Title |
Bechler, Gustavus Reinhold |
Date |
March 13, ca. 1830-ca. 1892 |
Description |
Gustavus Reinhold Bechler, a surveyor, born in Saxony, Germany on March 13, ca. 1830 was active as a Philadelphia lithographer
who specialized in maps during the 1850s and 1860s. Bechler immigrated to the United States ca. 1850, declared his intention
for naturalization in 1852, and gained his citizenship in 1855. During this period, he found employment as a lithographer
and engraver with the Robert P. Smith Map Publishing House at 17 Minor Street, later 517-521 Minor Street. Bechler's work
published by Smith included three county maps of Michigan and a county, gazetteer and state map of New York, the latter of
which he worked with lithographers George Worley, William Bracher, Benjamin Matthias and Charles Reen.
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During the 1860s, Bechler delineated a world map printed by Thomas Wagner (1861) and published his own maps, including an
atlas showing battles, engagements, and important localities connected with the campaigns in Virginia" (1864), a military
map of Virginia printed by Worley & Bracher (1864), and "Map of Central Europe Containing Germany, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland
and Portions of the Neighboring States England, France, Austria, Italy, Russia &c (1860s).
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The lithographic trade held little hold for Bechler who preferred to survey his own maps than produce others' surveys. In
1872, he accepted a position as chief topographer on the Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories and spent four
years surveying and mapping the American West, including the current Yellowstone Park, where a stream became known as the
Bechtel River. Many of the maps issued as a result of this expedition were drawn by Bechler.
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In the early 1860s, Bechler lived with fellow lithographer Bracher, including at 1220 Thompson Street (the address that he
gives on his 1862 passport application). He married Maria Carol I. Kuntz, a native of Württemberg on October 15, 1860, and
although she does not appear listed in the 1870 census, she was granted letters of administration on his estate in 1893 when
she lived in Edgewater, Staten Island.
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Is part of |
Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers |
References |
See Bracher, William; Matthias, Benjamin; Reen, Charles; Wagner, Thomas, Worley, George; and Worley & Bracher. |
Call number |
Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers |
Bibliographic citation |
"Bechler, Gustavus," July 1, 1857, Jan 2, 1862, May 28, 1879, U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 |
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Census 1850, 1860, 1870 |
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Philadelphia Business and City Directories, 1869-1871 |
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Philadelphia, 1789-1880 Naturalization Records |