Do you remember being a child in History and class and wondering what all the noteworthy individuals you were learning about looked like in real life? From the first American presidents to the people who fought slavery, and even legendary icons such as Johnny Appleseed, who was actually called John Chapman. It helps to flesh out your understanding of a person when you know what they looked like. Photography has, amazingly, been around since the end of the 1820s. Indeed, the ability to capture real life in a visual form was invented long before we could flip light switches on, and even before women could vote. You will be amazed to see which historical legends appeared behind the ancient camera. We will be taking you through the earliest-known legends to be snapped, in one way or another. Make sure to upvote those who changed your life!
President Abraham Lincoln (c. 1846)
The man responsible for shaping America into the proud and free nation that we know it as today, Abraham Lincoln (1809 – 1865) became the President of the United States throughout the nation’s most chaotic period. He singlehandedly managed its turbulent division and resulting reformation, putting an explosive conclusion to the South’s slaving efforts.
As mentioned by the Library of Congress, “This daguerreotype is the earliest-known photograph of Abraham Lincoln, this photo was taken at age 37 when he was a frontier lawyer in Springfield and Congressman-elect from Illinois.” Nicholas H. Shepherd was most likely the photographer in question, “This is based on the recollections of Gibson Harris, a law student in Lincoln’s office from 1845 to 1847.”
President Abraham Lincoln
President Andrew Jackson (c. 1844 – 1845)
From heroic presidents to villainous ones, Andrew Jackson (1767 – 1841) pulled himself out of impoverished origins into lawyer renown. He also earned his medals through serving, finally securing his place as the President of the United States. Despite posing as a hero for the common person, there were plenty who labeled him as a despot. You only need to read up on his abuse of the Native Americans to know the truth of the man. Jackson happily ignored the atrocities committed by Georgian forces when they violently wrestled Cherokee land away awarded to the group by the U.S. Supreme Court. Edward Anthony supposedly took this sinister daguerreotype of Jackson, sometime between 1844 and 1845, created thanks to the Mathew Brady studio.
President Andrew Jackson
Annie Oakley (c. 1899)
Despite not truly being called Annie Oakley (1860 – 1926), it is clear that she was a phenomenal markswoman. At the age of 15, Oakley outshot legendary deadeye Frank Butler. He was so taken with the young sharpshooter that he asked her to marry him before taking her on as a second-in-command while touring. The roles would soon be reversed, however, when Oakley’s status outshone her husband’s, and he gladly served her instead. Oakley became an international symbol for the rugged American lifestyle when she was featured in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. Oakley excelled at blasting glass balls out of the sky, card games, and most notably for shooting a cigarette clean off her husband’s lips. Queen Victoria referred to her as a “very clever little girl” and Chief Sitting Bull knew her as “Little Sure Shot.”
Annie Oakley
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke Of Wellington (1844)
The British forces were led by none other than Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769 – 1852), throughout the Napoleonic Wars. The noble commander beat Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo and sealed his place, according to Britannica, as the most celebrated idol in European history. His career did not end with his unmatched military successes, however, as we went on to be Britain’s prime minister from 1828 to 1830.
Arthur Wellesley
Billy the Kid
As with plenty of Old West icons, Henry McCarty (1859 – 1881) rose to notoriety thanks to the myths surrounding his actions, rather than their truths. Also called William H. Bonney before receiving his iconic title of Billy the Kid, McCarty enjoyed 21 short years of lawlessness prior to being shot in Fort Sumner, NM, by Sheriff Pat Garrett. This is one of two photographs in common knowledge. Known as a tintype, this image was unearthed in Fresno, California within a junk shop among a stack of photos in 2010 thanks to a collector’s efforts. Pictured we have McCarty posing at an 1878 wedding, playing croquet with his gang, called the Regulators, and their loved ones.
Billy The Kid
Buffalo Bill Cody (1911)
William Frederick Cody (1846 – 1917), better remembered as “Buffalo Bill,” was the archetypal frontiersman, Pony Express regular, as well as the producer of the Congress of Rough Riders of the World and Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. Cody would incredibly become the globe’s initial international celebrity. As for the man’s famous nickname? Some sources state it arose in 1867 when Cody headed an initiative to supply Eastern Division laborers with buffalo meat on-site at the Union Pacific Railroad building project. Although the man’s repertoire was almost mostly limited to fictional showmanship, his horsemanship and marksmanship were unmatched, skills which shone through his time with U.S. Army Lieutenant General Philip Sheridan, who he served as a scout for four years.
Buffalo Bill Cody
Butch Cassidy (1900)
Continuing with the Old West mythology we have Robert LeRoy Parker (1866 – 1908), who most of us know as Butch Cassidy. This was a truly romantic outlaw, whose tales are somewhat taller than his true stature. John D. Barton from the Utah State University had this to share, “Operating around the turn of the century, Cassidy and his partners put together the longest sequence of successful bank and train robberies in the history of the American West.”Here we have Cassidy happily joined by his “Wild Buch” in the iconic Fort Worth Five picture. John Swartz snapped this scene in 1900 at his Fort Worth, TX, studio. Cassidy was the leader of Tall Texan, Laura Bullion, Kid Curry, Elzy Lay, the Sundance Kid, Bob Meeks, and News Carver.
Butch Cassidy
Calamity Jane (1901)
Better known as Calamity Jane, you cannot discuss the frontierswoman experience without mentioning Martha Jane Cannary (1852 – 1903), being a lauded member of the Wild West Hall of Fame. Here we have Jane pictured in her last days, during 1901, seated within her Livingston, MT kitchen. History described Calamity Jane as the kind of character whose many fables make knowing her real-life difficult to establish. Cannary, as mentioned in her colorful tale, worked at Fort Bridger washing dishes, labored under Union Pacific, served General Custer as a scout, and even spent some time as a teamster. While such details must be taken with a pinch of salt, she was certainly a phenomenal performer and intrepid traveler who led a struggle-filled existence.
Calamity Jane
Charles Darwin (1869)
Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882) is known as the godfather of modern biology and the British naturalist’s contribution to human consciousness, in general, can never be understated. Britannica provides Darwin as the creator of the natural selection theory, which would be the progenitor for our current understanding of evolution. His contributions redefined his and future societies’ experience of politics, science, and literature, for all time to come. Julia Margaret Cameron took this picture, with the photographer also having captured the likeness of John Herschel and Alfred Tennyson. The Victoria and Albert Museum had this to say about the picture: Charles Darwin, along with his loved ones, took to the Isle of Wight for a summer holiday in 1868. This was where Cameron snapped this incredible photograph of the naturalist, which later would become the standard representation of the scientific master. It would go on to be distributed as a carbon print.
Charles Darwin
Daniel F. Bakeman, The Last Surviving Soldier Of The Revolutionary War (1868)
Daniel F. Bakeman (1759 – 1869) is regarded as the final member of a 14-strong group of remaining Revolutionary War veterans and would go on to be the final survivor of the war to be handed his pension. Colonel Marinus Willett and Captain Van Arnum had the pleasure of supposedly being served by Bakeman, during this liberational war, toward its final four years. He was described as a figurehead within noteworthy political events. The man coined the term “Independence Day,” where he would awake at the crack of dawn to sling his aged musket. Bakeman could then be spotted marching about his neighborhood, blasting his gun and shouting, “Hurrah!”
Daniel F Bakeman The Last Surviving Soldier Of The Revolutionary War
Emily Dickinson (c. 1847)
More mysterious than anything, Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886) struggled with lifelong health problems and, supposedly, debilitating agoraphobia. Despite having been moderately successful during her living years, Dickinson would posthumously become one of the United States’ most renowned poets. Amherst College said that her daguerreotype is the solely legitimized picture of the poet known to date. Millicent Todd Bingham awarded the daguerreotype to the college during 1956. The picture had been handed down from generation to generation, with Bingham having been given it in 1894 by Wallace Keep, handed to him in 1894 by his brother Austin, with Dickinson’s sister Lavinia being the original possessor.
Emily Dickinson
President Franklin Pierce (c. 1851 – 1860)
Despite his best efforts, Franklin Pierce (1804 – 1869) is largely regarded as a rather disappointing president. Sadly, the best that could be said about this leader was that he was good looking and that he wished to make his second term more successful. He would not get the chance to do so, having been barred by his party. The Northerner was a slavery apologist and added his name to the 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act, one signed to bring the formerly banned slavery acts back into effect within zones north of 36 degrees latitude. Pierce was not, of course, a fan of Lincoln when he took over him. He was critical to the point that when the celebrated president was assassinated, he was forced to convince an angry rabble against wrecking his home.
President Franklin Pierce
Frederick Douglas (c. 1847 – 1852)
After successfully free himself, Frederick Douglas (1818 – 1895) would go on to become an essential abolitionist and a progenitor of social justice in Maryland. Samuel J. Miller created this daguerreotype between 1847 and 1852 in Akron, Ohio. As described by the Art Institute of Chicago, Northeastern Ohio became a hub of abolitionist efforts even before the Civil War. Douglass was assured that by spreading his likeness through many similar commissions to this one, that his counterparts would be inspired in their efforts to banish slavery. Douglass masterfully championed this public image campaign alongside Miller, who successfully captured his raw emotion and powerful presence. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a feminist from the 1800s, praised this picture for exuding his immense charisma.
Frederick Douglas
George Armstrong Custer At West Point (1859)
This youthful likeness of George Armstrong Custer was captured long before his hairy prominence rose to infamy. Here we have a young Custer at West Point during his cadet days. Despite having ranked last during his graduation, he would become a central if not controversial figure during the Civil War as a reckless cavalry officer. Custer was well known for being dramatic, earning his name as a mortal enemy of local Indian populations, most of which were relatively harmless. In 1864, Custer was responsible for the Sand Creek Massacre, where he led the charge against terrified innocents. The fallen would have their revenge, however, as in 1876, he was calamitously routed at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
George Armstrong Custer At West Point
Geronimo, Also Known As Goyahkla (1887)
Geronimo (1829 – 1909) was an Apache head and healer who drove one-quarter of the United States’ armed forces to chase him. History acknowledges Geronimo as having led the final Native American opposition to the US military, and upon his capture, wasted away for the final twenty years of his life as a prisoner of war. Geronimo was, however, allowed to seldomly feature in Wild West shows and world fairs, also attending President Theodore Roosevelt’s inauguration. He took this opportunity to request that his tribe be permitted to return to Arizona, which the president denied. According to the Smithsonian: With the help of a translator, Roosevelt replied to Geronimo by saying that he possessed a “bad heart” and resented the warlord for all the death and destruction he had caused. Roosevelt did inform Geronimo, however, that he would take his cause up once more upon observing how he and his kin behaved within their reservation.
Geronimo Also Known As Goyahkla
Grigori Rasputin And His Wife And Daughter (1911)
One may struggle to find the truth of Grigori Rasputin (1869 – 1916), best known as a wizard of sorts and the supposed invisible hand controlling the Russian monarchy. Many tried their best to assassinate Rasputin and failed. It took a conservative band headed by Prince Feliks Yusupov’s lethal force to put an end to his treachery. Here we have Rasputin in St. Petersburg seated with Praskovia Dubroniva, his wife, and Maria, his oldest daughter. They were surrounded by Rasputin’s devotees.
Grigori Rasputin And His Wife And Daughter
Harriet Beecher Stowe (c. 1870)
You probably recognize Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811 – 1896) as the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, but the writer and abolitionist did so much more than write on the agonies of slaves. Armed with her unshakable religious faith, Stowe condemned slavery as unchristian. Her world-famous book would propel her into public attention, using this platform to travel throughout America to simultaneously punt her works and speak against slavery. Despite abolitionism having made much progress at the time, women’s rights had sorely lagged behind. The history mentioned how: Stowe and her contemporaries were dissuaded from public speaking, especially in front of largely male crowds. Even with her status, Stowe was unable to discuss her book openly, ironically even at affairs arranged in her name. Rather, Calvin, her partner, or a male sibling, would take her place on the podiums.This picture is a piece from a bigger one taken in 1870 which she shared with Henry Ward Beecher, a minister, and Stowe, her brother.
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Tubman (c. 1868)
Leaving her true name of Araminta Ross behind, Harriet Tubman (1822 – 1913) successfully fled from the yoke of slavery to become a nurse, a Union agent, and champion of suffrage. She was also named the “conductor” of an Underground Railroad which enabled the freedom of countless former slaves. Benjamin F. Powelson took this photograph somewhere between 1868 and 1869 in Auburn, NY. Emily Howland was the previous possessor of this iconic snap, featuring Harriet’s signature.
Harriet Tubman
Helen Keller (c. 1904)
Helen Keller (1880 – 1968) was only 19 months old when she lost her ability to hear and see. But despite her otherwise crippling disabilities, Keller would rise to prominence as America’s leader of laborers’, women’s, and the disabled’s rights. Keller was a celebrated lecturer and writer. According to History, Keller was, “Widely honored throughout the earth and invited to the White House by every U.S.A president from Grover Cleveland to Lyndon B. Johnson, Keller altered the world’s perception of the capacities of the handicapped.” son, Keller altered the world’s perception of the capacities of the handicapped.”
Helen Keller
Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1857)
Once the runner up to the title of “greatest Briton of all time,” Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806 – 1859) dominated engineering in the 1800s through his efforts that revolutionized Great Britain. The London-based Design Museum attributes the construction of multiple railway lines, countless bridges (five of which were suspension bridges), a military field hospital, and three ships to Brunel. Robert Howlett captured this scene in 1857, where Brunel stands among the titanic anchor of the Great Eastern, a majestic steamship of his creation. The ship dwarfed any other vessel to sail during his time, being six times huger than anything which floated. The pioneer referred to the enormous ship as “Great Babe.”
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
President James K. Polk (1849)
Despite being largely unknown in our current times, James K. Polk (1795 – 1849) is known by modern historians as having carried out more promises than most American presidents, being likened to George Washington in his triumphs.As mentioned by the Miller Center, the president fulfilled almost all the ambitions which he outlined during his presidency, adhering to all the needs of his party. Among his accomplishments was the conquering of New Mexico, Oregon, and California territories, the resolution of a Texan border clash, and the minimization of tariffs. He also instated a novel federal depository and strengthened the executive branch.
President James K Polk
Confederate President Jefferson Davis (c. 1861)
Having fought in the Mexican War, and a senator within Mississippi, as well as President Franklin Pierce’s Secretary of War, Jefferson Davis (1808 – 1889) would become Lincoln’s main opposer during the US Civil War as the Confederacy president. Following the other side’s defeat in 1865, Davis was put behind bars for treason charges, however, he would soon be let out. Having avoided his day in court, Davis was spared having to justify his decision to pull his states from the Union, something he would have gladly done. As written by the Smithsonian, instead of providing Davis with the opportunity to justify secession, President Andrew Johnson provided all Confederates with a pardon on December 25, 1868.
Confederate President Jefferson Davis
Jesse James (c. 1876 – 1882)
You might not believe it, but Jesse James (1847 – 1882) was this outlaw’s actual name! James was a part of the Civil War following a nasty incident where Union militia attacked him and his stepfather. They were hunting for Frank, James’ brother, who was a Confederate guerilla. After watching his stepfather’s murder, James enlisted with the Confederacy. James would find himself back under lethal Union fire once more a month following the conclusion of the war, being shot to death. Along with his brother and a gang of Confederate veterans, James formed a notorious robbing gang.Bob Ford would be the man to take him out, a trusted member of James’ gang. Facing the gallows along with his brother Charley, he and Ford were eventually set free by the governor of Missouri. They then took to performing dramatizations of their assassination of James. Both would meet terrible fates.
Jesse James
John Chapman, Also Known As Johnny Appleseed (c. 1840s)
Indeed, there was a man behind the legend! Johnny Appleseed of Leonminster, MA, formerly known as John Chapman (1774 – 1845), was truly committed to spreading apple seeds across the Midwest. Rather than keeping the doctor away, Appleseed was committed to fermenting apples for alcoholic cider production!As mentioned by History, no American meal was complete without apple cider, with the majority of households featuring tiny orchards. Well regarded for his entrepreneurship, Chapman would often sell seeds to frontiersmen throughout his journeys. He was something of a charitable figure too, having bestowed his seeds to the poor.
John Chapman Also Known As Johnny Appleseed
John Brown (c. 1846 – 1847)
Few took the cause of abolitionism to such radical extents than John Brown (1800 – 1859). West Virginia (as we call it today) was home to a town called Harpes Ferry which came under attack from Brown and his forces in October of 1859. Despite his few valiant victories, Brown was eventually defeated and faced the hangman’s noose on December 2, 1859.
The Smithsonian regards this daguerreotype as the first image of the rebel, taken by Augustus Washington, the African American photographer. You might be wondering about the flag in his hand and gesture. His hand is solemnly raised to reinforce his pledge to the constitution, which affirms that all men are supposedly born free. He is simultaneously pledging himself to ending slavery. As for the flag, it is supposedly the colors of the “Subterranean Pass Way,” which was an armed counterpart of the Underground Railroad…
John Brown
John Herschel (1867)
Astronomer and polymath Sir John Frederick William Herschel (1792 – 1871) made many invaluable contributions to the development photography, being the person to coin the term! He did not discover the technology, however. In 1867, Julia Margaret Cameron took this almost magical photograph of the master himself. Cameron was a massive fan of her subject from the time she was a child, the two becoming fast friends for more than three decades. Their companionship was rounded off with Herschel requesting this official commission from Cameron. There would be four similar photographs made of the man in April 1867. Cameron’s first was his favorite, however, as he appeared as an ‘old Paterfamilias.’
John Herschel
President John Quincy Adams (1843)
Regarded by History as being a visionary but unappreciated, President John Quincy Adams (1767 – 1848) became the initial non-founding father president. He was even “the first president not to have been a founding father,” as well as “the son of a president to be elected,” and “the first to marry a woman born outside the United States.” Despite not being the initial active president to be snapped, he was the first to have his photograph taken. Philip Haas visited Adams at his Massachusetts property to take this photograph in 1843. Sadly, we know little about this photo’s creation, with the subject being hesitant to speak on it.
President John Quincy Adams
President John Tyler (c. 1845)
John Tyler (1790 – 1862) was the Vice President to William Henry Harrison and would go on to be elected as America’s tenth president when his senior suddenly passed only days into his election. Known as “His Accidency” by rivals, Tyler was the initial president to ascend due to his leader’s death. Despite his term being regarded as relatively average by historians, you will love this little factoid. Harrison Ruffin Tyler is currently the sole descendant of John Tyler.
President John Tyler
Mark Twain (1908)
Few American authors will ever match the status or successes of Mark Twain (1835 – 1910), formerly known as Samuel Clemens. Despite being mainly remembered for youthful classics like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Prince and the Pauper his harsh parodying of his era’s hypocrisy runs through all his works.
Twain is widely regarded as “America’s first celebrity.” Rarely spotted in anything but white suits, he kindly changed his wardrobe for this photograph. As described by the Los Angeles Times:
This picture was taken in 1908 and was one of the first likenesses to be in full color, known as a chromograph. Had Twain remained in his iconic white suit for the snap, the color would not have come through as well as the red gown. Alvin Langdon Coburn took this incredible photograph.
Mark Twain
President Martin Van Buren (c. 1852)
Here we have the eighth President of the United States, Martin Van Buren (1782 – 1862), who was the initial president to be born and raised in America, rather than England.
Van Buren was a leader with a mixed opinion. Despite having raised the United States’ politics to previously unseen heights, his judgment was often regarded as controversial. Despite there being better quality images of the man, we selected this one thanks to its fascinating tale. Van Buren braved a heavy storm to make it to his appointment with Brady. Upon being questioned by Brady on his dedication to their appointment, Van Buren replied by saying that he would always do his best to come through with an arrangement with all his might.
President Martin Van Buren
Robert Cornelius, The First Person To Photograph Themselves (1839)
Robert Cornelius (1809 – 1893) successfully arranged the initial “selfie” to our current knowledge in 1893 with this murky daguerreotype. As for the first photograph was ever taken, this occurred in 1826 with View from the Window at Le Gras. The first picture with people in it was taken by Louis-Jacques Mande Daguerre, called Paris Boulevard. Cornelius was a journeyman chemist, who captured his own likeness within his Philadelphia, PA, shop. The Public Domain Review said that this pioneering effort was achieved by popping the lens cap off his camera before dashing into the frame, holding still for 60 seconds, and then leaping back to seal the lens once more. Cornelius scribbled “The first light Picture ever taken. 1839” on the rear of his frame.
Robert Cornelius The First Person To Photograph Themselves
Robert E. Lee With His Son William Henry Fitzhugh Lee (c. 1845)
While he did find himself on the vilified side of the Confederacy as its commander in chief throughout the Civil War, Robert E. Lee (1807 – 1870) is remembered by history as a man of virtue, enjoying widespread respect throughout his lifetime. While failing to join the secessionists, Lee remained committed to guarding Virginia upon its departure from the Union. Roy Blount Jr., the man’s biographer, condemns Lee as being committed to slavery. In 1845, Michael Miley captured this daguerreotype of Lee. Here he is pictured alongside William Henry Fitzhugh “Rooney” Lee, his second son. Lee was destined to become a general when he signed up with the Confederate cavalry.
Robert E Lee With His Son William Henry Fitzhugh Lee
Daimyo Shimazu Nariakira, The Subject Of The Earliest Surviving Japanese Photograph (1857)
Dutch traders brought photography to Japan through their business interests in Nagasaki Bay. Ensei-Kikijutsu was published in 1854 by the initial Japanese author to write on the subject of photography by Kawamoto Komin. This daguerreotype of Shimazu Nariakira (1809 – 1858) came about three years following this publication, becoming the supposedly initial completed picture from Japan. The “daimyo” Nariakira was a member of the Satsuma fiefdom as a feudal lord. Britannica recalls how his “adoption of Western military techniques and armaments helped make Satsuma the strongest fiefs in this country and put the han in a role to play a leading role the overthrow of the Tokugawa state and the establishment of a new imperial central government in 1868.”
Daimyo Shimazu Nariakira The Subject Of The Earliest Surviving Japanese Photograph
Queen Victoria (1857)
Queen Victoria (1819 – 1901) led England into its industrial supremacy in Europe, boosted its economy, and greatly expanded its imperial reach. Upon passing, she had virtually conquered much of the planet. This photograph was once wrongly thought to have been taken by J. Mayall, truly being captured by Leonida Caldesi throughout April 1857. Caldesi would go on to capture plenty of Royals’ likenesses.
Queen Victoria
Vincent van Gogh (1873)
The master of post-impressionism, Vincent van Gogh (1853 – 1890) led a troubled existence. He was severely depressed and would eventually commit suicide at just 37. The visionary we know him as today owes his posthumous successes to Jo van Gogh-Bonger, his sister-in-law, who came into possession of his life’s works following Vincent’s brother’s passing, called Theo. She dedicated her life to bringing his paintings to the proper attention. Many claim to be in possession of pictures of van Gogh, with none having been truly legitimized. What we are looking at here could very well be a photograph of Theo.
Vincent Van Gogh
Wild Bill Hickock (c. 1860s)
“Wild Bill,” truly named James Butler Hickock (1837 – 1876), is another legendary figure of the Wild West, working as a lawman and frontiersman. This picture could have been taken during the 1860s, despite the Heritage Auction site being unable to find evidence. Deadwood, SD, was where Wild Bill’s life passed during his time as a peace officer. Jack McCall ambushed Hickock amidst a poker game after he supposedly lost his brother to Hickock in Abilene. Jack saw two court sessions before hanging in March 1877.
Wild Bill Hickock
Wyatt Earp (c. 1868)
Here we have another legendary lawman from the Wild West, Wyatt Earp (1848 – 1929), who was caught up in the O.K. Corral skirmish. This picture was supposedly snapped during 1868 while Earp was in his early twenties and living in Lamar, MO. Earp, like plenty of those who rose to fame during this time and place, loved to exaggerate his own life experiences and would go on to Hollywood fame. According to History, his later life stages involved Hollywood Westerns as he brought famous directors and actors together. He war mourned by plenty of Western fim celebrities.
Wyatt Earp
Conrad Heyer, Earliest American To Be Photographed (1852)
George Washington had the honor of being served by Conrad Heyer (1749) throughout the American Revolutionary War. Apparently, Heyer joined the Founding Father at the Delaware crossing, with plenty of critics disclaiming such ideas. Heyer stood as what could very well be the first person to stand before a lens, and certainly the first American. He was 103 years old when this picture was taken with this ancient 1851 daguerreotype.
Conrad Heyer Earliest American To Be Photographed
Wilbur And Orville Wright (1909)
The Wright Brothers consisted of Orville (1871 – 1948) and Wilbur (1867 – 1912), who would successfully launch and maintain the initial plane’s flight. At Kitty Hawk, NC, on December 17, 1903, the brothers pulled off what many had struggled to do so for years, successfully landing a fueled aircraft. During the height of World War II, Orville was questioned on his opinion of the current developments in aircraft technology in 1943 by the St. Louis Post Dispatch: “We had invented something that would bring peace to the world. But we were so wrong about this. We underestimated the capacity of man to corrupt and to hate good always means for an evil end… I don’t have any regrets about this part in the invention of the plane , though no one in this earth could deplore more than I the destruction it has caused.”
Wilbur And Orville Wright
M. Lefebre, The Last Surviving Veterans Of Napoleon’s Army (1858)
We know little of Monsieur Lefebre (1858) other than his place in Napoleon’s 2nd Regiment of Engineers, where he was a sergeant in 1815. His image and its story provide what little we know of him. With most of Napoleon’s veterans in their old age, they would become some of the first former servicemen to have their photographs taken. Such incredible pictures made up 15 sepia snaps, being the sole first-hand photographic sources that we have of the Grande Armée Guard. They have their initial military wardrobe together here, despite having suffered some editions from 1850s tailors. Such pictures were supposedly captured on May 5, 1858, marking the day that Napoleon died.
M Lefebre The Last Surviving Veterans Of Napoleons Army