Samuel C. Mills
| Samuel C. Mills | |
|---|---|
Samuel C. Mills in Utah, 1858-59. National Archives.
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| Born |
October 8, 1833 Washington, D.C. |
| Died | October 7, 1911 (aged 77) Washington, D.C. |
| Resting place | Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C. |
| Occupation | Photographer |
During his lifetime, Samuel C. Mills was an American photographer, Civil War veteran, and a D.C. judge. He is best known for his 1858 photographs from along the Oregon Trail and California Trail.
Born October 8, 1833 in Washington, D.C., Samuel C. Mills was the son of John and Mary Mills. As a young man, he worked in his father's shoe factory. In 1856, he began working in the photography studio of Blanchard P. Paige on Pennsylvania Avenue in D.C.
In February 1858, Captain James H. Simpson, an officer in the U.S. Army's Corps of Topographical Engineers, was assigned to the reinforcements being sent to Utah Territory as part of the so-called Utah War. Simpson decided that one of his first projects would be to remap the main emigrant trail on his way to Utah and to create a new guidebook for the Army and civilian emigrants. Having become interested in the photographs of the Crimean War by British photographers Roger Fenton and James Robertson, Simpson decided that he would "illustrated some of the more notable features of the route by photographic impressions." If successful, his would be the first emigrant guidebook illustrated through the lens of a camera.
In late March 1858, Captain Simpson submitted a request to hire a photographer at $40 per month and an assistant photographer at $25 per month, exclusive of their traveling expenses. He then hired twenty-five year old Samuel C. Mills as his expedition photographer and Edward Jagiello as his assistant. They departed in April 1858 and camped for a month at Fort Leavenworth to complete their planning and to test out their equipment. The wood crates packed with instruments, including their new camera, arrived on April 28. Captain Simpson noted in his diary that Mills and Jagiello were soon practicing, producing views of an artillery battery at the post. Among Mills and Jagiello's surviving photographs are three views of buildings at Fort Leavenworth.
The expedition departed Fort Leavenworth on May 31, 1858 and headed west, with Mills producing photographs along the way. At Fort Kearny, Captain Simpson turned over the supervision of his topographical party to his most senior lieutenant, J. L. Kirby Smith, while he traveled in advance as a member of General William S. Harney's staff. Among the instructions that Simpson left for Smith was specific guidance for the expedition's artists. "Photographic pictures of as many prominent scenes as possible will also be taken," Simpson wrote, "including Fort Kearney, Court House & Chimney Rocks, Fort Laramie & every other proper object or scene." Later on the trail, Simpson sent back instructions for Smith to get a good view of Ash Hollow, noting that such "would make a fine illustration for the report." He again emphasized the importance of securing "as many views taken of remarkable topographical and geological features of the region traversed as possible... even if the party is delayed by it."
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