John James Noonan

Unidentified man
Photographer: J. J. Noonan
Hickman, KY


Hickman (KY) Courier - 09 Jun 1893

Unfortunately there were at least three photographers named J. J. Noonan in the eastern part of the US during the cabinet card era. Two of them were born the same year and had wives with the same first name.

However, one of them was born in Columbus, Hickman County, KY, and lived in Obion, TN, from about 1897 to 1910. Obion is just over 20 miles from the city of Hickman, KY, the town on this cabinet card. The city of Hickman, KY, is not in Hickman County, KY but is just a short distance from the cities of Columbus, KY, and Paducah, KY, where this J. J. Noonan also lived at one time.

John James Noonan
(12 Feb 1860 - 20 Dec 1923)

Apparently J. J. Noonan lived in New Madrid County, MO, until he was about 17-20. He hasn’t been found it the US Census of 1880, which would be a great help in establishing his whereabouts at age 20.

According to his children’s birth dates and locations, the family was living in Obion, KY by 1895. They stayed there until at least 1910 then moving to Paducah, KY where he died in 1923.

This cabinet card could have been made in that brief period when he was still living in Hickman, KY, about 1880 to 1893 as the clipping at the left indicates.

Hickman (KY) Courier - 21 Apr 1893


Hickman (KY) Courier - 02 Jun 1893


Hickman Courier - 21 Jul 1893

photographer: unknown
contributed by G Cullen

reverse of card at left

enhanced version of card

enlarged area of medalion

The enlarged medallion design at the left is of an artist's palette with brushes and cut flowers.

Contributor G Cullen has pointed out that the medallion logo on this card appears identical to the one on the card by J J Noonan, at the top of the page. He says he has also discovered three other cards with the same medallion design.

Indeed, this may be a generic imprint found on stock cabinet card blanks sold by printers or photograph material suppliers.

photographer:J J Noonan
Cooperstown, KY
example from contributor
(The first inital and the state is illegible but this is probably the same photographer.)

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.