Payson Parade on July 4. 1906
The Orson A. •Daniels photographic exhibit, a magical display of light, shadows, form and artistry is on permanent display in the Daniels Photo Exhibit Room at the Peteetneet Museum.
The exhibit includes some over 50 framed and bronzed photographs by the Pay son native who was born May 31. 1865, to Thomas Daniels and Jane Sheffield.
He was an energetic young man who joined his brother. Thomas, in printing a little hometown newspaper and making tintype photographs. They purchased nitrate of silver, chemicals and little squares of tin from E.R. Savage & Co.. Salt Lake City, to make negatives and develop pictures. Later they made plate glass negatives. Pay son could not support a photography business, so Orson and Thomas set up a gallery in Provo in 1885 and became very proficient in the craft. With the advent of electricity, Thomas went into that field of work but Orson stuck with photography, making his lifelong occupation.
He -married Susan Crandall on Dec. 19, 1887, in Payson. They were parents of nine children, all born in Payson.
Orson's first photo gallery "in Payson was on the west side of Main Street next to a meat market owned by Philo Wightman. He later built a more modern gallery on First South near Main Street. Not being able to make a very good living in Payson, he traveled at first in a covered wagon that served as his photo lab. He would set-up his tent and photograph people in mining towns and surrounding areas. Years later, family members took him around in an old truck.
In the days when glass plates were used to produce images, some of his children would go along to develop them because they had to be used within half an hour of being made up.
Daniels made thousands of very fine portraits and scenic views, gaining a reputation as an artistic photographer. He died at his home in Payson Feb. 19, 1955. He was 89. Orson left a lasting impression on the history of this area.- A daughter-in-law. Stena C. Daniels, wrote the following about Daniels at the time of his death. *
Summerized from an article by Verdene Page-Wilson, a deceased member of the PPP Board written about 20 years ago.
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