Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Francis Marion Lewis



photographer F M Lewis
Clarion, PA

reverse of card at left

Francis Marion Lewis
(1837-1919)

1837 Mar 25
Clarion County, PA, Francis Marion Lewis is born to Zachariah Lewis and Lydia King
1876
Allegheny Valley, PA, city directory for Clarion, PA, F M Lewis as photographer on Jefferson; res on Liberty
1880 Jun 01
Clarion, PA, US census, Francis M Lewis as photographer
1885 Oct 29
Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis has opened a branch studio in Edenburg
1885 Dec 17
Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis has closed the branch studio in Edenburg
1885 Dec 21
Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis is ill
1886 Jun 03
Clarion (PA) Democrat small ads for Clarion Gallery
1888 Dec 27
Clarion (PA) Democrat item/ad about business at F M Lewis Gallery

1889 Oct 10
Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis will move gallery to Porter building on Main
1890 Mar 13
Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis, ill again, has hired Mr Schalch of Pittsburg to operate gallery
1890 Aug 21
Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis is not operating galleries in Clarion, Emlenton, Parker and Petrolia, PA
1892 Jun 23
Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis has purchased he gallery at Edenburg, PA
1894 Mar 08
Clarion (PA) Democrat news/ad says F M Lewis gallery is now on Court House Square
1894 Mar 08
Clarion (PA) Democrat news/ad says F M Lewis is planning to relocate to Pittsburg in the Spring
1894 Mar 15
Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis is planning to move to Wilkinsburg, near Pittsburg
1894 May 31
Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis has decided to retain his gallery in Clarion after moving to Pittsburg


1895 Jan 31
Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis has been in the photograph business from 1875 to 1994
1895 Bic 28
Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis will be in Leeper, PA to make photographs from Dec 03 to Dec 07
1898 May 12
Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis is in the hospital at Boston, MA for surgery; Gallery will remain open
1898 May 26
Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis is still recovering but gallery will remain open
1898 Dec 08 and Dec 15
Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis will open a gallery at Leeper, PA, managed by a son
1899 Jan 12
Clarion (PA) Democrat display ad says gallery at Leeper, PA, is operated by son A R Lewis
1899 Feb 02
Clarion (PA) Democrat small item says the photograph gallery at Leeper, PA, will not be open after Jan 31 except on specified dates
1899 Aug 03
Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis is planning to open his gallery in the Frampton Building on Main st




1900 Jun 16
Clarion, PA, US census Francis M Lewis as photographer; res Fifth st
1900 Jul 05
Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis an sons Leon and Arthur have leased a gallery in East Brady to open in middle of month
1902 May 15
Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis is injured in fall while taking lunch to his son Arthur working there as a store keeper
1903, 1904
Pittsburg, PA, city directory, Francis M Lewis NOT LISTED
1905 Aug 24
Clarion (PA) Democrat item mentions Mrs F M Lews of East Brady, PA
1905 Oct 16
Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis has left for Pittsburg
1907, 1908
Pittsburgh, PA, city directory, pages missing
1907 Oct 31
Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis, former resident, is now located at 314 Euclid in Pittsburgh, PA; he has been in ill health for some time but is now well
1909
Pittsburgh, PA, city directory, Francis M Lewis as elevator operator; res 1221 Sheffield

1910
Pittsburgh, PA, city directory, pages missing
1910 Apr 24
Pittsburgh, PA, US census, Francis M Lewis as elevator operator; res 1221 Sheffield
1911
Pittsburgh, PA, city directory not available
1912
Pittsburgh, PA, city directory, Francis M Lewis as elevator operator; res 7014 Kelly
1913
Pittsburgh, PA, city directory, F M Lewis as elevator operator for F T a& T co; res 510 Collins
1914
Pittsburgh, PA, city directory, not available
1915
Pittsburgh, PA, city directory F M Lewis as elevator operator; res: 510 Collins av
1916
Pittsburgh, PA, US census, Francis M Lewis as elevator operator for Fidelity Title and Trust co; res 202 Euclid av
1917
Pittsburgh, PA, city directory Francis M Lewis as elevator operator; res 202 Euclid
1918
Pittsburgh, PA, city directory, pages missing

1919 Nov 02
Clarion, PA, state records, Francis Marion Lewis dies at age 82; His death certificate lists him as photographer
1919 Nov 04
Clarion (PA) Democrat death notice for F M Lewis


According to the 1890 Veterans Census, he was a 1st Sgt. and had been wounded in the leg.

Lewis moved his studio around Clarion, PA, several times. All cabinet card examples found so far do not include an address in the imprint making it impossible to pinpoint a finishing date for them.

It appears F M Lewis was in the photography business from 1874 to sometime around 1900. Perhaps his illnesses and injuries convinced him to take on less mobile tasks.

Although documents show he worked as an elevator operator for Fidelity Title and Trust Co in Pittsburgh, PA, from about 1905 until his death in 1919, his death certificate still lists him as photographer.




Clarion (PA) Democrat -
29 Oct 1885


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
17 Dec 1885


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
31 Dec 1995

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
03 Jun 1886


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
27 Dec 1888


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
Oct 10 1889

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
21 Nov 1889


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
13 Mar 1890


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
21 Aug 1890


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
23 Jun 1892

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
29 Dec 1892


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
08 Mar 1894

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
08 Mar 1894


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
15 Mar 1894


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
31 Mar 1894


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
07 Jun 1894




Clarion (PA) Democrat -
12 May 1898


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
26 May 1898


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
08 Dec 1898


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
15 Dec 1898

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
12 Jan 1899

This would be Arthur R Lewis,
18 year old son of F M Lewis

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
Feb 02 1899

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
03 Aug 1899


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
05 Jul 1900


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
15 May 1902

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
14 Jan 1904


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
wq Jan 1904


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
24 Aug 1905

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
19 Oct 1905


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
31 Oct 1907


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
04 Nov 1919




portrait said to be
Francis Marion Lewis
from ancestry.com

photographer: Lewis
Clarion, PA
example from anticuria

photographer F M Lewis
Clarion, PA
example from auction site

reverse of card at left



photographer: F M Lewis
Clarion, PA
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: Lewis
clarion, PA
example from Family Old Photos


photographer: Lewis
clarion, PA
example from Family Old Photos




photographer: Lewis
Clarion, PA
example from Rarebooks

photographer: Lewis
Clarion, PA
example from Rarebooks

reverse design of both cards at left

photographer: Lewis
Clarion, PA
example from Rarebooks

reverse of card at left



photographer: F M Lewis
Clarion, PA
example from Rarebooks

reverse of card at left

photographer: F M Lewis
Clarion, PA
example from Rarebooks

reverse of card at left

photographer: Lewis
Clarion, OH
example from FamilyOldPhotos



photographer: Lewis
Clarion, PA
example from RareBooks

reverse of card at left


photographer: Lewis
Clarion, PA
example from FamilyOldPhotos

photographer: Lewis
Clarion, PA
example from FamilyOldPhotos

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.

Additional 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.

4 comments:

  1. I have a beautiful Album that I think was put together by Lewis. I would love to get it to the family of the people in photos. It came to me via my grandmother (married name Steiner, maiden name Elder). Her Mother's name was Walters. It also has some photos from some other PA Studios.-A. Hausold, Allegheny, PA, Barnes, New Bethleham, PA.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your note. I can’t believe your luck at acquiring a whole album. I know exactly the feeling of wanting to return it to a family historian. I have been in the same situation several times. Most of the time, you just can’t. Sometime you have it because the family just wasn’t interested in keeping that “old stuff.” But it really is worth the effort because it’s a good feeling of accomplishment when you do connect with a descendant and return a bit of their heritage to them. I’d start on Ancestry and try to build a tree out of the names that you have. See the backs of the photographs for information if there is any. Post scans of the pictures in the tree and see if that gets results. See if it develops forward into a descendant that you can contact through Ancestry. My email address is in the profile at the bottom of this page.

      Delete
    2. Francis Marion Lewis was my great grandfather. His daughter Anna Lewis was my grandmother. I don’t know if album pertains to his direct family but would love to have additional information. Ssussnmccarney@hotmail.com

      Delete
    3. Thanks for your comment. Sorry to be of no help at all. Email bounced back.

      Delete

Old stuff here...

About Me

My photo
I am 4' 3", eat small insects, dress in the dark and take annual showers. phase65@yahoo.com