My 2nd-great-grandfather Ephraim Chamberlain had an interesting career as a photographer. Traditional genealogical research showed that he was born in Sweden, Oxford County, Maine, on 11 August 1843 and died in Wakefield, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, on 22 October 1912. In between he married and raised a family.
All easily documented—but not very revealing—facts. However, researching his occupation turned up many more details, and, more thrilling yet, I discovered a large number of his photographs on eBay and other websites.
Ephraim married Cordelia Stedman on 21 September 1870 in Medfield, Massachusetts, and the couple then moved to Weymouth. There Ephraim opened a photography studio at Weymouth Landing. Over the next ten years Ephraim and Cordelia raised four children in their house on Washington Street. Some of Ephraim’s work from this time included this image of the local lumber and shipyard.1
His advertising information often appeared on the back of his work. While in Weymouth it included ones like this.
Ephraim then moved his business about 1880 to Ayer, Massachusetts. However, he only stayed there a few years. By 1884 he had set up shop in Medfield, where his wife’s family lived. He would remain in Medfield for the next twenty years. There he operated Vine Studio and continued his photography business.
One of his more striking photographs from this time was taken of his niece Amy Hewins in 1884 when she was four years old.2
His skills were also in demand for landscape and house photography. He even took images of local school groups like Medfield’s Intermediate School in 1890.3
While Ephraim continued to live in Medfield, by the 1890s he also had a business in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. There he set up shop in the summer and offered photographs to vacationers. I like the following photo as it also includes his business on the far-left advertising photographs and tin-types.4
His studio artwork on the back of the photos had also become more elaborate.
After Medfield, Ephraim lived in Norwood for about ten years. Then he moved one last time to Wakefield and it is there where he died. However, I believe he continued his summer business in Maine. He even moved his shop to the Old Orchard Beach Pier. While he did not take this photograph himself, you can see his shop at the beginning of the pier still offering photographs and tin-types.5
I continue to come across Ephraim’s photos on the web and for sale on eBay. While I rarely consider buying one, it is always interesting to see them. No matter what the subject, they are a fascinating glimpse into my ancestor’s life.
Notes
1. “Weymouth, Massachusetts, lumber yard ship boat,” Digital Commonwealth (https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/7h14cj02p).
2. Copy in possession of author.
3. Group portrait of Miss Lucette Colby's class outside the Intermediate School, Medfield, Mass., 1890,” Historic New England (https://www.historicnewengland.org/explore/collections-access/gusn/173292/).
4. “Opposite Odd Fellows' Hall," Old Orchard Beach, ca. 1900,” Maine Memory Network (https://www.mainememory.net/record/51281); Dyer Library/Saco Museum.
5. “Ocean pier, Old Orchard, Me.,” Library of Congress (https://lccn.loc.gov/2016799826).
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