William Rulofson
| William Herman Rulofson | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
August 27, 1826 Hampton, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Died | November 2, 1878 (aged 52) San Francisco, California |
| Nationality | Canadian-American |
| Known for | Photography |
| Spouse(s) | Amelia |
| Elected |
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William Herman Rulofson (September 27, 1826 – November 2, 1878) was a Canadian-American photographer, who along with his partner, H. W. Bradley, was considered one of the leading photographers in the city of San Francisco, California. He was also the brother of Edward H. Rulloff, a notorious murderer who was hanged for his crime in 1871.
Born the youngest of six children in Hampton, New Brunswick, Canada, Rulofson left his family and came to California during the Gold Rush. After a year of mining around Sonora, he journeyed back across the U.S. to Missouri to meet his wife Amelia and son, who had traveled from Saint John, New Brunswick. The reunited family then returned to Sonora.
In Sonora, Rulofson established the first permanent photograph gallery in the state and plied his trade with a traveling daguerreotype wagon with partner John B. Cameron, taking portraits of miners. At one time, the city of Sonora was destroyed by fire, but the mobile studio was saved thanks to a team of oxen.
In 1861, Rulofson moved to San Francisco and joined Bradley's studio. The pair were responsible for numerous portraits of leading Californians and also were noted for publishing the works of Eadweard Muybridge. He even testified on Muybridge's behalf when the latter was on trial for the murder of his wife's lover (he was acquitted, the act having been ruled as justifiable homicide).
Rulofson's photographic talent was renowned. In 1873, he won gold prize at a competition in Vienna, and he was also elected president of the National Photographic Association in 1874. He was also a founding member as well as the official photographer of the Bohemian Club. On one occasion, when taking official photographs of the fortress Alcatraz Island for the Department of War, he was arrested as a Confederate spy but was released.
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