Joel Emmons Whitney

Joel Emmons Whitney Jr. (May 18, 1822 – January 20, 1886) was an early American photographer who became known in Minnesota for his wet plate tintype and daguerreotype photographs. From 1851 to 1871 he was the proprietor of "Whitney's Gallery" in Saint Paul, Minnesota where he primarily produced tintype, and later daguerreotype photographs, especially during the American Civil War.

According to historian Bonnie G. Wilson of the Minnesota Historical Society, Whitney is often regarded as being the first professional photographer of Saint Paul.

Early life Joel Emmons Whitney was born on May 18, 1822 in Phillips, Maine. He was the son of Joel Emmons Whitney Sr. (1787–1852) and Sally Dyer/ Dyar (1797–1834). Whitney was the grandson of Micah Whitney (1752–1832), a revolutionary War soldier, as well as the great-grandson of Elizabeth Nichols Dyar, one of the few women to take part in the Boston Tea Party.

Whitney and his father first arrived in Saint Paul in Minnesota Territory in 1850, at the time Whitney knew nothing about photography or daguerreotypes. Whitney made the acquaintance of Alexander Hesler, a professional photographer with four years of experience in Galena, Illinois, and had recently traveled to Minnesota Territory to take photographs for Harper's Weekly. The two eventually became inseparable business partners and friends. Whitney's art gallery was situated above the business storefront of Charles D. Elfelt's from roughly 1851 to 1867. Elfelt was a Jewish textile trader and actor in Saint Paul. Local newspapers from the time often refer to Whitney as being the first photographer of St. Paul.

Following the Dakota War of 1862 there was a great demand in Minnesota and the United States for photographs of various Indigenous peoples from the Midwest who had participated in the war.

During his career from 1851 to 1871 Whitney is credited with photographing many prominent figures of early Minnesota history as well including: Governor of Minnesota Henry Hastings Sibley, Governor Alexander Ramsey, General Judson Wade Bishop, Colonel William J. Colvill, activist Jane Swisshelm, and fur trader Joseph R. Brown. Other famous patrons of Whitney's career include: Minnesota Territorial Governor Willis A. Gorman, Senator Henry M. Rice, educator Edward Duffield Neill, Senator Morton S. Wilkinson, the wife of General George B. McClellan.

Later life and personal life Whitney was married to Elsie Parish Ayer (1832–1876), together they Whitney's had two daughters, Mabel whitney (1866–1866) and Joella Joy (1873–1953). Whitney died in Saint Paul on January 20, 1886 at the age of 63. He is buried in Oakland Cemetery in Saint Paul. Many of Whitney's original gallery tintypes, daguerreotypes, and photographs are held by Minnesota Historical Society.

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