Born in New York City in 1836, Ransome Holdredge came to California via the Isthmus of Panama in 1858 and worked as a draftsman at the Mare Island Naval Yard. His paintings of the 1860s and early 1870s were signed "Holdridge" and were done in the realistic style of the Hudson River School.

During this period he maintained a studio in San Francisco's Donahoe-Kelly Bank Bldg and exhibited locally. In 1874 he and Hiram Bloomer held a joint sale of their paintings to finance European studies. He left in that year and spent about two years studying in France.

His obituary states that he was a field artist for Scribner's publications and was with Major Reno's troops at the time of the Custer mass

Source: Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940"
California State Library (Sacramento); Artists of the American West (Samuels); American Western Art (Harmsen); The West as Art; History & Ideals of American Art (Neuhaus); California Landscape Painting 1860-1885; SF Call, 4-16-1899 (obituary).

Nearly 20,000 biographies can be found in Artists in California 1786-1940 by Edan Hughes and is available for sale ($150). For a full book description and order information please click here....