PCA-18: John E. Thwaites Photograph Collection, ca. 1906-1932 Alaska State Library
Alaska State Library
Historical Collections
Thwaites, John E. (John Edward), 1863-1940, Photographer
John E. Thwaites Photograph Collection, ca. 1906-1932
PCA 18
635 photographs / Processed by: StaffRevised by: Jacki Swearingen, Nov. 2014
ACQUISITION: Most of the views were donated to the library by R. N. DeArmond who purchased a Thwaites album several years ago. As other Thwaites photographs have been acquired, they have been added to the collection.
ACCESS: The collection is available for viewing, however, the photographs may not be photocopied.
COPYRIGHT: Request for permission to publish or reproduce material from the collection should be discussed with the Librarian.
PROCESSING: Photographs are added to the collection sequentially as they are acquired. Inventory includes a separate list of Thwaites photographs located in
PCA 66 (Clyda Schott Greely Collection).
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Photographer and postal clerk John E. Thwaites was born March 5, 1863 in Eastwood, Ontario, Canada. He came to Alaska in 1905 with the Railway Mail Service and became a postal clerk aboard the mail steamer S.S. Dora from 1905-1912. During this time the S.S. Dora was based in Valdez and made monthly runs on what was called the Westward Run from Valdez to Unalaska. In the winter of 1910 Thwaites was transferred to the Farallon while the Dora was in Seattle for its annual overhaul. On January 5th the Farallon wrecked in Illiamna Bay and he, along with 30 others, had to survive a month on the beach before being rescued. Beginning in the fall of 1913 Thwaites was the mail clerk on the Mariposa which delivered mail along the Inside Passage of Southeast Alaska. Thwaites was a photographer as well as mail clerk while on these mail steamers and took hundreds of photographs of his adventures.
In the fall of 1917 Thwaites retired from the Railway Mail Service due to ill health.
In late 1918 Thwaites settled in Ketchikan and ran a photograph studio and curio shop. Ill health forced his retirement in 1932. He moved to Bell Island Hot Springs near Ketchikan for its healthful benefits and then to Mercer Island, Washington, where he died August 3, 1940. Thwaites’ ashes were carried north on the steamer Aleutian and scattered in the Tongass Narrows.
Information from: Sailing the Mail in Alaska: The Maritime Years of Alaska Photographer John E. Thwaites, 1905-1912 by J. Pennelope Goforth.
INVENTORY
1. Unga, Alaska. [One and two story frame houses, out buildings, church and fences in a treeless landscape.]
2. Unga, Alaska. [Frame houses and waterfront and dock in a treeless landscape.] (no. 1290)
3. Uyak, Alaska. [Distant view of village at base of mountain from the water.]
4. Uyak, Alaska. February. [Waterfront buildings and wharf. Showing mountain behind village.]
5. Native Village Akutan. Aleutian Islands. [Buildings at base of barren mountain.] ('no. 1306)
6. Native Church By the "Cliff" Akutan, Alaska. [One-story frame church building, six bells hung on a wooden support, man leaning against corner of church.] (no. 1307)
7. Nushagak, Eskimos. [Seven native men standing on a porch.]
8. Nushagak. [Three men, one in religious dress, and a child near the Russian Orthodox Church, two shelters partially buried in side of hill.]
9. Greek Church, Nushagak. [Interior of Russian Orthodox Church.]
10. Russian Church, Nushagak, Alaska. [Interior of Russian Orthodox Church.]
11. Nushagak, Alaska. August 22, 1908. [View of village from the water, Russian Orthodox Church on the hill above town.]
12. Eskimo Dwelling Nushagak, Alaska. [Man in suit and overcoat outside earthen dwelling.] (no. 1305)
13. At Seldovia, Alaska. [Group of men, women and children in front of log building, group wearing dresses, suits and hats.]
14. Seldovia, Alaska. [View down the waterfront, buildings on beach and small boats beached.] (no. 1272)
15. Seldovia, Alaska. [Men, women and two children gathered on steps in front of a frame house.] (no. 1285)
16. Seldovia, Alaska. [Log cabin with grass roof. Three women in overcoats and hats standing in tall vegetation surrounding cabin.] (no. 1273)
17. Residence Seldovia, Alaska. [Low log cabin with grass roof, water and hill beyond.] (no. 1271)
18. Chignik, Alaska. [Distant view from the water of waterfront buildings at base of mountains.] (no. 1288)
19. Chignik, Alaska. Red Salmon Cannery. N.W. Fisheries Co. [Standing on the dock viewing cannery buildings.] (no. 1289)
20. Chignik, Alaska. Salmon Cannery. [View of cannery buildings from water.] (no. 1287)
21. Sand Point, Alaska. 1908. [Buildings, some Victorian design, on a barren shore, view from water.] (no. 1291)
22. S.S. DORA, Sand Point, Alaska. [Starboard view at anchor, two skiffs at stern.] (no. 1265)
23. Dutch Harbor, Alaska. [View from low hill overlooking village, waterfront, dock and mountains beyond town.] (no. 1297)
24. Landing Foster's horses. Portage Bay, Alaska. [Two small boats, side by side, heading for shore loaded with two horses.]
25. Horseshoe Bay. Prince William Sound. [View from dock across a stretch of water, of buildings on beach, snowy tree-covered hill behind.]
26. Horseshoe Bay, Latouche Island, Prince William Sound, Alaska. [Building -viewed across water, tree and snow-covered mountain behind village.]
27. S.S. SARATOGA loading copper ore. Ellamar, Alaska. [View from the water, snow covering beach and mountain on shore.]
28. Government Herd. Kodiak. [Cattle in a grassy field.] (no. 1282)
29. Kodiak, Alaska. [Man with cattle in field.] (no. 1283)
30. [Kodiak, Alaska, from water. Building, fences, houses and Russian Orthodox Church in view.]
31. Round Island or Egg Isl. Coal Harbor, Alaska. 7 miles distant.
32. Seal Rocks Near Seward, Alaska.
33. U.S. S.S. MCCULLOCH RCS Unalaska, Alaska. Aug 19[07] [Revenue cutter, starboard view, signal flags displayed.]
34. Jap. Schr. KIOWA (HENRY DENNIS) a captured poacher, Unalaska. 1907. (Japanese Schooner at anchor.]
35. US Revenue Cutter McCULLOCH. Unalaska, Alaska. Aug. 1907. [Starboard view ship at anchor, signal flags displayed.]
36. Unalaska, Alaska. 1907. [S.S. MANNING at dock, Japanese schooners and other smaller boats anchored in harbor beyond.]
37. 1 & 2. Jap. poaching Schooners, Unalaska. 3. S.S. MANNING on guard. US R.C.S. [Revenue cutter at dock. Japanese schooners anchored in harbor.]
38. Old Russian Battery, Unalaska, Alaska, [Children beside cannons displayed on platform in front of Alaska Commercial Co. building.]
39. U.S. Revenue Cutter McCULLOCH, Unalaska, Alaska. [Ship at anchor, two men in a small boat off stern.]
40. S.S. MANNING, and S.S. McCULLOCH U.S. R.C.S. Unalaska, Aug. 1907. [View of MANNING from bow, McCULLOCH starboard.]
41. Unalaska, Alaska. [Church and other buildings of village, barren hills behind town.] (no. 1300)
42. U.S. Revenue Cutter MANNING. Unalaska, Alaska. Aug. 190__. [Port view of ship at the dock, signal flags displayed.]
43. Valdez Harbor. [Buildings on pilings at end of long pier.]
44. Vales Dock, Valdez Harbor, Alaska,
45. SANTA CLARA at Valdez, Alaska. [Port view of steamer at dock, town in distance, shore.] (no. 1270)
46. Aleuts in their bidarkies Iliamna Bay, Alaska. [Three bidarkas in the water, mountain in background.] (no. 1278)
47. [Group of men and boy aboard ship.]
48. [Tent and frame cabin camp, snow, man outside one of the tents.]
49. [Tent and frame cabin camp, snow, man outside one of the tents.]
50. [John E. Thwaites on snowshoes.]
51. [Collection of Native basketry, implements, artifacts. Interior view.]
52. [Interior view, collection of Native artifacts, and woman seated.]
53. [Interior view, collection of Native artifacts.]
54. [Interior view, collection of Native artifacts.]
55. S.S. DORA, 3-15-1906. [Seven men in uniform aboard ship.]
56. 3. S.S. MANNING R.C.S., 1. NITTO MARU and 2. KIOWA TOKIYO, at Unalaska, Alaska. [Revenue cutter at dock, other ships anchored in harbor.]
57. Str. SANTA CLARA. [Cruising in rough water, rocky shoreline in distance.]
58. S.S. JEANIE, Alaska. [Steamer cruising, shoreline in distance.] (no. 1269)
59. [Group of men on railroad track. Falsefront building and tents on one side of tracks.]
60. [Two women with their arms around each other.]
61. Valdez, Alaska. [Winter scene, Hotel Phoenix in right center.] (no. V.8)
62. Valdez, Alaska. [Winter street scene, Boston Lunch Room and other signs.] (no. V.9)
63. Valdez, Alaska. [Winter scene, snow to the roofline.] (no. V.11)
64. Valdez, Alaska. [Tunnel entrance through snow to a building.] (no. V.l5)
65. Valdez,. Alaska. [Tunnel entrance through snow to a house.] (no. V.16)
66. Valdez, Alaska. [Wharf with town and mountains in background.] (no. V.33)
67. Shoup Glacier, Valdez, Alaska. [Prince William Sound, distant view of glacier across the water.] (no. V.44)
68. Valdez, Alaska. [Distant view of town from water.] (no. V.45)
69. Valdez, Alaska. [Head of Valdez Arm showing town and glacier.] (no. V.48)
70. Seward, Alaska. [Winter view of houses and fenced yard. Water and mountains in distance.] (no. 10)
71. Belkofsky, Alaska. [Distant view of village on the Alaskan Peninsula.] (no. 45)
72. Belkofsky, Alaska. [Distant view of village across water.] (no. 55)
72b. Belkofsky, Alaska. [Distant view of village across water.] (no. 46)
72c. Belkofsky, Alaska. [Distant view of village across water.] (no. 54)
73. Battery Point Akutan Island, Looking NW, Alaska. [Rocky Island, looking NW from Akutan Pass.] (no. 70)
74. Tugs. EQUATOR and ALITACK towing ship STAR OF ALASKA into Chignik Bay, Alaska. (no. 100)
75. Chignik, Alaska. [View of cannery from position in the bay. Snowcovered mountains behind.] (no. 108)
76. C.R.P.A. Cannery. Chignik, Alaska. [Columbia River Packers Association Cannery viewed from Mountainside.] (no. 110)
77. Chignik, Alaska. [Group of Chignik people.] (no. 117)
78. N W F Co Chignik, Alaska. [Northwestern Fisheries Co. Cannery. Rows of oil barrels in foreground.] (no. 119)
79. Seward, Alaska. [Dog team on street.] (no. 172)
80. Seward, Alaska. [Three dog team.] (no. 173)
81. S.S. DORA. Alaska. [Ship aground.] (no. 184)
82. S.S. DORA. [Two officers aboard the ship.] (no. 204)
83. [Man furling sail, probably on S.S. DORA.] (no. 211)
84. [Fur-clad man in sealskin boots, probably on S.S. DORA.] (no. 218)
85. [Officer, probably aboard S.S. DORA.] (no. 227)
86. [Man in fur coat aboard ship, probably S.S. DORA.J (no. 229)
87. S.S. DORA. May, 1911. [Crew member, probably cook's helper.] (no. 235)
88. S.S. DORA. Alaska. [Group of men aboard ship.] (no. 241)
89. S.S. DORA. [Man in fur coat aboard ship.] (no. 243)
90. S.S. DORA. May 25, 1910. [Man in suit coat and high boots.] (no. 256)
91. [Group of men aboard ship.] (no. 258)
92. S.S. DORA. Chignik, Alaska. [Two men aboard ship.] (no. 262)
93. [Aboard S.S. DORA. Portrait of a man standing on deck.] (no. 276)
94. [Aboard S.S. DORA. Portrait of a man standing on deck, same person as PCA 18-93.] (no. 277)
95. S.S. DORA, Alaska. [Deck, railing and equipment iced down.] (no. 282)
96. Entrance to Hook Bay, Alaska. [View from the water.]. (no. 297)
97. Karluk, Alaska. [View from water looking toward village on the shore.] (no. 318)
98. Karluk, Alaska. [View from water looking toward shore, two boats and barge passing.] (no. 324)
99. Karluk, Alaska. [View from Shelikof Strait looking toward village, and canneries.]
100. West Side, Kodiak, Alaska. [Village at base of hill, water, cow and fence in foreground.] (no. 334)
101. Kodiak, Alaska. [Village with hill and mountains in background.] (no. 336)
102. Kodiak, Alaska. [View from water showing Russian Orthodox Church, other frame buildings, and rowboat landing.] (no. 339)
103. Kodiak, Alaska. [Taken from aboard ship, bow in foreground, entering harbor, village and ships ahead.] (no. 342)
104. Kodiak, Alaska. [West end of town, houses at base of hill, water in foreground.] (no. 348)
105. Residence of P.D. Blodgett. Kodiak, Alaska. [Two-story frame house, surrounded by picket fence.] (no. 350)
106. Government Herd. Kodiak, Alaska. [Cattle belonging to Agricultural Experiment Station.] (no. 366)
107. Kodiak, Alaska. [View from off-shore, hills, snow-covered, small steamer on beach, schooner at the dock.] (no. 383)
108. -Ketchikan, Alaska. [View from water of portion of waterfront, buildings snow-covered.] (no. 414)
109. Cod Fish Station, Square Harbor, Unga Island, Alaska. [view from offshore.] (no. 437)
110. Tug SANNAK, Bristol Bay, Alaska. [Port view, at sea, tug from Alaska Packers Association, Bristol Bay.] (no. 471)
111. Nushagak, Alaska. [Alaska Packers cannery tender TOGIAK at sea, offshore at Nashagak.] (no. 473)
112. Str. RICHARD HOLYOKE, Nushagak, Alaska. [Tug of the Puget Sound Tug and Barge Co., Seattle, other vessels in distance.] (no. 474)
113. S.S. NUSHAGAK on the Nushagak. [Cannery steamer on Nashagak River, Bristol Bay.] (no. 480)
114. On the Nashagak River, Bristol Bay, Alaska. May 28. [Tug NORTH KING and other vessels at sea.] (no. 484)
115. Nashagak River, Bering Sea. [Cannery steamer NORTH KING at sea.] (no. 485)
116. On the Nashagak River, Alaska. May 28. [Vessels and floating ice.] (no. 487)
117. The RICHARD HOLYOKE, Nashagak, Alaska. [Tug of Puget Sound Tug and Barge Co., Seattle.] (no. 492)
118. Salmon Fishing Boats, Clarks Point, Bristol Bay, Alaska. [Small boat with sail, two men aboard, other similar boats in distance.] (no. 502)
119. Salmon Boats off Clarks Cannery, Nushagak, Alaska. [Small sail boats and larger boats at sea.] (no. 503)
120. Eskimo Medicine Man, Nushagak, Alaska, Bristol Bay, Bering Sea. [Man in costume and mask beside frame building.] (no. 519)
121. Togiak Native. Bristol Bay, Alaska. [Young boy beside frame buildings.] (no. 530)
122. Nushagak, Alaska. [Three adults and child outside frame building.] (no. 531)
123. A Bristol Bay Salmon Cannery, Bering Sea. [From a hill behind cannery looking out toward sea.] (no. 533)
124. Nashagak Island. [Viewed from the water, island off Alaska Peninsula.] (no. 585)
125. Bering Sea. [Six Native children and one woman.] (no. 575)
126. U.S.S. MANNING. R.C.S. Alaska. [Revenue cutter at sea.] (no. 576)
127. Coast Guard Cutter in Alaska. [U.S.S. MANNING at sea.] (no. 580)
128. U.S.S. MANNING, R.C.S. Unalaska, Alaska. [Bow view of revenue cutter.] (no. 581)
129. U.S.S. MANNING. R.C.S. Unalaska, Alaska. [Revenue cutter near shore. (no. 582)
130. U.S.S. MANNING, R.C.S. Unalaska, Alaska. [Port view, revenue cutter near shore, buildings of village in view.] (no. 583)
131. U.S.S. PERRY, R.C.S. Alaska. [Revenue cutter cruising near shore and mountains. Port view.] (no. 586)
132. U.S.S. PERRY, R.C.S. Unalaska, Alaska. [Revenue cutter steaming near shore, port view.] (no. 587)