JOHN J. GIBSON (1851-1902)
OFFICIAL PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER
CHICAGO COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION-1893
DEPARTMENT STORE ENTREPRENEUR
CANADIAN/AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER
BY THOMAS YANUL, COPYRIGHT - PAGE 1
J.J. GIBSON WAS BORN IN A THEN SUBURB OF LONDON, ONTARIO,CANADA IN 1851. HIS APPRENTICESHIP IN PHOTOGRAPHY CAME LOCALLY, AND IN 1870 HE MOVED TO MICHIGAN AND BEGAN THE PRACTICE OF PHOTOGRAPHY.  IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS HE HAD BECOME SOMEWHAT OF AN ENTREPRENEUR BUYING STUDIOS, HIRING MANAGERS, AND MOVING FREQUENTLY BETWEEN CITIES. IN THE MID 1880'S HE MOVED TO ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN , MARRIED A YPSILANTI GIRL, AND IN A FEW YEARS BEGAN HIS  QUEST FOR A POSITION AT THE CHICAGO COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION -  FINALLY FULFILLED AS OFFICIAL PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER.
FOLLOWING THE EXPOSITION HE SET UP SHOP IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO AND BECAME A PRE-EMINENT P0RTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER TO THE MIDDLE AND UPPER CLASSES. IT WAS AN UPSCALE STUDIO WHICH SOON BECAME A STOCK CORPORATION.  HIS BENT FOR OWNERSHIP OF OTHER STUDIOS CONTINUED, AND HE  BECAME, DERIDINGLY KNOWN AMONGST SOME OF HIS PEERS, AS THE "DEPARTMENT STORE PHOTOGRAPHER".
SETTING UP CONCESSIONS IN ROTHCHILDS AND SIEGEL-COOPER IN CHICAGO, KAUFMANNS IN PITTSBURGH, AND BLOOMINGDALES IN NEW YORK CITY. NOT ALWAYS SMOOTH OPERATIONS, BUT APPARENTLY LUCRATIVE FROM THE CORPORATION VIEW.
UNFORTUNATELY AT THE TURN OF THE 20TH C. HE BECAME ILL WITH TUBERCULOSOUS, EVENTUALLY DYING OCTOBER 8, 1902.  HIS WIFE, MAY, CONTINUED THE BUSINESSES FOR SOME 9 OR 10 YEARS EVENTUALLY BOWING OUT FROM THE  PRESSURES OF INFIGHTING, EMPLOYEE THEFT, AND GENERAL BUSINESS DIFFICULTIES.

DAGUERREOTYPE PORTRAIT OF
JOHN JEFFERSON GIBSON, CA. LATE 1860'S
COLL. AUTHOR

ABOVE , J.J. GIBSON'S COFFIN IN THE HOME, BEDECKED WITH FLOWERS.
RIGHT- A FLORAL TRIBUTE WITH HIS PHOTO

IN THE SUCCEDDING PAGES I HOPE TO LAY OUT THIS INTERESTING, TALENTED BUT SHORT LIVED PHOTOGRAPHER'S KNOWN LIFE AND WORK AS BEST I CAN.

A BRIEF CHRONOLGY

JOHN JEFFERSON GIBSON,  CA. 1886
TO CONTACT AUTHOR