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David G. and Karen D. Chapman collection of photographs of "Famous People of the Old West"

Call Number

PR 375

Date

circa 1872-1910, inclusive

Creator

Chapman, David G.

Extent

1.25 Linear feet (66 tintypes, 4 cartes-de-visite, and 3 cabinet photographs in a three-ring binder and a foamcore enclosure, housed in one flat box).

Language of Materials

English .

Abstract

A collection of 73 photographs purportedly depicting notorious gunfighters, famous lawmen, and other notable figures of the American Old West of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, such as Jesse James, "Doc" Holliday, Wyatt Earp, "Wild Bill" Hickok, and "Buffalo Bill" Cody. The collection was assembled and identified by the late David G. Chapman, an artist, photographer, and reenactor of lawman Bat Masterson. Includes an inventory with image dimensions and a report of compiled biographies of the subjects, and an unrelated, Victorian-era lace paper Valentine's Day card.

Biographical / Historical

The assembler of the present collection, David G. Chapman (deceased) was born in New York City, where he attended the High School of Art and Design (1960–1964) and the School of Visual Arts (1964–1968). As an artist he specialized in illustrating the human anatomy. As a collector of historic photographs he focused on notable figures from the American Old West. Chapman was also a costumed reenactor of lawman Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (1853–1921), basing his interpretation on the writings of Masterson scholar Robert K. DeArment. [For more on Chapman and his qualifications, see the curriculum vitae and letter at the front of the three-ring binder housing the present collection of photographs.]

Arrangement

The collection is housed in a single, flat box. Images 1 through 70, and 72–73 (called "items" in the container list, below) are stored in protective sheets in a three-ring binder. These images are affixed to their respective pages and may not be removed from the binder. Image 71, which is oversize, is protected by a foamcore enclosure and laid at the bottom of the box. Titles in the container list are copied from those given by the donors' inventory in Folder 1; in some cases these vary slightly from the identification stickers on the image sleeves, which occasionally expand a subject's name or supply fuller details. When available, the archivist has provided the accepted versions of each subject's name, plus his or her life dates, in a note following each item in the container list.

Scope and Contents

The David G. and Karen D. Chapman Collection of Photographs of "Famous People of the Old West" contains 66 tintypes, 4 cartes-de-visite, and 3 cabinet photographs, none of which bear markings or notations to reveal their subjects, but which the donors have identified as the following historical lawmen, outlaws, notable figures, and women who took part in the often violent settlement of the American Old West during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These identifications have not been confirmed.

Lawmen
• Charlie Bassett
• William Milton "Billy" Breakenridge (1846–1931)
• Timothy Isaiah Courtright, a.k.a. "Jim Courtright," "Longhair Jim," "Big Jim Courtright" (1848–1887)
• Lawrence Edward Deger (1845–1924)
• Virgil Walter Earp (1843–1905)
• Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (1848–1929)
• "Turkey Creek" Jack Johnson [John Blunt?] (1852–1887)
• Chris Madsen [Christen Madsen Rørmose] (1851–1944)
• Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (1853–1921)
• Edward John "Ed" Masterson (1852–1878)
• Michael Francis "Frank" McClain (1854–1902)
• Mike Meagher (1843–1881)
• Robert H. "Bob" Paul (1831–1901)
• Allan Pinkerton (1819–1884)
• John Henry Selman (1839–1896)
• Thomas James "Bear River" Smith (1830–1870)
• Dallas Stoudenmire (1845–1882)
• Henry Andrew "Heck" Thomas (1850–1912)
• Ben Thompson (1843–1884)
• William Matthew "Bill" Tilghman Jr. (1854–1924)

Outlaws
• William "Curly Bill" Brocius (1845–1882)
• Abraham G. Graham, a.k.a. "Shotgun John Collins" (1851–1922)
• Robert Newton Ford (1862–1892)
• John Wesley Hardin (1853–1895)
• Alexander Franklin "Frank" James (1843–1915)
• Jesse Woodson James (1847–1882)
• William Preston "Wild Bill" Longley (1851–1878)
• Luke L. Short (1854–1893)
• Frank C. Stilwell (1856–1882)
• John Wilson "Texas Jack" or "Shoot-Your-Eye-Out" Vermillion (1842–1911)

Notable figures
• Chalkley Beeson (1855–1912)
• William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody (1846–1917)
• James Cooksey Earp (1841–1926)
• Morgan Seth Earp (1851–1882)
• John Escapule (1856–1926)
• Camillus "Buck" Sydney Fly [C.S. Fly] (1849–1901)
• William H. Harris (1845–1895)
• James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok (1837–1876)
• Benjamin J. Hodges (1880–1920?)
• John Henry "Doc" Holliday (1851–1887)
• John Baker "Texas Jack" Omohundro (1846–1880)
• Charles H. "Colorado Charlie" Utter (circa 1838–1912)

Women
• Ellen "Nellie" Cashman (1845–1925)
• Celia Ann "Mattie" Blaylock [Earp] (1850–1888)
• Josephine Sarah "Sadie" (Marcus) Earp (1861–1944)
• Urilla (Sutherland) Earp (1850–1870)

Conditions Governing Access

Open to qualified researchers.

Photocopying undertaken by staff only. Limited to twenty exposures of stable, unbound material per day. (Researchers may not accrue unused copy amounts from previous days.)

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to reproduce any Print Room holdings through publication must be obtained from: Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 270. Fax: (212) 579-8794.

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as the David G. and Karen D. Chapman Collection of Photographs of "Famous People of the Old West," PR-375, Department of Prints, Photographs, and Architectural Collections, The New-York Historical Society.

Immediate Source of Acquisition: Tintypes and supporting documentation

Gift of Karen D. Chapman, Thomas A. Chapman, and Heidi D. Bravo, September 2018 (accession no. PPAC-2018-051).

Credit line for exhibitions: "Gift of David G. and Karen D. Chapman."

Immediate Source of Acquisition: Valentine's Day card

Gift of Karen D. Chapman, 2019 (accession no. PPAC-2019-010).

Credit line for exhibitions: "Gift of Karen D. Chapman and family in memory of the Lane, Driscoll, and Chapman families of Beverly, Massachusetts."

Collection processed by

Joseph Ditta

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 15:47:39 -0400.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: English

Processing Information

Processed by Joseph Ditta, December 2018-January 2019.

Repository

New-York Historical Society
New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024