Description
Collection consists of family photographs of
John Pitcher Spooner family and papers of John Pitcher Spooner and Fred K.
Spooner. John Pitcher Spooner's papers include family correspondence, notes, a
sea voyage sketchbook and genealogy notes (1857-1917). Fred Spooner's papers
include school papers and reminiscences of steamboat crew members and childhood
experiences (1920s).
Background
John Pitcher Spooner was born in New Bedford, Mass. (1845) and went to
sea at an early age. After several voyages he settled in San Francisco, Calif.
(1864), where he took a job with Bradley-Rulofson Photographers. After fifteen
years with this firm he married one of his models, Sarah Elizabeth Williams,
and opened his own studio in Stockton, Calif. (1879). Spooner's glass plate
photographs and stereo views of Stockton constitute a valuable record of the
city's appearance during the last quarter of the 19th century. Spooner retired
in 1901. He had two children, John Jr., a civil engineer, and Susan Spooner
White, a teacher.
Restrictions
Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as
the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the
researcher.