Details
Title Huddy, William M.
Alternate title Huddy, William Massey
Date May 5, 1807-November 2, 1846
Description William Massey Huddy, born on May 5, 1807 in Philadelphia, was the city's premier military artist, lithographer, publisher and editor in the late 1830s and early 1840s. Known primarily as the senior partner of Huddy & Duval, the firm which published and illustrated "The United States Military Magazine" (1839-1842), Huddy also created miniatures, engravings, and paintings for fraternal clubs, jewelers, and fire and military organizations from ca. 1825 until his death in 1846.
Born to merchant Hunlock Huddy (1776-1825) and Eliza Massey (b. 1867), Huddy was educated at Mrs. Carson's Seminary and later in 1820 at Thomas D. Watson's Dietical Seminary (73 Pine Street), where he strengthened his drawing skills. During the 1820s, he joined the United States Fire Company and in 1827 began his lifelong involvement with volunteer military organizations when he joined the Philadelphia Grays. After the Grays' dissolution in 1829, he served with the National Greys. During this time, he resided with his mother and brothers at 269 South Front Street until he married Mary Ann Hickey (1811-1887) in 1833 and moved to a shop with residence at 85 Bilwyn (i.e., Dillwyn or Kunkle) Street in Northern Liberties. Following a fire at the shop in 1837, Huddy and his wife resided briefly with his mother at 60 Old York Road. They subsequently moved to 84 Noble Street, where 1835 city directories listed him as a "gold chaser." Four years later the Noble Street address appeared on the title page of the first issue of the "Military Magazine" published by Huddy & Duval.
From Huddy & Duval's offices at 7 Bank Alley (Duval's business address since 1835), Huddy was engaged primarily with the business and editorial responsibilities of the subscription magazine while P. S. Duval created the lithographic illustrations depicting officers in detailed and accurate representations of militia uniforms and scenes of camp life. The magazine and partnership ceased operations in 1842, according to the Garrett biography, for a variety of reasons, including financial issues from unpaid subscriptions and the destruction of many of the magazine's plates in a fire that originated over the offices of Huddy & Duval in 1842.
After the partnership with Duval, Huddy served as Aide-de-Camp of the City of Philadelphia and continued to experiment with lithography. His lithographic work included a sylvan landscape view signed "1st attempt at lithography"; "Camp De Kalb, Pottsville, Pa." (1843); a proof sheet of four Biblical scenes (1844); a lithographic proof for the Boon Light Infantry of St. Louis, Missouri; and a lithograph depicting a "volunteer fireman carrying an unconscious maiden from a conflagration."
In 1844, Huddy moved to Ninth and Wallace Streets from Noble Street and suffered his first heart attack the following fall. He passed away, childless, after a second heart attack on November 2, 1846. His widow Mary Ann resided with his brother Benjamin Huddy's family until her death in 1887.
Is part of Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers
References See Childs, Cephas G.; Duval, P.S.; Huddy & Duval.
Call number Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers
Bibliographic citation Census 1820, 1830, 1840
Garrett, William Massey Huddy, 1807-1846, Artist, Soldier, Publisher and Lithographer (Rosemont, Pa., 1970)
Library Company of Philadelphia research file
Groce & Wallace, 332
Peters, 225
Philadelphia Business & City Directories, 1835-1846
WWWAA, 1648