I thought to myself, Now that can't be right.
I know I've seen photographs of earlier Presidents.
The website JamesPolk.com says, "James K. Polk was not the first President to be photographed - William Henry Harrison gets that distinction..."
I found the picture of President Polk (one of my least favorite Presidents).
I mean, who conquers Mexico, then gives it back?
The above daguerreotype is from the collections of the Library of Congress, and was taken in February of 1849 by Matthew Brady, who would later become famous for photographing less pleasant aspects of the Civil War.
1849 is admittedly very early for photography in America, but it wasn't the beginning.
I know that George Washington never lived to see photography, so there are no photographs of him.
John Adams nearly lasted to the infancy of photography, but he and Jefferson died on the same July 4th day in 1826; daguerreotypes weren't patented until around 1837.
Poor short Madison (I would have probably liked him) died even before the aforementioned two: 1817. Next was James Monroe, but he too died well before the age of photography. The President of whom I was certain had sat for one or more actual pictures was John Quincy Adams. Like all other Adams (well, not his drunken brother Charles), he lived a long life.
Sure enough, around 1843, John Quincy sat for a photo-op.
John Quincy Adams, Sixth President
Still earlier than Polk.
This picture can date earlier, but no later than 1848, because that's when he died.
William Henry Harrison served for one month before dying of pneumonia in 1841 (Note: Don't give verbose speeches in the rain). Therefore, this picture must date prior to his death.
So we have learned that the earliest President to sit for a photograph was John Quincy Adams (#6), and the first President to be featured in a photograph was possibly also Adams, but probably Harrison (#9).
Another photograph of John Quincy. The Wikipedia entry says this negative was created around 1855. Um, he was dead by then. And I don't know that daguerreotypes had negatives since they ARE negatives.
Perhaps James Polk was the first sitting President to have his photograph taken, though it would appear that Harrison holds that distinction as well.
I think WhiteHouse.gov should take a second to clarify that little issue.
UPDATE:
I found a daguerreotype of Lincoln before he was President, dated 1846, taken by Nicholas H. Shepard.
William Henry Harrison served for one month before dying of pneumonia in 1841 (Note: Don't give verbose speeches in the rain). Therefore, this picture must date prior to his death.
Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
So we have learned that the earliest President to sit for a photograph was John Quincy Adams (#6), and the first President to be featured in a photograph was possibly also Adams, but probably Harrison (#9).
Another photograph of John Quincy. The Wikipedia entry says this negative was created around 1855. Um, he was dead by then. And I don't know that daguerreotypes had negatives since they ARE negatives.
Perhaps James Polk was the first sitting President to have his photograph taken, though it would appear that Harrison holds that distinction as well.
I think WhiteHouse.gov should take a second to clarify that little issue.
UPDATE:
I found a daguerreotype of Lincoln before he was President, dated 1846, taken by Nicholas H. Shepard.
