Sunday, February 2, 2014

William Letts Oliver

William Letts Oliver (1844-1918) was a mining engineer by profession. He was also a very competent amateur photographer who documented both his working life and home life in his photos.

 Anita Oliver and Zella seated in backyard
  
 Anita Oliver in nursery
  
 Anita Oliver with dog
  
 Aunt Floy gardening
  
 Group portrait of William Letts Oliver family and relatives on front steps
  
 Kate Oliver in rocking chair
  
 Kitty [Carolyn], William Harold Oliver, on tricycle, and Tina
  
 Mrs. William Letts Oliver in carriage, in front of Oliver house, 1888
  
 Oliver boys, and others, playing marbles
  
 Oliver children in donkey cart
  
 Oliver children in rustic gazebo
  
 Oliver children wearing sunbonnets in garden
  
 Portrait of William Letts Oliver family, Laundry Farm, 1886
  
 William Letts Oliver family in garden, 1887
  
 William Letts Oliver family on front steps, 1887
  
 William Letts Oliver house with women on porch, Oakland
  
William Oliver family at Christmas dinner, 1901

5 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. William Letts Oliver was my paternal grandfather. His daughter was Mary Griffin Oliver (later Mrs. Adrien Shannon), my father's mother. I love all of these photos, and have original prints of some in my Dad's library and in my entryway in L.A. I must have gotten my love of photography from my great grandfather.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I discovered his photos of the 1864, and later, Master Mariner Regatta of lumber schooners racing on San Francisco Bay over the 4th of July. I was both a crew member on a schooner and the volunteer PR chief for the regatta, which now takes place on the less windy Memorial Day weekend. I also photographed his family plot at Mtn View cemetery in Oakland. Is the family home still
      Standing?

      Delete
  4. these photos are so nicely composed and the lens so sharp. is there a photo in a mirror that would let us see what camera he was using?

    ReplyDelete