History

William Steeple Davis, Photograph, Studio Interior, Courtesy of the Oysterponds Historical Society

William Steeple Davis was born to Charles Davis and Carrie Hubbard on May 7, 1884 in Orient, New York. William grew up in a home comprised of three generations that included his parents and maternal grandparents, Captain William Smith Hubbard and Jane Culver Hubbard. Sadly, his younger brother Charles died at the age of 3 months. The family’s gravesites can be found in Orient’s Central Cemetery.

As a home-schooled only child William spent almost his entire life on his own, rarely leaving Orient. Inspired by his nautical and native surroundings he began to express himself through art. His earliest works, paintings and drawings, focused on the ships he saw on the Long Island Sound and the natural beauty found in the Oysterponds community. He continued his pursuit of art by teaching himself etching, linoleum block printing and what he is best known for, photography.

His first contact with photographic materials was in 1895 when a friend, Lucien C. Laudy, sent him an early type of image projector called a magic lantern along with several dozen lantern slides. Within a few years, Davis began to publish articles in well-known photography journals, and in 1923 published the book Practical Amateur Photography. By the time of his death he had published more than 600 articles on the subject.

During his later years and after the death of his grandparents and parents he traveled extensively to Europe. He died on February 22, 1961 and having no heirs he left his estate to the Trust, which formed in 1976 and continues to this day.