’s “Pioneer, Premium Photograph Gallery” which was located in the Doyle Building on Main Street and renamed it the “W. H. Lentz Photographic Gallery”. Lentz sold the gallery to Richard Percival in October, 1867.
Active in Petaluma: October 4, 1866 - October, 1867
Bibliography: Carl Mautz, Biographies of Western Photographers, A Reference Guide to Photographers Working in the 19th Century American West, Expanded and Revised Edition, 2018, p. 146; Peter E. Palmquist and Thomas R. Kailbourn, Pioneer Photographers of the Far West, Stanford University Press, 2000, pp. 364; Petaluma Weekly Argus, October 4, 1866, p.2; Petaluma Weekly Argus, October 18, 1866, p. 2; Petaluma Weekly Argus, October 25, 1866, p.2; Petaluma Weekly Argus, November 29, 1866, p. 2; Petaluma Weekly Argus, Oct. 10, 1867, p. 3; Petaluma Weekly Argus, May 21, 1868, p.4; Petaluma Weekly Argus, October 22, 1868, p.3; Petaluma Weekly Argus, April 22, 1869, p. 3; Petaluma Weekly Argus, August 24, 1872, p. 3.
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