This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Who Made the First Camera in America and Draper
A Hampden Sydney College relic and earlier records spark a debate over who produced the first American camera and the first successful living portrait. Draper’s work is tied to early daguerreotypes, with Seager and Walcott gaining credit for firsts. Taft’s study notes Draper’s pioneering methods and his portrait of his sister, Dorothy Draper, while leaving final honors disputed.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Elmo Scott Watson
Ote Gad
Venteras Newhower Union
Ut HO
America
Hampden
Sydney
John William Draper
Univerersity
Smithsonian Institution
Howard C. Cobbs
Charleston
W. Va
Cobbs
Sois
George W. Eastman
ING
Eastman Kodak Aft Company
J. H. Eric
Bagby
Draper
New York University
Hampden Es Tably
R Laper
de. Draper
Daguerre
Talbot
Union
Hampden Syd
S . Daguerre
Doaper
Dilpuérra
Virginia
Faper
Mande Dagouerre
Sh Fénchman
Mather
Migerenhy
MacMillan Phate of
New York
Robert
University of Kansas
Taft
Mihlibaeer
D. W. Seager
Seager
United States
Alexanders. Walcott
Walcott
John Johnson
Morse
Dr. Taft
Peter
Mass
Dorothy Catherine Draper
John C. W. Herschel
England
John FW. Herschel