SUMMARY
John Plumbe Jr., a Welsh immigrant and former civil engineer, became a prominent photographer in the 1840s, establishing over a dozen studios across the US and earning the nickname "the American Daguerre." In 1846, he took the earliest surviving photograph of a sitting US president, James K. Polk, along with his cabinet, which also serves as the first photographic record of the White House interior. Beyond his photographic achievements, Plumbe is recognized for being the first to brand daguerreotypes with his studio's name, regardless of the individual photographer, thereby establishing a recognizable brand identity.
TAKEAWAYS
John Plumbe Jr. took the oldest surviving photo of a sitting US president in 1846.
He established a large network of photography studios across major US cities.
Plumbe pioneered the practice of branding photographic prints with the studio's name.
His 1846 image is also the earliest photographic record of the White House interior.