Photographer: Crawford Paxton
Albany, Oregon
reverse of the card at the left
James G Crawford
(1850 - 1929)
Timeline
Sources: Old Oregon website, Historic Photo Archive website, city directories
A detailed review of James G Crawford’s business life is at Historic Photo Archive
http://historicphotoarchive.com/oregon-photographers-online-edition/crawford-james-g-albany-harrisburg-lebanon-mcminnville-portland/.
1850
James G Crawford is born in Hancock County, IL
1852
James G Crawford arrives in Oregon at the age of two;
1868 - 1869
Crawford is in Albany, OR;
1868 - 1869
Albany, OR, one account says Crawford begins working at the gallery of A B Paxton and his successor in Albany for 7 months
1869
Crawford is in Eugene, OR, with own gallery
1869
Crawford moves his gallery to Lebanon, OR
1870 spring
Crawford is in Portland, OR, with the gallery of Joseph Buchtel and Dr J R Cardwell
1871
Crawford leaves Buchtel and opens own gallery in Harrisburg, OR
1871
Lebanon, OR, J G Crawford marries Miss Clara McDonald
1871 - 1883
Crawford has gallery in Harrisburg, OR
1877 Aug 17 and Sep 14
State Rights Democrat (Albany, OR) news items mention Crawford is in Harrisburg
1877 Oct 20, 26
Eugene (OR) City Guard news item mentions Crawford is in Harrisburg, OR
1877 Oct 27
Oregon State Journal news item mentions that Crawford is in Harrisburg, OR
1877 Dec 22
Eugene City Guard news item mentions that Crawford is in Harrisburg, OR
1878 Nov 16
Eugene City Guard news item mentions Crawford is in Harrisburg, OR, as photographer
1880 - 1885
Crawford is in Portland and McMinnville, OR
1881
Harrisburg, OR, as photographer
1883
Crawford conducts own gallery in Harrisburg
1883
Portland, OR, works at gallery of I G Davidson until 1885?
1884
Harrisburg, OR, as photographer; McMinnville, OR, as photographer
1885
Portland, OR, as photographer; res 154 Salmon
1885
returns to Albany, OR, and purchases the gallery of A B Paxton and operates as Crawford Brothers gallery
1886
Albany, OR, city directory as photographer at Crawford’s Art Gallery,
1886
Albany, OR, city directory as photographer as “Crawford Bros. (James G. Crawford, Orville Crawford), photographers”
1888 May
purchases his brother’s interest in the gallery in Albany, OR,
1888
Albany, OR, city directory as photographer as “Crawford, James G., photographer”
1888 Jul 18
Morning Daily Herald news item Crawford and Paxton gallery mentioned in opening of gallery in Harrisburg, OR, for two weeks
1888 Aug 03
Albany (OR) Democrat news item J W Littler has purchased A B Paxton’s interest in the photograph business and hereafter will be called Crawford and Littler (This was apparently incorrect or very temporary for the city directories continue to list Crawford and Paxton as a studio through 1891.)
1889
Albany, OR, city directory as photographer as “Crawford & Paxton” (Jas G. Crawford, Andrew B. Paxton)
1889 Oct 24
Morning Daily Herald small ad Crawford and Paxton receive new goods
1889 Nov 12
Albany (OR) Daily Democrat small ad Crawford and Paxton receive new picture frames
1890 Jan 10
Morning Daily Herald (Albany, OR) news item as Crawford and Paxton in Froman’s block; bought out Clark studio and Greenwood studio;
1890 Feb 24
Albany (OR) Daily Democrat small ad Crawford and Paxton have new views
1890 Mar 21
Morning Daily Herald small item Crawford and Paxton studio in Froman’s Block
1891
Albany, OR, city directory as “Crawford & Paxton photographers”
1891 Feb 10
Albany (OR) Daily Democrat small item Crawford and Paxton receive new goods from NY
1892
Albany, OR, city directory ad page 101 as photographer as “Crawford & Paxton” at North side of First st
1895 Feb 02
Albany (OR) Daily Democrat Crawford and Paxton are moving from Froman’s Block to a store now vacated by Julius Gradwohl; mentions that Paxton was in or near the Froman’s block for 34 years (probably not accurate)
1895
Crawford seems to have had charge of Paxton’s negative stock even when Paxton was away trying other locations or just being ill.
1898 Jul 08, Jul 15,
Lebanon, (OR) Express-Advance MISSes Crawford and Hutchins have taken charge of Boyd’s Gallery
1898 Sep 09
Lebanon, (OR) Express-Advance small ad mentions Crawford and Hutchins
1898 Sep 02
Lebanon, (OR) Express-Advance news item mentions J G Crawford soon will open a gallery in Albany, OR
1898 Sep 23
Lebanon, (OR) Express-Advance news item Misses Crawford and Hutchins turn the gallery back to H J Boyd
1898 Oct 07
Lebanon, (OR) Express-Advance news item J G Crawford has opened his new gallery in Albany, OR, located on 2nd street
1901
Albany, OR, city directory as “Crawford, James G photographer”
1903 to 1909
Albany, OR, city directory as “Crawford, James G photogr”
1910
Albany, OR, city directory as “Crawford, J. G., State Bank Bldg”
1911
Albany, OR, city directory as “Crawford, Jas G photographer”
1913
Albany, OR, city directory as “Crawford, Jas. G. photographer and curios 207 W 1st”
1915
Albany, OR, city directory as “Crawford, Jas. G. curios” at 207 w 1st
1917
Albany, OR, city directory as “Crawford, Jas. G. curios” at 207 w 1st
1925
Albany, OR, city directory as photographer at 207 w 1st
1925 Feb 26
Albany (OR) Democrat long news item about 75th Birthday; mentions he was photographer for 40 years
1929 Jan 04
Marion Lynn county News J G Crawford dies after a long illness
A detailed review of James G Crawford’s business life is at Historic Photo Archive
The intermittent on-off and on again partnership of Crawford and Paxton is difficult to define. There is a lot of contradiction in accounts of J G Crawford’s photographic history. Crawford’s own account of his business dealings does not agree with city directory listings and newspaper items.
The timeline listed here is an attempt to list all available bits of information whether they contradict each other or not.
Andrew B Paxton
(1833 - 1902 )
Timeline
Sources:
Oregon, Washington and Idaho Gazetteer and Business Directory, Volume 1, Albany Register, Albany Democrat, Business Directories
1833 Sep 22
Indiana, Andrew Bower Paxton is born to Samuel and Hannah Paxton
1850
Israel, OH, US census, Paxton family has moved to Ohio; Andrew is a harness maker
1852
A B Paxton moves from Ohio, settling near Halsey, Oregon
1856
Linn Oregon, A B Paxton marries Nancy Jane Gray
1858 Feb
Linn Oregon, son O F Paxton is born
1859
Albany, OR, Paxton in partnership with Mr. Thompson, established the first photo studio
1860
Albany, OR, US census as harness maker
1862
Albany Oregon daughter Nellie C is born
1865
Albany Oregon daughter Hannah Elizabeth is born
1865 Dec 09
Albany (OR) Democrat news item Paxton and Thompson have gallery
1866 Nov 13
Albany (OR) Democrat small display ad Thompson-Paxton Gallery closed because of illness of Paxton
1866 Dec 29
Albany (OR) Democrat large display ad for Thompson and Paxton gallery
1867 Mar 23, Sep 21,
Albany (OR) Democrat large display ad for Thompson and Paxton gallery at First Street
1867 Nov 16
Albany (OR) Democrat display ad for MRS Paxton Fashion Milliners
1868 Jul 11, Sep 05
Albany (OR) Democrat news item Paxton planning to close shop and move “east”
1869 Jan - Jun
Albany Democrat and Albany Register ads J A Winter runs 30 ads saying he has the old A B Paxton studio
1871 Apr 28
Albany (OR) Democrat news item Paxton quitting picture business Mr Winter taking over
1872
Albany, OR, daughter Rosa is born
1873 Dec 17
Albany (OR) Democrat news item Paxton is back in business apparently
1875 Jun 04
Albany (OR) Democrat news item Paxton will “resume work in a few days” at the corner of Second and Ferry Streets
1876 - 1877
Portland, OR, city directory res Salmon bet 6th and 7th
1878
Albany, Or, bds at St Charles
1880 Jun 03
Portland, OR, US census as photographer; res 323 7th
1880 Jun 03 and again Jun 04
US census Was photographer Paxon enumerated twice? He shows up in Portland, OR, with the family except for daughter Eva on Jun 2 or 3. Then, on the 4th he is counted again WITH daughter Eva in Albany, OR. Names, ages and occupation match on the two census records, but their origins do not.
1881
Portland, OR, city directory as photographer at 323 7th; res same
1884
Oregon, Washington, Idaho Gazetteer and Business Directory lists as photographer (p
70)
1885 Aug 21
Albany (OR) Democrat news item Paxton sells his gallery to Crawford Brothers
1886 Feb 12
Albany (OR) Democrat news item J G Crawford has taken over the Paxton Gallery; in the same paper a small blurb announces that A B Paxton is planning a return to Albany and a partnership with Crawford
1888 Mar 25
Albany (OR) Democrat news item A B Paxton announces his intention to return to Albany
1888 Jul 18
(Harrisburg, OR) Morning Daily Herald news item J G Crawford of Paxton and Crawford plans to reopen a gallery in Harrisburg
1888 Jul 26
Morning Daily Herald A B Paxton has sold his interest in the gallery to J W Littler of Florida
1888 Sep 28
Albany (OR) Democrat Paxton and MJ Dakins have married oin Indiana and are returning to Albany, OR
1888 Nov 02
Morning Daily Herald ad for Crawford and Paxton studio
1889 Mar 21
Morning Daily Herald news item A B Paxton and Crawford are back in business
1889 Oct 24
Morning Daily Herald small ad for Crawford and Paxton
1890 Feb 24, Mar 12
Albany (OR) Daily Democrat small ad for Crawford and Paxton
1891 Feb 10
Albany (OR) Daily Democrat small ad for Crawford and Paxton
1892
Albany, OR, city directory as photographer again with Crawford at North side of 1st st
1895
Albany, (OR) Democrat news item about Crawford and Paxton Gallery moving again
1896 May 01
Albany (OR) Democrat news item C S Harnish is negotiating to buy Mr Paxton’s interest in the Crawford and Paxton Gallery; Paxton is said to be headed to Arizona for his health
1896 Aug 14
Albany (OR) Democrat news item Paxton has purchased J H Bratt’s photograph gallery taking possession on the following Monday
1899 Jan 06
Albany (OR) Democrat news item Paxton seriously ill in Spokane; has recently sold his business in Astoria
1902
New Castle, IN, Andrew Barton Paxton dies of chronic bronchitis at age 68
The cabinet card example shown above could have been made during one of several collaborations of the two photographers.
Albany (OR) Democrat - 21 Sep 1867
Albany (OR) Democrat - 09 Jan 1869
Albany (OR) Democrat - 04 Jun 1875
Albany (OR) Democrat - 12 Feb 1886
Albany (OR) Democrat - 12 Feb 1886
Albany (OR) Democrat - 25 May 1888
Morning Daily Herald - 26 Jul 1888
Albany (OR) Democrat - 28 Sep 1888
Morning Daily Herald - 21 mar 1889
Albany (OR) Democrat - 01 May 1896
Albany (OR) Democrat - 06 Jan 1899
Albany (OR) Democrat - 17 Aug 1906
photographer: Crawford and Paxton
Froman's Block, Albany, OR
finished between 1890 and 1895
example from mj aux on Flickr
photographer: Crawford and Paxton
First Street, Albany, OR
possibly finished around 1892
example from mj aux on Flickr
reverse of CDV at left
reverse of cdv at left
photographer" Paxton
538 Commercial St, Astoria, OR
example from mj aux on Flickr
(not a cabinet card)
photographer: Crawford and PaxtonAlbany, Oregon
example from auction site
photographer: Crawford and PaxtonAlbany, Oregon
example from auction site
photographer: Crawford and Paxton12 First Street. Albany. OR
example from auction site
photographer: Crawford and PaxtonAlbany, OR
Example from auction site
This page is free for educational and research purposes only but, as always, if the original owner of any of these examples objects to the use on this page, they will be immediately removed.
Wonderful work. A most impressive chronology.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much. If you have an example I will add it to the page.
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