James R Bruce

Photographer: The Peoples gallery
Jas Bruce
Stillwater O. T.

Oklahoma became a state 16 Nov 1907. Before that it was called Indian Territory or Oklahoma Territory (OT).

James R Bruce
(1859-1938)

1859 Dec 24
Lumpkin, Georgia, James Rufus Bruce is born to Aquilla A Bruce jr and Parthena Ann Bryan
1893 Mar 30
Perkins (OK) Journal, item says James Bruce has a tent set up to take photographs
1894 Dec 13
Stillwater (OK) Gazette, item says J R Bruce has moved the Gallery to the corner of Seventh and Main
1895 Aug 15, 1895 Nov 14
Stillwater (OK) Gazette, display ad for Peoples Gallery on North Main St in Stillwater, OK
1896 May 15
Oklahoma AandM College Mirror, small at for J R Bruce, North Main, Stillwater
1899 Sep 28
Stillwater (OK) Gazette; ad for J R Bruce gallery at East side North Main St, Up Stairs
1900 Jun 02
Eden, Payne County, OK, US census, James R Bruce as photographer

1900 Sep 13
Payne County (OK) Populist newspaper, small item says J R Bruce has purchased the gallery of Mrs E J Forrester who formerly owned the studio
1902 Jan 02
Stillwater (OK) Gazette, item says J R Bruce and wife are now living at Pawnee, OK where he has a photograph gallery
1902 May 15
Stillwater (OK) Democrat, item says J R Bruce has a studio on South Main Street, third floor, south of Post Office
1903 Feb 02
Stillwater (OK) Daily Democrat, item says J R Bruce has become a farmer again
1904 Nov 17
Stillwater (OK) Gazette, item says J R Bruce will be selling at auction live-stock, feed and implements
1905 Feb 02
Stillwater (OK) Advance, item says O Z Hawk has recently purchased the Bruce Farm
1906 Jan 09
Stillwater (OK) Gazette, item says Mrs J R Bruce has died at Plattville, CO; item also says that she and her husband J R Bruce moved from Stillwater on 1904 Dec 08

1906 Dec 06
Stillwater (OK) Democrat, item says People’s Gallery is now operated by H M Wantland
1910 Apr 15
Reeves, TX, US census, James R Bruce, no occupation shown, wife Elice
1914 Apr 24
Stillwater (OK) Gazette, small ae for People’s Gallery at 116 West Seventh in Stillwater (no photographer name shown)
1915 Dec 08
Stillwater (OK) Democrat, ad for H M Wantland at the People’s Gallery, West 7th Av, Stillwater
1920 Jan 07
Waddel Creek, Moffat CO, US census, James Bruce as farmer
1930 Apr 04
Myrtle Creek, OR, US census, James Bruce as real estate agent; wife Elisa
1938 Dec 17
Douglas, Oregon, J R Bruce dies at age 78

So the People’s Gallery of Stillwater, OK, and the area, was operated by James Bruce from about 1893 until at least 1903 and then by taken over by H M Wantland.
He called it "People's Gallery" most of the time.

Stillwater (OK) Gazette -
15 Aug 1895

Stillwater (OK) Gazette -
14 Nov 1895

The Oklahoma A and M College Mirror -
15 May 1896

Stillwater (OK) Gazette -
28 Sep 1899

Payne County Populist -
13 Sep 1900

Stillwater (OK) Gazette -
2 Jan 1902

Stillwater (OK) Gazette -
06 Mar 1902

Stillwater (OK) Democrat -
15 May 1902

Stillwater Daily Democrat -
02 Feb 1902

Stillwater (OK) Gazette -
17 Nov 1904

Stillwater (OK) Advance -
02 Feb 1905

Stillwater (OK) Gazette -
09 Jan 1905

Stillwater (OK) Dempcrat -
06 Dec 1906

Stillwater (OK) Democrat -
09 Dec 1915

photographer: The Peoples Gallery
example from auction site

Here is another example of "The People's Gallery" but with no location shown. It is a rubber-stamp imprint. Owner's description says it came from an album of Meridian, MS photographs.

Could this be an example of early work by Bruce?

photographer: The People's Gallery
location unknown
example from contributor

Another example, this time with an imprinted
"People's Gallery"
and no location shown.

Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's INDEX by name. All the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th century found in LOST GALLERY are listed there.

Cabinet cards typically have the photographer’s name and address printed on the bottom edge or the reverse of the card. 19th century photographers moved around a lot. The basic idea here is to find WHEN a photographer was WHERE, which will help date an unidentified CABINET CARD from your family album.

This is a work always in progress.

Aditional information and New examples are always welcome. Any additional information will help narrow the time that these precious antiques were made.

All submissions should be free of glare and shadows.
Do not crop.
Leave a border around each card. The edges are sometimes an important clue to the age of the card.
Email to the address found in the profile at the bottom of this page.

Some examples on this page have been enhanced or restored for clarity and presentation here.

This page is free for educational and research purposes only but, as always, if the original owner of any of these examples objects to the use on this page, just let me know and they will be immediately removed.