William Roe Howell

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William Roe Howell (April 9, 1846 - December 30, 1890) was a prominent New York City photographer of the 1870s, known mostly for portraits of political and theatrical celebrities.

William Howell was born in Goshen, New York. His first love was art, but that developed into a professional interest in photography. Around 1863, Howell moved to New York City and worked for photographers Henry and Robert Johnston whose photographic gallery was located at 867 Broadway. He took over their business around 1867 and stayed at that location until about 1880. In 1870, at the age of 24, the press began recognizing him as an "accomplished young artist." He also married Fannie Charlotte Scott of Baltimore that same year. Howell photographed notables such as Buffalo Bill, Horace Greeley, P.T. Barnum, Harriet Beecher Stowe and George Armstrong Custer. Howell was chosen as class photographer for both Princeton College (1869-1870 and 1872-1873) and the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York (1873).

The highlight of William Howell's career came in 1873 when his photographs were awarded a special grand prize at the World's Fair held in Vienna, Austria (Weltausstellung 1873 Wien). A collection of these photos, under the title of Howell's Album of Studies, sold in the U.S. for $8.00.

Howell closed his New York studio around 1880 and went into retirement. In 1886 he was living in Washington, D.C. attempting to open a new studio. In 1887, two weeks before its formal opening, he disappeared, and left his wife and five children penniless. His wife admitted he was an eccentric man and was bothered by his business partner for spending too much money. Howell eventually returned to his family, but the studio was not a success.

Howell moved back to New York around 1889 and died in 1890 of tuberculosis at the home of fellow photographer, Lawrence Perkinson. He was buried at Slate Hill Cemetery, Goshen, New York.

Sadly, Howell died when he was only 44 and never gained the name recognition that other contemporary photographers have attained such as Mathew Brady or Napoleon Sarony. However, as if it's a late, fitting tribute to his work, many of his celebrity photographs are regularly sold on eBay.