(1823-) Noted daguerreian and editor of one of the nation's first journals of photography, Samuel Dwight Humphrey appeared first as a daguerreian in 1846-1847, when he was noted in Columbus, Ohio. He reportedly sold his gallery there to G.W. Phillips, c. 1848.
Recent research has uncovered the fact that Humphrey, in partnership with a J.L. Bryan, as Humphrey and Company, operated temporary galleries in both Fayetteville and Wilmington, N.C., in 1846. In Fayetteville, the gallery was located in Brick Row, at the foot of Haymount Street; later, in Wilmington, the firm rented a room on Front Street. At that time, Humphrey claimed to have connections with three of the most successful daguerreian galleries in New York State. The firm also offered instruction in the art, and made house calls with their daguerreian equipment.
In 1846, Humphrey was also noted as spending five weeks in Middletown, Conn. taking daguerreotypes. This is probably Humphrey's only appearance in Connecticut.
Since Humphrey claimed later to have built and operated a gallery in Columbus, Ohio, it is a logical assumption that the "Humphrey" who advertised in that town in 1846 and 1847 was Samuel Dwight. In late 1846 he advertised his gallery and German-made camera for sale: "Four of five months will enable one to pay for the whole concern as there is no business more profitable in the hands of a skillful operator... Wanted, a first rate pair of horses, or a horse and buggy, which will be taken in exchange, if desirable."
In 1850-1851 he was listed as a daguerreian at 177 Broadway, New York City, and in November, 1850 began publication of Humphrey's Daguerreian Journal. In 1851, queried about his age, he replied: "When Daguerre first announced his discovery, had we been twice the age we were then, and one year more, we would have been 33; and as we have been for one quarter and one year of the last years of our life in the practice of the daguerreotype art, you figure it out."
In 1851-1852 he was listed as an "editor" at 311 Broadway, New York City. Levi L. Hill was co-editor of the Journal.
In 1852, Humphrey was not listed in the New York City directories, but information about him in that year is plentiful. By 1852, Humphrey had built seven skylight galleries, and worked in thirteen (Fayetteville and Wilmington, N.C.; Columbus, Newark and Granville, Ohio; Albany, Rome, Auburn, Batavia, Canandaigua, Geneva, Brookport [Brockport] and New York City, N.Y.) In 1852 Humphrey was also reported to have taken daguerreian scenes between Auburn and Canandaigua, N.Y.
In the same year, he served as a delegate to the American Heliographic Association, or American Daguerreian Association. He also reported having a half-plate daguerreian portrait taken by Geer and Benedict.
The offices of Humphrey's Daguerreian Journal moved to Gurney's gallery, 189 Broadway, New York City, in 1852 as well.
From 1853 to 1856 he was listed as an editor at 546 Broadway, New York City. He announced in April, 1853 that he would sell or lease his suite of daguerreotype rooms. He could have been referring to any of three previous addresses. He was also listed in 1853 as a daguerreian at the 546 Broadway address, and noted in September in his own journal that he was taking daguerreotypes at the address. He had moved to that address in May, 1853. In the same year, he sold his New York City gallery to J.J. Thompson. This must have been the gallery he advertised.
In January, 1854 he noted that he was not associated with any daguerreian in the city of New York, but that he had his own skylight room on the fourth floor of his building at 546 Broadway where he experimented in the process. In August of the same year it was announced that he was leaving New York City for a few weeks to visit the western part of the state. He noted he would be in Canandaigua taking daguerreotypes, as he used to do. In October, he was reported in Geneva, N.Y., for a few days, taking daguerreotypes.
In 1856-1857, he was listed as a manufacturer of chemicals, and dealer in daguerreian apparatus, as well as an editor, at 546 Broadway, New York City, N.Y.
From 1857 to 1860 he was listed alternately as a chemist, editor, and dealer in daguerreian materials, 37 Lispenard St., New York City. In April, 1865, Humphrey sold his Journal to Joseph H. Ladd of New York City.