(click on photos for larger view)
	The engraving shown above is a  backstamp on a cabinet photo by Emerson Osborn depicting the third Broome County court house (1858-1896) in the public square and commercial center of Binghamton, New York.1   In 1855 commercial photography was still in its infancy but the 1855 map of Broome County shows Bloodgood &  Gilmore, and J.N. Owens as Daguerrean Artists.  The first village directory of Binghamton published by A.L. Jones (1859) listed the studios of Gilmore & Nixon, Francis W. Nixon, and A.B. Tubbs.  Post Civil War Binghamton was growing rapidly and by 1870 had seven professional photography studios. 2  Listed below are photographers found in Binghamton directories and other sources giving a chronology of their presence in the city.  Some, such as Ezra Murphy and Lowell Gilmore, spent their entire careers in Binghamton, while others, such as Seneca Bullock, came from other places and stayed only a relatively short time. Many of the names shown are probably partners or apprentices of established studios. Several are listed without a studio address suggesting that they are not principals in a studio.
	1849 Daguerrean Appleby, Mr.,, Court & Water St. Coburn, A., Court St. Deyoe, L.W., Court St. Roberts, Geo. C,. Court St. 1850 Daguerrean Appleby, Mr., Court St. 1851 Daguerrean Guilford, John 1854 Ambrotypes Nixon, F.W., Court St. 1855 "Daguerrean Artist" Bloodgood & Gilmore, Court St. J.N. Owens, Leroy Block Edw. Ray, Court Street 1857 Ambrotypes Gilmore, L., Brigham Block Nixon, F.W., Court St. 1859 "Daguerreotypists, Ambrotypists and Photographists" Gilmore, Lowell Larrabee, J.H. Nixon, F.W Tubbs, Andrew B. 1861 "Artists -- Ambrotype and Photograph" Gilmore, Lowell, 70 Court Merrill, P.A., 70 Court Murphy, E., 57 Court Nixon, F.W., 74 Court Tubbs, Andrew B., 52 Court. 1864 "Photographers" Hickcox,  A.,  77 Court Merrill, P.A., 68 and 70 Court Tubbs & Woodbridge, 52 Court Ezra Murphy,  (h Stuyvesant) Pierce, Z.B., bds 130 Court Webster & Battey, 67 Court Woodbridge, E.S., 130 Court 1866 Tomlinson's Fine Art Galley,     11 Dickenson's Block 1869 Bullock, S., 40 Court Flanders, Charles J., 70 Court Gilmore, Lowell, 72 Court E. Murphy & Brother (William), 53     Court Tubbs, M.N., 67 Court 1870 Bullock,  S. Flanders, Charles French, John C. Gilmore, Lowell Heacock, Ambrose E. Murphy and Brother Tubbs, M.N. 1871 Bullock, Seneca, 40 Court Cobb, George N., 77 Court French, John C., 67 Court Gilmore, Lowell, 72 Court Lawyer, Jacob H., 57 Court Murphy, E. & Bro., 53 Court   1872 Beecher, Lyman G., 72 Court Bullock, Seneca, 40 Court Cobb, George N., 77 Court Gilmore & Co. (Lowell Gilmore and   Addison N Sanford), 68 and 70 Court Lawyer, Jacob H., 57 Court up stairs E. Murphy & Brother, 53 Court 1873 Bullock, Seneca, 47 Washington Cobb, George N., 73 and 77 Court John C. French Gilmore & Co., 68 and 70 Court Jones, George C. (Jones &  French),    Court Murphy Ezra (E. Murphy & Bro.),    house, 18 Stuyvesant 1874 "Photographists." Bullock, S.  Cobb, Geo. N. Gilmore & Co. Jones & French Lawyer,  J.H. E. Murphy & Brother Singhi, C.A. [sic] 1880 Cobb, George N. Gilmore, Lowell Howe, Charles J. Murphy, E. Murphy, William Osborn, Emerson Price, Frank Singhi, Well G. 1883 Cobb, George N., 75 and 77 Court French, John C., 82 Court Gilmore, Lowell, 80 Court Hart, Conrad, bds 100 Hawley Lauder, Daniel A., bds 65 Edredge McCarthy, Michael R., with George      N.  Cobb, bds 8 Cherry Murphy, Ezra, 52 and 54 Court Osborn, Emerson, 75 Court Price, Charles, bds 48 Pine Rogers, Theodore, bds 203 Oak Singhi, W.G,. 69 Court Tisdell, Alfred S., bds 21Sand Tuttle, John M., 80 Court Wirt, Chas. C., bds 63 Carroll 1885 Barber, Lemuel W., 203 State Cobb, George N., 75-77 Court Conrad, Edward E., Warren, cor.     Chenango French, John C., 82 Court Gilmore, Lowell, 80 Court Harz, Conrad, h 71 Water Maxwell, Charles R., bds 138 Front McCarthy, Michael R. F., bds 8 Cherry Norton, George H., bds  61 Carroll Osborn, Emerson, 67 Court Page, Samuel S., bds 212 Court Rogers, Theodore V., h  203 Oak Tisdell, Fred S., bds 21 Sand Tuttle, John M., h 8 Mary 1886 Anderson, M.C.K., bds 74 S. Water Barber, Lemuel W., 203 State Brownson, John T., bds 45 Chenango Cobb, George N., 75-77 Court Conrad, Edward E. bds 191 S. Main Evans, L.R., 48-50 Court French, John C., 82 Court French, Geo. R., bds 9 Chapel pl Gilmore, L., 80 Court Osborn, Emerson, 67 Court Page, Samuel S., bds 115 Court Rogers, Theodore V., h 203 Oak Tisdell, Alfred S., bds 21 Sand Tisdell, Fred S., bds 21 Sand Whitaker, Burt, bds 12  Lydia 1888 Brownson, John T., 264 Washington Camp, D. C. Camp, Stewart C. Cobb, George N., 75-77 Court Conrad, Edward E., 92 Chenango Delancey, Frank B. Evans, L.R., 52 & 54 Court French, John C., 82 Court French, Geo. R. Gilmore, Lowell, 80 Court Maxwell, Charles R. Murphy, Ezra, 120 Court Newing, Arthur F. Osborn, Emerson, 67 Court Osborn, Fred W.,  67 Court Porter, George E. Lauder, Daniel A., 254 Chenango Marsh, Dexter Robinson, Edward A. Rogers, Theodore V. Tisdell, Fred S. VanNess, Eugene H., 31 Court 1889 Barnes, Frank, 140 S. Main Brownson, John T., 264 Washington Camp, Stewart L,.168 Washington Cobb, George N., 75-77 Court Conrad, Edward E., 92 Chenango Delancey, Frank B. Evans, L.R., 52 and 53 Court French, John C., 82 Court French, Geo. R. Gallager, Frank   Gilmore, Lowell, 80 Court Hall, Edwin L., 67 Court Kellogg, George W. Lauder, Daniel A., 254 Chenango Maxwell, Charles R., 77 Court Murphy, Ezra, 120 Court Newling, Arthur F., 77 Court Osborn, Emerson,  67 Court Osborn, Fred W., 67 Court Robinson, Edward A. Rogers, Theodore V.,  52 Court VanNess, Eugene H., 31 Court 1890 Barnes, Frank, 207 Chenango Cobb, George N., 75 and 77 Court Conrad, Edward E., 88 Chenango Evans, L.R., 52 and 54 Court French, John C., 82 Court Gilmore, Lowell, 80 Court Hall, Edwin L., 67 Court Kellogg, George W. Lauder, Daniel A., 254 Chenango Maxwell, Charles R., 77 Court Murphy, Ezra, 120 Court Newing, Arthur F., 77 Court Osborn, Emerson, 67 Court Race, W. A., 168 Washington Robinson, Edward A. Rogers, Theodore V., 52 Court Sturdevant, E.K., 38 Chenango VanNess, Eugene H., 31 Court 1891 Alexander Bros. 120 State Browndon, John T., 93 State Cobb, George N., 75 and 77 Court Conrad, Edward E., 88 Chenango Felch, Arthur E., h 18 Winding Way French, John C.,  h. 98 Murray Gilmore, L., 80 Court Hall, Eddie, bds 24 Chenango Hall, Edwin L.,  ' ', 67 Court Kellogg, George W., bds 92 Hawley Keyes, Carrie, bds 448 Court Lauder, Daniel A., 254 Chenango Maxwell, Charles R., 77 Court McCarthy, Michael R.F., 82 Court Morse, William O., 93 Chapin Murphy, Ezra, 120 Court Newing, Arthur F., 77 Court Osborn, Emerson, 67 Court Osborn, Fred W., 67 Court Robinson, Edward A., bds Riverside Dr. Rogers, Theodore V., 52 Court Tupper, Charles F,, 52 and 54 Court VanNess, Eugene H., 31 Court Wilson, Edward, bds 4 Hall Blk Wilson, Eugene,  ' ' ,photograph printer 1892 Alexander Bros., 88 Chenango Brownson, John T.,  93 State Cobb, George N., 75 and 77 Court Cokler Bros, 254 Chenango Conrad, E.E., 498 Court Gilmore, L., 80 Court McCarthy, C.R.F., 82 Court Murphy, Ezra, 52 Court Osborn, Emerson, 67 Court Race, Milton B. Tupper, Charles F., 33 Court Van Ness, E.H., 31 Court VanHouten, A.J., 5 Carlton 1893 Conrad, Edward E., h 493 Court Cobb, George N., 75 and 77 Court French,  J.C., 93 1/2 State Gilmore, L., 80 Court McCarthy, E., 82 Court Murphy,  E., 52 Court Osborn, E., 67 Court Tupper, Charles F., 35 Court Van Ness,  E.H., 31 Court Van Houten, A.J., 86 Chenango 1900 Cobb, George N., 75-77 Court Decker, Hiram, 80 DeRussey French & Heffron, 12 Hawley Harding, A.D. 33 Court McCarthy, M.F.R., 82 Court Osborn, Emerson, 67 Court Rogers & Newing, 52-54 Court Surdam, Sherman 73 Court Walls, Alfred J. 31 Court 1903 Decker Photographic Studio, 31 Court French, Crosby M., 12 Hawley Hemingway, Erastus B., 33 Court Keil, Charles 120 Court McCarthy, M.R. F., 82 Court Osborn, Emerson, 67 Court Ostrum, Henry W., 86 Chenango Newing, Arthur, 52-54 Court Rogers, Theodore, 75-77 Court Surdam, Sherman E., 73 Court	, ,

If you have any additional information or corrections please contact Dick Martz

---

---

  Acknowledgments

---

Notes

1. On December 28, 1896 fire broke out destroying this building. While the Binghamton Fire Company fought the flames, bystanders carried out valuable books and files from the back of the building, saving much of the county's records.  (back)

2.According to The Valley of Opportunity (p. 53), the population the village of Binghamton was over ten thousand persons. in 1865 and on April 9, 1867 it became a city.  Wikipedia, however, contradicts that statistic showing a decline of  79.2% from  1860 to a population of only 2,066 in 1870. (back)

---

References

The Anthony Publishing Co's Standard City Directory of Binghamton, Port Dickinson, and Lestershire, 1893-1894, The Anthony Publishing Company, 1893

Boyd, Andrew,  Boyd's Directory of Binghamton, Elmira, Ithaca and Owego, 1864

Boyd, Andrew,  Boyd's Directory of Binghamton, 1869-70, Andrew Boyd, Albany, 1869

Boyd, Andrew,  Boyd's Binghamton City and Susquhanna Railroad Directory, 1869-70, Andrew Boyd, 1871

Boyd, Andrew,  Boyd's Binghamton City and Susquhanna Railroad Directory, 1869-70, Andrew Boyd, 1873

Child, Hamilton, Gazetteer and Business Directory of Broome and Tioga Counties, N.Y. for 1872-73, Hamilton Child, Syracuse, N.Y., 1872

History and Commerce of Central New York: With Illustrated Supplement of the Columbian World's Fair at Chicago.
A.F. Parsons Publishing Company, Auburn, N.Y., 1893

Lawyer, William S., editor, Binghamton, Its Settlement, Growth and Development and the Factors in Its History, 1800-1900,  Century Memorial Publishing Co, 1900

New York State Business Directory, 1859, 1859

New York State Business Directory, 1870,  Sampson, Davenport, & Co., Boston, Mass., 1870

New York State Business Directory, 1874,  Sampson, Davenport, & Co., Boston, Mass., 1874

Paddock, Z., D.D.,  Brigham´s Binghamton and Broome County Directory and Business Advertiser for 1861 and 1862, Together with a History of Binghamton, from its Settlement to the Present Time. Compiled and published by Alasco D. Brigham, 1861.

Smith, Gerald R., The Valley of Opportunity, A Pictorial History of the Greater Binghamton Area, The Donning Company, Norfolk Virginia, 1988

Solnit, Rebecca, River of Shadows: Eadweard Muybridge and the Technological Wild West. Penguin, 2004

http://temposenzatempo.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-family-trio-from-binghamton.html

Wikipedia.com,Binghamton (Town), New York

Williams, J.E., Williams' Binghamton City Directory for 1883,  Binghamton Publishing Company, Binghamton, N.Y, 1883

Williams, J.E., Williams' Binghamton City and Port Dickinson Directory for 1886,  J.E. Williams, Binghamton, N.Y, 1886

Williams, J.E., Williams' Binghamton City Directory for 1892,  The Herald Publishing Co., Binghamton, N.Y, 1892

Williams, J.E., Williams' Binghamton City Directory for 1900,  Republican Book Print, Binghamton, N.Y, 1900

Williams, J.E., Williams' Binghamton City Directory for 1903,  Binghamton, N.Y, 1903

---