John C. H. Grabill
John C. H. Grabill (1849 – 23 August 1903) was an American photographer, known for his historical photographs, most of which were taken in South Dakota. He was born at Donnelsville, Ohio in 1849, the youngest son of David Grabill, a carpenter by his wife Catherine, née Kay. By 1860 the family had relocated to Champaign, Illinois where Grabill spent his formative years. He was involved in mining in Pitkin and Chaffee Counties in Colorado.
John C. H. Grabill | |
|---|---|
Grabill's iconic photograph "THE COW BOY" from the Library of Congress | |
| Born | 1849 Donnelsville, Ohio, United States |
| Died | August 23, 1903 (aged 53–54) Saint Louis, Missouri, United States |
| Occupation | Photographer |
| Genre | American Indian Wars, Sioux, early Indian Reservation Period, Western Americana |
| Notable works | Photographs of the early Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, the Sioux Indians, the aftermath of the Wounded Knee Massacre |
| Spouse |
Margaret "Maggie" Gillespie
(m. 1885; div. 1892) |
| Children | Ralph Gillespie Grabill (1887–1952) |
Grabill had studios in Buena Vista, Colorado, Sturgis, Deadwood, Lead City and Hot Springs, South Dakota and Chicago, Illinois. He was the official photographer of the Black Hills and Fort Pierre Railroad and the Homestake Mining Company in South Dakota. Between 1887 and 1892 Grabill sent 188 photographs to the Library of Congress for copyright protection. These photographs are now in the public domain.