Artist

Thomas S. Officer

born Carlisle, PA 1810-died San Francisco, CA 1859
Also known as
  • Thomas Story Officer
  • Thos. S. Officer
Born
Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States
Died
San Francisco, California, United States
Nationalities
  • American
Biography

Thomas Officer trained with Thomas Sully, and set up a thriving practice painting miniatures in Philadelphia during the 1830s. He traveled widely, working intermittently in Virginia, Alabama, New York, and possibly New Orleans. After the end of the Mexican War (1846-1848), Officer traveled to Mexico, Australia, and California, painting miniatures and coloring photographs. A drinking problem cut his career and life short, and Officer died in poverty.