[Unidentified Man]

(1808-1863) Born in Newburyport, Mass, he moved with this family at the age of 12 first to Albany, N.Y., and then to New York City. From 1830 to 1838 he worked as a traveling locksmith, while his spare time was spent on his hobby of astronomy. Making his first telescope in 1838, he may have worked early in 1839 making speculums with both Alexander Wolcott and John Johnson. When Daguerre's announcement of his his invention was made, Fitz traveled to France to learn more. Returning to New York in November, he assisted Wolcott and Johnson in construction of their daguerreian camera, utilizing a reflecting lens.
While Fitz operated as early as the summer of 1840 as a daguerreian in Baltimore, Md. (where his father then lived), his photographic fame comes primarily from his association with Alexander Wolcott and John Johnson in the development of the Wolcott daguerreotype camera. While he was associated with Wolcott and Johnson from 1840 until 1842, he was first listed as a daguerreian at 112 Baltimore Street, Baltimore from the summer to November, 1840; at the corner of Baltimore and Harrison Streets from November, 1840 to July, 1841; and at 112 Baltimore Street from July, 1841 until the fall of 1842. His listing in the 1842 directory was as a "daguerreotype likeness taker."
Married in 1844, Fitz returned to New York City a year later and pursued the manufacture of telescopes. While not listed any longer in the photographic business, it has been reported that he continued to make cameras and instruct people in their use. He also invented a camera lens that was patented posthumously, and remained interested in the field during his life. Fitz's photographic contributions have been overshadowed by his reknown as a telescope maker. Statistically, he made 40% of all telescopes and 80% of all astronomical telescopes made in the United States from 1840 to 1855.
This is probably the same Henry Fitz listed from 1849 to 1852 as an optician at 237 Fifth Avenue, New York City, N.Y. He was next listed in New York City as "telescopes" in 1860. In that year, he lived at 438 Fifth Avenue. He died October 31, 1863, from injuries suffered when a large chandelier fell on him. (www.daguerreotype.com)