William F Simes of El Reno, OK

photographer: W F Simes
Opera House Block, Monett, MO
example from contributor Megan

photographer: Will F Simes Art Studio
Opera House Block, Ozark, MO
example from contributor Megan

photographer: W F Simes
Cor 3d & Broadway
Opera House Block, Monett, MO
example from contributor Megan

photographer: Simes
Genoa, MO
example from auction site
(photographer dated 1892 ?

William F Simes
(1867- 1933)

1890
Estimated year that William Simes started into photography, no exact records found
1891 Mar 27
Harrisonville MO, Cass County News, item says W R Simes has taken over the gallery at Belton, MO
1893 Sep 30
Clinton (Mo) Eye, item says W F Simes has been running a gallery at Seneca for about two years, has sold out and moved to Clinton, MO
1900 Jun 09
Monett, MO. US census, William Simes as photographer
1900 Dec 27
Mt Vernon, MO, Lawrence Chieftain, item says W F Simes of Monett, MO, has established a Gallery in MT Vernon, MO and will open every Friday and Saturday
1902
El Reno Daily Tribune, Obituary says Williams Simes moved from Monett, MO, to El Reno, OK, in 1902

1902 Oct 21
El Reno (OK) Evening Bell, item says William F Simes is located in El Reno, OK
1903
El Reno, OK, city directory, William F Simes as photographer at 201 ½ E Woodson; res same
1909
El Reno, OK, city directory, William F Simes as photographer at 111 E Wade; res 612 S Foster
1910 Apr 22
El Reno, OK, US census, William F Simes as photographer at 704 S Hadden
1920 Jan 14
El Reno, OK, US census, William F Simes as professional photographer at 618 S Roberts
1930 Apr 13
El Reno, OK, US census, William F Simes as photographer at 618 S Roberts
1933 Jan 05
El Reno, OK, state records, William F Simes dies at age 65

Harrison, IL, Cass County News -
27 Mar 1891

The Clinton (MO) Eye -
30 Sep 1893

Vernon, MO, Lawrence, Chieftan -
27 Dec 1900

El Reno (OK) Evening Bell -
21 Oct 1902

El Reno 9OK) Daily Tribune -
08 Jan 1933

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.

Henry James Stevenson

Photographer: H. J. Stevenson
Portable Gallery

Henry James Stevenson
(13 Feb 1864 - 31 Dec 1944)

1864
H J Stevenson is born in Ohio
1878 - 1895
Stevenson works up and down the US west coast as miner, farmer and cowboy.
1895
Stevenson, living in Denver, CO, moves to Oklahoma City, OK; opens a photograph gallery on Broadway between Grand and Main Streets. It was called “The Stevenson’s Art Gallery”
1896 May 01
Stevenson moves to El Reno, OK; works for photographer named Wallace, eventually buying the studio which was located in the 200 block of Bickford Ave, El Reno, OK
1900
(US Census) H J Stevenson as photographer; res: 419 Choctaw, El Reno, OK
1909
(city directory) H J Stevenson as photo supplies at 119 s Bickford, El Reno, OK
1910
Stevenson as photographer at 430 N Edwards, El Reno, OK
1913
Stevenson sells 150 Indian photographs to Oklahoma State Historical Society

1920
El Reno, OK, Stevenson buys Schlitz Building at 115 S Bickford and opens studio there; in US Census he is listed as photographer with “Traveling Shop”
1928
El Reno, OK, city directory Stevenson as photographer at 115 s Bickford
1930
Stevenson’s eyes “go bad” and he retires and runs a filling station at 1535 Sunset Drive
1938 Mar 18
interview with WPA #10268
1944
Henry James Stevenson dies in El Reno, OK

All information is from US Census and city directories. Also helpful was a 10 page document dated 18 Mar 1938, called the Works Progress Administration Indian-Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma. This biography outlines the life of H. J. Stevenson including many details not found anywhere else.

This cabinet card was probably finished around 1920, when Stevenson referred to his business as the “Traveling Shop”.

photographer: Stevenson
El Reno, OK Territory
Example from auction site

photographer: Stevenson
El Reno, Ok Territory
example from auction site

photographer: Stevenson
El Reno, Ok Territory
example from auction site

photographer: Stevenson
El Reno, Ok Territory
example from auction site

The card at the right is probably from the "Wallace" mentioned in the timeline at 1896

photographer: Wallace
El Reno, Oklahoma Territory
example from auction site

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.

New examples and additional information 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.

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.