The Yorkville Enquirer on Oct. 3, 1861 reported – “J.R. Schorb, resident ambrotypist continues to take pictures in various types of photography at his rooms one door west of the Presbyterian church.”
The Yorkville Enquirer on Oct. 26, 1865 contained an ad by J.R. Schorb which stated, “I am now prepared to take ambrotypes and photographs of all the various styles. I have received a new supply of photographic materials.”
The Yorkville Enquirer of April 6, 1871 reported – “Schorb and Son, photographers have recently made some fine photographic view of the Yorkville Female College.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on July 20, 1887 – “Mr. J.R. Schorb has been in Blacks taking birdseye landscape views of the town. The town authorities intend on having them electrotyped to use in advertising.”
City Directories and History: 1908 – John R. Shorb, George T. Schorb w wife Ella H., City Treasurer, also: Pianos, organs, typewritters, etc., living West Liberty nr Congress,
The following appeared in the June 26, 1862 issue of the Yorkville Enquirer.
“We are very pleased to see that this skillful surgeon (Dr. J.R. Bratton) and energetic and patriotic gentleman has been appointed to the charge of a Ward in the Winder Hospital, Richmond, Virginia. And we know it must be exceedingly gratifying to the gallant soldiers from this District, to read the invitation of Dr. Bratton, to come to his hospital when sick or wounded. We have been informed by those who have visited his hospital, that it is kept, as might have been expected from the character of the surgeon, in the most admirable order. The suggestion to send him some hospital stores, we feel assured, will meet with a hearty response from the ladies of Yorkville, Bethesda, Indian Land, Clay Hill, Bethel, Beersheba and other places. Contributions might be sent to Prof. J. R. Schorb of Yorkville, and Mrs. Ann White of Rock Hill. Let us all sacrifice a little for those who are periling health, limb, life, all, for us.” (The following appeared in the June 26, 1862 issue of the Yorkville Enquirer.)
Yorkville Enquirer, Thursday, May 2, 1861
Schorb photographs of famous SC men
Photographer J. R. Schorb had pictures of Beauregard, Anderson, Gov. Pickens, Wigfall, and Ruffin on sale for thirty cents each.
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on March 14, 1894 – “Mr. John M. Rawlinson has embared in the grocery business in the storeroom recently occupied by Mr. George T. Shorb. Mr. Rawlinson was a successful hotel man for many years.”
The Rock Hill Herald reported on May 18, 1901 – “Ms. Mary Schorb has two classes in music at Lesslie and Roddey’s in the eastern part of the county.”
The Rock Hill Record reported on Feb. 19, 1904 – “That J.R. Schorb, the old photographer, turned his foot and sprained his left knee. He is using a crutch and stick but is able to be in his photo gallery doing his work unaided.”
The Rock Hill Record reported on April 4, 1904 – “Mr. Hope Sadler of Rock Hill came to York on Saturday with his friend Mr. J. McMillan Schorb and they spent the weekend with his parents in York. These young men are Clemson boys and are currently engaged in putting up lines and wiring for the cotton mills at Rock Hill, for the Catawba Power Company.”
JOHN R. SCHORB OF YORKVILLE
In 1853, he moved to Yorkville, now York, and began teaching at the Yorkville Female Academy. He also had a part-time position teaching at the Kings Mountain Military Academy. During this period Schorb continued to take photographs.
About 1869 he became a full-time photographer opening up a studio on his property on West Liberty Street. Schorb practiced photography until he was almost 90. He was also interested in art. Schorb designed and made the scenery and backdrops that he used for his photography.
Schorb became very active in the affairs of the Yorkville community, serving, for example, on the town council for twelve years and as the city’s clerk and treasurer for eight. He was ordained as a ruling elder in the Presbyterian church and played the organ at church services on Sunday.
He was well educated with Greek, Latin, and mathematics being his favorite subjects. When he had time he tutored the neighborhood children.
On November 5, 1908, at the age of 90, John R. Schorb died. He is buried in the Rose Hill cemetery in York, his grave marked by one of the largest monuments there.
At his death, he left one son, George, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary S. Schorb (1816-1883) and his daughter Annie Marie Schorb Dickson (1853-1907). (WU Dacus Library Online Information)
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Yorkville Enquirer, October 27, 1908: Mr. John R. Schorb of Yorkville, passed his ninetieth birthday last Saturday, and several friends dropped in during the day to congratulate him on the occasion. The editor of The Enquirer was among the number, and when he called shortly after noon, he found the old gentleman busy at work developing and toning a number of photographic prints that he had made for customers during the morning. Mr. Schorb is easily the oldest citizen of Yorkville, and so far as The Enquirer has information, is the oldest citizen of York county. He was born in the Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany, in 1818, came to America in 1834 and has been a resident of Yorkville since December, 1853. He is unquestionably the oldest photographer in the United States, if not in the world. He learned the art from a Prof. Avery, who was a pupil of Daguerre, the discoverer and inventor of the art. This was away back in 1840 or 1841, only a few years after the first announcement of Daguerre’s famous discovery. Mr. Schorb came to Yorkville originally for the purpose of teaching school, and taught until 1869. He had been giving his spare time to photography from his first arrival however, and it was not until the last named date that he began to devote all of his time to the art. Among the treasures of his studio, which he showed some of his visitors last Saturday, including the editor, is a collection of photographs of some of the older inhabitants of Yorkville, who were young men and young women when he came to the town, and along with these the collection includes, in many instances children and grandchildren. But the whole studio is interesting especially to people who have been more or less familiar with the town for a period of 40, 50 or 60 years. It would not be fair to say that Mr. Schorb is in robust, physical health; but he is in remarkably fine physical condition considering his recent severe illness and his advanced age. His mental condition is perfect. Yorkville Enquirer, November 3, 1908: Mr. John R. Schorb, the venerable photographer who is so well known to most of the readers of The Enquirer, breathed his last at his home in
Yorkville yesterday morning at 1 o’clock and was buried this morning at 11, the funeral services taking place in the Presbyterian church and the interment in the Yorkville cemetery. Mr. Schorb celebrated his ninetieth birthday on October 24, and there was an extended notice of the event in our issue of October 27. The facts stated in that notice were taken mainly from memorandum made by the late Capt. L. M. Grist in a book that he used to keep for that purpose. [Here we omit information given in the October 27 article above rather than repeat as The Enquirer did.] He first took up his residence in Buffalo, N. Y., but after two years went to Michigan City, Indiana. How he got to Canton, Ohio is not stated in the notes; but ‘from Canton, Ohio, he walked the entire distance to Michigan City, over four hundred miles in the snow.”.. .. After two years in Michigan City, Mr. Schorb returned to Buffalo, and in 1840, cast his first presidential vote for William Henry Harrison, the Whig candidate. Friends in Buffalo furnished the means and he prepared himself for Hamilton college, at Rochester, from which he was afterwards graduated. While at college he learned photography from a Professor Avery, one of the instructors who had gone to France for the purpose of being initiated into the mysteries of the art by Daguerre, the discoverer and inventor. Professor Avery imparted his instruction voluntarily and without charge. After graduation Mr. Schorb devoted himself to the practice of photography, for which purpose he visited a number of towns in New York, New Jersey and Virginia. Later he went to Charleston, and from there to Columbia, and from Columbia to Winnsboro. While in Columbia he was offered a position as instructor in the famous Mount Zion Institute at Winnsboro for five years and went to that place for the purpose of accepting that position. That was in 1848.
He remained in Winnsboro for five years and being offered a similar position in Yorkville came to this place in 1853. He taught for a while in what was known as the Male Academy, a brick building that used to stand at the comer of Congress and Charlotte streets, and shortly after the opening of the King’s Mountain Military school, he accepted a position in the Yorkville Female college. The college was badly crippled by the war, and in 1869 had to be closed. Mr. Schorb had been taking photographs during his spare time all the while he was teaching at Winnsboro and Yorkville; but at the close of the female college he devoted himself entirely to his art and continued to make a profession of it up to the time of his death. As has been stated in The Enquirer more than once, the old studio on West Liberty street, is a treasure house of pictorial lore. Though making pictures for a living, the artistic, the historical and the human elements of the profession affected him with far greater force than the commercial side. He had been methodical all his long life, and he early began to apply method to his profession It is probably safe to say that he kept duplicates of almost every photograph he ever made. It is certain that he preserved many daguerreotypes, and the thousands of photographs and views in his collection constitute a most interesting and valuable pictorial history of the town and community. Though of a quiet and unobtrusive character, Mr. Schorb always took a keen and intelligent interest in the affairs of the state and nation as well as in the town and community. He seldom failed to cast his vote on election day; but never offered political advice except when it was asked of him. He served as a member of the town council of Yorkville for about twelve years and during eight years of that time was treasurer and clerk. His books were always clear and accurate. During the greater part of his long life, Mr. Schorb devoted close attention to church affairs. He was elected a ruling elder in the First Presbyterian church of Yorkville in October 1863, and continued in the office up to the time of his death. He was faithful and regular in his attendance on all church services and meetings and lived up to a high standard of moral and religious duty. During many years he was church organist.
Mr. Schorb leaves one son, Mr. George T. Schorb. His only other child, Mrs. J. Walter Dixon, died a few years ago. There are twelve grandchildren and twelve great-grand children.
(Information courtesy of and from: YCGHS – The Quarterly Magazine)
The Rock Hill Record on Nov. 9, 1908 reported that John R. Schorb died in Yorkville at his home last night. He passed his 90th birthday on Oct. 24. He was born Baden, Germany and came to the US in 1834. He has been in Yorkville since 1853, and is considered to be the oldest photographer in the U.S. He learned the art from Prof. Avery, who was pupil of Daguerre in 1840 or 1841. Mr. Schorb was a member of the York Presbyterian church and for many years was organist and music director. He is survived by one son George T. Schorb.
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[…] may overlook the invitation to dive deeper into these links. The page on antebellum photographer John R. Schorb of York, S.C. is a prime example of just how one man’s influence and life can unfold as you […]