John Wesley Pickard

John Wesley Pickard
(1861 – 1951)

1861 Apr
North Carolina, state records, John Wesley Pickard born to John W Pickard and Matilda S Leimback
1870-1880
Bartholomew, IN, US census places J W Pickard living with mother (His father died when he was 8 and he lived with his mother until he was in his early 20’s)
1890
Birmingham, AL, city directory, John Pickard as photographer at 20th bet av D and E; res 2411 av C
1893
Mobile, AL, city directory, John W Pickard as photographer at 571 Dauphin, res 5 Pearl

Photographer: J. W. Pickard
Mobile. Ala.

1894, 1895, 1896
Mobile Al, city directory, Pickard NOT listed
1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898
Philadelphia, PA, city directory, Pickard NOT listed (It has not been discovered where Pickard was during these five years)
1898 Nov 28
Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer small ad says Pickard Studio is ad 63 North Eighth
1898 Nov 28
Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer small ad says Pickard Studio is ad 63 North Eighth
1899
Philadelphia, PA, city directory, Jno W Pickard as photographer; res 515 n 10th
1899 Jan 25 to May 18
Philadelphia Newspapers multiple ads for Pickard’s Gallery at 63 North Eighth Street

1900 Jun 04
Rahway, NJ, US census, J W Pickard as photographer; res 71 Cherry st;
1900
Philadelphia, PA, city directory, Jno W Pickard as photographer at 63 N 8th
1901
Philadelphia, PA, city directory, Jno W Pickard as photographer; res 3132 Page (Note: The studio at 63 North Eighth had been taken over by Charles S Bell and renamed Bell Studio)
1902
Philadelphia, PA, city directory, Jno W Pickard as photographer at 3101 Ridge Av and E Lehig av & N Kin av; res 3132 n 30th
1903
Philadelphia, PA, city directory, John W Pickard as photographer at 4701 Frankford av and 5707 Germantown av and 3101 Ridge
1904
Philadelphia, PA, city directory J W Pickard as photographer at 4719 Frankford and 3101 Ridge
1904 Jan 16
Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer small ad about stolen property places Picard studio at 31st and Ridge
1904 Apr 28
Mount Holly, NJ, state records, John Pickard marriage to Almeda H Archer
1905
Philadelphia, PA, city directory as photographer at 4701 Frankford av and 3101 Ridge; res 4526 Franklin; son Frank Pickard born in New Hersey
1906
Philadelphia, PA, city directory, as photographer at 4701 Fkd av and 3101 Ridge; res NJ; Son John Wesley Jr. born in Philadelphia, PA
1907
Pottsville, PA, city directory as photographer; res 7 n Centre, Pottsville; also as photographer at 127 S Oak, Mt Carmel, PA (Shamokin directory)

1907 Nov 06
Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer small ad places Pickard gallery at 31st and Ridge
1908
Philadelphia, PA, city directory, as photographer at 4408 Main MYK and 3101 Ridge; res Mt Holly, NJ ; also listed is Pickard's Studio, 4701 Frankford av, with George F. Hennigar, photographer
1910
US census, Philadelphia, PA, J W Pickard as photographer, res Market st
1910 Sep 11
Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer small ad places Picard Gallery at 4047 Market st
1911
Philadelphia, PA, city directory J W Pickard as photographer at 4337 Lancaster, res 4047 Market st
1913
Philadelphia, PA, city directory, J W Pickard as photographer at 3101 Ridge ave and 1710 South; res Mt Holly, NJ ; birth of daughter Miriam A Pickard in New Yersey
1914
Philadelphia, PA, city directory, J W Pickard as photographer at 3101 Ridge and 1710 South
1915
New Jersey, city directory, J W Pickard as photographer at 3101 Ridge ave and 1710 South; res Mt Holly, NJ;
1917
Philadelphia, PA, city directory, J W Pickard as photographer at 3101 Ridge ave and 1710 South; res Mt Holly, NJ
1917 May 23
Mount Holly, NJ, state records, birth of son Charles Jasper Pickard

1918
New Jersey, death of wife Almeda Archer
1920
US census, Northampton, NJ, J W Pickard as photographer, res Madison av
1929
Burlington, NJ, J W Pickard as proprietor of Pickard’s Tire Shop; res 83 Washington
1930
US census, Mount Holly, NJ, J W Pickard as merchant in tire shop, res 83 Washington st
1935
US census (1940), res 83 Washington
1940
Apr 01 US census, J W Pickard as proprietor of bicycle shop; res; 83 Washington st
1951 Mar 20
Vinventtown, NJ, J W Pickard dies at age 87, a retired bicycle repairman

John Wesley Pickard spent most of his photograph career in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, changing addresses frequently. Early on however, from 1890 to 1893, records show he worked in (and apparently around) Mobile, AL.

Pickard’s studio at 63 North Eighth in Philadelphia, was taken over in 1902 by Charles S Bell, who ran he location through that year under the name Bell Photo Studio. The location was then taken over by E F Holt who ran it until 1906 using the name "Holt’s Bell Studio." Finally in December of 1906, the Bell studio went up for sale or rent, presumably unoccupied. Ads ran until December of 1907 with apparently no takers.

NEWSPAPER CLIPS
1897
Philadelphia newspapers NO ads found for studio at 63 North Eighth
1898 Jun 30, Jul 03, Jul 06
Philadelphia Times, ad for space for studio for rent at 63 North Eighth
1898 Sep 28, Oct 15, Nov and December multiple ads
Philadelphia Times, Picard’s Gallery was advertised at 63 North Eighth Street
1899 Jan 25 THRU May 18
Philadelphia Newspapers multiple ads for Pickard’s Gallery at 63 North Eighth Street
1900 May 21
Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer small notice that North Penn Iron Co have been issued a permit to install a fire escape at 63 North Eighth Street for the Commonwealth Title Insurance and Trust Co, owners
1900 Aug 23, Sep 16, Oct 07, Oct 22, Dec 17, Dec 23
Philadelphia Newspapers multiple ads for Bell’s Studio at 63 North Eighth Street
1901 May 14
Philadelphia Inquirer ad for New York Painless Dental Co. at 63 North Eighth
1902 Jan 06, Jan 10, Jan 26, Feb 02, Feb 11, Feb 17, Feb 23, Feb 24, Mar 02, Mar 13, Apr 06, Sep 21, Sep 28, Oct 05, Oct 26, Oct 29, Nov 02
Philadelphia newspapers ads for Bell Studio at 63 North Eighth
1903 Mar 29, Apr 05, Apr 12, May 03,
Philadelphia Inquirer ad for Bell studio, E P Holt proprietor, mentions “we have no branch studios”

1903 Apr 12, Apr 13
Philadelphia Inquirer help wanted ad for printer and toning at Bell studio, 63 North Eighth
1904 Mar 20
Philadelphia Inquirer ad for Bell Studio at 63 North Eighth and 923 Market
1904 Mar 20
Philadelphia Inquirer ad for Bell photo Pub Co at 313 N 10th st
1904 Nov 19
Philadelphia Inquirer news item reports a fire at J. Hertzberg located at 63 North Eighth
1905 Jan 03, Feb 28
Philadelphia Inquirer classified ad for help at Holt’s Bell Studio, 63 North Eighth
1905 Mar 02, Mar 21, Mar 22
Philadelphia inquirer classified ad for help at Holt’s Bell Studio, 63 North Eighth;
1905 Apr 04
Philadelphia Inquirer classified ad for help at Holt’s Bell Studio, 63 North Eighth
1905 Jun 21
Philadelphia Inquirer classified ad for help at Holt’s Bell Studio, 63 North Eighth
1906 Feb 25, Mar 05, May 04, May 06, May 09, May 17, Jul 31, Nov 13
Philadelphia Inquirer classified ad for help at Holt’s Studio 63 North Eighth, (Note: “Bell” omitted)
1906 Dec 29
Philadelphia Inquirer classified ad Bell Studio for sale; 57 North Eighth, F Snyder
1907 Oct 06
Philadelphia Inquirer classified ad for Bell Studio for rent at eighth and Arch; J B Jones 63 North Eighth

1907 Nov 03
Philadelphia Inquirer classified ad for The Old Bell Studio Eighth and Arch for rent; Dr Jones, Eighth and Arch

There was a photograph studio in various incarnations at 63 North Eighth from about May of 1899 to about November of 1907. Attempts to rent or sell the studio space in 1907 apparently went without result for most of that year.

Camden (NJ) Courier Post - 23 Mar 1951

Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 30 Jun 1898


Philadelphia (PA) Times -
15 Oct 1898 thru 05 Apr 1899


Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 28 Nov 1898


Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 10 May 1899

Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 21 Mar 1900


Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 23 Aug 1900


Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 27 Oct 1901


Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 16 Jan 1904


Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 20 Mar 1904

Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 02 Mar 1905


Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 21 Mar 1905


Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 29 Dec 1906


Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 20 Mar 1904


Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 06 Oct 1907


Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 03 Nov 1907

Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 08 Nov 1907


Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 29 Mar 1908


Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 03 Nov 1907


Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer - 11 Sep 1910

It's just a guess but apparently the building at 63 North Eighth was owned by the Commonwealth Insurance and Trust Co and managed by the dentist, Dr Jones, one of the other tenants.

Today the location is a huge multi-level parking garage.

At the right is an example of a folder mount from the Bell Studio. Note the embossed logo in the lower right.

This was probably made between 1902 and 1906 but most likely in 1902 when C S Bell was still operating at 63 North Eighth.

But, another scenario might be that when C S Bell moved out, he left all his pre-printed stock of folders and cards and Holt simply retained he name for economical reason.

Example contributed by Mike Camero

photographer: Pickard
245 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, PA
Example from DeadFred
(Still unknown when Pickard was in Phoenixville, PA. Phoenixville is only 26 Miles from Philadelphia, so it was likely just a temporary studio perhaps used only one or two days a week.)

photographer: Pickard's Studio
31st and Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA
Example from contributor
.

The card at the left is probably not exactly a cabinet card but it is very similar proportion.
It was finished between 1901 and 1908 when Pickard had a studio at 3101 Ridge

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.