PORTRAIT ARCHIVE BY PHOTOGRAPHER
Sunset Studio
/SUNSET STUDIO was established in Petaluma in February 1920 when Walter Kersey Waters and Wilfred J. Geoffroy purchased “Goehner’s Photo and Art Studio” located in the Maclay Building at 23 Western Avenue. Waters sold the studio to Rupert Henry Wheldon in 1923. Wheldon moved the studio in June 1936 to 161 Kentucky, “next to Herold Drug Co.”. The studio was in operation at this location until April 1942 when Wheldon sold it to James G. Bennett.
Petaluma Argus-Courier, February 28, 1920, p.4
WALTER KERSEY WATERS (1896-1988) and WILFRED J. GEOFFROY (GEOFFREY) (1895-1952) were newcomers to Petaluma in 1920, and in an article announcing their purchase of Gustave Adolph Goehner’s studio, the Petaluma Argus-Courier proclaimed, “Both are experts and enlisted in the air photography service of the army as soon as the war broke out and were among the first to go to Europe. They were at the front for over a year where they saw much active service, escaping injury, and did great work, and having had thrilling experiences and they bring here a wonderful collection of war scenes secured by them which will be placed permanently on exhibit at their place of business.” Walters and Geoffroy ran bold advertisements in the Petaluma Argus-Courier in February, March, and April of 1920 and sold the studio to Rupert Henry Wheldon in 1923.
RUPERT HENRY WHELDON (1883-1960) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 3, 1883. Between 1891 and 1908, he lived in England and graduated from the Metropolitan College of Music, London. He was said to be an accomplished violinist. By 1918, Wheldon was working as a photographer in Goldendale, Klickitat County, Washington. In March 1923, he sold his Goldendale studio and moved to Petaluma. The Wheldon family lived at 515 F Street and later at 614 D Street. In 1923 Wheldon purchased the Sunset Studio on 23 Western Avenue from Walter Kersey Waters. Wheldon maintained the Sunset Studio until April 1942, when he sold it to James G. Bennett of Sacramento. Wheldon moved to Salinas, California, where he operated a health food store. He died in Salinas on June 6, 1960.
Active in Petaluma: Waters and Geoffroy managed the studio between February 1920 and 1923. Wheldon managed the studio between 1923 and April 1942.
Bibliography: https://digital.sonomalibrary.org/about/photographers. Petaluma Argus-Courier, “Goehner Sells to War Heroes,” February 20, 1920, p. 3; Feb. 28, 1920, p. 4; March 15, 1923, p. 5; June 08, 1936, p. 5; April 25, 1942, p. 5. Petaluma Daily Morning Courier, “G. A. Goehner Sells Studio.” Feb. 21, 1920, p. 4; Sept. 21, 1921, p. 3; March 16, 1923, p. 9; March 21, 1923, p.2; March 25, 1923, p.7; March 26, 1923, p. 2. Goldendale Sentinel, Nov. 9, 1922, p. 3; March 15, 1923, p.3. The Salinas Californian, June 7, 1960, p. 2; June 10, 1960, p. 2.
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Featured
Shattuck, Wesley La Motte (see La Motte Studio)→
/LA MOTTE STUDIO On October 4, 1907, the Petaluma Argus-Courier reported on the front page that W. L. Shattuck, who had recently arrived into Petaluma, had purchased Brown’s photographic studio on Main Street, and that after its renovation, it would be known as La Motte Studio. Later in the year, an advertisement for La Motte Studio claimed that it provided, “Platinums in Sepia or Black and White, also Platinas”. It also declared their motto to be, “prompt delivery and satisfactory work”, and that the proprietor was W. M. Gray. There is no documentation verifying that W. L Shattuck or W. M. Gray were professional photographers. Shattuck may have simply been an investor, and Gray a manager. The photographer who created the La Motte Studio’s portraits is unidentified.
The Petaluma Argus-Courier reported on October 4, 1909, that Gray had sold the La Motte Studio to George L. Brady of Watsonville who had not announced his plans for the future. The address of the La Motte Studio was recorded as both 164 and 818 Main Street.
Active in Petaluma: October 4, 1907 - October 4, 1909
Bibliography: Petaluma Argus-Courier, October 4, 1907, p. 1; December 25, 1908, p. 6; October 4, 1909, p. 3. Petaluma Daily Morning Courier, January 9, 1908, p. 1.
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Sheppard, Lafayette F.
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Petaluma Courier, Feb. 24, 1886, p. 3
LAFAYETTE F. SHEPPARD was born in 1852 in Ohio and died in Inglewood, California in 1940. He arrived in California sometime before 1880 and was employed in various occupations in several cities throughout the state. In 1879 he married Maggie M. Sheppard whose family resided in Rollerville, Mendocino County. According to Carl Mautz, Sheppard had photographic galleries in Point Arena and San Jose in the 1880s. Sometime between 1884 and 1885, Sheppard was partnering with James K. Piggott at their jointly owned photographic gallery in Santa Rosa.
In February of 1886, however, Sheppard advertised in the Petaluma Courier the opening of his own gallery in the space formerly occupied by Petaluma photographer, Lewis Dowe. The ad proclaimed, “The gentleman uses the newest instantaneous process in his art, and is prepared to do first-class work. A speciality will be made of babies’ photos, and good work will be guaranteed.” Sheppard continued to work as a photographer in Petaluma at least through June of 1891.
Petaluma Studio: Sheppard’s studio occupied the former rooms of the Petaluma photographer, Lewis Dowe, one door above the First National Bank. On September 23, 1891 the Petaluma Courier reported Sheppard’s gallery had been taken over by Easterly & Company.
Active in Petaluma: February 1886 - August/September 1891
Bibliography: Carl Mautz, “Sheppard, Lafayette T. [sic],” Biographies of Western Photographers, A Reference Guide to Photographers Working in the 19th Century American West, Expanded and Revised Edition, 2018, p. 168; https://digital.sonomalibrary.org/about/photographer; Petaluma Courier, Feb. 24, 1886, p.3; Aug. 4, 1886, p.2; August 13, 1890, p.5; September 23, 1891, p.2.
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Sutterley & Rendall
/JAMES KIMBALL (KEMBLE) SUTTERLEY (SUTTERLY)(1834 -1883) & STEPHEN ARNOLD RENDALL (1832-1905) Sutterly & Rendall (active in Petaluma September 24, 1870 – February 1871). Sutterley worked as a daguerreian with his brother, Clement Sutterley, in Chicago from 1857 to 1860. By 1862 the brothers had moved West working as itinerant photographers throughout Nevada, Idaho, Utah and California. They eventually parted ways, and on September 24, 1870, James Kimball Sutterley partnered with Stephen Arnold Rendall taking over the Petaluma studio of Bryan R. Johnson which was currently being operated by Richard Reece Percival. J. K. Sutterley partnered with Stephen A. Rendall to establish, “Sutterly & Rendall, Photographers, Main Street, Petaluma, Cal.” They advertised their services in the Petaluma Weekly Argus between October 22, 1870 and February 4, 1871. They worked together until 1871 when the studio was sold to Richard Reece Percival. As early as 1873, Rendall was living in Santa Rosa with his family raising prizing-winning Angora goats. He established a photography studio in Santa Rosa which was destroyed by fire in June 1878.
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.162, 173. Peter E. Palmquist and Thomas R. Kailbourn, Pioneer Photographers of the Far West, Stanford University Press, 2000, pp. 454, 534-536. Dorothy King De Mare, “The Sutterly Brothers, Pioneer Western Itinerant Photographers,” Biographies of Western Photographers, A Reference Guide to Photographers Working in the 19th Century American West, Expanded and Revised Edition, 2018, pp.39 -41. Petaluma Argus, January 28, 1862, p. 2 and 3. Petaluma Courier, “Letter from Santa Rosa”, Oct. 11, 1877, p. 3. Petaluma Weekly Argus, Sept. 24, 1870, p. 2; Oct. 15, 1870, p. 3; Jan. 14, 1871, p.3; October 10, 1873, p. 3; June 28, 1878, p. 3. https://digital.sonomalibrary.org/about/photographers. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30429723/stephen-arnold-rendall. Daily Republican (Wilmington, Delaware) August 2, 1883, p. 4.
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Swart, John Simeon
/JOHN SIMEON SWART (Active in Petaluma by June 1880) Swart was a partner in the “Miltz & Swart’s San Francisco Gallery,” 180 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa between 1877 and 1880. It is known he was working in Petaluma by June 1880 and by 1886 opened a studio on Broad Street in Nevada City, California. In 1895 he worked as a photojournalist for The San Francisco Call and the Pacific Coast News. Mautz, pg. 146.
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. 173. https://digital.sonomalibrary.org/about/photographers
Unfortunately, the PHL&M owns no portraits by this important, early photographer.