Whitney, Albion Paris (1825-1884)
/George Ross’ Portrait Photograph of Albion Paris Whitney
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
GEORGE COLVAINE ROSS was born February 12, 1832 in Edinburgh, Scotland and died in 1893 at the age of 60 in Petaluma, California. Unlike the other 19th century Petaluma photographers, Ross lived and worked in Petaluma for many years. He arrived in Petaluma in 1855, and in 1862 he began his profession as a photographer, moving his studio within the city several times as noted on his various carte de visite and cabinet card imprints. In 1869 he was also part of a short-lived, photographic studio partnership with Elon D. Ormsby on Main Street in Petaluma. It was reported Ross stopped working as a photographer soon after he became an invalid in 1888. Ross was among the most prolific Petaluma portrait photographers, and his work was of exceptionally high quality. Ross was buried in Petaluma’s Cypress Hill Memorial Park. (For additional information on this photographer and to view all portraits by him in the collection, click on his name in blue above.)
THE SITTER:
Name: Albion Paris Whitney
Description: In this head-and-shoulders portrait, Albion Paris Whitney appears as a man entering middle age. His beard and mustache are greying and pronounced wrinkles appear at the side of his eyes. He wears a heavy jacket, vest, collared white shirt and a dark bow tie.
Biographical Note: Albion was a hard-working, driven pioneer. Even his obituary stated, “…mind and body, when overworked often react upon themselves, and present the sad spectacle of a star falling from the sky before it has attained its zenith.” (Petaluma Weekly Argus, March 29, 1884). As a young man, Albion sought his fortune journeying further and further west. He eventually took the trail to California from Colorado and, in 1860, settled in Petaluma. He started in the grocery business and expanded into freighting grain and produce. He quickly became a wealthy man and served in many civic capacities. He was chairman of the Petaluma City Board of Trustees, a member of the Petaluma School Board, and President of the Sonoma and Marin District Agricultural Society. In 1874, he turned to politics and was elected on the Republican ticket to the California State Senate. Albion was also an active member of Petaluma’s Masonic Lodge.
Family Affiliation: Albion Paris Whitney was the husband of Susan Durgin Eastman Whitney (1832-1917), and the son of Olive Parlin Whitney (1791-1874). He and Susan had seven children: Cleora Melissa Whitney Hewlett, Nancy Jane “Jenny” Whitney Morrow, Arthur Leslie Whitney, Leona Merrill Whitney, Marcella “Ella” Whitney Wheaton, Albion Harvey Whitney and Clara Whitney Spears.
Bibliography:
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: cabinet card, approximately 10.75 x 16.5 cm
Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock
Description, front: George Ross’ imprint appears on the front of this cabinet card in elegant print. On the left is simply, “George Ross,”, and on the right is, “Petaluma, Cal.”. Significantly, this photographic portrait served as the basis for the oil painting portrait of Albion created by C. W. Bowles in 1881. This painting, along with its companion piece depicting Albion’s wife, Susan Durgin Eastman Whitney, was donated by a descendant of the Whitney family and hangs in the Pioneer Parlor of the Petaluma Historical Library & Museum. Albion Paris Whitney PDF
Description, back: Handwritten along the top edge of the card in cursive in pencil is, “A P Whitney?”.
Date: late 1870s to 1881
Condition: Both sides of this card are heavily soiled.
Owner: Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1981-835-34
Reproduction rights: The Petaluma Museum Association makes no assertions as to ownership of any original copyrights to the digitized images here reproduced. These images are intended for personal or research use only. Any other kind of use, including, but not limited to commercial or scholarly publication in any medium or format, public exhibition, or use online or in a web site, may be subject to additional restrictions including but not limited to the copyrights held by parties other than the Association. USERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for determining the existence of such rights and for obtaining any permissions and/or paying associated fees necessary for the proposed use.