Duane W Dowe

Photographer: D. W. Dowe
Artistic Photographer example from LOST GALLERY

Duane W Dowe moved around several times, had a number of partners and went in and out of the photography business more than once. A cabinet card with an imprinted address should be fairly easy to date. The card at the left, however, shows no address. The blind stamp imprint and the style of the card would indicate post 1900.

Duane W Dowe
(1856-1930)

1843
New York, from death certificate; Documents do not agree on his birth date, 1900 US census gives 1848 based on the age he gave at the time, California Voter Registration lists 1849 and the 1920 US census gives 1863. All other factors (name, location, origin, relatives) agree however so it must be the same person; Birth in New York to Perkins Dowe and Lucy E Rifenberg
1881
San Francisco, CA, city directory as artist with McDonald and Dowe at 1025 Market; res 1216 Mission

1882
San Francisco, CA, city directory as Photographer
1883
San Francisco, CA, city directory listed as Photographer with A. W. Dowe (brother)
1884
California voter registration res San Luis Obispo, CA
1889
US census, 1900, Duane Dowe and Maisie E Schofield are married
1889 May 30
Tulare (CA) Advance Register, small item says Dowe gallery is on H street between Tulare and King streets
1890 Apr 26
Reno (NV) State Journal news item Riffenburg and Dowe are erecting a photograph gallery at the corner of First and Virginia sts;
1890 Aug 20
Reno (NV) Gazette, item says Rifenburg and Dowe are leaving Reno
1890 Nov 10
Reno (NV) Gazette News, item mentions Rifenberg & Dowe of Reno, Tuscarora and Elko

1891
San Francisco, CA, city directory shows Lewis Dowe as manufacturer of photographic specialties at 410 Kearney and “A W Dowe” as Portrait Artist
1891 Feb 13
San Francisco (CA) Call news item describing a religious cult originated by A W Dowe
1891 May 03
Reno (NV) State Journal news item Swisher and Bender take of the gallery of Rifenberg and Dowe
1892 Feb 13, 20
Nevada State Journal, news item mentioning portraits by Dowe’s Gallery
1895 Nov 16
Rocklin, (CA) Pacer Herald item says Dowe is working at Auburn for the next 30 days
1899 May 11, 15, 16
Albuquerque (NM) Citizen, Ads for photographs, two dollars per dozen
1899 Sep 03, 16, 23, 40
Flagstaff, AZ, newspaper ad, D W Dowe, the San Francisco photographer has opened Dowe’s Gallery opposite the courthouse;

1900 Jun 12
Solano, CA, US census and CA voter registration as photographer at Solano, CA
1900
Meadow Lake, CA, US census as photographer; with wife Maisie E, married 11 years, and daughter Lurline
1900 Dec 07
San Francisco (CA) Examiner news story says daughter Lurline dies in a fire
1903 Sep 24, Oct 01
Feather River (Quincy, CA) small item about setting up In Quincy, CA starting Oct 5
1903 Oct 29
Feather River (Quincy, CA) news item about appearing in Taylorsville Nov 05
1904 Nov 12, 16
Arizona (Yuma) Sentinel, D W Dowe Intending opening studio in Yuma, AZ
1904 Nov 23
Arizona (Yuma) Sentinel, D W Dowe, the San Francisco photographer will open business in Yuma
1910
Winters, CA, US census as photographer with wife May V (probably Maisie), married 6 years

1910 Jul 19
Los Angeles (CA) Herald news item Arthur W Dowe patents a lock
1911
Vallejo, CA, city directory as photographer in Suisun City, CA
1911 Apr 17
Feather River (Quincy, CA) small display ads mentioning Dow visits to Quincy in May, Johnsonville in June
1911 Apr 13, 17, 24, 27; May 01, 04, 11, 15;
Feather River (Quincy, CA) News small display ads; no address given
1911 May 10
Plumas Independent (Quincy, CA) News, small item mentions Dowe to be open May 12
1912 Apr 11
Oakland (CA) Tribune, Norman E Scofield dies, father of Mrs D W Dowe (it must be noted here that no records have been found to support a second marriage except this and the following news item)
1917 May 24
Feather River (Quincy, CA) small item about opening a studio with brother A W Dowe in Quincy, CA, on Saturday, May 26; this is probably Arthur Washington Dowe (1854-1930)

1912 Oct 27
Oakland (CA) Tribune, Wife of D W Dowe attempts suicide (Note: Although the newspaper accounts list the husband as “W D” and “W E” Dowe instead of D W Dowe, the article also mentions he is in the photography business.)
1913
Vallejo, Solano, CA city directory D W Dowe as photographer, rooming in Vallejo, CA
1914
California Voter Registration, D W Dowe as photographer
1920
San Francisco, CA, US census, D W Dowe as Promoter for Mines; res: 1020 Natoma st; Arthur Dowe (brother) at same address as Artist in photography; May Baldwin (sister) at same address as no occupation; census taker appears to have faked the parents origins
1921, 1923
San Francisco, CA, city directory, D W Dowe at 1020 Mina, no occupation shown; , as living with Arthur W Dowe, Artist;
1926
San Francisco, CA city directory as “storekeeper’ at US Customs

1927 Apr 17
Los Angeles, CA, Death Certificate, Duane W Dowe dies in Los Angeles Soldiers Home at age 84

Duane Dowe can’t seem to settle on an age he liked. While other factors seem to stay in line in various documents, his birth date given ranges from 1848 to 1863. If his death certificate can be believed, where he died in 1927 at age 84, his birth year would be 1843.

Duane W Dowe moved around several times, had various partners, went in and out of the photography business more than once. A cabinet card with an imprinted address should be fairly easy to date. This card, however, shows no address. The blind stamp imprint and the style of the card would indicate post 1900.

Reno (NV) Gazette - 27 Jul 1888

Reno Nevada State Journal - 26 Apr 1890

Reno (NV) Gazette - 20 Aug 1890

Reno (NV) State Journal - 10 Nov 1890

Reno {NV} State Journal - 03 May 1891

Feather River Bulletin (Quincy, NV) - 16 Jul 1903

Feather River Bulletin (Quincy, NV) - 08 Oct 1903

Feather River Bulletin (Quincy, NV) - 29 Oct 1903

Arizona Sentinel - 23 Dec 1904

Arizona Sentinel - 30 Nov 1904

Los Angeles Herald - 19 Jul 1910

Feather River Bulletin (Quincy, NV) - 17 Apr 1911

Plumas Independent - 10 May 1911

Oakland (CA) Tribune - 11 Apr 1912

Oakland Tribune - 27 Oct 1912

Feather River Bulletin - 17 May 1917

Feather River Bulletin - 24 May 1917

photographer: Riffenberg and Dowe
Reno, NV
example from auction site
(finished in 1900)

photographer: Riffenberg and Dowe
951 I Street, Fresno, NV
example from auction site
(finished 1899 or 1900)

photographer: Riffenberg and Dowe
Fresno, NV
example from auction site
(finished 1900-1901)

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