Addison C. Moyer
The work of Addison C. Moyer has likely found its way into
more homes than any other local artist. As the first and only
professional photographer in Waterloo for many years, Moyer
captured images that are touchstones of Waterloo’s history.
Hundreds of early Waterloo settlers would have sat in his portrait studio on King Street. Within ten years, Moyer had become quickly established a reputation for producing beautiful family portraits and images of the local landscape.
In 1906 it was written: “His work is classed among the best produced in the county, and as a photographer of outside views his services are in frequent requisition . . . the excellence of his work brings patrons from all over the county.”
Moyer was born in St. Jacobs in 1874 and moved to Waterloo to set up his business in 1895 at the age of twenty-one. He had become fascinated by the emerging technology of photography at a young age and “the further he delved into the mysteries of the art the more interested he became.” His first camera was a small Kodak with which “he produced some very creditable pictures.”
In a 1902 advertisement for a Waterloo singing festival, Moyer promoted himself as an artist. “A good photo of yourself and friends will be a fine remembrance of the big time you had at Waterloo on the big Saengerfest,” he wrote. “My facilities for turning out first-class photos in my new studio in Letter’s Block are unexcelled.”
He soon became a prominent businessman and by 1912 began serving the community as a councillor. He remained on council for about seven years and in 1916 he became the deputy reeve for a year. Moyer was also involved in the community as a member of a fraternal organization called the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a service group whose origins date back to mid-eighteenth century England.
Addison Moyer, who died on November 7, 1929 at his William Street home, was fortunate to be involved in a profession where technology was developing at a fast pace. In 1908, at the height of his career, a written history of Waterloo highlighted his work: “The good photographer is every whit as much an artist as the individual who uses only brushes and paints, and people are beginning to wake up to that fact more and more every day.”
Note: In the photograph above, taken by Addison Moyer, the photographer himself is at the left side of the photo, wearing a bowler hat.
Photo courtesy of the Waterloo Public Library.
Addison C. Moyer (Waterloo 150 Profile)
Description
- Creator
- Gallagher, Beth, Author
- Media Type
- Text
- Image
- Description
- To celebrate Waterloo's 150th anniversary, the Waterloo Public Library published a book called "Profiles from the Past, Faces of the Future." This book featured 150 profiles of people who helped make Waterloo what it is today. This is the digitized profile for Addison C. Moyer.
- Notes
- Please visit the Waterloo Public Library to enquire about physical copies of "Profiles from the Past, Faces of the Future."
The Waterloo 150 project was funded by a grant from the Waterloo Regional Heritage Foundation. Beth Gallagher wrote the profiles with the assistance of many research volunteers. Information for the profiles was gathered from a variety of sources from the community and the Ellis Little Local History Room. Notable sources include the Ellis Little Papers, newspaper clippings, local magazines and books.
- Place of Publication
- Waterloo, Ontario
- Date of Publication
- 2007
- Subject(s)
- Personal Name(s)
- Moyer, Addison
- Language of Item
- English
- Geographic Coverage
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Ontario, Canada
Latitude: 43.4668 Longitude: -80.51639
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- Copyright Statement
- Uses other than research or private study require the permission of the rightsholder(s). Responsibility for obtaining permissions and for any use rests exclusively with the user.
- Contact
- Waterloo Public LibraryEmail:askus@wpl.ca
Website:
Agency street/mail address:35 Albert Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 5E2
- Full Text
