Fairbanks Studio
James A. Fairbanks and Sarah Williams Fairbanks settled in Center Point in 1870 where James opened a photography studio that served the community for many decades. James had come to Iowa as a teenager with his family in 1864. His father Benjamin and mother Eunice Mead left their farm in Apalachin, New York to settle in Iowa. At least three of their eight children came west as well. Benjamin worked as a farmer and merchant in Iowa but later returned to New York. Sarah Williams’ family was already in Center Point at this time. James and Sarah raised three children: Blanche Sheffield, Fannie Hassel, and Mark Fairbanks.
James Fairbanks, photographer in 1878, with “Fairbanks” logo showing at bottom of photo. Mr. Fairbanks was responsible for most of the photos Center Point’s history.
In addition to the portraits James produced in the studio he built on Main Street, he also photographed other items. An announcement in the 1885 Center Point Courier-Journal states that he will comply with requests made from “those wishing any kind of views made of their residences, barns, stock, or a group of their families in their own door yard” and that he can “make them on short notice.” As an adjunct, he sold frames, albums, and easels to display photographs of all sizes.
Fairbanks Studio circa 1880 located north of Heverly Hardware. Center Point’s history.
Business must have been good because the studio expanded to include a Walker location. At one time, James’ son, Mark, managed branches of the studio located in Independence and Clinton. Unfortunately, the dream of having his son continue in the family business was cut short when Mark died suddenly in 1903 at the age of 28. Mark’s wife, Grace Weeks Fairbanks, and daughter, Ruth Fairbanks (Grubbs Risk), returned to Center Point to be closer to the family. The family business did survive into a future generation, however, for upon James’ death in 1910, his grandson, Fred Sheffield, continued to run the business for a time.
This studio must have been a busy place. Grace remembers helping in the dark room when extra hands were needed. Photography was in its infancy during this period and so experimentation was typical. Mark believed that one-day people would be able to take pictures in natural colors. Family members were conscripted into Mark’s obsession by frequently being asked to have their pictures taken. Grace worried that Mark would spoil Ruth because of the constant attention she received with the camera. Mark was not concerned since he had grown up receiving similar attention. From earlier photographs, it is obvious that Mark had mastered the art of posing for his father at a young age.
James’ obituary stated, “Mr. Fairbanks had the distinction of having the best cameras in his studio that there were in the state and he was an artist of exceptional ability.” This praise has been reiterated repeatedly. The Center Point Community Historical Society is very fortunate to have so many pictorial representations of our town’s history, thanks to the photography of the Fairbank’s family.
The descendents of the Fairbanks family are very proud of the role their family had in recording the history of Center Point. Flipping through their family memorabilia, the Fairbanks Studio mark appears on many photographs.
--Katherine Rand, Patricia Grubbs Rand, Margaret Rand Weaver