Born September 10, 1843 in Connecticut, Orlando Scott Goff was a photographer active in the Dakota Territory. Goff was enlisted in the Union Army 10th CT Infantry Company K from September 19, 1861- August 25, 1865. He is registered as Orlando Goff, Orlando B. Goff, and Orlando S. Goff. Goff suffered a gunshot wound to his right breast and arm during Army service.
After his military service Orlando studied photography in Lyons, New York. He was an itinerant photographer in Portage, Wisconsin. In 1871, he moved to Yankton, Dakota Territory and established the first photography gallery in Yankton. In 1873, he moved to Bismarck where he opened his a photography studio. In that same year he became the post photographer for Fort Abraham Lincoln in Montana where he took series of photographs of George Armstrong Custer and his officers. He also took many photographs of Native Americans, including the first photograph of Chief Joseph of the Nez Pierce in 1877.
In 1877, Goff met with his apprentice David Frances Berry in Bismarck, Dakota Territory. Goff was Berry's mentor, employer, and later, business partner in Bismark, Dakota Territory. Berry went on to photograph and become friends with Sitting Bull, his son Louie, as well as Buffalo Bill Cody, Annie Oakley, and Red Cloud.
In 1878, Goff left Bismarck and went on a photographic tour of the Plains. During this time he took famous photographs of the Crow Maiden, Charging Hawk (Osage scout), Long Soldier (Hunkpapa Sioux Chief), and Sitting Bull (1881) as well as photos from the Little Big Horn Battle site, and Fort Custer (1888). During the 1870s and 1880s worked together with Berry. Goff had a gallery that was affixed to a wagon. Barry decided to make a portable gallery as well, but one that was fabricated so it could be put up and taken down at any location. The photography at this time was a rigorous endeavor. It employed glass plates and heavy equipment, often transported by wagon and/or horse.
In 1900, Goff retired as a photographer and Barry became the proprietor of Goff's Bismarck studio. In 1907, he ran as a Republican was elected to the Montana House of Representatives, representing the Chocteau County. In 1910, Goff and his wife Anna E. Eaton Goff moved to Boise, Idaho. On October 17, 1916 Goff died in Boise, Idaho.
After the Civil War, Congress reorganized the "Union Colored Troops" into the 25th United States Infantry Regiment, nicknamed the "Buffalo Soldiers", establishing two all Black cavalry units and four infantry units. The 25th Infantry was one of the racially segregated units of the United States Army from 1866 to 1946. In 1880, the 25th Infantry was transferred to the northern Great Plains, operating mostly in Dakota Territory, Montana, Minnesota. In May 1888, the regiment was transferred to Montana, exchanging stations with the 3rd Infantry. Headquarters and four companies were located at Fort Missoula, while four companies went to Fort Shaw and two (Company A and D) to Fort Custer. Fort Custer was in use from 1877-1898.
The collection consists of four photographic copy prints of cabinet cards (4 ½ x 6 ½) size photographs taken by O.S. Goff. They include studio portraits of the African American, "Buffalo Soldiers," who were members of Company A and D of the 25th Infantry.
Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries’ Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Donated by Pat Scott.
Processed by Jordan Grimmer; processing completed in August 2011.
Photographs were removed from the Photographers Reference File, May 24, 2011.
On mount: "O.S. Goff Dickinson, N.D." (North Dakota became a state in 1889.)
Officer also shown in item.3