Photographs of Edward Schieffelin's Prospecting Trip in Alaska: Finding
Aid
Finding aid prepared by Michelle Sanchez.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Photo Archives
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2013
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Overview of the Collection
Title: Photographs of Edward Schieffelin's Prospecting Trip in Alaska
Dates: 1882-1883
Collection Number: photCL 264
Creator:
Farciot, Charles O., photographer
Extent: 45 photographs in 1 album; album 24 x 30 cm. (9 x 12 in.)
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Photo Archives
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection of photographs taken by Charles O. Farciot documents Edward Schieffelin’s gold prospecting trip through Alaska
via the Yukon River in 1882 and 1883.
Views include many close portraits of Alaskan natives and their families; the towns of St. Michael, Nuklukayet, and Anvik;
trading stations; Schieffelin and his dog sled team; and Fort
Yukon missionaries interacting with Alaskan natives.
Language: English.
Note:
Finding aid last updated on October 16, 2014.
Access
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Administrative Information
Publication Rights
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obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
Photographs of Edward Schieffelin's Prospecting Trip in Alaska. The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Provenance
Gift of M.C. Erskine in 1925.
Biographical Note
Charles O. Farciot was born in Switzerland in 1840 and became a United States citizen in 1858. In the course of his life,
Farciot learned enough to
become a photographer and steamship engineer. After opening photography studios in Arizona, he met Edward Schieffelin, the
founder of Tombstone, Arizona.
Schieffelin, who was interested in searching for gold in the Yukon, took Farciot along as part of his gold prospecting party
to Alaska in 1882.
Discouraged by the harsh environment, Schieffelin left in 1883, but Farciot stayed behind to work as a steamship engineer
on the Yukon River until
at least 1886. Upon leaving Alaska, Farciot opened photograph studios in San Francisco.
Scope and Content
This album contains 45 photographs taken by Charles O. Farciot that document Edward Schieffelin's gold prospecting trip through
Alaska via the Yukon River in
1882 and 1883. Views include many close portraits of Alaskan natives and their families; the towns of St. Michael, Nuklukayet,
and Anvik; Fort Yukon; Fort Reliance;
trading posts; Schieffelin and his dog sled team; and Fort Yukon missionaries interacting with Alaskan natives; various steamships,
including the "New Racket";
the Yukon River; Alaskan native chieftains and shamans; a group of the only Caucasian men in St. Michael; and one view of
an Inuit cemetery.
The photographs are mounted double-sided into an accordion fold book album. There are typeset captions, probably created by
photographer Charles Farciot.
Some refer to photographic exposure and timing.
Related materials in the Huntington Library
Indexing Terms
Subjects
Schieffelin, Edward, 1847-1897 -- Photographs.
Dogsledding -- Photographs.
Indians of North America -- Alaska -- Photographs.
Missionaries -- Photographs.
Prospecting -- Photographs.
Shamans -- Photographs.
Steamboats -- Photographs.
Tanana Indians -- Photographs.
Inuit -- Photographs.
Alaska -- Photographs.
Fort Yukon (Alaska) -- Photographs.
Nushagak (Alaska) -- Photographs.
Saint Michael (Alaska) -- Photographs.
Saint Paul Island (Alaska) -- Photographs.
Yukon River (Yukon and Alaska) -- Photographs.
Forms/Genres
Photograph Albums.
Photographs.
Portraits.
Volume 1
Album (Photographs 1-45)
The album is digitized in the Huntington Digital Library.
Volume 1, Item 1
[Portrait of Edward Schieffelin, 1882]
Volume 1, Item 2
Steamer “New Racket” at the wharf of St. Michael, two hours before the departure for the Yukon River
Volume 1, Item 3
All the white men of San Michael and the Yukon River [Back row, left to right: John Waldron; John R. Forbes; Arthur Harper;
Capt. Al Mayo; Capt. Charles Peterson; Joseph La Due; John Franklin; Fred Mercier. First two men at far left, back to front:
John C. Smith; Moses Lurens. Three men at far right, left to right: A.S. Frederickson; Dr. W.E. Everette; Gregory Kokerine.]
Volume 1, Item 5
Wharf and rear of San Michael. Indian camping grounds, while they are waiting for the arrival of Steamer “St. Paul,” to assist
unloading. June, 1884 [1883 is the correct year; Schieffelin left Alaska just before 1884.].
Volume 1, Item 6
Rear view of San Michael [Fred Mercier (left) and unidentified man with camera and tripod]
Volume 1, Item 7
Upper Yukon Indians. Esquimaux [Esquimo]
Volume 1, Item 8
The oldest Chamon [Shaman], or Medicine Man, in Northern sound
Volume 1, Item 9
Nuchigak [Nushagak] chief
Volume 1, Item 11
Tananah Indian squaw returning from a hunt
Volume 1, Item 12
Keokuck [probably Koyukuk] Chamon [Shaman] or Medicine Man [Name is “Red Shirt”]
Volume 1, Item 13
Ivan, Chief of the Tananah Indians
Volume 1, Item 15
The Black Showman [Shaman?] of the Tananah
Volume 1, Item 16
Sinate, Chief of Fort Yukon Indians
Volume 1, Item 17
Indians cutting fire-wood for Steamer, two miles from Fort Yukon
Volume 1, Item 18
The remains of Fort Yukon. Rev. Dr. Sims, Missionary. Harper, trader for the Alaska Com. Co. [1883]
Volume 1, Item 19
Charlie, chief of what is known as Charlie’s Band; 1600 miles up the Yukon River
Volume 1, Item 20
Tananah Indians [Kheeltat, his son, and Deshaddy]
Volume 1, Item 21
Rv. [Reverend] Dr. Sims preaching to the Indians at Fort Reliance, Aug. 18, 1883.
Volume 1, Item 22
First appearance of winter—short days. View taken at 12 M. [midnight], 60 seconds exposure, rapid dry plates
Volume 1, Item 23
First appearance of winter—short days. View taken at 12 M. [midnight], 60 seconds exposure, rapid dry plates [Variant of
photograph 22]
Volume 1, Item 24
Winter. Ed. Schieffelin feeding his dogs.
Volume 1, Item 25
Ed. Schieffelin starting on a prospecting tour
Volume 1, Item 26
Winter, Nuklakahyet [Nuklukayet]
Volume 1, Item 27
Winter, Nuklakahyet [Nuklukayet]
Volume 1, Item 28
Winter fish trap on the Yukon
Volume 1, Item 29
House constructed by the Schieffelin party at Nuklakyat [Nuklukayet], 950 miles above the mouth of the Yukon River
Volume 1, Item 30
Indian cemetery. Indians on snow shoes
Volume 1, Item 31
Steamer Yukon in a slough while the ice is passing down the river
Volume 1, Item 32
Spring. Steamers St. Michael, Yukon, and New Racket
Volume 1, Item 33
Tananah Indians in canoes, as seen from a distance, coming down to trade at Nuklakahyet [Nuklukayet] in the spring.
Volume 1, Item 34
Five minutes later [Variant of photograph 33]
Volume 1, Item 35
Indians landed [Variant of photograph 34]
Volume 1, Item 36
Steam launch built by Chas. [Charles] O. Farciot, 1000 miles above the mouth of the Yukon
Volume 1, Item 37
Nuklakahyet trading station [Alaskan natives standing in front of building]
Volume 1, Item 40
In winter quarters after a trip of 2500 miles in Bydarkee [Bidarka], or Indian skin boat
Volume 1, Item 41
Portage of 150 miles, from the Behring [Bering] Sea across the mountains, to the Yukon River. Started from the Signal Service
Office at San Michael Feb. 3, 36° below zero
Volume 1, Item 42
Traveling with dogs, without snow-shoes
Volume 1, Item 43
Fifty degrees below zero. The only photo ever taken on a trip of this kind. [Men with dogs and sled]
Volume 1, Item 44
Antwick [Anvik] trading station
Volume 1, Item 45
House almost buried in the snow, only the roof appearing, the home of four families. Looking down the Yukon from the village
of Antwick [Anvik].