Photographer: S. A. Edmiston
Camden, Ark.
example from LOST GALLERY
John A Edmiston (1827 - 1883)
Samuel Anderson Edmiston (1852 - 1925)
Both father John Edmiston and son Samuel Edmiston are followed in this
timeline as John worked alone and then with son Samuel as “Edmiston
and Son” and then Samuel worked alone later. There is no indication
that either of Samuel’s sons worked in photography so any cards
imprinted “Edmiston and Son” will be John and Samuel Edmiston.
Timeline sources: US census, city directories, newspaper items and
state records; (Some biographical information has been added to help
ascertain the photographer’s location.)
1827
Ohio, John A Edmiston is born
1850
Bergen, NY, John A Edmiston and Adelia Richmond are married
1852
New York, NY, Samuel Anderson Edmiston born to John A Edmiston and
Adelia Richmond
1854
Ann Arbor, MI, Estella Edmiston is born to John and Adelia
1857
Indiana, Eliza Bell Edmiston is born to John and Adelia
1860
Washtenaw, MI, US census, John Edmiston as carpenter,
1863 Jul 01
Kalamazoo and Van Buren, MI, Civil War Draft list, John Edmiston as
artist
1864
Michigan, daughter Cora Edmiston is born to John and Adelia
1864, 1965
Constantine, MI, tax document, John Edmiston as photographer
1870
Bushnell, IL, US census John A Edmiston as photographer; Samuel at 19
no occupation
1880 Jun 02
Canton, IL, US census, John A Edmiston as photographer; Samuel A
Edmiston at same residence, also listed as photographer
1880 Jun 14
Sedalia, MO. US census Samuel A Edmiston as photographer; as a boarder
(Just about two weeks after he was enumerated in Canton, IL, living
with parents, see entry above)
1883
Sedalia, MO, state records, Samuel Edmiston and Clara Janette Landauer
(1859-1903) are married
1883 Jul 31
Moberly, MO, state records, John A Edmiston dies at age 86
1883 Oct 04
St Louis (MO) Post news item says Mr and Mrs S A Edmiston are visiting
in St Louis, MO
1888 Feb 04
Pine Bluff, AR, state records, Samuel Edmiston’s daughter Vera Blanch
Edmiston is born
1888-1889
Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, AR; Polk’s Arkansas Business Directory:
Samuel Edmiston listed at 2nd av
1891
Pine Bluff, AR, state records, Samuel Edmiston’s son Raymond Earle
Edmiston, is born
1892-1893
Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, AR; Polk’s Arkansas Business Directory:
Samuel Edmiston listed at 2nd av
1893 Oct 12
Pine Bluff (AR) Daily Graphic, news item says Edmiston (Samuel) will
move his gallery
1893 Dec 16
Pine Bluff (AR) Daily Graphic news item says Edmiston new gallery is
extensively water damaged
1894 Oct 03
Pine Bluff (AR) Daily Graphic, display ad showing that S A Edmiston
has sold his gallery in Pine Bluff
1895 Sep 05
Arcadia and Girard Kansas: There was a pair of photographers in
Kansas called “Edmiston and Millington” at this time. The gallery is
called “Star Gallery” in some newspaper mentions. The gallery was
operated from about December 1894 to January 1896 by N E Edmiston
and J B Millington. There is apparently no connection to S A
Edmiston.
See two ads below
1895 Nov 28
Pine Bluff, AR, state records, Samuel Edmiston’s son Landauer Pursley
Edmiston is born
1896 thru 1898
No records were found showing the whereabouts of S A Edmiston during
this period
1898
Chicago, IL, city directory Samuel Edmiston NOT listed
1899
Chicago, IL, city directory Samuel Edmiston as traveling salesman;
4929 Champlain av
1900
Chicago, IL, US census Samuel Edmiston as traveling salesman; 556 E
50th
1903
Melrose Park, IL, Samuel Edmiston’s wife Clara Janette Landauer dies
at age 43
1910
Proviso, IL, US census Samuel Edmiston as traveling salesman
1918 Apr 19
Berwyn, IL, state records, John’s wife Adelia dies at age 86
1925 Aug 13
Maywood, IL, Samuel Anderson Edmiston dies at age 98
The photograph at the top must have been made by Samuel Edmiston
around 1888 to 1895 while he was living in Arkansas.
A card stamped only “Edmiston” would be difficult to date. John
Edmiston began in photography about 1864 and continued until his death
in 1885. Documents show his son Samuel Edmiston was a photographer
from about 1880 to 1895 when he left Pine Bluff, AR, to be a traveling
salesman based in Chicago, IL.
There was also a brief time in 1880 when father and son, John and
Samuel, might have been working together.
Recap of places and dates:
Michigan: 1863 - 1894 (John)
Bushnell, IL: 1870 (John)
Canton, IL; 1880 (John and “John and son”)
Sedalia, MO; 1880 - 1883 (Samuel)
Pine Bluff, AR; 1883 - 1893 (Samuel)
These dates are based only on available documents. Actual time spans
may be a bit longer.
This page still under construction. Thanks for your visit.
ne Bluff (AR) Daily Graphic - 12 Oct 1893
Pine Bluff (AR) Daily Graphic - 06 Nov 1893
Pine Bluff (AR) Daily Graphic - 16 Dec 1893
Pine Bluff (AR) Daily Graphic - 01 Feb 1894
Pine Bluff (AR) Daily Graphic - 03 Oct 1894
Pine Bluff (AR) Daily Graphic - 03 Oct 1894
Here are two examples of ads from the Kansas Edmiston. No connection
has been found to S A Edmiston
Girard (KS) Press - 13 Dec 1894
Arcadia (KS) Times - 20 Dec 1894
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.
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.
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are sometimes an important clue to the age of the card.
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