Merrick Boyden Bower

Photographer:
Bower
Slater, Mo.
1889

Merrick Boyden Bower (3 Dec 1832 - 7 Nov 1913) was a photographer along with at least two of his sons at one time or another. Keep in mind also that this was a very large family. A brother Henry C. Bower was a photographer in Kansas City for a time and any of several cousins and grandchildren could also have been photographers. The best scenario however is that in the cabinet card era, Merrick Boyden Bower was the most likely candidate.

There is little doubt about the date of this photograph as 1887 is imprinted on the face of the card along with the name and city. Slater, MO, was only about 70 miles from Kansas City where M. D. Bower lived from 1870 on.

In case there are examples of photographs from Bower that are not imprinted with a date here is a timeline showing important events in his life and where he was at the time.

1832 Dec 03
born in Union City, PA
1850
living at Tazewell, IL age 18

1858 May 21
marriage to Virginia E. Thompson
1859 Sep 09
birth of son William Leslie in Kansas City, MO
1860 Jun 17
as farmer in Tazewell, IL
1863 Jul 01
as farmer in Malone, IL
1865 Jun 07
as farmer in Potosi, KS
1870 Jul 18
as photographer working with Williams Simmons at a Stereotype Gallery
1871 Feb 07
marries Rosanna Catherine Bird in Clay, MO
1874 - 1875
as photographer at own studio 1215 Grand; res 1314 Grand, Kansas City, MO; brother Henry C. Bower listed as photographer at same address
1876
as photographer at Bower Brothers studio 546 Main, Kansas City, MO with Henry C. Bower
1878
as photographer working at another studio; son Henry C. Bower has studio at 1222 Union av WK

1879
as photographer working at another studio (probably J Ploetz, 618 Main)
1880 - 1881
as photographer for J Ploetz 618 Main Kansas City, MO
1889
as photographer working at unknown studio
1890 Oct 27
Kansas City (MO) Star, news item shows Merick Studio lost in fire
1898
brother Henry C. Bower moves to Deer Creek, CO; he later lives in Colorado Springs, CO and Los Angeles, CA and seems never to return to Kansas City, MO
1900
as photographer at unknown studio
1910
as photographer living with son James O. Bower
1913
Nov 07 Bower dies of pneumonia at age 80

As you can see Merrick worked for another studio most of the time. He could, as many photographers of the time, take days off and work in rented rooms in neighboring towns for a week.

Kansas City (MO) Star - 27 Oct 1890

Kansas City (MO) Journal - 10 Jun 1890


Kansas City (MO) Globe - 12 Nov 1813

photographer: Bower
Slater, MO
example from auction site
dated 1887

photographer: Bower
Adrian, MO
No connection to Merrick Bower has been made yet
example from auction site

photographer: Bower
Liverpool, OH and Williamsburg, WV
No connection to Merrick Bower has been made yet
example from auction site

Other photographers of Slater, MO

photographer: U S Davos
Slater, MO
example from pinterest

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.