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A gift from George Eastman
Frances Benjamin Johnston, who photographed Fredericksburg in the late 1920s, was an American preservation pioneer. By Donna Chasen
Date published: 1/15/2005
RANCES Benjamin Johnston, who photographed Fredericksburg in the late 1920s, was born in 1864 in Rochester, N.Y., into a well-to-do family with strong ties to Washington's powerful. Frances, one of four children, was the only one who survived childhood. While still a young lady, her family settled in West Virginia to be closer to the political and social scene of the nation's capital. Although she lived a privileged lifestyle, Frances was a headstrong young lady who wished to choose her own path in life. An early self-portrait shows her holding a cigarette and beer stein, with her skirts elevated to show both her legs and petticoats, all of which countered acceptable behavior for young ladies of the time. She was not interested in the usual social rituals engaged in by young women of her generation. Frances was determined to make her own way, rather than rely on a husband's achievements to define who she was. She acquired her spunk honestly. Her mother, Frances Antoinette Johnston, was a leading political journalist of her day. In the 1870s, she wrote chatty yet pointed articles about congressional activities, as well as any other Washington tidbits she could come by, for the Baltimore Sun. As the only surviving child of affluent parents, Frances was able to study art at the Academie Julian in Paris and at the Washington Students League in the District of Columbia. Her art training would become evident in her later work; her photographs had the overall composition of works of fine art. She began her professional career writing for periodicals, and writing and illustrating her freelance articles. An avid genealogist, she also spent many hours researching her family history. When she took up photography, she first made portraits of friends and family members. Her first camera was received from Eastman Kodak Co. founder George Eastman, a close family friend. She wrote to him asking about his newer, lighter-weight camera, and was given the camera in response.
Date published: 1/15/2005
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