Willis Atkins Nye

photographer: W A Nye
Minneapolis, MN
example from LOST GALLERY

Willis Atkins Nye
(1851-1938)

1851 Dec 19
Dane Co, WI, state records, Willis Atkins Nye is born to Austin Nye and Betsy Hanna Atkins
1876
Detroit, MI, city directory, Willis A Nye as operator of Land and Watson; bds 252 Woodward (Frederick J Land and Joseph E Watson proper of Grand Central Gallery, 39 and 41 Monroe)
1877
Detroit, MI, city directory, Willis A Nye as manager of Waterman and Waterson (photography studio), 41 and 43 Monroe Ave; res 98 Farrar
1878
Detroit, MI, city directory, Willis A Nye as manager of Grand Central Gallery; bds 118 Cass
1879
Detroit, MI, city directory, Willis A Nye NOT listed
1880 (earliest)
Leadville, CO, city directory, W A Nye as photographer at 141 W 2nd
1880
Denver, CO, city directory, Willis A Nye (Bates and Nye); res 533 Arapaho
1880 Jun 14
Denver, CO, US census, Willis A Nye as photographer; res Arapaho Street

1881
Denver, CO, city directory, W A Nye NOT listed; D B Nye IS listed as operator for W L Bates, rm 40 Tabor Blk ; (Denis Bryant Nye is the brother of Willis A Nye)
W L Bates, photographer, rms 40, 41, 42 Tabor Blk;
1881
Leadville, CO, city directory, W A Nye NOT listed;
1882 (1881 and 1883 not available)
Chicago, IL, city directory, Willis A Nye as photographer; res 1057 Monroe (No studio shown in his name in the business section, meaning he was probably working for another studio.
1882 Apr 25
Chicago, IL, state records, daughter Edith C is born
1883
Detroit, MI, city directory, Willis Nye NOT listed
1884
Detroit, MI, city directory, Willis Nye as manager (firm not shown)
1885 (1886 not available)
Chicago, IL, city directory, Willis A Nye as photographer 2228 Indiana av; res 2232 Indiana
1886 Jul 24
Chicago, IL, state records, Son Howard B Nye is born

1887
Chicago, IL, city directory, Willis A Nye NOT listed
1888 (1887 not available)
Dubuque, IA, city directory, W A Nye as photographer at s w cor Main and Eighth; res 235 Twelfth
1889
Dubuque, IA, city directory, Willis A Nye NOT listed
1890
Dubuque, IA, city directory, W A Nye as photographer at ne cor Eighth and Main; res 413 Walnut
1890 May 08
Duluth, MN, Son Sheldon M Nye is born in Dubuque, where his father's studio was. The family moved to Duluth, Minnesota a couple of weeks after Sheldon was born, as Willis opened his new studio there on 9 Jun 1890.
1890 Jun 09 (From jhjones114 family tree on Ancestry)
Duluth, MN, Willis and his family moved from Dubuque, Iowa to Duluth, and he opened his new photography studio at 7-9 East Superior St. on Monday, 9 Jun 1890.

------Continued on next row------

1891
Duluth, MN, city directory, Willis A Nye as photographer at 206 Long; res 209 Maryland
1892
Duluth, MN, city directory, “Wm” A Nye as photographer, res 209 S 17th av E; Mrs Myra A Nye (Nye and Johnson photographers) ; Nye’s Studio Co, Nye and Johnson Proprs 7 E Superior, Myra A Nye and Frederick Johnson proprietors
1893
Duluth, MN, city directory, Willis A Nye NOT listed; Nye’s Studio, Myra Nye and Frederick Johnson proprietors, 7 E Superior; Mrs Myra A Nye res 1608 Dingwall

1894
Duluth, MN, city directory, Willis A Nye NOT listed, entry says Mrs Myra A Nye has moved to Brooklyn NY

Very little has been found to place Willis A Nye between the years of 1892 and 1902; no listings were found in Duluth, MN, Brooklyn, NY, Washington, DC. Since Mrs Nye is shown as running the gallery in 1894, it must be assumed that Willis Nye was otherwise located.

1895 (1896 not available)
Brooklyn, NY, city directory, Willis or Myra Nye NOT listed
1896
Denver, CO, city directory, Willis A Nye NOT listed

1897 – 1901
Brooklyn, NY, city directory, Willis or Myra Nye NOT listed
1902 (1903 not available)
Brooklyn, NY, city directory, Willis Nye as salesman; res 1045 Bergen
1904 and 1906 (1905 not available)
Brooklyn, NY, city directory, Willis A Nye NOT listed
1907
Washington, DC, city directory, W A Nye NOT listed
1908
Washington, DC, city directory, “Wm” A Nye as salesman; res Stanhope
Some sources say he was working for Eastman Co.

1909
Washington, DC, city directory, Willis A Nye as salesman; res 65 Adams nw
1910
Washington, DC, city directory, Willis A Nye as salesman; res 82 V nw
1910 Apr 21
Washington DC, US census, W A Nye as salesman in photography store
1920 Jan 06
Jersey City, NJ, US census, Willis A Nye as travelling salesman for photography firm
1930 Apr 18
Jersey City, NJ, US census, Willis A Nye (as Louis) as travelling salesman for photography firm
1938 Jan 21
Washington, DC, W A Nye dies at age 86

Directory ad from 1878 Detroit, MI
Duluth, MN, City Directory listing - 1892 Duluth, MN, City Directory listing - 1893

Duluth (MN) Evening Herald -
07 Jun 1890 Duluth (MN) Evening Herald -
07 Jun 1890

Minneapolis (MN) Star Tribune -
09 Aug 1890 Minneapolis (MN) Times -
09 Aug 1890 Minneapolis (MN) Times -
22 Aug 1891

Brooklyn (NY) Standard Union -
16 Sep 1896 Brooklyn (NY) Citizen -
02 Jul 1900

Washington (DC) Evening Star -
23 Jan 1938

photographer: W A Nye
Dubuque, IA
example from contributor A Brewer

photographer: W A Nye
SW Cor Main and 8th, Dubuque, IA
example from contributor A Brewer

photographer: W A Nye
Dubuque, IA
example from contributor A Brewer

photographer: W A Nye
Dubuque, IA
example from contributor A Brewer

photographer W A Nye
Dubuque, IA
Example from auction site

D. B. Nye
811 Nicollet Ave. Minneapolis
(D B Nye is the brother of W A Nye.
D B Nye is reviewed on THIS PAGE)

D. B. Nye
811 Nicollet Ave. Minneapolis
(example from auction site (D B Nye is the brother of W A Nye.
D B Nye is reviewed on THIS PAGE)

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.

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.

William Allen Carson

photographer: Carson
Hillsdale, MI

reverse of cabinet card at the left

William Allen Carson
(1833-1909)

Information sources: US, Canadian census, state marriage and death records, news items as noted

1833 Mar 28
Seneca, NY, Michigan death records, Ontario, CA, marriage records, William Allen Carson is born to William Scott Carson and Angeline B Colwell in Seneca, Ontario County, New York
1850 Jul 15
Seneca, Ontario, NY, US census, Carson at age 17
1860
Toronto, CA, city directory as no occupation shown; res 6 King st w
1861
Toronto, York, Canada West, Canada; as photographer; res King st North side
1863 Sep 11
Ontario, CA, Ontario county records, William A Carson and Mary Ann Wylie marry
1867 Jul 16
Hillsdale (MI) Standard news display ad for Andrews and Carson photo studio

1870
Hillsdale, MI, city directory as photographer with Andrew & Carson; res s s Bacon, cor Manning (This partnership with Reuben L Andrew was likely very short.)
1870 Jun 14
Hillsdale, MI, US census Carson as photographer
1875 Oct 26
Hillsdale (MI) Standard news item about Carson and the Eureka Club elections in Hillsdale, WI
1876 Sep 26
Hillsdale (MI) Standard news item mentions W A Carson, popular photographer
1877 Jan 23
Hillsdale (MI) Standard news item mentions social at the home of W A Carson
1878 Jul 30
Hillsdale (MI) Standard news item says Carson has just returned from a trip through Illinois and Iowa
1879 Sep 16
Hillsdale (MI) Standard news item says Carson has left for Toronto, ON the day before
1880 Jun 05
Hillsdale, MI, US census Carson as Daguerrian artist

1881
Peoria, IL, city directory, Wm A Carson NOT listed; Wm B Carson is listed as photographer
1889
Peoria, IL, city directory Carson NOT listed
1890-1891
Peoria, IL, city directory Wm A Carson as artist
1892 Mar 09
Detroit (MI) Free Press according to a news item, Carson is listed as visiting Detroit from Hillsdale, MI
1892
Peoria, IL, city directory Carson NOT listed
1893
Detroit, MI, city directory Carson NOT listed
1893 Oct 01
Detroit (MI) Free Press news item says Mrs W A Carson and daughter have returned from Hillsdale
1894
Detroit, MI, city directory NOT available
1894
Cleveland, OH, city directory Carson NOT listed
1895
Detroit, MI, city directory as photographer for G A F Peterson; bds 76 Sproat

Hillsdale (MI) Standard - 26 Sep 1876

1896
Cleveland, OH, Detroit, MI, city directories W A Carson NOT listed
1897
Cleveland OH, Detroit, MI, city directories, Carson NOT listed;
1898
Cleveland, OH, city directory as clerk; res 121 Streator
1899
Cleveland, OH, city directory as clerk; res 123 Streator (123 probably a print error)
1900
Cleveland OH, city directory as photographer; res 121 Streator av
1901
Cleveland, OH, city directory Carson as photographer; res 1703 Superior; no studio listed
1902
Cleveland, OH, city directory Carson NOT listed
1903
Detroit, MI, city directory Carson NOT listed (1902 Detroit, MI, directory incomplete)
1904
Detroit, MI, city directory as photographer; bds 31 Joy; no studio listed

Hillsdale (MI) Standard - 23 Jan 1877

1905
Detroit, MI, city directory Carson as Printer; bds 33 Joy
1906, 1907, 1908, 1909
Detroit, MI, city directory as photographer; bds 31 Joy; no studio listed
1909 Aug 03
Michigan state records, William Allen Carson dies at age 76

Carson moved around a lot. Records found him in Toronto, Detroit, Peoria, Hillsdale, and Cleveland. When his location is unknown, the timeline above lists places he was NOT.

While still living in Hillsdale, MI, he was active in the Eureka Dancing Club and the Hillsdale Amateur Dramatis Association.

William A Carson apparently worked for other photographers most of his career. It appears the only time he had his own studio was between 1870 and 1880 when he was working in Hillsdale, MI. And at least some of that time he was partnered with Reuben L Andrew as “Andrew and Carson”.

Hillsdale (MI) Standard

Hillsdale (MI) Standard - 16 Sep 1879

Hillsdale (MI) Standard - 16 Jul 1867

Hillsdale (MI) Standard - 26 Oct 1875

Detroit (MI) Free Press - 29 Mar 1892

Detroit (MI) Free Press - 01 Oct 1893


Hillsdale (MI) Standard - 10 Jan 1899

photographer Carson
CDV example found at Langdon Road

photographer: Carson
Hillsdale, MI
example from pin

photographer Carson Hillsdale, MI example from auction site

photographer Carson and Graham
Hillside, MI
example from Detroit Public Library

photographer Carson and Graham
Hillsdale, MI
example from Detroit Public Library

photographer Carson ad Graham
Hillsdale, MI
example from Pin

Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's INDEX by name. Listed here are all the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th century found in LOST GALLERY. This is a work in progress. For a look at the original postings go to LOST GALLERY.

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, they will be immediately removed.

Esther A Bowles

Watson and Bowles
Wyandotte, MI
(Listed under Watson also)

Esther Ann Bowles (ne Buck)
(1852 - 1922)

Timeline sources: city directories, US census, Directory Early Michigan Photographers by D V Tinder

1852 Apr 18
Hopkins, MI, state records, Esther Ann Buck is born to Seralpha Couch Buck and Mary Caroline Knaggs
1860 Jun 04
Hopkins, MI, US census, Esther A Buck at eight years old
1869 Jan 01
Kent, MI, state records, Esther A Buck marries George A Bowles
1870 Jul 02
Ganges, MI, US census, Esther Bowles, housekeeping, living with husband’s family
1874 Jan 16
Sumner, MI, state records, daughter Jessie May Bowles is born
1880 Jun 08
Sumner, MI, US census Esther A Bowles as housekeeping
1880 Jun 19
Sumner, MI, state records, son Vernon Lemond Bowles is born

1890’s early
D V Tinder account: Esther and husband part
1892
D V Tinder account: Esther Bowles advertises as photographer and artist in crayon, pastel and oil (a copy of the actual ad has not been found)
1893
D V Tinder account: George Bowles remarries to Martha E Totem
1893 Dec 14
Gratiot County, MI, state records, daughter Jessie May Bowles dies
1897 Apr
D V Tinder account: Esther A Bowles circulates a petition against Sunday operation of photograph galleries; also Bowles Gallery moves from corner of Biddle Av and Chestnut to “Bolton’s adjoining lot”
1898
D V Tinder account: Esther A Bowles advertises photograph work at 128 Biddle Avenue North
1898 Mar 27
Wyandotte, MI, Detroit Free Press small business directory lists E A Bowles, photographer
1898 Oct
D V Tinder account: Esther A Bowles moves across Biddle Avenue to site next to Presbyterian Church (Apparently this is 123 Biddle Ave)

1900 Jun 04
Wyandotte, MI, US census, Esther A Bowles as “widow”, no occupation shown
Note: throughout the records for Esther A Bowles, her marital status varies. She claims mostly to be widowed.
1902 May 15
Detroit (MI) Free Press, item says there was a fire at the photograph gallery of Mrs E A Bowles
1902 Jun
D V Tinder account and St Louis and Canada photography, vol 28 small item says the gallery of Mrs E A Bowles in Detroit, MI, was destroyed by fire
1902 Oct
D V Tinder account: Esther A Bowles advertises offering “Widows and Working Girls” special discount from Oct 16th to December 01, 1902; (copy of the actual ad has not been found)
1907
Wyandotte, MI, city directory, “Mrs” Esther A Bowles as photographer at 123 Biddle; res same
1910 Apr 20
Wyandotte, MI, US census and city directory, Esther Bowles “married” as photographer at 123 Biddle
1912 Jul 03
Bulletin of Photography, vol 11, news item says Mrs E A Bowles spoke briefly at a luncheon of the Woman’s Federation

1915
Wyandotte, MI, city directory, “Mrs” Esther A Bowles as photographer at 123 Biddle; res same
1920 Jan 08
Wyandotte, MI, US census, Esther Bowles (widowed) as photographer, retired, at 123 Biddle; res same
1922 Nov 29
Wyandotte, MI, state records, Esther Ann Bowles dies at age 70 of Bright’s disease; listed on death certificate as photographer

Nothing has been found to establish exactly when Esther Bowles and Watson were actually working together. The most logical period would seem to be when Bowles was starting out in photography sometime before 1890. Although Bowles is always documented in Wyandotte, MI, and Watson always in Detroit, MI, the two cities are only 14 miles apart.

Between 1876 and 1880 J E Watson had other partners and assistants in the “Grand Central Gallery” also named “Land and Watson” and “Watson and Company”. Then in 1890, Watson moved to Portland, OR, for his health.

In any scenario, the partnership seems to have lasted only a short time, months, perhaps weeks.

Detroit (MI) Free Press - 27 Mar 1898

St Louis and Canada Photographers - 15 May 1902


Detroit (MI) Free Press - 15 May 1902

Bulletin of Photography vol 11 - 03 Jul 1912

This studio portrait is not a cabinet card (actual dimensions not known) but is from the Bowles Studio in Wyandotte. The imprint is very faint. This one is probably from after 1900, perhaps even 1910.

Examples of the work of Esther A Bowles are apparently a bit scarce.

photographer Mrs E A Bowles
Wyandotte, MI
example contributed by M Reed

photographer Esther A Bowles
Wyandotte, MI
example contributed by M Reed

Thanks to contributor M Reed for a scarce example from this photographer!

Dating these cards based on the style of he card and the imprints.

The straight edged card could be assumed made before the deckled edge card. But the cabinet card era photographers were known to use up older card stock whenever possible, so it's still a very shaky assumption. Basically, the plainer the card, the earlier it was probably finished.

The logo imprint is more difficult to reconcile. It is the same on both cards. Some photographers, especially the itinerant ones, imprinted their own card blanks. But many ordered them in hundreds, pre-cut and imprinted, from a photo supply or a local printer. The photographers often changed imprint designs with each order. This could mean that these two cards were possibly made within a few hundred cards of each other.

All things considered, the two could even have been finished the same day. That itself is not unusual. Families often went to the photographer's studio in groups and had several poses with different combinations of relatives done.

Based on just the appearance of the cards and the known history of photographer Bowles, they were possibly made circa 1895, but one can see there are many conditions that could stretch that a decade either way.

Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's INDEX by name. Listed here are all the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th century found in LOST GALLERY. This is a work in progress. For a look at the original postings go to LOST GALLERY.

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, they will be immediately removed.