Burns Jr., Peter (1848-1918)
/Hugh S. Anderson’s Portrait Photograph of Peter Burns Jr.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:
HUGH S. ANDERSON was born in 1826 in Scotland and died in 1900 in San Francisco, California. He was active in Petaluma as early as January 1872, and he departed Petaluma in December 1873. His Sunbeam Gallery was located, “At the Old Stand, Opposite H. C. Taft & Co.’s”. (For additional information on this photographer and to view all portraits by him in the collection, click on his name in blue above.)
THE SITTER:
Name: Peter Burns Jr.
Description: Peter Burns Jr. was 24 or 25 years old when this portrait was taken. He appears as a very handsome, young gentleman. He sports a large, well-groomed, walrus mustache, and his dark hair is oiled, combed and parted on his left. He wears a jacket and matching vest; both have very large, fashionable lapels. The fabric of his jacket and vest appears to be suede or a heavy felted wool. The collar of his jacket is in a contrasting, darker color. He also wears a white shirt and dark bow tie.
Biographical Note: Peter Burns Jr. was born in 1848 in Pennsylvania and died at age 70 in 1918 in Santa Rosa while residing with his sister, Anna “Annie” J. Burns Howell. His obituary claims that by 1918, he had been a resident of California for 60 years. Although raised on his family farm on Sonoma Mountain, he lived most of his adult life in Petaluma, residing at the home of his sister-in-law, Mrs. Ellen Burns on West Washington Street. He was a partner in the farming and stock raising business Howell & Burns until October, 1887 when it was dissolved. It was reported Burns was a skilled marksman and avid hunter.
Family Affiliation: Peter Burns Jr. was the son of Petaluma pioneers Peter Burns (Byrne) (b. 1815) and Elizabeth Weir Burns (b. 1815). His brother was John Weir Burns (1845-1897) who operated one of Petaluma’s early grocery stores. It was located in East Petaluma on the corner of Washington and Bremen streets. See the portrait of Peter Burns Jr.’s nephew, John Francis “Frank” Burns (1870-1950), the son of John Weir Burns and his wife, Ellen Millane Burns (1848-1924). Peter Burns Jr. never married.
Bibliography:
THE PHOTOGRAPH:
Format / Size: carte de visite, approximately 6.25 x 10.5 cm
Medium: albumen photographic print mounted on cardstock
Description, front: This portrait is contained within a vertical oval, and the surrounding area is marbled paper.
Description, back: Handwritten along the top in script in pencil is, “Peter Burnes”. Hugh Anderson’s imprint appears below this text. Anderson created several versions of his Petaluma imprint. A simpler, possibly earlier, version appears here. It is printed in black ink and includes only three lines of text, each in a different font. Horizontally flipped, elaborate flourishes surround the text.
Date: January 1872 to December 1873
Condition: There are several stains above the sitter’s head and scuffs on the sitter’s right lapel.
Owner: Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 1978-666-03
Reproduction rights: The Petaluma Museum Association makes no assertions as to ownership of any original copyrights to the digitized images here reproduced. These images are intended for personal or research use only. Any other kind of use, including, but not limited to commercial or scholarly publication in any medium or format, public exhibition, or use online or in a web site, may be subject to additional restrictions including but not limited to the copyrights held by parties other than the Association. USERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for determining the existence of such rights and for obtaining any permissions and/or paying associated fees necessary for the proposed use.