ca. 1840-1950; bulk: 1860-1900
Guide to the Photograph Collection
Abstract
Photographs relating to the families of architect Edmund March Wheelwright and his wife Elizabeth "Bessie" Brooks.
Biographical Sketch
Edmund March Wheelwright was born in Roxbury, Mass., the son of George William Wheelwright and Hannah Giddings Tyler Wheelwright. A member of Harvard's Class of 1876, he later studied architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and in Europe. He worked for the firm of Peabody and Stearns before starting his own firm, Wheelwright & Haven, later Wheelwright, Haven & Hoyt. In 1887, he married Elizabeth Boott Brooks, the daughter of Francis and Louise Winsor Brooks of Medford, Mass. Elizabeth was the great-granddaughter of Peter Chardon Brooks, at one time the richest man in New England, and the Brooks family's estates included much of what is now West Medford, Mass. The Wheelwrights had three children who survived to adulthood: Louise Brooks Wheelwright Damon (1889-1973), Edmund March Wheelwright, Jr. (1891-1946), and John Brooks Wheelwright (1897-1940). In addition to his own work, Wheelwright was City Architect of Boston from 1891-1895. He is known for his work on Harvard's Lampoon building, the Longfellow Bridge, Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, and the Massachusetts Historical Society, among others. Edmund March Wheelwright died in 1912 at the age of 57. Bessie died in 1949 and is buried with her husband in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Newburyport, Mass.
Collection Description
Photographs documenting the family of architect Edmund March Wheelwright and his wife Elizabeth "Bessie" Boott Brooks Wheelwright. Views include photographs of Brooks family homes and gardens in West Medford, Mass. and the Wheelwright family home in Boston. The collection also includes numerous photographs of European art and architecture collected as reference material by architect Edmund March Wheelwright. The collection includes tintypes, cartes de visite, cabinet photographs, snapshots, and albums. Identified photographers include John A. Whipple, Southworth & Hawes, and Black & Batchelder of Boston, among many others.
Acquisition Information
Gifts of Louise Wheelwright Damon, 1949 and 1949; Edward Brooks, 1952; and Elizabeth Wheelwright, 1998.
Detailed Description of the Collection
I. Portraits
Arranged alphabetically.
With inscription: "To Mrs. Wheelwright from Spence Burton, S.S.J.E. God bless you."
Clara's descent from the Wheelwright family recorded on verso.
Genealogical notes on verso.
Genealogical notes on verso.
Inscribed on verso: "Mrs. Shattuck."
Inscribed on verso: "Bessie Brooks, Susan Shattuck."
Genealogical notes on verso.
Family on ship to Hamburg.
Three different poses.
Several poses from the same sitting of Wheelwright wearing a fur coat.
II. Photograph albums
Album containing cartes de visite and cabinet photographs of the family of Francis (1824-1891) and Louise Winsor Brooks (1835-1892), including their children Fanny, Edward, Henry, Frederic, Elizabeth Boott, and Louise Winsor, called "Dolly." The album also contains some views of Germany.
Album of 77 black and white snapshots of the family of Edmund March Wheelwright and Elizabeth "Bessie" Boott (Brooks) Wheelwright and their children Louise, Edmund March, Jr., and Jack, ca. 1897-1899. Identifications have been supplied by an unknown child of E. M. Wheelwright, Jr. Photographs include some taken on a family trip to Germany.
Album of 114 black and white snapshots of the family of Edmund March Wheelwright and Elizabeth "Bessie" Boott (Brooks) Wheelwright and their children Louise, Edmund March, Jr., and Jack, 1901-1912. Photographs include the children, animals, gardens, and family homes in West Medford and Dedham, Massachusetts, as well as photographs of Paestum, Italy, in 1907 and Nantucket in 1912. Photographs are identified in an unknown hand. The album also includes a group photograph of students at the Sarah Fuller School for Deaf Children.
Album of 40 black and white snapshots taken at the Brooks family homes in West Medford and Petersham, Mass. Contains photographs of Wheelwright and his children and many garden views.
Album of 47 black and white snapshots of Nantucket, Mass., and Niagara Falls. Subjects include buildings and gardens on Nantucket and views of the rapids and falls.
III. Views
A. United States
Album of photographs of bridge designs, probably inspirations or prototypes for Wheelwright's design of the Longfellow Bridge.
Interiors and exteriors of the home built by P. C. Brooks (1767-1849) on the west side of Grove Street in 1805 (destroyed 1916). Includes many photographs of the garden.
B. European views
Views of European architecture, likely collected by architect Edmund March Wheelwright during his travels.
Commercial photographs of Bakewell (Haddon Hall), Stratford on Avon, and Warwick.
Commercial photographs of Annecy, Fontainbleu, Nevers, Orleans, Paris, Pau, Poitiers, and Versailles.
Commercial photographs of Dresden, Freiburg, Hamburg, and Middleburg.
Commercial photographs of Pompeii, Rome, and Venice.
IV. Art, artifacts, and sculpture
Commercial photographs of European art and sculpture, likely collected by Edmund March Wheelwright.
V. Oversize portraits
VI. Oversize views
A. United States
Interior views.
B. European views
Commercial photographs of European architecture collected by Edmund March Wheelwright. Arranged by country.
VII. Oversize art, artifacts, and sculpture
Commercial photographs of artwork and sculpture collected by Edmund March Wheelwright.
VIII. Glass-based photographs
To request this item, follow this link to the MHS catalog and click on the red "Place Request" button.
To request this item, follow this link to the MHS catalog and click on the red "Place Request" button.
To request this item, follow this link to the MHS catalog and click on the red "Place Request" button.
To request this item, follow this link to the MHS catalog and click on the red "Place Request" button.
To request this item, follow this link to the MHS catalog and click on the red "Place Request" button.
To request this item, follow this link to the MHS catalog and click on the red "Place Request" button.
To request this item, follow this link to the MHS catalog and click on the red "Place Request" button.
To request this item, follow this link to the MHS catalog and click on the red "Place Request" button.
Preferred Citation
Wheelwright family photographs, Massachusetts Historical Society.
Access Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.