Reverse of the card on the left.
Clarence Alexander Riley
(1859 - 29 Oct 1923)
1859
Clarence A Riley is born in Buchanan County, Missouri
1880
Council Bluffs, NE, city directory as photographer with C H Sherraden
as partner or apprentice; boarding at ss 3rd av, 2nd w South 9th; the
1880 Jun 07 US Census says he is a photographer, res 109 s Broadway,
Council Bluffs, IA
1881
Anoca, IA, state records, Clarence Riley and Amanda E Ettinger
marry
1882
Council Bluffs, IA, state documents, son Clarence Stacey Riley is
born
1889
Council Bluffs, IA, city directory as photographer at 301 Broadway;
res same
1892
Council Bluffs, IA, city directory as photographer; res 321 Platner
1893
Council Bluffs, IA, city directory as photographer as Riley and
Sherridan at 43 & 45 s Main; res 321 Platner
1894
Council Bluffs, IA, city directory as photographer as Riley and
Sherridan at 43 & 45 s Main; res Harrison near Warren
1895
Council Bluffs, IA, city directory as photographer at 404 W Broadway;
res 240 Harrison
1897
Council Bluffs, IA, city directory as photographer at 404 W Broadway;
res 216 Lincoln
1899
Council Bluffs, IA, city directory as photographer at 402 W Broadway
(with son Clarence S. ); res 216 Lincoln
1901, 1902
Council Bluffs, IA, city directory as photographer at 402 Broadway;
res same
1904
Council Bluffs, IA, city directory Riley NOT listed
1905
Council Bluffs, IA, state census, as photographer in Linn, IA; rms 226
n 6th
1907 - 1921
Council Bluffs, IA, city directory as photographer at 317 Broadway
1922
Council Bluffs, IA, city directory as photographer at 12 Everett
Block; rms 226 n 6th
1923 Oct 29
Find-A-Grave website, Riley dies in Council Bluffs, IA, at age 64
All documentation is from census or city directories, newspaper items
as shown
It appears C. A. Riley worked with C. H. Sherraden on at least two
occasions. The first time was around 1880 when he was apparently
learning the photography craft. Then they worked together from 1893 to
1894 at 43 & 45 Main.
Two examples of cabinet cards by Sherraden are imprinted with the 317
Broadway address that Riley occupied between 1907 and 1921. No city
directories or other records have been found placing Sherraden at that
address so it could be assumed that he was only there a short time. It
could be speculated that it was just before he left for Salt Lake
City, UT, in 1901.
Except for 1904 to 1906 when Riley worked in Linn, IA, all the rest of
his photography appears to have been done in Council Bluffs, IA.
In 1907 he established the Riley Studio at 317 Broadway in Council
Bluffs, IA, and remained there until 1921. The 1922 Council Bluffs,
IA, city directory says his studio address is then 12 Everett
block.
He had studios on Broadway at 301, 404, 402, and finally 317.
The cabinet card at the top was probably finished around 1880
Omaha (NE) Daily Bee - 27 Oct 1892
"News from Council Bluffs"
Sioux City (IA) Journal - 01 Apr 1920
Sioux City (IA) Journal - 30 Oct 1923
404 Broadway, Council Bluffs, IA
example from contributor S Winans
Cor. Broadway and Glen, council Bluffs, IA
Probably finished around 1895-1900
when Riley was at 301 w Broadway, which is approximately the corner of Broadway and Glen.
example from pinterest, no source given
Cor Boradway and Glen Ave, Council Bluffs, IA
example from contributor Ellen
Cor. Broadway and Glen, council Bluffs, IA
example from contributor
43-45 South Main, Council Bluffs, IA
Example from mj aux on Flickr
finished aroud 1893-94 when
Riley was partnered with Sherriden
43-45 South Main, Council Bluffs, IA
example from auction site
Cor. Broadway and Glen, council Bluffs, IA
example from contributor
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.
