George Esson

Other Events:

• Interesting: photography, education,
• Residence: 114 Queen St. N, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-352347
• Occupation: 1851, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Bookbinder
• Residence: 1851, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Episcopalian
• Occupation: 1861, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Artist
• Residence: 1861, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Church of England
• Occupation: 1871, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Photographic Artist
• Occupation: 1881, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Photographer

Notes:

Died Esson -- On Saturday, March 11, 1893. George Esson, aged 76 years, 11 months and 11 days. Funeral The funeral will leave the residence of his son-in-law, Mr. John Wolfe, Durham St., Walkerton, for St. Thomas Church, & thence to the Cemetery at 3.30 o'clock on Monday afternoon, the 13th inst. Friends and acquaintances will please accept this intimation.

Funeral Card

___________________

George Esson is known as one of Preston's pioneers in photography and is the father of James Esson of the Canada's elite photographers of the 19th century. He also was at times a book-binder, telegraph operator, school teacher and peddler. He entered the photography occupation in the 1840's. He returned to Scotland in 1840 through 1850 to photograph a series of landscapes. He opened about 1852 a dauerreotype gallery his home at 113 Queen St., in Preston which he operated until about 1874 when his son James took control.

Cambridge Mosaic , Jim Quantrell, 1998, City of Cambridge [abbreviated snippet from original text in book]

George — Jane Jordan "Jenny" Elliott. Jane was born CALC 30 Jun 1827, , Scotland; died 19 Jun 1919, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-77948
• Residence: 1851, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Episcopalian

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-259189

Other Events:

• Name: Eliza Jane Esson
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-79263
• Residence: 1851, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Episcopalian

Other Events:

• Business: 113 Queen Street, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; photography studio
• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176186019
• Interesting: photography
• Eby ID Number: 00023-1753.1
• Occupation: 1881, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Photographer
• Business: 1884, 105 King Street, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; photography studio
• Occupation: 1891, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; photographer
• Residence: 1891, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist
• Occupation: 1901, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Photographer
• Occupation: 1911, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Photographer
• Residence: 1911, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Catholic
• Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region: Bef 2012, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

James like his father was a photographer, he taking over from his father in 1874. He was known as an artist photographer and took many stereoscopic pictures that were very popular in the 19th century. He portraits were reknown and many of Canada's elite chose him to make their formal photographs. He left Preston in 1920 after a fall in 1916 forced his retirement.

Cambridge Mosaic , Jim Quantrell, 1998, City of Cambridge [abbreviated snippet from original text in book]

_________________

James Esson of Preston was one of Canada's best known and most accomplished portrait photographers. His father, George Esson, was one of the first photographers in Canada in the 1840s.

His first studio was in the old family homestead, 113 Queen Street. In 1884 he built at 105 King Street one of the finest portrait studios in Canada at that time. He travelled to many parts of Ontario taking architectural and scenic views for stereopticons.

Before the days of the automobile, distinguished people of many professions came to have their portraits taken by him. He also did miniatures on ivory for lockets and brooches after the style of the seventeenth century.

He photographed the Marquis of Lorne and the Princess Louise while the Marquis was Governor-General of Canada and while they were visiting at Cruikston Park. Esson retired in 1916.

Waterloo Region Hall of Fame

_________________

Eason, James, portrait and stereoscopic artist, dealer in stereoscopic views, &c. Is a Canadian by birth, and has resided here since 1855.

Illustrated Atlas of the County of Waterloo, H. Parsel & Co., Toronto - 1881 (Village of Preston entries)

_________________________

ESSON'S ATELIER, Preston, Ontario

It is fact beyond dispute that this is one of the best equipped galleries in the Dominion, and for fine work is unsurpassed in America. It is patronized by the best people from all parts of the Dominion. Mr. Esson enjoys the distinction of being photo artist to royalty, hence for fine work, there is no reason why we should go elsewhere. He has the high reputation for producing the finest steroscopic views of natural scenery, and his comic slides are in great variety, so with his rare novelties in the photographic art line, and like his Atelier, enjoy a wide popularity in Canada and Great Britain. Call and see his work. You are welcome. Private engagements if required. Telephone and electric car convienence.

1897 Jubilee Souvenir of Galt

Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region:
James Esson; Inducted 1995

James Esson was born on 10 Aug 1853, one of six children of noted Preston photographer George Esson and his wife Jane. The elder Esson opened a daguerre type gallery in about 1852 and continued with it until 1870 when his son James took over the business apparently first operating it from the family home on Queen Street.

James Esson quickly made a name for himself as an "artist", that is, someone who "creates" a picture as opposed to someone who merely "takes" a picture. His first subjects were architectural and scenic views, subjects which later formed the basis of his famous stereoscopic views that were so popular in the late 19th century.

In 1878 an advertisement in the "County of Waterloo Gazetteer and Directory" announced "James Esson Photographer, Publisher and dealer in Stereoscopic Views, C.D.V. Statuary, Monumental and Headstone Designs. Queen Street - Preston - Ontario." Within three years Mr. Esson had added "portrait artist" to his list.

In 1884, at the age of 30, Mr Esson opened a studio at 105 King Street naming it the Atelier. So excellent was his work that he soon attained a reputation for excellence and attracted to his studio patrons of political and social distinction from as far away as Ottawa and Montreal. The Marquis of Lorne and Princess Louise, members of the Senate and Commons, famous stage artists and prominent ladies and gentlemen were numbered among Mr Esson's clients.

His reputation brought Preston, which was elsewhere described as "not indicative of much energy or enterprise", a certain distinction and his famous "Atelier" became one of Preston's prominent commercial buildings. As such, it was featured as an individual illustration on a bird's-eye view map of Preston published c.1895. In May 1892 the Atelier was described in "The Canadian Photographic Journal" as "three storeys high, built of red brick and trimmed with Credit Valley brownstone". Visitors to the Atelier first entered the office, which is described as "a cosy cheerful looking" fairly spacious room. "The counter, desk, screen and wainscotting, all of which are quartered oak, are beautifully carved from special designs". A "massive oak stairway" led to the bright studio with ample natural light allowed to enter through a skylight of "ground glass". Mr Esson's exclusive use of natural light added a special feel to his photographs and earned him the nickname "The Lightman".

In the late 1870's and the early 1880's, Mr Esson travelled across Canada and the United States taking hundreds of stereoviews of landscapes, buildings, street scenes and parks that were arranged into some 15 geographic or thematic series including cities such as Toronto, Guelph and Galt and scenes of the Muskoka District, the Northern Lakes, the Thousand Islands, Central Park in New York, and what he described as "Picturesque America", "Picturesque Canada" and "Gems of Statuary".

Mr Esson used a binocular camera fitted with two lenses several inches apart to record the same scene from slightly different angles roughly corresponding to the perspective of human eyes. The resultant double image would then produce a three-dimensional result when viewed through a stereoscope, a common appliance in Victorian households. It has been noted that Mr Esson was one of only a very small number of Canadian photographers to produce the stereoviews that were common in both Britian and the United States at the time. It is estimated that Mr Esson's collection, including stereoviews, numbered in the vicinity of 5000 images, of which only a fraction now remain.

Through these stereoviews Mr Esson gained a "world-wide" reputation as a landscape photographer and these photographs combined with his portrait photographs created a body of work that placed him, in the eyes of many, among the foremost photographers of his day.

A fall suffered in 1916 forced Mr Esson into retirement and he asked his nephew, Elliot Law to take over his business. In 1920, Mr Esson decided to leave Preston, sold his "Atelier" and moved to Toronto. He died there on 12 Sept. 1933 and is buried in Prospect Cemetery.

Cambridge Archives and Records Centre

James married Martha Anne Clemens 6 Feb 1876, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Martha (daughter of John Clemens and Mary Ann Henry) was born 1850, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

James married Janet B. "Jennie" "Jennet" Burkland 3 Mar 1913, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Janet was born 1867, Windsor, Essex Co., Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Georgina Wolfe
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-111941

Georgina — John Wolfe. John was born CA 1856; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Maggie Esson
• Name: Margaret Law
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-352352
• Residence: 1882, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Margaret married Thomas Law 10 May 1882, Woodstock, Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada. Thomas (son of John Law and Sarah) was born 1852, Oswego, Oswego, New York, USA; died 7 Feb 1897, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-111940

Jennie — Glebe. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Ethel Bell Crippen
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-352355

Ethel married Edward A. Crippen 23 May 1910, Hamilton, Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada. Edward was born Abt 1872; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-352354
• Birth: 26 Mar 1886

Notes:

Birth:
From Birth Record

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-89691
• Occupation: 1901, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Clerk
• Occupation: 1911, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer, Bakery
• Residence: 1911, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist

William — Mary A. Evans. Mary (daughter of Thomas James Evans and Katherine "Katie" Denges) was born 5 May 1891, , Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Interesting: photography, life story, business
• Occupation: Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; photographer
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-352357
• Residence: 1985, 55 Brant Road South, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

LAW, Elliot John At Cambridge Memorial Hospital, on Tuesday, Dec. 24, 1985, Elliot John Law, of 55 Brant Rd. S., Cambridge, in his 95th year. Predeceased by his wife, Clare Kirkpatrick; dear father of William and his wife Betty of Cambridge, Helen and her husband Martin Ross of Cobourg. Also survived by grandchildren, Susan, Michael, Peter, Cathy and William. Predeceased by a granddaughter, Rebecca Jane. Mr. Law started his photography career at the well known studio of his uncle, James Esson of Cambridge (P) and operated Law Photography in Cambridge (G) since 1920. He was past president of the Professional Photographers of Ontario and a past director of the Professional Photographers of America. He was the first Canadian to receive the degree of Master of Photography. A charter member of the Galt Kiwanis Club, he was also a member of the Preston Masonic Lodge. Friends will be received at Little's Funeral Home, 39 Grand Ave. N., Cambridge, on Thursday (today), from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Funeral service at the funeral home on Friday, Dec. 27, 1985, at 2 p.m. Interment Preston cemetery.

Kitchener-Waterloo Record 26 Dec 1985 pg D23

___________________________

Born in Walkerton, Ontario, Elliot Law was a nephew of famed Preston photographer James Esson and the grandson of Preston's first photographer George Esson. In 1912, Mr. Law moved to Toronto to work. It was there that he met and married Clare Kirkpatrick. He returned to Preston in 1916 to take over the management of the James Esson Studio. In 1920 Mr. Law purchased the Galt photography studio of Robert Darragh and operated the business under the name of Law Photography for over forty years before turning it over to his son William Law. Described by renowned Canadian photographer Yosef Karsh as one of the finest photographers in Canada, Elliot Law served as president of the Professional. Photographers of America for three years and was the first Canadian to receive the degree of Master of Photography from that organization. He was subsequently made an Honourary Life Member of the Professional Photographers of America. He was a charter member of the Galt Kiwanis Club and received his 50 year pin from the club in 1968. Mr. Law died on December 24, 1985 and is buried in Preston Cemetery.

Cambridge Mosaic, Jim Quantrell, 1998, City of Cambridge

Elliott — Clare E. Kirkpatrick. Clare was born 1894; died 1979; was buried , Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

William — Betty. [Group Sheet]