biography of Thomas ARMSTRONG (1818-1861)

Birth place: Northumberland County, England

Death place: San Francisco, CA

Addresses: San Francisco, 1849 and after

Profession: Wood engraver, sketch artist

Work: Soc. of California Pioneers

Comments: Served his apprenticeship to a London engraver at an early age and went to Paris, France. Because of the chaos in the aftermath of the French Revolution he left for Australia and went on to California in 1849. He was active in Sacramento and San Francisco, doing wood engravings and illustrating several magazines, some in collaboration with Charles Christian Nahl (see entry). He died of lung congestion at age 43.

Sources: G&W; Peters, California on Stone.; Hughes, Artists of California, 23.