Sacramento County
Biographies
HENRY SHERMAN BEALS
H.S. BEALS, photographer, 415 J street, the veteran photograph artist of the Pacific Coast,
was born December 2, 1823, in Hartford, Connecticut. He received his education
there and at Wethersfield until the age of eighteen, when he went to New York
and engaged in merchant tailoring at 156 Broadway, and continued there about
six years. While there he cut the uniform for Stevenson’s regiment, which came
to California for the Mexican war. He was engaged in the same business at
Babylon, Long Island, two years; then he returned to New York and opened a
daguerreotype gallery at 175 Broadway, and continued there until 1853, when he
sold out and sailed from New York, and came to California via the Isthmus. From
Panama he came on the steamer Uncle Sam, and landed in Sacramento in October,
1853. He came direct to Sacramento and opened a photograph gallery at 87 J street, where he conducted the business four or five years,
and then removed to 415 J street, and remained there until after the flood of
1861. During that time and for years he was usher and assistant manager of the
old Sacramento Theatre, for Thomas Maguire; was also manager of the Forrest
Theatre, between Second and Third streets. After the latter was burned, he
acted as manager of the old Metropolitan Theatre, on K street,
between Fourth and Fifth, being manager of both theatres at the same time, and
was manager for Maguire until the latter retired from the business. He
conducted his photographic business as well, for over twenty-five years in the
present location, 415 J street, and he is the oldest
photographic artist now engaged in business on the Pacific Coast. He has been
successful, and accumulated a valuable property on
Twelfth and F streets, his homestead being one of the land-marks. He is a lover
of fine horses, and usually has one or more in his possession. Mr. Beals is a veteran Odd Fellow, having been a member of the
fraternity fifty-eight years. He was a member, with P. T. Barnum, of Island
City Lodge, New York; is now connected with Eureka Lodge, No. 4, and is one of
the oldest members of the order in the United States. Mr. Beals
has been twice married. His first wife was Rosalia
Fowler, of New York State. She died in 1879, leaving two daughters--Mrs.
Josephine Ingalls, of Sacramento city, and Mrs. Sarah
Campion. The latter inherited a talent for painting, and went abroad to pursue
her studies in France, and achieved an enviable position in the profession. She
died in 1887, leaving one son, who is cashier for the prominent commercial
house of Williams, Dimond & Co., San Francisco.
In 1886 Mr. Beals married Mrs. J. E. Dodge, a native
of New York, and by this marriage there is one son.
Transcribed by Vicky
Walker, 11/2/07.
Source: Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated
History of Sacramento County, California. Page 792.
Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.
© 2007 Vicky Walker.