Rensselaer Photo Question
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Guest
Re: Rensselaer Photo Question
Thank you for the great write up on Captain Taylor. I have seen many of his photographs, including many with no credit attached that I suspect are examples of his work. Having collected Great Lakes ship photographs for over 50 years, I find it interesting that one can start to pick up on a particular photographer's style and can make a pretty fair guess on who created the work. I had a strong feeling that this particular photograph of the Rensselaer was by Captain Taylor, but wanted to verify that. Thank you once again for taking the time to answer with such an informative and engaging post!
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GreatLaker
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- Joined: April 13, 2023, 11:33 am
Re: Rensselaer Photo Question
William J. Taylor was born at Buffalo, New York, in 1882, to Henry and Charlotte Taylor. His father was employed in a ship chandlery business there and this early association with ships influenced the young Taylor and led to his lifetime interest and employment in these vessels
When he was 14, he signed aboard his first ship, the small Canadian steam barge, JUNO, as a "combination cabin boy, deck hand, and general laborer." He transferred to sail when signed aboard the U. S. registered schooner, MADELEINE T. DOWNING, and later the Canadian schooners, SINGAPORE, and J. G. KO L FAG E. These vessels were mainly engaged in the coal and grain trades. About 1900, William Taylor signed aboard the iron package freighter BINGHAMPTON as a wheelsman and guided her over the Erie Railroad's Union Steamboat Line's route from Buffalo to Chicago.
The challenge of the United States Lighthouse Service beckoned in 1902 and never left him wanting in goals for he stayed until retirement in 1935. All of his experience in steam and sail all over the Great Lakes prepared him for his duties. But he never, by his own admission, expected it to be as "difficult and rugged" as it turned out. From fit-out in April to lay up in December the routine of setting and retrieving the buoys, maintaining navigational devices, delivering, supplying and finally bringing home the lighthouse crews, provided an ever-changing scene. Bill Taylor rose through the ranks of the U. S. Lighthouse Service as mate aboard the tenders, CLOVER, MARIGOLD and AMARATH and later served as Master and Commanding Officer of the CLOVER and ASPEN. After fourteen years on the ASPEN, Captain Taylor came ashore to retirement in Detroit and settled on Detroit’s east side not too far from the Detroit River.
Captain Taylor may have retired from command but his interest in ships increased. In the early days of his career he had become interested in photography and took pictures of all the ships that he saw. He next set out in earnest with a small motorboat and a specially constructed 8 x10-inch camera to capture on film the very "soul" of the passing parade of freighters and passenger ships. The picture-taking chores were handled by himself while his son, Wainwright, skillfully navigated the boat into position so that the now-treasured views could be captured on film. They covered the Detroit River for 10 years, taking portraits of nearly every vessel that sailed the lakes in that era. Over 3,000 negatives documented the shipping scene that
passed Detroit before and after World War 11.
Captain Taylor had a flourishing business as a Marine Photographer. Appreciation of his skills was evident in the purchases by the crews of the ships and the steamboat buffs. When he could no longer keep-up with the business he sold most of the negatives to local photographers. Today these are sought after by collectors. Fortunately, many have been acquired by historical organizations and preserved .
Captain Taylor was a charter member of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit. He also helped found the Great Lakes Model Shipbuilders Guild which later became the Great Lakes Maritime Institute. He was an inspiration to many enthusiastic young people who were just starting to photograph and collect pictures of the majestic vessels that ply these freshwater seas. He always had a kind and encouraging comment for them and a suggestion about how to catch a little better view.
After years of failing health, Captain William James Taylor signed off for the last time on January 16 , 1958 , at the Marine Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. His full life of 75 years left a deep impression on his many friends around the Great Lakes. who remember him as a true gentleman. His portraits of the Great Lakes vessels will long be a memorial to his love and understanding of the “soul of a ship.”
When he was 14, he signed aboard his first ship, the small Canadian steam barge, JUNO, as a "combination cabin boy, deck hand, and general laborer." He transferred to sail when signed aboard the U. S. registered schooner, MADELEINE T. DOWNING, and later the Canadian schooners, SINGAPORE, and J. G. KO L FAG E. These vessels were mainly engaged in the coal and grain trades. About 1900, William Taylor signed aboard the iron package freighter BINGHAMPTON as a wheelsman and guided her over the Erie Railroad's Union Steamboat Line's route from Buffalo to Chicago.
The challenge of the United States Lighthouse Service beckoned in 1902 and never left him wanting in goals for he stayed until retirement in 1935. All of his experience in steam and sail all over the Great Lakes prepared him for his duties. But he never, by his own admission, expected it to be as "difficult and rugged" as it turned out. From fit-out in April to lay up in December the routine of setting and retrieving the buoys, maintaining navigational devices, delivering, supplying and finally bringing home the lighthouse crews, provided an ever-changing scene. Bill Taylor rose through the ranks of the U. S. Lighthouse Service as mate aboard the tenders, CLOVER, MARIGOLD and AMARATH and later served as Master and Commanding Officer of the CLOVER and ASPEN. After fourteen years on the ASPEN, Captain Taylor came ashore to retirement in Detroit and settled on Detroit’s east side not too far from the Detroit River.
Captain Taylor may have retired from command but his interest in ships increased. In the early days of his career he had become interested in photography and took pictures of all the ships that he saw. He next set out in earnest with a small motorboat and a specially constructed 8 x10-inch camera to capture on film the very "soul" of the passing parade of freighters and passenger ships. The picture-taking chores were handled by himself while his son, Wainwright, skillfully navigated the boat into position so that the now-treasured views could be captured on film. They covered the Detroit River for 10 years, taking portraits of nearly every vessel that sailed the lakes in that era. Over 3,000 negatives documented the shipping scene that
passed Detroit before and after World War 11.
Captain Taylor had a flourishing business as a Marine Photographer. Appreciation of his skills was evident in the purchases by the crews of the ships and the steamboat buffs. When he could no longer keep-up with the business he sold most of the negatives to local photographers. Today these are sought after by collectors. Fortunately, many have been acquired by historical organizations and preserved .
Captain Taylor was a charter member of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit. He also helped found the Great Lakes Model Shipbuilders Guild which later became the Great Lakes Maritime Institute. He was an inspiration to many enthusiastic young people who were just starting to photograph and collect pictures of the majestic vessels that ply these freshwater seas. He always had a kind and encouraging comment for them and a suggestion about how to catch a little better view.
After years of failing health, Captain William James Taylor signed off for the last time on January 16 , 1958 , at the Marine Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. His full life of 75 years left a deep impression on his many friends around the Great Lakes. who remember him as a true gentleman. His portraits of the Great Lakes vessels will long be a memorial to his love and understanding of the “soul of a ship.”
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Guest
Re: Rensselaer Photo Question
Thanks for the information. I have seen many photographs credited to Captain William J. Taylor, does anyone have any information on him?
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Guest12
Re: Rensselaer Photo Question
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Guest
Rensselaer Photo Question
While going through some of my photos, I came across this photograph I acquired at a marine flea market back in the late 2010s of the steamer Rensselaer. There are no notations as to who the photographer was, but I thought there may be a chance that someone out there may have an identical photograph in their possession and know who took it. It appears to be from the 1930s and likely in either the Detroit or St. Clair rivers.
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