This digital image of a daguerreotype (LC-USZ62-109926) in the collection of the Library of Congress has been misidentified as a portrait of Vice President William R. King. Rather, it is a portrait of New York Mayor Fernando Wood, taken in the studio of Matthew Brady about 1855. Unfortunately, the daguerreotype's erroneous identification as William R. King has spread to dozens of internet sites and might also be published in print.
How do we correct misinformation once it has spread? The internet has become an invaluable tool for research. It enables us to find critical information in seconds that might have taken months, years or even a lifetime in the past. Yet how do we prevent the dissemination of false information?
My guess is that the former identification had been made many years ago and it had simply stuck. It is understandable how mistakes had been made in the past; students, staff and scholars doing the best they could with limited and formidable resources. The internet has changed how research is done now and makes it much easier to access images, fact check and dialogue with others... many thanks to Google!
Fernando Wood (1812-1881)
after a daguerreotype by Brady
Fernando Wood (June 14, 1812 - February 14, 1881) was an American politician of the Democratic Party who is most famous for being one of the most colorful mayors in the history of New York City; he also served as a United States Representative (1841–1843, 1863–1865, and 1867–1881) and as Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means in both the 45th and 46th Congress (1877–1881).
-from Wikipedia
William R. King (1786-1853)
after a daguerreotype by Brady, lithograh by N. Currier
William R. King (1786-1853)
engraving after a daguerreotype by Whitehurst
William R. King (1786-1853)
sculpted posthumously in 1896 by William C. McCauslen (1860 - 1929)
William Rufus DeVane King (April 7, 1786 – April 18, 1853) was the 13th Vice President of the United States, and earlier a U.S. Representative from North Carolina, Minister to France, and a Senator from Alabama. King died of tuberculosis after 45 days in office. With the exceptions of John Tyler and Andrew Johnson—both of whom succeeded to the Presidency—he remains the shortest-serving Vice President. - from Wikipedia
... and finally... the drum roll please...
Fernando Wood (1812-1881)
engraved by J. C. Buttre from a daguerreotype by Brady
The internet has its limits... sometimes old fashioned printed material proves its relevance as boldly as does this image of Fernando Wood that I scanned. Many thanks to Clifford and Michele Krainik for the great illustrated article entitled "Engraved Portraits from Daguerreotypes Published in the United States Magazine and Democratic Review, 1842-1857" that appeared in the 2008 Daguerreian Annual. It is apparent that a variant daguerreotype from the same sitting in the Brady Studio as the one in question was the source of this engraving by J. C. Buttre published in 1855.
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