Anderson, Hugh S.

HUGH S. ANDERSON was born in 1826 in Scotland and died in 1900 in San Francisco, California. He worked as an ambrotypist and paper photographer in Eureka, Hydesville, and San Francisco, California before opening his “Sunbeam Gallery” in Petaluma. According to the Petaluma Weekly Argus, Anderson was operating his gallery in Petaluma as early as January 1872. Between February 1873 and October 1873 Anderson advertised his gallery in the Petaluma newspapers as located, “At the Old Stand, Opposite H. C. Taft & Co.’s”. By December 1873 Anderson’s “Sunbeam Gallery” was taken over by Noble & Fell. By 1876, Anderson had returned to San Francisco to work as a photographer for William Shew. Later in his life, Anderson worked as a photographic supply salesman and a manufacturer of cameras.

Petaluma Photographic Studio: Anderson operated his “Sunbeam Gallery”, “At the Old Stand, Opposite H.C. Taft & Co.’s”, 649 Main Street.

Active in Petaluma: c. January 1872 - c. December 1873

Bibliography: Carl Mautz, Biographies of Western Photographers, A Reference Guide to Photographers Working in the 19th Century American West, Expanded and Revised Edition, 2018, p. 100; Peter E. Palmquist and Thomas R. Kailbourn, Pioneer Photographers of the Far West, Stanford University Press, 2000, pp. 82-84; Peter Palmquist, “Hugh S. Anderson,” Daguerreian Annual, Lake Charles, LA, Daguerreian Society, 1991, pp. 247-51; https://digital.sonomalibrary.org/about/photographers; Petaluma Weekly Argus, Jan. 27, 1872, p.3; Petaluma Evening Argus, Feb. 18, 1873, p. 1; Petaluma Weekly Argus, Dec. 5, 1873, p. 2; Petaluma Weekly Argus, Dec. 19, 1873, p.2.

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