We are greatly indebted to Craig Heberton at the Center for Civil War Photography who first identified Pywell as the "Vest Man." It made us all very happy. Craig will be publishing more on the subject.
William Redish Pywell, Photographer and O'Sullivan's Assistant, The "Vest Man."
William Redish Pywell, Photographer. CDV at Wikipedia entry. Studio of Alex. Gardner, Washington, D.C., c. 1863?
William Redish Pywell (1843-1886) was born June 9, 1843, in Scotland and grew up in Washington, D.C. As a young man he showed considerable artistic ability. He apprenticed in the studio of Matthew Brady and afterwards worked for Alexander Gardner as assistant, then photographer, taking many images of camps and facilities around Washington and in Alexandria, Virginia. In 1863, he was active in the Western Theatre, along the Mississippi River and in the Vicksburg Campaign. Returning east, Pywell worked with Timothy O'Sullivan and the Army of the Potomac periodically during the Overland Campaign and before Petersburg in 1864-1865. He accompanied O'Sullivan on a trip to photograph Fort Fisher in March 1865 before returning to Petersburg. Three of his negatives were credited in Gardner's Photographic Sketch Book of the War (1865).
Timothy O'Sullivan married Pywell's sister Laura in 1873.
In 1867, Pywell assisted Alexander Gardner during the Kansas Pacific Railway Survey. In 1873, "W. R. Pywell, photographer, Washington, D.C." was invited to accompany the North Pacific Railroad Surveying Expedition to the Yellowstone. (Evening Star, May 15, 1873). In 1874 and 1875, he was chief photographer for the military and scientific expedition sent to the Indian Ocean to document the transit of Venus across the face of the sun.
Pywell married Margaret Schofield in 1869. The couple had one surviving child. In 1876, after returning from the Indian Ocean Expedition, he accused his wife of "adultery" (Evening Star, June 27, 1876) and filed for divorce. She countered with charges of extreme cruelty. The divorce proceedings were covered in lurid detail in the local newspapers (National Republican, Jan. 10, 1877).
Pywell relocated to Houston, Texas, where he operated a photographic studio, and at some point to Claiborne Parish, Louisiana. He remarried -- Willie A. Cunningham -- in 1881, and the couple had two children. Pywell died August 7, 1887, in Bunkie, Louisiana, near Alexandria. His grave is unmarked.
Timothy O'Sullivan married Pywell's sister Laura in 1873.
In 1867, Pywell assisted Alexander Gardner during the Kansas Pacific Railway Survey. In 1873, "W. R. Pywell, photographer, Washington, D.C." was invited to accompany the North Pacific Railroad Surveying Expedition to the Yellowstone. (Evening Star, May 15, 1873). In 1874 and 1875, he was chief photographer for the military and scientific expedition sent to the Indian Ocean to document the transit of Venus across the face of the sun.
Pywell married Margaret Schofield in 1869. The couple had one surviving child. In 1876, after returning from the Indian Ocean Expedition, he accused his wife of "adultery" (Evening Star, June 27, 1876) and filed for divorce. She countered with charges of extreme cruelty. The divorce proceedings were covered in lurid detail in the local newspapers (National Republican, Jan. 10, 1877).
Pywell relocated to Houston, Texas, where he operated a photographic studio, and at some point to Claiborne Parish, Louisiana. He remarried -- Willie A. Cunningham -- in 1881, and the couple had two children. Pywell died August 7, 1887, in Bunkie, Louisiana, near Alexandria. His grave is unmarked.
William Redish Powell, Gardner's Studio, Washington DC, 1863.
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"William R. Pywell and Sisters, Laura Virginia and Jane." Gardner's Studio, Washington DC. Dated 1868. Jane and William were twins.
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Photographer Timothy O'Sullivan married Pywell's sister Laura Virginia in 1873.
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O'Sullivan and his Assistant
Timothy O'Sullivan and his future brother-in-law William R. Pywell, worked as a team while in the field. The evidence is in their photographs. One sometimes posed in a scene, while the other operated the camera; they then exchanged places and exposed another image. Thus, they left a personal signature on the photographic plates.
Timothy O’Sullivan stands at the side of a mortar platform in this unattributed stereograph, “[Petersburg, Va. Federal line near Fort Morton],” (LC-B815- 1069). The stereo view was taken from the right flank of Battery XV, looking south by west toward Fort Meikle.
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O'Sullivan's assistant, William R. Pywell, exchanged places with O’Sullivan at the side of a mortar platform in this unattributed stereograph, “[Petersburg, Va. Federal line near Fort Morton],” (LC-B815-1068). The stereo view was taken from the right flank of Battery XV, looking south toward Fort Meikle.
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This was not the only time that O'Sullivan and Pywell changed places and roles behind the camera. The stereograph below, captioned "Petersburg, Virginia, Confederate [Fort McGilvery]" offers another example.
This unattributed stereograph (LC-B815- 1064) was taken in the Norfolk & Petersburg Railroad cut behind Gracie's Salient. This image has long been mis-captioned as "Confederate Fort McGilvery."
O'Sullivan emerges from a bunker or magazine, posing with an artillery round. His assistant, "Vest Man," was behind the camera.
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This unattributed stereograph (LC-B815- 1058) was taken in the railroad cut behind Gracie's Salient from the same location as the previous view. It has been erroneously labeled "Confederate Fort McGilvery." In this image, O'Sullivan and "Vest Man" have exchanged places.
Pywell peers out of the same bunker or magazine as the previous image posing with an artillery round after exchanging places with O'Sullivan. Both images should be attributed to O'Sullivan.
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Timothy O'Sullivan appears in a number of his Petersburg photographs, some of which are not attributed to him.
O'Sullivan's assistant, William Pywell, shows up in a great many of the Petersburg images, some of which are not yet attributed to O'Sullivan. It is safe to assume that if Pywell is in the image, O'Sullivan was behind the camera and vice versa.
"Vest Man," Timothy O'Sullivan's assistant (and sometimes co-cameraman), William Pywell posing in 00532.
O’Sullivan and Pywell often posed in their photographs, a trick picked up from the master Mathew Brady. It served as a trademark of sorts. Another prominent Petersburg photographer, Capt. Andrew Russell, appears in many of the images attributed to him.
