Joseph Daniel Bagley (born Joseph Daniel Flannigan; December 17, 1874 – June 16, 1936) was an American beekeeper, businessman, and photographer. He operated an apiary and a photography studio in

Springville, Utah Springville is a city in Utah County, Utah, Utah County, Utah, United States, that is part of the Provo–Orem metropolitan area. The population was 35,268 in 2020, according to the United States Census. Springville is a bedroom community for co ...

. Bagley traveled around Utah, taking photos and setting up galleries.

Early life

Bagley was born on December 17, 1874, to Thomas Emmett Flannigan and Margaret Melissa Bagley in Toquerville, Utah. At a young age, Bagley began to live with his maternal grandparents and took their last name. His grandfather was a

beekeeper A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees, a profession known as beekeeping. The term beekeeper refers to a person who keeps honey bees in beehives, boxes, or other receptacles. The beekeeper does not control the creatures. The beekeeper ow ...

and taught Bagley the trade.

Career

Bagley operated the Western Bee and Honey Company, which was one of the largest apiaries in the area at the time. Bagley began working as an apprentice for photographer

George Edward Anderson George Edward Anderson (October 28, 1860 – May 9, 1928) was an early American photographer known for his portraiture and documentary photographs of early historical sites of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and Utah ...

. There, Bagley met another apprentice, Elife Caroline Huntington. In 1903, Bagley and Huntington left Anderson's studio and started their own photography studio across the street. When Anderson left to serve a

mission Mission (from Latin 'the act of sending out'), Missions or The Mission may refer to: Geography Australia *Mission River (Queensland) Canada *Mission, British Columbia, a district municipality * Mission, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * ...

for the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian restorationist Christian denomination and the largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement. Founded durin ...

in England, Bagley and Huntington expanded their photography business. Their studio was in business for more than 33 years. At the studio, Bagley took portraits, made picture frames, and developed pictures. Bagley and Huntington traveled across Utah on their motorcycle, taking photos of multiple towns and people and setting up galleries. Bagley and Huntington advertised their studio as being willing to "go anywhere, to "photograph everything." Bagley often worked at the apiary during the summer and at the photography studio during the winter.

Photography style

One author says that Bagley and Huntington's legacy remains due to their "willingness to confront, starkly at times, the pains and complexities of life." Another author refers to their work as "unusual" for their time. Besides portraits, Bagley and Huntington photographed subjects such as disability, alcohol use, gambling, and loneliness.

Personal life

Bagley married Emma Spafford on June 19, 1907. They had four children, two of which survived to adulthood. Spafford died in 1926 and Bagley began to experience financial and family troubles. He trained his only son, Daniel, in beekeeping and photography. Bagley's daughters often lived with relatives while Daniel lived with his father and helped with the family businesses. In May 1936, Bagley married Huntington in a simple ceremony in their studio. However, Bagley died six weeks after their marriage on June 16, 1936.

Collections

Bagley's work is held in the permanent collections of the Huntington Bagley Collection and the Rell G. Francis Collection, both housed at

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...

; the

Springville Museum of Art The Springville Museum of Art in Springville, Utah, United States is the oldest museum for the visual fine arts in Utah. In 1986, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. As of 2022, the museum's director is Emily Lars ...

, the Mapleton, Utah Historical Photographs collection, and the Domestic Life Photograph Collection of the

Utah State Historical Society The Utah State Historical Society, founded in 1897, encourages the research, study, and publication of Utah history. From its modest beginnings, the Utah Historical Society has grown to several hundred members, developed a research collection ...

Selected works from the Huntington- Bagley Collection

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bagley, Joseph Daniel 1874 births 1936 deaths People from Washington County, Utah American beekeepers 20th-century American businesspeople American photographers