Daguerreotype of Orange Johnson

This daguerreotype of Orange Johnson, age 61, is found along with a second daguerreotype featuring his wife Achsa Johnson in a small monogramed leather bound case with the date 1851 embossed on the cover.

Orange Johnson (b. February 7, 1790 - d. November 28, 1876), was a comb maker by trade from Connecticut. He was also a mechanic, farmer, manufacturer, contractor, and banker. Johnson migrated to Ohio in 1814, attracted by the Worthington Manufacturing Company, friends and family. In 1827 Johnson became superintendent and incorporator of the Sandusky to Columbus turnpike. During that time he developed banking contacts. These led to his eventually becoming president of the Xenia to Columbus Railroad, stock holder in the Clinton Bank in Columbus, builder of the Johnson block, the Sessions block, and a partner in the Commercial National Bank in Columbus. In 1815 Orange married Achsa Maynard (b. Apr 7, 1791 d. May 21, 1882) of Worthington.

According to the Library of Congress, a daguerreotype is an image on "a plate of copper, lightly coated with silver. After cleaning and polishing the plate, exposure to iodine vapors created a light-sensitive surface that looked like a mirror. The plate, held in a light proof holder, was then transferred to the camera and exposed to light. The plate was developed over hot mercury until an image appeared. To fix the image, the plate was immersed in a solution of sodium thiosulfate or salt and then toned with gold chloride."