This is a work in progress to compile as comprehensive as possible a listing numbers and titles of individual Charles Ordelle Farciot stereographs of Arizona. Each listing will include a brief biographical overview, in addition to the checklist of stereoviews complied to date.

Charles Ordelle Farciot (1839–October 27, 1891) was born in Switzerland in 1839. His early history is yet to be uncovered, but by the early 1860s Farciot had crossed the Atlantic and was living in Pennsylvania. At the outbreak of the Civil War, in April of 1861, he enlisted in the 17th Pennsylvania Volunteers. At the war’s end, Farciot was discharged at Mare Island, California. 

Farciot’s whereabouts for the next six years remain a mystery and his story continues when he resurfaces in San Francisco in 1871working as a model maker operating under the business name “Farciot & Van Drake” (with partner Alfred Van Drake) then as a solo operator through when he surfaces in Arizona. During the next four years, he produced a series of stereo views and an album including 110 images of his life and travel between Charleston, Tombstone, and Globe in the south-central part of the state, which document life in one of the most exciting periods in Arizona’s history.

Farciot visited many of the mines and growing new settlements during their heyday. He made striking photographs of the soldiers, settlers, and scouts who called Arizona home. The quality of these images indicates a good working knowledge of photography by that time, but where or how Farciot obtained this experience is not known. 

Beginning about 1879, Farciot toured the state in search of mining claims and taking photographs. He traveled south to the Huachuca Mountains and Harshaw near the Mexican border. His northern boundary appears to be the White Mountains in central Arizona, where he photographed Camp Apache, and the scenery along the White and Black rivers. Sacaton, near the stage stop of Maricopa Wells in Pinal County, marks the western limit of Farciot’s travels. His route appears to follow the mining strikes of the time, with prolonged stops around Globe (including Pinal, McMillenville, and Silver King) and the Tombstone area. In addition, Farciot visited the forts and military posts throughout this section of Arizona.

Photographs dated 1881 of both Globe and Tombstone appear in the album, indicating additional travel during that time. His fascination with mines and mining has left us an invaluable record of the people and places which had a major impact on the future of the territory and our state. 

Though Farciot’s occupation was cited as a machinist in the 1880 census while he was living in Charleston, A. T., and he was later identified as an engineer, he apparently operated a “formal” photographic studio for at least a short period.

While in Charleston, Farciot began working in 6.” X 8.” whole plate size along with the stereo format. The photographs of this period include 19 whole plate views as well as half-stereo images taken in and around Charleston and Tombstone.

At some point during his stay in Arizona, Farciot met one of Tombstone’s most famous personalities, Effingham (Ed) Schieffelin. Schieffelin’s fortune was made when he discovered the Tombstone mine, the first strike that set off the boom in the rich Tombstone/ Charleston area. Schieffelin visited a new frontier, Alaska in the spring of 1882. Later that year, the Schieffelins returned to Arizona, enlisted the services of Charles Farciot and Jack Young, and began planning the first commercial expedition to prospect in Alaska. 

As the prospecting party prepared to leave for Alaska, the small group gathered in San Francisco for a portrait. The photograph was taken by Farciot’s brother-in-law Alexander Edouart, partner in the Edouart & Cobb studio. Virtually all the Farciot stereographs of Arizona appear on Edouart & Cobb mounts. This raises the possibility that Farciot may have produced the albums with stereo halves while in Arizona but not commercially marketed his photographs himself. The assumption is that Edouart recognized the commercial possibility and acquired Farciot’s negatives before the expedition party left San Francisco. The numbering of the captions of the stereographs located to date indicate a total of at least 69 titles in the “Arizona Views” series that was offered by Edouart & Cobb.89 In addition, there is only a partial duplication with the 91 half-stereo images in the Arizona album, raising the possibility that the number of individual titles may reach as high as 150. 

After the expedition to Alaska disbanded in 1883 Farciot decided to stay in Alaska with a group of traders, eventually returning to San Francisco in 1886. 

Once again, there is a gap in information about the later part of Farciot’s life. After a few years in San Francisco, he moved to Chino Ranch, California and was employed as an engineer at the beet sugar factory there. He was listed in the 1890 California Voter Registration as a machinist. Farciot died of a heart attack on October 27, 1891. 

(from Arizona Stereographs 1865-1930 by Jeremy Rowe, 2014)

If you have additional information about Charles O. Farciot, examples of stereographs that are not on this list, or variant titles I would appreciate hearing from you. Ideally, I would like to obtain either a Xerox copy or scan for my files as well.
Thanks in advance for your time and assistance.

Please feel free to use this information but please credit this source and reproduce only with full credit information.
Thank you.

Jeremy Rowe
jrowe@vintagephoto.com

©Jeremy Rowe 2017

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PHOTOGRAPHER: Charles O. Farciot
LOCATION: San Francisco, California
SERIES: ARIZONA VIEWS,/-BY_/Charles O. Farciot,/Additional copies may be had by addressing/EDOUART & COBB,/ 504 Kearney St. San Francisco (on back)
DATE: c 1879-80
MOUNT COLOR: orange/pink

4. Tombstone Quartz Mills, Tombstone, A.T.

53. (unidentified town overview prob. McMillenville)

59. Milner & Watson's Mill, Globe, A.T.

69. Eaton & Bailey's Store, Globe, A.T.

San Xavier Church 9 Miles from Tucson approx. 200 years old A.T.

Silver Era Mill, Globe City

SERIES: Half stereo pairs from album (most probably by Charles O. Farciot)

(unidentified drug store and post office)

76 Mill. Pinal

76 Mill Pinal.

An Arizona Load of Wood as brought into Tucson by Mexicans

Apaches receiving Beef San Carlos Agency

Apaches coming for rations San Carlos Agency

Apache Scouts San Carlos

Arizona Dwelling

At rest on Alkali flats Six Miles from Dos Cabasas

Barroom Six miles below Charleston

Black River White Mts.

Black River White Mts.

Black River White Mts.

Black River, White Mts.

Boarding House

Buffalo Joe - First Scout in the Black Hills

C.O. Farciot's Photograph Gallery at Pima

Casa Grande looking East

Casa Grande Looking South

Casa Grande Looking North

Cayataro Apache Squaws near Camp Apache

Cayataro Apache Medicine Man 18 miles from Camp Apache

Charleston A.T.

Colonel Tracy's Military Post

Contention Hoisting works Tombstone

Contention Mill 12 miles below Charleston

Corbin Mill Charleston

Cow-boy

Devils Canyon - on the trail between Globe City and Silver King

Devils Canyon - on the trail between Globe City and Silver King

Dress Parade at Camp Apache

Dwelling in Charleston

Ed Schieffellin Prospecting

El Capitan Mine, Sixty miles from Globe Cy.

First House in Charleston

Four tribes of Apache Scouts

Giant Cactus

Gila Monster

Girds Quartz Mill Charleston A.T.

Globe Cy 1881

Hauling lumber down the Huachucha Mts. on sleds Elevation 8000ft.

Hershaw near Sonora

In the Superstitious Mts

In the Superstitious Mts

In the Superstitious Mts

Indian Headquarters when starting on a raid

Indian Heiroglifics ---- - ----

Indian Police San Carlos Agency

Kehoe and his Apache Scouts --- ----

McMillenville Hotel

McMillenville A.T.

Miller Residence Globe City

Mounting Guard Camp Grant

Mouth of a cave six miles below Charleston

North fork White River White Mts.

Office of the Tombstone M(ining) Co.

Officers Headquarters Camp Grant

Oldest Church in A.T. nine miles --- ----

Oldest Church in A.T. 250 yrs. old. -----

On the road to the Superstitious Mts

On the lookout for Apaches

Pack Train Globe Cy *

Peacock Mine

Peak of the Pinal Mts. 9500 ft Elevation

Pima Village near Sacaton

Pima Village near Casa Grande

Prospecting Party, Happy Camp near Silver King

Quartz Silver Mill Globe Cy

San Carlos Agency Building

San Carlos Apache Village

Saw Mill in the Pinal Mts. near Globe City

Signal Service Office

Silver King Hotel

Silver King Mill. Pinal

Silver Mill, Globe Cy

Silver King Quartz Mill, Pinal Peak of the Pinal Mts

Silver King Hoisting Works

Silver King Mine

Silver King City

Smith's ranch near the Pima Villages

Starling a prospect near Globe City

Store near Sacaton in the Pima Villages

Store at Camp Huachucha Apaches in foreground

Tombstone as it appeared in 1881

Tonto Basin Apaches

Turkey Creek, White Mts.

Turkey Creek White Mts.

Ventura Mine Sixty Miles from Globe Cy.

Watson Mill Globe City

White River White Mts.

Winding of the Black River in the White Mts.

©Jeremy Rowe 2017

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