Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
PLUMBE, John Jr.: Difference between revisions
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In 1830 Plumbe began writing ''Sketches of Iowa and Wisconsin''. Today only twenty-one copies of this one hundred-three book exist. When written it was to advertise the beauty and advantages of the new western lands. | In 1830 Plumbe began writing ''Sketches of Iowa and Wisconsin''. Today only twenty-one copies of this one hundred-three book exist. When written it was to advertise the beauty and advantages of the new western lands. | ||
Waiting for Congressional approval of his plan, Plumbe in 1840 returned to photography to pay his bills. One of the first practitioners of daguerreotype photography, he established a national reputation by entering photographic competitions and opening a chain of over twenty galleries called the Plumbe National Daguerrean Gallery. ( | Waiting for Congressional approval of his plan, Plumbe in 1840 returned to photography to pay his bills. One of the first practitioners of daguerreotype photography, he established a national reputation by entering photographic competitions and opening a chain of over twenty galleries called the Plumbe National Daguerrean Gallery. (7) His Dubuque gallery operated, by his brother Richard, was the first photographic establishment west of the Mississippi. Plumb manufactured and imported photographic materials, lectured to groups of new photographers at his United States Photographic Institute, and published dozens of lithographic prints of well-known Americans based on his daguerreotypes. (8) These prints were developed by a mechanical hand-engraving process Plumbe invented. He called these [[PLUMBEOTYPE]] pictures. (9) | ||
Plumbe briefly lived in Washington, D.C., and became the capital's first professional photographer. He took the earliest surviving photograph of the U. S. Capitol, the earliest picture of a president in office (James K. Polk), and thousands of portraits of important people. ( | Plumbe briefly lived in Washington, D.C., and became the capital's first professional photographer. He took the earliest surviving photograph of the U. S. Capitol, the earliest picture of a president in office (James K. Polk), and thousands of portraits of important people. (10) He pioneered brand name recognition by obtaining patent rights for color photography and published a magazine, "Plumbe's Popular Magazine," filled with illustrations based on his photographs. (11) Plumbe has been credited with being the first photographer to attempt a "famous portraits collection" and for franchising photo galleries. (12) | ||
To aid in financing the project, Plumbe proposed in 1847 that the government grant land in alternate sections along the route to companies involved in construction. For its assistance, the government would have perpetual free use of the road. In addition, Plumbe proposed a stock issue at ten dollars per share; the railroad would be managed by a board of directors; and missionaries, ministers and editors, among others, would be able to ride free. | To aid in financing the project, Plumbe proposed in 1847 that the government grant land in alternate sections along the route to companies involved in construction. For its assistance, the government would have perpetual free use of the road. In addition, Plumbe proposed a stock issue at ten dollars per share; the railroad would be managed by a board of directors; and missionaries, ministers and editors, among others, would be able to ride free. | ||
By 1848 Plumbe had suffered financial losses due to competition and mismanagement. ( | By 1848 Plumbe had suffered financial losses due to competition and mismanagement. (13) He sold his studio and equipment to his employees and returned to Dubuque. | ||
It was reported in 1849 that Plumbe, at his own expense, inspected a practical route for the railroad through South Pass. While in California, he served as a surveyor and register of the Settlers Association in Sacramento. He worked as a customs inspector for the port of San Francisco in 1852, entered California state politics, and continued to lobby Congress for a Pacific railroad. ( | It was reported in 1849 that Plumbe, at his own expense, inspected a practical route for the railroad through South Pass. While in California, he served as a surveyor and register of the Settlers Association in Sacramento. He worked as a customs inspector for the port of San Francisco in 1852, entered California state politics, and continued to lobby Congress for a Pacific railroad. (14) | ||
Plumbe returned to Dubuque in 1856 and with his brother Richard established a steam-powered mill near Cottage Hill, Iowa. They also opened a patent agency in Dubuque. ( | Plumbe returned to Dubuque in 1856 and with his brother Richard established a steam-powered mill near Cottage Hill, Iowa. They also opened a patent agency in Dubuque. (15) Besides writing five articles for the ''San Francisco Placer Times'' about transcontinental railroads, Plumbe lived quietly with his brother on the corner of Iowa and 14th [[STREETS]]. He was financially ruined by the Panic of 1857. | ||
It is suspected that the 1855 publication of the Pacific Railroad Surveys by the Secretary of War, reporting the same route Plumbe had originally described years earlier and his financial condition led Plumbe into depression and later suicide. | It is suspected that the 1855 publication of the Pacific Railroad Surveys by the Secretary of War, reporting the same route Plumbe had originally described years earlier and his financial condition led Plumbe into depression and later suicide. | ||
[[Image:plumbe2.jpg|left|thumb|150px|]]The location of Plumbe's grave was not known until 1975 because of the loss of burial records from 1857, the year of Plumbe's death. A distant relative produced documents showing that he had been buried in an unmarked grave in the Plumbe family plot at [[LINWOOD CEMETERY]]. Through efforts of Cliff Krainik of Arlington Heights, Illinois, the founder of the John Plumbe, Jr. Memorial Association and the [[DUBUQUE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY]] a five hundred dollar gravestone was dedicated at Plumbe's grave on Memorial Day in 1977. ( | [[Image:plumbe2.jpg|left|thumb|150px|]]The location of Plumbe's grave was not known until 1975 because of the loss of burial records from 1857, the year of Plumbe's death. A distant relative produced documents showing that he had been buried in an unmarked grave in the Plumbe family plot at [[LINWOOD CEMETERY]]. Through efforts of Cliff Krainik of Arlington Heights, Illinois, the founder of the John Plumbe, Jr. Memorial Association and the [[DUBUQUE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY]] a five hundred dollar gravestone was dedicated at Plumbe's grave on Memorial Day in 1977. (16) | ||
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5. Krainik, Clifford, "Sinipee, Atlantis on the Mississippi," http://www.geocities.com/old_lead/sinipee.htm | 5. Krainik, Clifford, "Sinipee, Atlantis on the Mississippi," http://www.geocities.com/old_lead/sinipee.htm | ||
6. Tigges, John, p. 27 | |||
7. The J. Paul Getty Museum, "John Plumb, Jr." http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artMakerDetails?maker=1979 | |||
8. Palmquist, p. 444 | |||
9. Alphonse Gallery, "Daguerreotypes: John Plumbe, Jr." http://alphonsegallery.zenfolio.com/plumbe | |||
10. Hudson, P. 412 | |||
11. Longden, Tom, "John Plumbe, Jr.," Des Moines, Register, http://data.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/famous-iowans/john-plumbe-jr | |||
12. Alphonse Gallery, http://alphonsegallery.zenfolio.com/plumbe | |||
13. Hudson, p. 412 | |||
14. Ibid. | |||
15. Ibid. | |||
16. Ibid. | |||
Revision as of 01:00, 14 December 2013
PLUMBE, John, Jr. (Wales, 1809-Dubuque, IA, May 29, 1857). Father of the transcontinental railroad. Plumbe emigrated to the United States in 1821 and settled in Dubuque in 1836 as a land speculator. (1) He purchased and sold several downtown lots by November of that year and the following year advertised property along the MISSISSIPPI RIVER. He later established the Wisconsin General Land Office in Dubuque. (2)
Using his pen name "Iowaian," Plumbe soon began promoting a railroad link to the Pacific coast. (3) Using his skills as a surveyor, cartographer, writer and speaker, Plumbe convinced audiences throughout the Midwest of the potential of RAILROADS in the West, while his brother ran their photography business. Plumbe also served as president of the Board of Trustees for the Village of Dubuque in 1837 and secretary of the Dubuque Literacy Association and the Temperance Society. In 1838 he drafted a resolution to Congress for improved postal routes.
In Dubuque on March 26, 1838, a committee of five, including Plumbe, wrote a petition to Congress describing their plan for a transcontinental railroad and giving reasons for its construction. Plumbe's booklet entitled Sketches of Iowa and Wisconsin described the potential of western lands in terms any marketing person would still admire. (4) Plumbe envisioned a connection between Lake Michigan and the MISSISSIPPI RIVER at or near Dubuque. (5) He could envision the political and economic opportunities railroads would bring to the nation.
In addition to photography, promoting the idea of the railroad, and writing, Plumbe was involved in surveying the proposed route from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi. He believed the "National Rail Road to Milwaukee" (sic) would end in Sinipee, Wisconsin Territory.
Sinipee was a town that existed only on paper, although the land belonged to Plumbe. In August 1838 the IOWA NEWS carried the following advertisement: (6)
The Sinipee Company is now prepared to furnish town
lots to purchasers on the most liberal terms. The very
favorable conditions upon which the company has resolved
to dispose of a limited portion of the lots, render it
important that early application be made by those wishing
to avail themselves thereof.
The November 10, 1838 Iowa News announced that a post office in Sinipee had been established with Plumbe the postmaster. All this is interesting because the government survey was not put into effect until March 1839.
In 1830 Plumbe began writing Sketches of Iowa and Wisconsin. Today only twenty-one copies of this one hundred-three book exist. When written it was to advertise the beauty and advantages of the new western lands.
Waiting for Congressional approval of his plan, Plumbe in 1840 returned to photography to pay his bills. One of the first practitioners of daguerreotype photography, he established a national reputation by entering photographic competitions and opening a chain of over twenty galleries called the Plumbe National Daguerrean Gallery. (7) His Dubuque gallery operated, by his brother Richard, was the first photographic establishment west of the Mississippi. Plumb manufactured and imported photographic materials, lectured to groups of new photographers at his United States Photographic Institute, and published dozens of lithographic prints of well-known Americans based on his daguerreotypes. (8) These prints were developed by a mechanical hand-engraving process Plumbe invented. He called these PLUMBEOTYPE pictures. (9)
Plumbe briefly lived in Washington, D.C., and became the capital's first professional photographer. He took the earliest surviving photograph of the U. S. Capitol, the earliest picture of a president in office (James K. Polk), and thousands of portraits of important people. (10) He pioneered brand name recognition by obtaining patent rights for color photography and published a magazine, "Plumbe's Popular Magazine," filled with illustrations based on his photographs. (11) Plumbe has been credited with being the first photographer to attempt a "famous portraits collection" and for franchising photo galleries. (12)
To aid in financing the project, Plumbe proposed in 1847 that the government grant land in alternate sections along the route to companies involved in construction. For its assistance, the government would have perpetual free use of the road. In addition, Plumbe proposed a stock issue at ten dollars per share; the railroad would be managed by a board of directors; and missionaries, ministers and editors, among others, would be able to ride free.
By 1848 Plumbe had suffered financial losses due to competition and mismanagement. (13) He sold his studio and equipment to his employees and returned to Dubuque.
It was reported in 1849 that Plumbe, at his own expense, inspected a practical route for the railroad through South Pass. While in California, he served as a surveyor and register of the Settlers Association in Sacramento. He worked as a customs inspector for the port of San Francisco in 1852, entered California state politics, and continued to lobby Congress for a Pacific railroad. (14)
Plumbe returned to Dubuque in 1856 and with his brother Richard established a steam-powered mill near Cottage Hill, Iowa. They also opened a patent agency in Dubuque. (15) Besides writing five articles for the San Francisco Placer Times about transcontinental railroads, Plumbe lived quietly with his brother on the corner of Iowa and 14th STREETS. He was financially ruined by the Panic of 1857.
It is suspected that the 1855 publication of the Pacific Railroad Surveys by the Secretary of War, reporting the same route Plumbe had originally described years earlier and his financial condition led Plumbe into depression and later suicide.
The location of Plumbe's grave was not known until 1975 because of the loss of burial records from 1857, the year of Plumbe's death. A distant relative produced documents showing that he had been buried in an unmarked grave in the Plumbe family plot at LINWOOD CEMETERY. Through efforts of Cliff Krainik of Arlington Heights, Illinois, the founder of the John Plumbe, Jr. Memorial Association and the DUBUQUE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY a five hundred dollar gravestone was dedicated at Plumbe's grave on Memorial Day in 1977. (16)
---
Source:
1. Palmquist, Peter E. and Kailbourn, Thomas R. Pioneer Photographers of the Far West: A Biographical Dictionary, 1840-1865, p. 444
2. Hudson, David; Bergman, Marvin; Horton, Loren. The Biographical Dictionary of Iowa. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2008, p. 411
3. Tigges, John. They Came From Dubuque, Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 1983, p. 23
4. Hudson, David et. al.
5. Krainik, Clifford, "Sinipee, Atlantis on the Mississippi," http://www.geocities.com/old_lead/sinipee.htm
6. Tigges, John, p. 27
7. The J. Paul Getty Museum, "John Plumb, Jr." http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artMakerDetails?maker=1979
8. Palmquist, p. 444
9. Alphonse Gallery, "Daguerreotypes: John Plumbe, Jr." http://alphonsegallery.zenfolio.com/plumbe
10. Hudson, P. 412
11. Longden, Tom, "John Plumbe, Jr.," Des Moines, Register, http://data.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/famous-iowans/john-plumbe-jr
12. Alphonse Gallery, http://alphonsegallery.zenfolio.com/plumbe
13. Hudson, p. 412
14. Ibid.
15. Ibid.
16. Ibid.
