Biography from the "History of Fresno County" by Paul E. Vandor, 1919:
"In Claude C. "Pop" Laval, expert commercial photographer, Fresno possesses a citizen who stands in the front rank in the State of California in his chosen profession.
He was born in New York City, November 8, 1882, and received his education in the schools of New York, Brooklyn and Chicago. He began to make his way in the world at the early age of fifteen, and was in the employ of the J. C. Barr Engineering Company at Pittsburgh, PA, as architect and civil engineer. He was also foreman in charge of the steel mill erected at Monongahela, PA, for the Cochocton Iron Works.
In 1901, at the age of nineteen, he took up his life work of photography, being employed by the R. W. Johnston Studios of Pittsburgh, the second largest firm of its kind in the state. During the five years he was with the firm he devoted his entire time to the commercial branch of the business and received a thorough training in the art.
In October, 1906, Mr. Laval came to Fresno and was for a time in the employ of Dr. Chester Rowell. He then formed a partnership with C. H. Atkinson in the Angelus Studio, still devoting his time to commercial photography. After one year of partnership he started in business for him-self in that branch of the work, with his studio and developing room at 656 N. Van Ness Avenue.
He is the pioneer in modern commercial photography in Fresno, brought the first circuit camera and the first smokeless flash apparatus to the city, and was also the first to successfully photograph banquet gatherings. He has been very successful in his chosen line of work and is probably the best-known and most expert outdoor commercial photographer in Central California. His reputation, indeed, has spread to all parts of the state.
He was exclusively the photographer at the famous Jennie Crocker wedding, being specially called to San Francisco for that occasion, and took forty-two pictures of the affair in the pavilion and church. He was also called to San Francisco to photograph the meeting of the Federation of Woman's Clubs at the Cliff House.
He holds the record in Fresno for taking flash-light pictures of a banquet, having brought back the finished picture in thirty minutes' time. He brought the first motion picture camera to Fresno, and took and developed 50,000 feet of films for the San Francisco and San Diego Fairs in 1915.
He is the official photographer for the San Joaquin Valley Counties Association, which represents eight counties. He is the photographer for the Gaumont Weekly, taking motion pictures for it in the valley from Stockton to Bakersfield. These are shown at all the leading picture theaters in the country, and in doing this work he has been the means of giving much publicity to Fresno County, spreading its fame all over the world.
He does all the commercial work for the California Raisin Association and the California Peach Growers' Association, and all of the Fresno Republican's work, photographing all fires and accidents for that paper. He also specializes in making enlargements. Sixty-four of the largest enlargements on exhibition at the San Francisco fair in 1915 were made by him. These were forty inches by eight feet in size. His enlargements for a window display for the Wonder Store in Fresno attracted much attention; they were six feet by nine feet in size, the largest ever made in Fresno County.
He has taken motion picture views in mountain and valley in the San Joaquin Valley and filmed pictures on the top of Mount Keyser, 10,300 feet above sea level. These were on exhibition at the San Francisco and San Diego fairs in 1915 as official pictures from Fresno County. He has also done the motion picture work for the Fresno County Horticultural Commission, photographing the grape leaf hopper and fig wasp, giving enlarged views of these pests that destroy the fruit and vine. This was his own idea.
In August, 1918, F. C. Ninnis became associated with Mr. Laval, the firm name becoming Laval and Ninnis. The latter has been engaged in commercial photography in California since 1895, and in Fresno County since 1904. The equipment of the laboratory of this enterprising firm is conceded to be the most modern and complete of its kind in the entire state.
[In 1905] Mr. Laval married Miss Sadie M. Chessman, a native of Pennsylvania, and they are the parents of two children, Claude C, Jr., and Virginia May.
Mr. Laval is a member of the Fresno Lodge of Knights of Pythias."
From the foreword to "Early Valley Treasures, as Seen through the Lens of "Pop" Laval" by Catherine Morison Rehart, author of The Valley's Legends & Legacies:
"...
The arrival of photographer Claude C. "Pop" Laval in Fresno in 1911 marked the beginning of a commercial photography career that would span fifty-five years.
During this time "Pop" Laval took pictures of mountains, crops, businesses, streetcars, presidents, streetscapes, and ordinary people. Although his photos of Fresno comprised the largest part of his work, he also covered other Valley communities from Stockton to Bakersfield.
At the time of his death, in 1966, he left a body of photographic work that is priceless. He left a photographic record of Fresno that covered the years of Fresno's greatest growth. The Laval photographs have given the people of Fresno and the Valley an opportunity to view their historic community."
Note: Constant Amie Laval and Josephine Claude were married in Saint Louis, St Louis, Missouri on 14 Nov 1876, and at least 10 children were born from this union:
Aimee Laval (b: 1878, Louisiana) 1st;
Alice Josephine Laval (b: 13 May 1881, Manhattan, New York, N.Y.);
Constant Laval (b: 08 Nov 1882, Manhattan, New York, N.Y.);
Ervins Laval (b: 24 Aug 1890, L, Bergen, New Jersey) 8th;
Alice Laval (b: 24 Aug 1890, L, Bergen, New Jersey) 9th;
Irma Laval (b: 24 Aug 1890, L, Bergen, New Jersey) 10th.
The United States Census, 1880 lists Constant as married to Josephine, living in New York, NY; occupation: Looking Glass Maker; both Constant and Josephine having immigrated from France.
Offered by Contributor Georgia:
Father: Constant
Mother: Josephine
Immigrated from Lorraine, France
Wife: Sadie Chessman
Sources:
Missouri, Marriages, 1750-1920;
New York, Births and Christenings, 1640-1962;
New Jersey, Births and Christenings, 1660-1980;
United States Census, 1880, 1910, 1920, 1940;
United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918;
History of Fresno County, by Paul E. Vandor, 1919;
United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942;
California, Death Index, 1940-1997;
United States Social Security Death Index;
Early Valley Treasures: As Seen Through The Lens Of " Pop " Laval (Windows on the Past), Elizabeth M. Laval Stephen L. Brown William J., Jr. Conway Claude C. Laval, Word Dancer Press 2004-11-30;
"In Claude C. "Pop" Laval, expert commercial photographer, Fresno possesses a citizen who stands in the front rank in the State of California in his chosen profession.
He was born in New York City, November 8, 1882, and received his education in the schools of New York, Brooklyn and Chicago. He began to make his way in the world at the early age of fifteen, and was in the employ of the J. C. Barr Engineering Company at Pittsburgh, PA, as architect and civil engineer. He was also foreman in charge of the steel mill erected at Monongahela, PA, for the Cochocton Iron Works.
In 1901, at the age of nineteen, he took up his life work of photography, being employed by the R. W. Johnston Studios of Pittsburgh, the second largest firm of its kind in the state. During the five years he was with the firm he devoted his entire time to the commercial branch of the business and received a thorough training in the art.
In October, 1906, Mr. Laval came to Fresno and was for a time in the employ of Dr. Chester Rowell. He then formed a partnership with C. H. Atkinson in the Angelus Studio, still devoting his time to commercial photography. After one year of partnership he started in business for him-self in that branch of the work, with his studio and developing room at 656 N. Van Ness Avenue.
He is the pioneer in modern commercial photography in Fresno, brought the first circuit camera and the first smokeless flash apparatus to the city, and was also the first to successfully photograph banquet gatherings. He has been very successful in his chosen line of work and is probably the best-known and most expert outdoor commercial photographer in Central California. His reputation, indeed, has spread to all parts of the state.
He was exclusively the photographer at the famous Jennie Crocker wedding, being specially called to San Francisco for that occasion, and took forty-two pictures of the affair in the pavilion and church. He was also called to San Francisco to photograph the meeting of the Federation of Woman's Clubs at the Cliff House.
He holds the record in Fresno for taking flash-light pictures of a banquet, having brought back the finished picture in thirty minutes' time. He brought the first motion picture camera to Fresno, and took and developed 50,000 feet of films for the San Francisco and San Diego Fairs in 1915.
He is the official photographer for the San Joaquin Valley Counties Association, which represents eight counties. He is the photographer for the Gaumont Weekly, taking motion pictures for it in the valley from Stockton to Bakersfield. These are shown at all the leading picture theaters in the country, and in doing this work he has been the means of giving much publicity to Fresno County, spreading its fame all over the world.
He does all the commercial work for the California Raisin Association and the California Peach Growers' Association, and all of the Fresno Republican's work, photographing all fires and accidents for that paper. He also specializes in making enlargements. Sixty-four of the largest enlargements on exhibition at the San Francisco fair in 1915 were made by him. These were forty inches by eight feet in size. His enlargements for a window display for the Wonder Store in Fresno attracted much attention; they were six feet by nine feet in size, the largest ever made in Fresno County.
He has taken motion picture views in mountain and valley in the San Joaquin Valley and filmed pictures on the top of Mount Keyser, 10,300 feet above sea level. These were on exhibition at the San Francisco and San Diego fairs in 1915 as official pictures from Fresno County. He has also done the motion picture work for the Fresno County Horticultural Commission, photographing the grape leaf hopper and fig wasp, giving enlarged views of these pests that destroy the fruit and vine. This was his own idea.
In August, 1918, F. C. Ninnis became associated with Mr. Laval, the firm name becoming Laval and Ninnis. The latter has been engaged in commercial photography in California since 1895, and in Fresno County since 1904. The equipment of the laboratory of this enterprising firm is conceded to be the most modern and complete of its kind in the entire state.
[In 1905] Mr. Laval married Miss Sadie M. Chessman, a native of Pennsylvania, and they are the parents of two children, Claude C, Jr., and Virginia May.
Mr. Laval is a member of the Fresno Lodge of Knights of Pythias."
From the foreword to "Early Valley Treasures, as Seen through the Lens of "Pop" Laval" by Catherine Morison Rehart, author of The Valley's Legends & Legacies:
"...
The arrival of photographer Claude C. "Pop" Laval in Fresno in 1911 marked the beginning of a commercial photography career that would span fifty-five years.
During this time "Pop" Laval took pictures of mountains, crops, businesses, streetcars, presidents, streetscapes, and ordinary people. Although his photos of Fresno comprised the largest part of his work, he also covered other Valley communities from Stockton to Bakersfield.
At the time of his death, in 1966, he left a body of photographic work that is priceless. He left a photographic record of Fresno that covered the years of Fresno's greatest growth. The Laval photographs have given the people of Fresno and the Valley an opportunity to view their historic community."
Note: Constant Amie Laval and Josephine Claude were married in Saint Louis, St Louis, Missouri on 14 Nov 1876, and at least 10 children were born from this union:
Aimee Laval (b: 1878, Louisiana) 1st;
Alice Josephine Laval (b: 13 May 1881, Manhattan, New York, N.Y.);
Constant Laval (b: 08 Nov 1882, Manhattan, New York, N.Y.);
Ervins Laval (b: 24 Aug 1890, L, Bergen, New Jersey) 8th;
Alice Laval (b: 24 Aug 1890, L, Bergen, New Jersey) 9th;
Irma Laval (b: 24 Aug 1890, L, Bergen, New Jersey) 10th.
The United States Census, 1880 lists Constant as married to Josephine, living in New York, NY; occupation: Looking Glass Maker; both Constant and Josephine having immigrated from France.
Offered by Contributor Georgia:
Father: Constant
Mother: Josephine
Immigrated from Lorraine, France
Wife: Sadie Chessman
Sources:
Missouri, Marriages, 1750-1920;
New York, Births and Christenings, 1640-1962;
New Jersey, Births and Christenings, 1660-1980;
United States Census, 1880, 1910, 1920, 1940;
United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918;
History of Fresno County, by Paul E. Vandor, 1919;
United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942;
California, Death Index, 1940-1997;
United States Social Security Death Index;
Early Valley Treasures: As Seen Through The Lens Of " Pop " Laval (Windows on the Past), Elizabeth M. Laval Stephen L. Brown William J., Jr. Conway Claude C. Laval, Word Dancer Press 2004-11-30;
Biography from the "History of Fresno County" by Paul E. Vandor, 1919:
"In Claude C. "Pop" Laval, expert commercial photographer, Fresno possesses a citizen who stands in the front rank in the State of California in his chosen profession.
He was born in New York City, November 8, 1882, and received his education in the schools of New York, Brooklyn and Chicago. He began to make his way in the world at the early age of fifteen, and was in the employ of the J. C. Barr Engineering Company at Pittsburgh, PA, as architect and civil engineer. He was also foreman in charge of the steel mill erected at Monongahela, PA, for the Cochocton Iron Works.
In 1901, at the age of nineteen, he took up his life work of photography, being employed by the R. W. Johnston Studios of Pittsburgh, the second largest firm of its kind in the state. During the five years he was with the firm he devoted his entire time to the commercial branch of the business and received a thorough training in the art.
In October, 1906, Mr. Laval came to Fresno and was for a time in the employ of Dr. Chester Rowell. He then formed a partnership with C. H. Atkinson in the Angelus Studio, still devoting his time to commercial photography. After one year of partnership he started in business for him-self in that branch of the work, with his studio and developing room at 656 N. Van Ness Avenue.
He is the pioneer in modern commercial photography in Fresno, brought the first circuit camera and the first smokeless flash apparatus to the city, and was also the first to successfully photograph banquet gatherings. He has been very successful in his chosen line of work and is probably the best-known and most expert outdoor commercial photographer in Central California. His reputation, indeed, has spread to all parts of the state.
He was exclusively the photographer at the famous Jennie Crocker wedding, being specially called to San Francisco for that occasion, and took forty-two pictures of the affair in the pavilion and church. He was also called to San Francisco to photograph the meeting of the Federation of Woman's Clubs at the Cliff House.
He holds the record in Fresno for taking flash-light pictures of a banquet, having brought back the finished picture in thirty minutes' time. He brought the first motion picture camera to Fresno, and took and developed 50,000 feet of films for the San Francisco and San Diego Fairs in 1915.
He is the official photographer for the San Joaquin Valley Counties Association, which represents eight counties. He is the photographer for the Gaumont Weekly, taking motion pictures for it in the valley from Stockton to Bakersfield. These are shown at all the leading picture theaters in the country, and in doing this work he has been the means of giving much publicity to Fresno County, spreading its fame all over the world.
He does all the commercial work for the California Raisin Association and the California Peach Growers' Association, and all of the Fresno Republican's work, photographing all fires and accidents for that paper. He also specializes in making enlargements. Sixty-four of the largest enlargements on exhibition at the San Francisco fair in 1915 were made by him. These were forty inches by eight feet in size. His enlargements for a window display for the Wonder Store in Fresno attracted much attention; they were six feet by nine feet in size, the largest ever made in Fresno County.
He has taken motion picture views in mountain and valley in the San Joaquin Valley and filmed pictures on the top of Mount Keyser, 10,300 feet above sea level. These were on exhibition at the San Francisco and San Diego fairs in 1915 as official pictures from Fresno County. He has also done the motion picture work for the Fresno County Horticultural Commission, photographing the grape leaf hopper and fig wasp, giving enlarged views of these pests that destroy the fruit and vine. This was his own idea.
In August, 1918, F. C. Ninnis became associated with Mr. Laval, the firm name becoming Laval and Ninnis. The latter has been engaged in commercial photography in California since 1895, and in Fresno County since 1904. The equipment of the laboratory of this enterprising firm is conceded to be the most modern and complete of its kind in the entire state.
[In 1905] Mr. Laval married Miss Sadie M. Chessman, a native of Pennsylvania, and they are the parents of two children, Claude C, Jr., and Virginia May.
Mr. Laval is a member of the Fresno Lodge of Knights of Pythias."
From the foreword to "Early Valley Treasures, as Seen through the Lens of "Pop" Laval" by Catherine Morison Rehart, author of The Valley's Legends & Legacies:
"...
The arrival of photographer Claude C. "Pop" Laval in Fresno in 1911 marked the beginning of a commercial photography career that would span fifty-five years.
During this time "Pop" Laval took pictures of mountains, crops, businesses, streetcars, presidents, streetscapes, and ordinary people. Although his photos of Fresno comprised the largest part of his work, he also covered other Valley communities from Stockton to Bakersfield.
At the time of his death, in 1966, he left a body of photographic work that is priceless. He left a photographic record of Fresno that covered the years of Fresno's greatest growth. The Laval photographs have given the people of Fresno and the Valley an opportunity to view their historic community."
Note: Constant Amie Laval and Josephine Claude were married in Saint Louis, St Louis, Missouri on 14 Nov 1876, and at least 10 children were born from this union:
Aimee Laval (b: 1878, Louisiana) 1st;
Alice Josephine Laval (b: 13 May 1881, Manhattan, New York, N.Y.);
Constant Laval (b: 08 Nov 1882, Manhattan, New York, N.Y.);
Ervins Laval (b: 24 Aug 1890, L, Bergen, New Jersey) 8th;
Alice Laval (b: 24 Aug 1890, L, Bergen, New Jersey) 9th;
Irma Laval (b: 24 Aug 1890, L, Bergen, New Jersey) 10th.
The United States Census, 1880 lists Constant as married to Josephine, living in New York, NY; occupation: Looking Glass Maker; both Constant and Josephine having immigrated from France.
Offered by Contributor Georgia:
Father: Constant
Mother: Josephine
Immigrated from Lorraine, France
Wife: Sadie Chessman
Sources:
Missouri, Marriages, 1750-1920;
New York, Births and Christenings, 1640-1962;
New Jersey, Births and Christenings, 1660-1980;
United States Census, 1880, 1910, 1920, 1940;
United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918;
History of Fresno County, by Paul E. Vandor, 1919;
United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942;
California, Death Index, 1940-1997;
United States Social Security Death Index;
Early Valley Treasures: As Seen Through The Lens Of " Pop " Laval (Windows on the Past), Elizabeth M. Laval Stephen L. Brown William J., Jr. Conway Claude C. Laval, Word Dancer Press 2004-11-30;
"In Claude C. "Pop" Laval, expert commercial photographer, Fresno possesses a citizen who stands in the front rank in the State of California in his chosen profession.
He was born in New York City, November 8, 1882, and received his education in the schools of New York, Brooklyn and Chicago. He began to make his way in the world at the early age of fifteen, and was in the employ of the J. C. Barr Engineering Company at Pittsburgh, PA, as architect and civil engineer. He was also foreman in charge of the steel mill erected at Monongahela, PA, for the Cochocton Iron Works.
In 1901, at the age of nineteen, he took up his life work of photography, being employed by the R. W. Johnston Studios of Pittsburgh, the second largest firm of its kind in the state. During the five years he was with the firm he devoted his entire time to the commercial branch of the business and received a thorough training in the art.
In October, 1906, Mr. Laval came to Fresno and was for a time in the employ of Dr. Chester Rowell. He then formed a partnership with C. H. Atkinson in the Angelus Studio, still devoting his time to commercial photography. After one year of partnership he started in business for him-self in that branch of the work, with his studio and developing room at 656 N. Van Ness Avenue.
He is the pioneer in modern commercial photography in Fresno, brought the first circuit camera and the first smokeless flash apparatus to the city, and was also the first to successfully photograph banquet gatherings. He has been very successful in his chosen line of work and is probably the best-known and most expert outdoor commercial photographer in Central California. His reputation, indeed, has spread to all parts of the state.
He was exclusively the photographer at the famous Jennie Crocker wedding, being specially called to San Francisco for that occasion, and took forty-two pictures of the affair in the pavilion and church. He was also called to San Francisco to photograph the meeting of the Federation of Woman's Clubs at the Cliff House.
He holds the record in Fresno for taking flash-light pictures of a banquet, having brought back the finished picture in thirty minutes' time. He brought the first motion picture camera to Fresno, and took and developed 50,000 feet of films for the San Francisco and San Diego Fairs in 1915.
He is the official photographer for the San Joaquin Valley Counties Association, which represents eight counties. He is the photographer for the Gaumont Weekly, taking motion pictures for it in the valley from Stockton to Bakersfield. These are shown at all the leading picture theaters in the country, and in doing this work he has been the means of giving much publicity to Fresno County, spreading its fame all over the world.
He does all the commercial work for the California Raisin Association and the California Peach Growers' Association, and all of the Fresno Republican's work, photographing all fires and accidents for that paper. He also specializes in making enlargements. Sixty-four of the largest enlargements on exhibition at the San Francisco fair in 1915 were made by him. These were forty inches by eight feet in size. His enlargements for a window display for the Wonder Store in Fresno attracted much attention; they were six feet by nine feet in size, the largest ever made in Fresno County.
He has taken motion picture views in mountain and valley in the San Joaquin Valley and filmed pictures on the top of Mount Keyser, 10,300 feet above sea level. These were on exhibition at the San Francisco and San Diego fairs in 1915 as official pictures from Fresno County. He has also done the motion picture work for the Fresno County Horticultural Commission, photographing the grape leaf hopper and fig wasp, giving enlarged views of these pests that destroy the fruit and vine. This was his own idea.
In August, 1918, F. C. Ninnis became associated with Mr. Laval, the firm name becoming Laval and Ninnis. The latter has been engaged in commercial photography in California since 1895, and in Fresno County since 1904. The equipment of the laboratory of this enterprising firm is conceded to be the most modern and complete of its kind in the entire state.
[In 1905] Mr. Laval married Miss Sadie M. Chessman, a native of Pennsylvania, and they are the parents of two children, Claude C, Jr., and Virginia May.
Mr. Laval is a member of the Fresno Lodge of Knights of Pythias."
From the foreword to "Early Valley Treasures, as Seen through the Lens of "Pop" Laval" by Catherine Morison Rehart, author of The Valley's Legends & Legacies:
"...
The arrival of photographer Claude C. "Pop" Laval in Fresno in 1911 marked the beginning of a commercial photography career that would span fifty-five years.
During this time "Pop" Laval took pictures of mountains, crops, businesses, streetcars, presidents, streetscapes, and ordinary people. Although his photos of Fresno comprised the largest part of his work, he also covered other Valley communities from Stockton to Bakersfield.
At the time of his death, in 1966, he left a body of photographic work that is priceless. He left a photographic record of Fresno that covered the years of Fresno's greatest growth. The Laval photographs have given the people of Fresno and the Valley an opportunity to view their historic community."
Note: Constant Amie Laval and Josephine Claude were married in Saint Louis, St Louis, Missouri on 14 Nov 1876, and at least 10 children were born from this union:
Aimee Laval (b: 1878, Louisiana) 1st;
Alice Josephine Laval (b: 13 May 1881, Manhattan, New York, N.Y.);
Constant Laval (b: 08 Nov 1882, Manhattan, New York, N.Y.);
Ervins Laval (b: 24 Aug 1890, L, Bergen, New Jersey) 8th;
Alice Laval (b: 24 Aug 1890, L, Bergen, New Jersey) 9th;
Irma Laval (b: 24 Aug 1890, L, Bergen, New Jersey) 10th.
The United States Census, 1880 lists Constant as married to Josephine, living in New York, NY; occupation: Looking Glass Maker; both Constant and Josephine having immigrated from France.
Offered by Contributor Georgia:
Father: Constant
Mother: Josephine
Immigrated from Lorraine, France
Wife: Sadie Chessman
Sources:
Missouri, Marriages, 1750-1920;
New York, Births and Christenings, 1640-1962;
New Jersey, Births and Christenings, 1660-1980;
United States Census, 1880, 1910, 1920, 1940;
United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918;
History of Fresno County, by Paul E. Vandor, 1919;
United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942;
California, Death Index, 1940-1997;
United States Social Security Death Index;
Early Valley Treasures: As Seen Through The Lens Of " Pop " Laval (Windows on the Past), Elizabeth M. Laval Stephen L. Brown William J., Jr. Conway Claude C. Laval, Word Dancer Press 2004-11-30;
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