Edward Abraham Kusel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edward Abraham Kusel
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| Born | August 1, 1824 |
| Died | April 5, 1907 (aged 82) Oroville, California, United States
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| Resting place | Oroville Jewish Cemetery |
| Known for | Photography |
| Spouse(s) | Bertha Heilbronner |
Edward Abraham Kusel (1824-1907) was an American photographer and businessman. He was born in Prussia but moved to the United States during the exciting California Gold Rush. Edward arrived in California in 1852. He was one of the first Jewish people to settle in the state.
As a businessman, he brought one of the first sewing machines to California. In 1859, he started his own photography studio. There, he used scientific methods to make early portrait photography better. Kusel is known as a founder of the town of Oroville, California. He helped build the first schoolhouse and gave many books to the public library. He also served on the school board for thirty years.
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Edward Kusel's Early Life and Journey to America
Edward Abraham Kusel was born in 1824 in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, a part of Prussia. His father, Abraham, had fought in the Napoleonic Wars. Around 1850, Edward heard about the California Gold Rush. He decided to go to America to find his fortune.
He ran out of money when he first arrived in New York. For about two years (1850-1851), Kusel worked on the East Coast. He saved up enough money to continue his journey to California. Since he was a child, he loved science. He closely followed new ideas in electrical engineering and photography.
At the end of 1851, Kusel began his trip west. He stopped in Chicago and St. Louis. Then, he walked to Salt Lake City. There, he bought a burro (a small donkey) to ride the rest of the way. He finally reached Placerville in California in 1852.
He visited the cities of Sacramento and San Francisco. During these visits, Kusel noticed that both cities had many fires. This meant there was a great need for firefighting tools. So, he moved to Marysville. There, he started a company that sold fire hoses. To make canvas fire hoses, he brought one of the first sewing machines into California.
Edward Kusel's Photography Career
Kusel moved to the new town of Oroville in 1856. This was only two years after Oroville got its first post office. In Oroville, Kusel opened a store. He sold books, paper, and office supplies. Around 1856, he met and married Bertha Heilbronner. In 1858, they had their first child, Carolus (Carl).
Kusel set up a photography studio behind his store in Oroville. Here, he offered portrait photography. In 1859, he opened another photography studio in Marysville. He took both photographs and ambrotypes. These were special photos made on leather and paper.
On November 5, 1860, Kusel became a United States citizen. This happened in Butte County. From 1860 to 1869, Kusel owned a large ranch. It was 150 acres and located outside of Chico.
In 1861, he opened his third studio in Sacramento. He offered a new type of photography called sun printing. At this studio, he had strict rules about what colors of clothing people should wear. This was to make sure the portraits looked their best. Kusel also started writing for Humphrey's Journal in 1863. He wrote about many photography topics. These included problems with negatives, how to develop photos, and different types of film.
In April 1869, he wrote a big article for the Philadelphia Photographer. It was about a process called enameling. He used photos of his son, Eli, in the article. Eli was often a model for Kusel's photography experiments.
Kusel kept his Oroville gallery open. He returned to Oroville around 1865. In 1869, he opened another gallery in Chico. This Chico location also had a general store. In 1878, Kusel's oldest son, Carl, joined him in the photography business. The company was then called E. A. Kusel and Son. The Chico store stayed open until 1884.
In the 1890s, a flood damaged many of Kusel's photo negatives. They were stored in the basement of his Oroville general store. His son, Eli Kusel, had his medical office above the store until 1941.
Edward Kusel's Life in Oroville
Kusel was very involved in the Oroville community. He served on the Oroville school board for thirty-five years. He gave money and supplies to build the first schoolhouse in the town. In 1903, Kusel donated 60 books to the Oroville Public Library.
He was a member of the Union League. In this group, he supported abolitionist causes. This meant he was against slavery. He was also an Oddfellow, which is a friendly society. Kusel was an active member of the Union for Reform Judaism. He gave money to help education and farming. He also wrote often for The American Israelite newspaper.
Kusel was very interested in technology. He was a skilled telegraphist, someone who sends messages using Morse code. He also installed the first telephones in Oroville.
Edward Kusel became sick with pneumonia after a flood in Oroville. He died in 1907. He is buried in the Oroville Jewish Cemetery.
Edward Kusel's Legacy
Kusel Road in Oroville is named after Edward Kusel and his family. Many of Kusel's photographs are kept in the collection of the California Historical Society.
Images for kids
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Edward Abraham Kusel with his camera.
