John C. H. Grabill Explained

John C. H. Grabill
Birth Date:1849
Birth Place:Donnelsville, Ohio, United States
Death Place:Saint Louis, Missouri, United States
Occupation:Photographer
Genre:American Indian Wars, Sioux, early Indian Reservation Period, Western Americana
Notableworks:Photographs of the early Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, the Sioux Indians, the aftermath of the Wounded Knee Massacre[1]
Spouse:
†1917
Children:Ralph Gillespie Grabill (–)[2] [3] [4]

John C. H. Grabill (1849[5] – 23 August 1903) was an American photographer, known for his historical photographs, most of which were taken in South Dakota. He was born at Donnelsville, Ohio in 1849, the youngest son of David Grabill, a carpenter by his wife Catherine, née Kay.[6] [7] By 1860 the family had relocated to Champaign, Illinois[8] where Grabill spent his formative years. He was involved in mining in Pitkin and Chaffee Counties in Colorado.

Grabill had studios in Buena Vista, Colorado, Sturgis, Deadwood, Lead City and Hot Springs, South Dakota and Chicago, Illinois. He was the official photographer of the Black Hills and Fort Pierre Railroad and the Homestake Mining Company in South Dakota.[9] Between 1887 and 1892 Grabill sent 188 photographs to the Library of Congress for copyright protection. These photographs are now in the public domain.[10]

Mining

Grabill was involved in mining and prospecting in the Aspen, Climax and Buena Vista, Colorado area as early as 1880.[11] [12] [13] He was the owner, with partner H. McCall, of the Mammouth and Vallejo mines on Aspen Mountain.[14] He was involved in placer mining in Chaffee County as early as 1883.[15] Grabill had an assay office in Buena Vista, which burned down in 1883.[16] He opened a second office only a short time later in a different building.[17] [18] Grabill grubstaked Nelson ("Nels") Wanemaker to stake three claims on Mount Antero for gold. Nelson Wanemaker is credited with the discovery of aquamarine and other beryllium minerals on Mount Antero in Chaffee County.[19] Grabill was also in the electroplating business.[20] Grabill was a Templar.[21] Kenneth Hartley took over the assay office in 1886.[22]

On October 3, 1885 Grabill married Margaret "Maggie" Gillespie,[23] formerly of Illinois, a teacher.[24] [3]

Photography

One of Grabill's earliest known photographs shows his photography studio and mining exchange in Buena Vista.[25] He opened a photographic studio in Buena Vista in December 1885.[26] He is noted in the local paper as producing fine photographs in March 1886.[27]

In June 1886 Grabill set off on a photographic expedition to the Northwest.[28] In July 1886, on a trip to Fort Fetterman, Rapid City and other points north for the benefit of his health, Grabill suddenly became very sick in Cheyenne and Mrs. Grabill traveled to Cheyenne to help him.[29] [30] Before opening his studio in Sturgis, he went on a "typographical tour that included Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas and Texas but found no country that pleased him better than the Hills".[31] Grabill bought the McIntyre building in Sturgis, South Dakota and remodeled it as a residence and photographic studio in November 1886.[32]

In 1889 the local papers reported that Grabill was moving to Chicago.[33] [34] Grabill returned to the Hills and opened a new studio in Deadwood in 1891.[35] Many articles about Grabill appear in the local papers through 1892. Many of these mention his travels to take photographs, such as his famous photographs taken during the "Indian troubles"[36] in eastern South Dakota. These are so specific that one could actually date many of his prints. Others say that he was traveling to Hot Springs, Fort Robinson, Lead, Chadron and other locations to start studios.

He was defrauded of significant money by Frank Knapp.[37]

In October 1890 Grabill traveled to Devils Tower to get signatures on a petition to create a Devil's Tower National Monument. This was presented to the President, Congress and Secretary of the Interior.[38]

He was in court in 1891 for menacing John M. Watson with a pistol to get him to leave the studio but Watson alleged that he also menaced him with it on the street.[39] Charges against Grabill for assault, filed by Watson, were dismissed as well as a larceny charge against Watson by Grabill but Grabill was put under bonds in the sum of $100 to keep the peace and taxed $20 costs. Grabill was also fined $1 and $24 costs for carrying concealed weapons on a complaint made by Watson.[40] He was in a fight on Main Street with two of his former employees, George Winchester and W. R. Locke.[41] He was the victim of a theft by a man named Hilton. The article alleges that various things, such as photographic prints were stolen from the studio.[42] While Grabill was in Hot Springs three of his employees, Mr. Rogan, Hugh Callaly and Sadie Clayton, quit. He telegraphed Marshall Garr to take charge of the Gallery quickly, alleging that these people were stealing from him. Marshall Garr closed the studio but under orders from Justice Hall to satisfy a fine and costs of $25 he closed it and placed Joseph Richardson there to guard it.[43]

In April 1891 Grabill incorporated the Grabill Portrait and View Company to succeed the business of Mr. Grabill. The company issued 1,000 shares of stock with a par value of $10,000. The company was to start studios in New York, Boston, Baltimore, Chicago and Omaha. This was to allow Grabill to take photographs rather than run the business.[44]

During this time there were rumors that he had incurred significant debt starting these other studios and that he was insolvent.[45] In 1892 Grabill was sued by Charles H. Souder[46] and Christopher S. Hursh.[47] Grabill was unable to pay his debts and the Gallery and its assets were auctioned off to pay his creditors.[48] The finished portraits were purchased by Max Fishel who offered to sell them for 25 cents each.[49] The studio was acquired by Messers. Locke & McBride who continued to operate it.[50]

In 1892 Grabill was divorced.[51]

In 1892[52] and 1893[53] the Chicago Portrait and View Company was insolvent and being sued by its creditors. In 1893 The World's Columbian Exposition was held in Chicago. Grabill took photographs during this event.[54] [55]

In 1893 Grabill sued the Wild West Show in Federal court for copyright infringement and sought an injunction against Buffalo Bill for copying and distributing his photographs of Indian scenes at Pine Ridge and South Dakota.[56] The backs of Grabill's prints from this period were stamped with "Grabill Chicago Portrait and View CO., 113 Adams Street, Opposite Post Office, CHICAGO." For example, the Elmo Scott Watson collection at the Newberry Library in Chicago contains an original sepia-tone print of his iconic photograph "THE COW BOY" with this stamp.[57]

Family and personal life

His wife Maggie left him with their four-year-old son in 1891, relocating to Chicago and soon thereafter to Denver. She sued for divorce which was granted, uncontested, in January 1892. They would never see each other again.[58] His son Ralph was raised by a maternal aunt in Denver and was educated at the University of Colorado in Boulder attaining a degree in engineering. Grabill's parents got divorced in 1868[59] while they lived in Champaign IL. His mother Catherine relocated to Chicago and operated a boarding house for a number of years in that city, only to return to Champaign where she would remarry in 1879 to the widowed windmill manufacturer Daniel L. Roots. That marriage did not last, ending in divorce in 1884.[60] She relocated to Kankakee IL where she operated a boarding house. In November 1893 Catherine Grabill got involved in a domestic dispute between one of her lodgers and the latter's estranged husband who murdered both women in the course of an altercation.[61] [62] Grabill's older brother Elias D. Grabill was educated as a lawyer and briefly ran a law practice in Champaign, but soon switched to teaching school. He lived in his later years in Kankakee IL.[63] Another brother, Newton A. Grabill was a veteran of the American Civil War. Although he was married, he spent most of his remaining life after the war in and out of homes for disabled veterans.[64] Grabill's two sisters, Elizabeth[65] and Mary[66] both married Chicago livestock brokers. Grabill lived In St. Louis, Missouri between 1901 and 1903[67] working as a salesman for Fairbanks, Morse and Company who manufactured, among other things, hydraulic pumps which were used by the mining industry. His mental health had deteriorated causing him to be institutionalized in February 1903[68] at the St. Louis City Insane Asylum where he died on August 23 of that year. The death certificate[69] gives the cause of death as paralytic dementia, a disease attributed to syphilis. John C. H. Grabill was buried the day after his death at St. Matthew's Cemetery in St. Louis.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Search results from Grabill Collection, Available Online. Library of Congress.
  2. World War I Draft Card, Ralph Gillespie Grabill, Registration No. 391-174, Denver, Colorado June 5, 1917
  3. Grabill's only son, Ralph Gillespie Grabill was born in Lead, SD on February 7, 1887. After his parents divorced in 1892, his mother had moved to Chicago and later relocated to Denver, Colorado. Ralph G. Grabill was educated at the University of Colorado, Boulder attaining a degrees in engineering. He was married in Denver, Colorado on April 13, 1912 to Mabel Emilie Sweeney. The couple had a daughter, Dorothy, born at the same place on January 1, 1913. The latter married Donald C. Hays, there was no issue. Dorothy died in Reno, Nevada on August 25, 1962.
  4. Obituary of Ralph G. Grabill, The Courier-News, Bridgewater, New Jersey, Saturday January 19, 1952, page 11
  5. United States Census, 1850, Ohio, Clark County, Donnelsville, Bethel Township, lines 22–27, page 100b, image 206, August 6, 1850
  6. Clark County, Ohio, Register of Marriages, 1818–1865, January 11, 1838 marriage between David Grabill and Catherine Kay
  7. United States Census, 1850, Ohio, Clark County, Donnelsville, Bethel Township, lines 22–27, page 100b, image 206, August 6, 1850
  8. United States Census, 1860, Illinois, Champaign County, City of Champaign, lines 20–26, page 642, October 3, 1860
  9. Mildred Fielder Railroads of the Black Hills Superior Publishing Company; (1964)ASIN: B0007E4QJUPhotographs on pages 45, 63 and 118 are credited to Grabill, courtesy of the Homestake Mining Company and Mrs. James O'Hara
  10. Web site: About this Collection – Grabill Collection. Library of Congress. February 6, 2018.
  11. Leadville Daily Herald; December 8, 1880 Mr. John Grabill has a four foot vein of Copperas on Maroon Mountain"
  12. Aspen Weekly Times; May 14, 1881 "We are pleased to note the Mr. John C. H. Grabill, who has been ill with bilious fever, is convalescent"
  13. Aspen Weekly Times; December 10, 1881 "Mr. J. C. H. Grabill returned to see his many friends in Aspen this week. His address will be Buena Vista this winter."
  14. Rocky Mountain Sun; November 22, 1884
  15. Buena Vista Democrat; March 1, 1883 "Mr. Grabill has made arrangements with Win. Belly, C. H. Stuart and Wm. H. Wyatt to work the placer claims owned by himself and others, situated about three miles south of Buena Vista, on tho Arkansas, and containing about 400 acres. These gentlemen went to work on Monday, and in ten hours obtained five and one half Drachms of pure gold, by means of a rocker, and the ground was frozen at that. Mr. Stuart, who is an experienced placer miner, thinks it the richest prospect in the state."
  16. Buena Vista Democrat; March 15, 1883 "Friday's Fire – The cause and origin of the fire is a mystery. It was first discovered in the rear of Grabill's assay office, a few minutes before one o'clock, and rapidly spread to the adjoining buildings. In less than fifteen minutes the entire block from the railroad the east to Tabor Street on the west, was one sheet of flames..."
  17. Buena Vista Democrat; March 22, 1883
  18. State Census, 1885, Colorado, Chaffee County, line 18, page 14b, June 1, 1885
  19. Jacobson, Mark Ivan and Bryan K. Lees. 2008. Aquamarine and associated minerals from Mount Antero, Chaffee County, Colorado. The Mineralogical Record, May-June, v. 39, no. 3, p. 190. For more detail see Jacobson, M. I. 2012. John C. H. Grabill and Nelson D. Wanemaker: paths that crossed on Mount Antero. Mineral News, v. 28, no. 1 p. 1, 2, 5-7 and v. 28, no. 2, p. 1, 3-7.
  20. Salida Mail; Volume V, Number 49, May 8, 1885 "ELECTROPLATING. Gold, silver, copper and nickel plating of jewelry, knives and forks and all kinds of work done on short notice and satisfaction guaranteed by J. C. H. GRABILL, Buena Vista, Colo."
  21. Buena Vista Democrat; July 29, 1885 "The following is the result of the election of Good Templars, Saturday evening... J. C. H. Grabill...
  22. Buena Vista Democrat; June 2, 1886 "Kenneth Hartley has opened an assay office in the place formerly occupied by J. C. H. Grabill. The laboratory is being refitted throughout, new furnace, etc. Mr. Hartley's ability in this line is highly spoken of and we bespeak for the young man a good share of success..."
  23. Rocky Mountain Sun; October 24, 1885
  24. Salida Mail; Volume IV, Number 901, January 3, 1885
  25. Web site: Colorado. Library of Congress.
  26. Buena Vista Democrat; December 16, 1885
  27. Buena Vista Democrat, March 31, 1886
  28. Buena Vista Democrat; June 23, 1886
  29. Salida Mail; Volume VII, Number 8, July 30, 1886
  30. Buena Vista Democrat; July 28, 1886
  31. Sturgis Weekly Record; date?, 1886
  32. Sturgis Weekly Record; November 5, 1886 "A resident Photographer..."
  33. The Daily Deadwood Pioneer Times (Deadwood South Dakota); January 13, 1889 "On or about February 1st Grabill to Chicago to open a gallery"
  34. The Black Hills Daily Times (Deadwood South Dakota); January 5, 1889 "J. C. H. Grabill has decided to close up his business on Feb. 1, next, and remove to Chicago, and during the present month he will sell his views of the Black Hills scenery at a discount of 25 per cent. Any of his patrons desiring duplicates of their photographs will please hand in their orders at once, as it is Mr. Grabill's intention to take all of his negatives with him."
  35. The Daily Deadwood Pioneer-Times (Deadwood South Dakota) December 20, 1891 "J. C. H. Grabill of the defunct Grail Photograph and View company, arrived in the city yesterday from Chicago. Mr. Grabill states that he came back to resume business providing he can find a suitable location."
  36. The Daily Deadwood Pioneer Times (Deadwood South Dakota); August 15, 1889,"Mr. Grabill, the photographer, returned Wednesday from a trip to Camp Cheyenne, away up on the Belle Fourth, where he took a photograph of all the Indians and soldiers at the camp. He was gone just one week. and says that he enjoyed himself hugely…"
  37. The Black Hills Daily Times (Deadwood South Dakota); September 4, 1890
  38. The Black Hills Weekly Times (Deadwood South Dakota); October 25, 1890
  39. The Black Hills Weekly Times (Deadwood South Dakota); May 2, 1891
  40. The Black Hills Daily Times (Deadwood South Dakota); May 1, 1891
  41. The Black Hills Daily Times (Deadwood South Dakota); February 8, 1891
  42. The Black Hills Daily Times (Deadwood South Dakota); March 1, 1890
  43. The Black Hills Daily Times (Deadwood South Dakota); August 1, 1891
  44. The Black Hills Weekly Times (Deadwood South Dakota); April 14, 1891
  45. The Daily Deadwood Pioneer Times (Deadwood South Dakota); August 2, 1891,"Mr. J. C. H Grabill who has been at Hot Springs fitting up and operating a gallery there, telephoned Marshall Garr to take charge of the Deadwood studio until his arrival today which the Marshall did, and put J. M. Richardson in charge. The reasons for this action on the part of Mr. Grabill is wholly a private matter in which the public are not interested and would not have been referred to by the Pioneer except for the purpose of quieting rumors of insolvency, and to assure that the public that the gallery will be open for business soon after Mr. Grabill's arrival. He has incurred heavy expenses in opening branch galleries at Hot Springs, Fort Robinson and Chadron, and may possibly owe small amounts as almost every one engaged in business does, but a mere pittance compared to the assets of the Grabill Portrait and View company. The company owns negatives upon which it would be an easy matter to realize from fifteen to twenty thousand dollars the result of Mr. Grabill's industry for the past six years…"
  46. The Daily Deadwood Pioneer Times (Deadwood South Dakota); January 20, 1892,"Summons from Charles H. Souder via his Attorney Henry Frawley Circuit court Eighth judicial Circuit of the state of South Dakota, within and for the County of Lawrence. Charles H. Souder vs. The Grabill Portrait and View Company. for $684."
  47. The Daily Deadwood Pioneer-Times (Deadwood South Dakota) December 31, 1892 "Granville G Bennett Attv. SUMMONS —MONEY DEMAND—COMplaint filed… Christopher S. Hursh, plaintiff vs. John C. H. Grabill and the Grabill Photograph and View Company, defendants:… $220 at 7% interest."
  48. The Daily Deadwood Pioneer Times (Deadwood South Dakota); March 8, 1892,"Deputy Sheriff Sweet will this morning at 10 0Clock begin auctioning off pictures. etc., of the Grabill studio to satisfy judgement of $340.43 held by Charles H. Hirsch."
  49. The Daily Deadwood Pioneer Times (Deadwood South Dakota); March 11, 1892,"Max Fishel having purchased at auction sale the entire lot of finished portures(?sic) of the now defunct Grabill photograph gallery. is prepared to sell you anybody's you desire for 25 cents."
  50. The Daily Deadwood Pioneer Times (Deadwood South Dakota); January 20, 1892,"Announcement Messers. Locke & McBride are pleased to announce to their many friends in the Hills, that on the first of May they will remove to Deadwood and occupy the old Grabill gallery, on Main street. They are fully equipped for all kinds of portrait and view or, and feel that they merit your patronage."
  51. The Daily Deadwood Pioneer Times (Deadwood South Dakota); January 30, 1892 The court record yesterday disclosed a decree of divorce granted J. C. H. Grabill from his wife who is now in Chicago. The application was not contested."
  52. The Inter Ocean; (Chicago Illinois) November 21, 1892 COUNTY
    NEW SUITS
    10,307—Grabill Chicago Portrait and View Co to H. W. Carter, Vol ashy. Assets, $2000; lia, $2500. Pederick, Dawson & Clarke, attys.
  53. The Chicago Legal News: Journal of Legal Intelligence, Volume 25 (1893)
  54. Web site: The Columbian Parade. October 20th, 1892. Forming of Parade on Lake Front. 100,000 People in Sight. Section Number One. 1892. World Digital Library. February 6, 2018.
  55. Web site: The Columbian Parade by John C. H. Grabill. Museum Syndicate. February 6, 2018.
  56. Chicago Daily Tribune; September 19, 1893
  57. Web site: "The Cow Boy" / J.C.H. Grabill, photographer, Sturgis, Dakota Ter.. Library of Congress. February 6, 2018.
  58. Family recollections by Betty Wood, great-granddaughter of Grabill's older brother, Elias D. Grabill.
  59. Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois, Urbana Circuit Court, 1868, case No. 992, divorce case David Grabill vs. Catherine Grabill
  60. Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois, Urbana Circuit Court, 1884, case No. 1572, divorce case Daniel L. Root vs. Catherine Grabill Root
  61. Chicago Tribune, November 25, 1893, page 9, murder of Catherine Grabill
  62. Kankakee Democrat, December 1, 1893, murder of Catherine Grabill
  63. The New Republican, January 13, 1921, obituary of Elias D. Grabill
  64. Ohio Death Certificate No. 57942, October 20, 1924 – Newton A. Grabill
  65. Ohio Death Certificate No. 13684, March 4, 1934 – Elizabeth Grabill McDonald
  66. Champaign County, Illinois Marriage Register, volume 1, page 46 – marriage of Mary Catherine Grabill to Joseph H. Tabor
  67. Gould's Directory, City of St. Louis MO, 1901, 1902, 1903 – listings of John H. Grabill, salesman at Fairbanks, Morse and Company
  68. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/155555532/John-C.%20H.-Grabill#view-photo=159178442 "WEALTHY VISIONS HAUNT HIM. Bucket Shop Frequenter at City Hospital for Observation."
  69. Register of Deaths in the City of St. Louis, August 1903, page 117, No. 7488, death entry of John H. Grabill

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