Dates

• Existence: 1854 - 1931

Biographical History

L. A. Huffman (1854-1931) was a landscape and ranch photographer from Montana.

Laton Alton Huffman was born October 31, 1854, in Castalia, Winneshiek, Iowa to Perrin Cuppy Huffman and Chastina Baird Huffman. Huffman learned photography from his father and apprenticed in 1878 at Moorhead, Minnesota. He took photographs of landscapes, animals, early ranches, street scenes and, people doing work. His photos of buffalo hunting taken between 1880-1883 are some of the few that exist from that era. Most of his photos taken in the early 1880's, were taken with crude equipment, yet produced quality images. Most of Huffman's pictures were taken out on the range, where he carried his equipment on horseback, allowing him to capture action photographs. On December 11, 1878, he came to Fort Keogh, Montana Territory and remained there for two years as Post Photographer. In the early eighteen eighties he came to Miles City, where he operated a photograph gallery for many years. In 1882, he traveled to Yellowstone National Park and took a series of stereoscopic images. He was well acquainted with the Northern Plains Indians, in particular the Northern Cheyenne and captured portraits, scenes of family life, and scenes of traditional activities of Native Americans while visiting their villages.

Huffman married Ann Skinner in Miles City on October 18, 1883. Together, they had two daughters, Elizabeth Huffman Felton and Ruth H. Huffman Scott. In 1893, he was elected a member of the Montana House of Representatives from Custer County. After about 1905, he largely concentrated on selling prints made from his stockpile of glass plate negatives. He died on December 28, 1931, in Billings, Yellowstone, Montana.

Citation:

Find a Grave, via WWW, July 5, 2017 (b. Oct. 31, 1854 in Castalia, Winneshiek, Iowa; d. Dec. 28, 1931 in Billings, Yellowstone, Montana; father Perrin Cuppy Huffman; mother Chastina Baird Huffman; took photographs of landscapes, animals, early ranches, street scenes and, people doing work; his photos of buffalo hunting taken between 1880-83 are some of the few that exist from that era; photographed the beginning and end of the open range period; most photos from the early 1880's, taken with crude equipment, yet produced quality images; came to Fort Keogh, Montana Territory, on December 11, 1878, remained for two years as Post Photographer; early eighteen eighties he came to Miles City where he operated a photograph gallery for many years; Mr. Huffman was prominent in the civic life of Miles City; in 1893 he was elected a member of the Montana House of Representatives from Custer County; married Ann Skinner in Miles City on October 18, 1883; had two daughters, Elizabeth Huffman Felton and Ruth H Huffman Scott; In 1905 Mr. Huffman closed his portrait studio in Miles City and then devoted his time to the production and sale of pictures from his Early Day negatives).

The Yellowstone Stereoview Page, via WWW, July 5, 2017 (learned photography from his father; in 1878 apprenticed at Moorhead, Minnesota; photographed eastern Montana and northern Wyoming during the last two decades of the western frontier; most of Huffman's pictures were taken out on the range, where he carried his equipment on horseback, allowing him to capture action photographs; well acquainted with the Northern Plains Indians, in particular the Northern Cheyenne; made portraits, scenes of family life, and scenes of traditional activities of Native Americans while visiting their villages; in 1882 he traveled to Yellowstone National Park and took a series of stereoscopic images; he took images of the last of the buffalo in Montana Territory; in the early 1880s Huffman left Fort Keogh and established his own business in Miles City; operated this first Miles City studio until 1890; elected to the Montana House of Representatives for Custer County in 1893; after about 1905, largely concentrated on selling prints made from his stockpile of glass plate negatives).

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