Daguerreotypists George S. Hough and Charles J. Anthony produced this image of William Willis, a prominent Portland lawyer and historian.

Willis (1794-1870) wrote The History of Portland and was an early president of the Maine Historical Society.

A paper label attached to the daguerreotype reads "Hon William / Willis. / Historian / my great uncle".

Hough and Anthony worked in Portland in 1846 before relocating to Providence and then Pittsburgh.