07/16/2025
โ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ช ๐๐ข๐ฌ,โ 1887. Fred Pierce was photographed by John C.H. Grabill, who identified Pierce as โa noted Wyoming cowboy.โ One book stated that Pierce was a brand inspector or range detective, which would explain the binoculars and rifle. His revolver was in the cross-draw position for the right hand. He held a quirt (riding whip) with his left hand. His graze rope (picket line), not a lariat, was visible.
Grabill made his prints in direct contact with the negative, and the image was in the correct orientation. He worked primarily in Dakota Territory and submitted 188 photos to the Library of Congress for copyright protection. Text and small-file digital restoration of photo by Gary Coffrin.
The date of 1887 is solid. John Grabill filed the photo with the Library of Congress for copyright protection, which was granted in January 1888. Folks dressed to impress for portraits. Prints were expensive, and people wanted to show folks back home that they were prosperous.
I have 2500+ photos taken before 1900 on the Northern Plains stored on my PC. A rifle and scabbard were RARELY seen in portraits of a mounted cowhand. Binoculars were almost never seen. The rifle and binoculars support Fred Pierceโs identification as a range detective. The photographer instructed the rider to raise the hat to show his face. The hat brim was relatively flat, normal for the era and the area.
