George S. Cook

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George S. Cook (February 23, 1819 - November 27, 1902) was a prominent early photographer. He was born in Stamford, Connecticut and was orphaned at an early age. Unsuccessfully, he worked in the mercantile business. He later moved to New Orleans and was studying art when daguerrotype photography was introduced in the United States in 1839. He ran a gallery in New Orleans, then for ten years traveled throughout the South. He would establish a studio in a town, train helpers, then sell the studio to them and move on. He finally settled permanently in Charleston, South Carolina and recorded the effect of the Civil War on the city. He moved to Richmond, Virginia and amassed the most complete collection of photographs of that city.