Frederick Gessner

Photographer: Gessner
Successor to C. E. Rykert
297 Jefferson Street, Buffalo, N. Y

Photographer: Gessner
Successor to C. E. Rykert
297 Jefferson Street, Buffalo, N. Y.

Photographer: Gessner
Successor to C. E. Rykert
297 Jefferson Street, Buffalo, N. Y.

Chauncey Rykert
(Jul 1851 - Jun 1937)
did not vacate the premises at 297 Jefferson Street in Buffalo, NY, until after 1898

Frederick Gessner (29 May 1861 - 1935)
Following the life of Frederick Gessner, photographer, was a bit difficult considering there were three Frederick Gessners, two in the same town at about the same age.

It appears that Gessner was a photographer from about 1892 to his death in 1935. He had his own studio between 1898 and 1909. After that it appears he worked for other galleries.

Gessner was at 841 Michigan, Buffalo, NY in the 1900 US Census.

The cards at the top would probably have been finished before about 1900 and after 1898.

1861 May 29
Germersheim, Germany, Frederick Gessner is born
1882
Frederick Gessner, age 10, arrives in the US

1892 Feb 16
Erie, NY, New York state census, Fred Gessner as photographer
1897
New York, US census, Fred Gessner and Wilhelmina Rudell marry
1898
Apparently Gessner takes over the studio of photographer Chauncey Rykert (Jul 1851 - Jun 1937), sometime late this year.
1898, 1899
Buffalo, NY, city directory Fred Gessner as photographer at 637 Bway; res 841 Michigan;
1900 Jun 06
Buffalo, NY, US census Frederick Gessner as photographer; res 841 Michigan
1902, 1903, 1904
Buffalo, NY, city directory, Fred Gessner as photographer at 637 Broadway; res 841 Michigan
1905 Jun 01
Buffalo, NY, New York state census, Frederick Gessner as photographer; res 841 Michigan st

1906
Buffalo, NY, city directory,, Fred Gessner as photographer; res 841 Michigan (Not listed in business pages)
1908
Buffalo, NY, city directory, Fred Gessner as photographer; res 841 Michigan; not listed in the business pages
1909
Buffalo, NY, city directory, Fred Gessner as photographer at ; res 841 Michigan (business pages incomplete)
1910 Apr 21
Buffalo NY, US census, Frederick Gessner as photographer; res 841 Michigan
1914
Buffalo, NY, state records wife Wilhelmina Rudell dies
1912, 1914, 1915
Buffalo, NY, city directory, Fred Gessner as photographer; res 841 Michigan (NOT listed in business pages)

1920
Erie, NY, passport application, Frederick Gessner as photographer
1923
Buffalo, NY, city directory, Fred Gessner as photographer; res 615 Goodyear Av; (NOT in business pages)
1925, 1926
Buffalo, NY, city directory, Fred Gessner as photographer; res 369 Dartmouth; (NOT in business pages)
1930 Apr 15
Buffalo, NY, US census, Frederick Gessner as photographer; res 369 Dartmouth
1931 1933, 1934
Buffalo, NY, city directory, Fredk Gessner as retoucher; res 615 Goodyear (wife Marie L listed also)
1935 Dec 04
New York death index; Frederick Gessner dies at age 74

Passport Application

photographer: Rykert
297 Jefferson, Buffalo, NY
example from auction site
(Apparently made 1898 or before. See timeline.)

reverse of card at left

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.

William E Miller of Connecticut

Photographer: Miller
325 Main Street
Middletown, Conn.
Main Gallery
Birmingham, Conn.

William E Miller
(1847 - 1909)

Note: many date ranges overlap because Miller worked in multiple locations
1847
Ludlow, MA, William E Miller is born to Moses Horatio Miller and Sophorina Collins
1868 Nov 26
Palmer, MA, W E Miller marries Francis E Hancock
1870 Jun 15
Palmer, MA, US census as painter
1879
Palmer, MA, city directory NOT listed
1880 Jun 15
Derby, CT, US census as photographer
1883 - 1886
Derby, CT, city directory as photographer at cor Elizabeth and 3rd; res 37 Minerva
1887 - 1892
Ansonia, CT, city directory as photographer at Ansonia, Birmingham, Derby and Shelton, addresses 96 Park; res 42 Elizabeth, 3 B
1887, 1888
Ansonia, CT, city directory as photographer at 96 Park
1890, 1891
Ansonia, CT, city directory as photographer at 82 Minerva

1888 - 1890
Brooklyn, NY, city directory as photographer at 442 Fulton and 127 Berkeley pl
1889 - 1890
Springfield, MA, city directory as photographer at 535 Main; res Birmingham, CT
1889 - 1891
Derby, CT, city directory as photographer 82 Minerva
1890-1893
Taunton, MA, city directory as photographer at 30 n Broadway; res Birmingham, CT
1902
Springfield, MA, city directory as photographer at 162 Main; res 34 Cypress av
1903 - 1908
Springfield, MA, city directory as photographer at 170 Main; res 1907-1908 same
1909 Sep 29
Springfield, MA, state certificate W E Miller dies of uremia at age 62

At one point, W E Miller had at least seven and perhaps nine studios running at the same time as well as a couple mobile studios he operated out of Birmingham, CT, which was his main residence.

For two other examples of William Miller's work go to the
Cabinet Card Gallery

Here is a recap of cities documented where Miller had studios & the addresses associated:
Ansonia, CT, 42 Elizabeth and 96 Park, 1887, 1888
Ansonia, CT, 96 Park, 1888, 1889
Ansonia, CT, 42 Elizabeth and 82 Minerva, 1890, 1891
Biddeford, ME, 220 Main, 1880 - 1890 (only an estimate)
Brooklyn, NY, 442 Fulton, 1888 - 1889
Brooklyn, NY, 127 Berkeley pl, 1888 - 1889
Derby, CT, 42 Elizabeth & 82 Minerva (same address as Ansonia, CT), 1890, 1891
Glen Falls, NY, “portable” gallery being sold in 1892 (see ad in Anthony Photographic Bulletin)
Gloversville, NY, “portable” gallery being sold in 1892 (see ad in Anthony Photographic Bulletin)
Hartford, CT, 739 Main, 1899 (estimate)
Springfield, MA, 535 Main, 1889 - 1890
Springfield, MA, 162 Main, 1902
Springfield, MA, 170 Main, 1903 - 1908
Taunton, MA, 30 Broadway, 1890

The cabinet card shown at the top lists an additional city, Middletown, CT. The date can only be speculated at this point as no documents have been found placing Miller in that city. The style of the card would place it early in Miller’s professional career, about 1880 to 1885.

1889 Derby, CT, city directory


1892 Advertisement in Anthony's Photographic Bulletin

reverse of a cabinet card from
Miller of Birmingham CT
example from Cabinet Card Gallery

Example from PhotoTree
This is probably the same Miller. Northampton, MA, is only about fifty miles from Middletown, CT.

photographer Miller
486 Main Street, Springfield, MA
example from auction site

photographer: MIller
30 Broadway, Taunton, MA
Example from auction site
(This is probably NOT the same Miller as reviewed on this page. No connection has yet been made.)

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.

Stephen Merrill

photographer: Merrill
Lexington, IL

Stephen Merrill
(1830 - 1919)

Sources: US census, city directory, newspaper items as noted

1829 Dec 07
Hagerstown, MD, Stephen Merrill is born to Stephen Merrill and Catherine Workman (Note, there is broad disagreement in records about the date and place of birth of photographer Merrill)
1860 Jun 08
Taylor, VA, state records, Stephen Merrill marries Rachel Rebecca Rohrbaugh (here again, records to not agree on the date)
1870 Aug 25
Lexington, IL, US census as photographer
1880 Jun 03
Lexington, IL, US census as photographer
1889
Bloomington, IL, city directory as photographer
1900 Jun 08
Lexington, IL, US census as photographer
1910 Apr 21
Lexington, IL, US census as photographer

1919 Jul 24
Lexington, IL, newspaper obituary, Stephen Merrill died

There was a prominent Methodist Episcopal Bishop Stephen Merrill and an Illinois funeral undertaker Stephen Merrill in the late 19th century as well as this photographer Stephen Merrill.

Stephen Merrill was thirty years older than most of the cabinet card photographers, who were born around 1860.

No newspaper ads were found and only one city directory listing was found so Merrill’s movements are left rather hazy. Except for the one listing in the 1989 Bloomington, IL, city directory, he appears to have spent all his life after 1860 in Lexington, IL.

The style of the card is from around 1895 to 1905.

The (Bloomngon, IL)Pantagraph - 25 Jul 1919

photographer: Merill
Lexington, IL
example from Rescued Photo

photographer: Merill
Lexington, IL
example from auction site

photographer S Merill
Lexington, IL
example from auction site

photographer: S Merrill
Lexington, IL
example from Beverly on Flickr

photographer: S Merrill
Lexington, IL
example from Curt J on Flickr

photographer: Merill
Ovid, MI
example from auction site
(No connection has been made to S Merrill of Lexington, IL)

photographer: Merill
Antioch, MI
example from auction site
(No connection has been made to S Merrill of Lexington, IL)

photographer: Merill
Waterville, Me
example from auction site
(No connection has been made to S Merrill of Lexington, IL)

reverse of card at left

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.

David D Mendenhal

Photographer: Mendenhall
Maryville, Missouri

Photographer: Mendenhall
Maryville, Missouri

photographer: Mendenhall and Son
Maryville, Mo.

Photographer:
Mendenhall and Son
Maryville, Missouri

Although there were at least five photographers east of the Mississippi named Mendenhall in the cabinet card era, only one was in the area of Marysville, MO, David D. Mendenhall. D D Mendenhall also had a photographer son who should accounts for the Mendenhall and Son imprints.

David D Mendenhall
(1836-1905)
Frank M Mendenhall
(1858-1951)

Timeline
1836 Jan
Ohio, David D Mendenhall born
1857 Nov 04
Fulton county, IL, city register, David D Mendenhall marries Sarah Antoinette Moore (1840-1908)
1858 Aug 06
Farmington, IL, city register, Frank M Mendenhall born

1860 Jul 20
US census Farmington, IL, David D (as painter), wife Antoinette and son Frank
1870 Aug 03
US census Farmington, IL, David D (as photographer), wife Amanda and son Frank
1880 Jun 11
US census, Elmwood, IL, David D (as photographer), wife Amanda; Frank has moved away
1885
D D Mendenhal moves to Maryville, IL (See Obituary)
1900 Jun 09
US census, Maryville, MO, David D as photographer at 608 n Main; as widowed
1905 Feb 29
Maryville, MO, David D Mendenhall dies at age 69
1908
Sarah Antoinette Moore Mendenhall dies at age 68
1951 Dec
Illinois, Frank M Mendenhall dies at age 93

It is apparent that David D Mendenhall moved to Maryville, MO, sometime after the 1800 census. He operated there until his death in 1905.
When his son Frank lived in Maryville, MO, is not documented but it must have been for only a short time as all other documents place Frank in Canton, IL, from 1884 until his death in 1951.

In city directory listings of Frank Mendenhall, he is never in the business sections as running his own studio. He apparently worked for other photographers. This would make him free to move for short periods to Maryville, MO, to work with his father, David.

The cabinet cards above would have been done between about 1900 and 1905.

Maryville Republican, 02 Mar 1905

photographer Mendenhal and Son
Maryville, OH
Probably finished before 1880
example from auction site

photographer Mendenhal and Son
Maryville, OH
Probably finished before 1880
example from auction site

photographer: Mendenhall
Elmwood, IL
example from auction site
(probably finished before about 1885 (see obituary) note different imprint)

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.

Austin Adams Healy

Photographer: Healy Studio
West Side Square
Milan, Mo

Muscatine (IA) Weekly Journal - 18 Feb 1876

Austin Adams Healy
(1851 -1928)

Some personal information included to show location and date

1851
Cedar, IA, state records, Austin Adams Healy is born to Abiel Lyon Healy and Sara Mary Adams
1870 Jun 27
Wilton, IA, US census, A A Healy as farm labor; age 19
1872
Muscatine, IA, state records, A A Healy and Sarah Isabelle Wallace are married
1874
Blairstown, IA, state records, daughter Ethel Adams Healy is born
1876
Wilton, IA, state records, son Austin Leo Healy is born
1878 Feb 18
Muscatine (IA) Weekly, news item says Austin Healy has opened a photograph gallery in the Wise building

1878
Afton, IA, state records, son Royal Wallace Healy is born in Afton. IA
1880 Jun 15
Afton, IA, US census, A A Healy as artist
1881
Afton, IA, state records, daughter Edna Evangeline Healy is born
1884
Afton, IA, state records, daughter Daisy Healy is born
1885
Afton, IA, state census, Austin A Healy as artist
1887 Dec 27
Afton, IA, state records, daughter Caroline Belle Healy is born
1890 Apr 21
Afton, IA, state records, daughter Mary Laura Healy is born
1894 Oct 30
Lorimer, IA, FindAGrave website, wife Sarah Isabelle Wallace dies

1895
Lorimer, IA, state census Austin A Healy, no occupation given
1900 Jun 14
Milan City, MO, US census, Austin A Healy as photographer
1904 Aug 17
See AA Healy Obit, A A Healy and Lou Lantry Lawrence are married
1910
Benton, MO, US census, Austin A Healy as Jeweler; wife Lou Lawrence runs Photo Gallery
1920 Jan 22
Benton, MO, US census, Arthur Healy as photographer
1928 Aug 05
Browning (MO) Leader obit) A A Healy dies at age 77; Findagrave website, says Iowa Cemetery Rec.) Death in Lorimor, Union, IA

This cabinet card, then came from a short period around 1900.

Here are two photographs of Austin A. Healy found on a genealogical web site; the above with his wife and four daughters.

Milan (MO) Republican - 22 Nov 1928

photographer: Healy
Afton, IA
example from pin

photographer: The Elite Studio
H H Blaksley and E R Healy
St. Helena, CA
example from auction site

photographer: A A Healy
Milan, MO
example from auction site

photographer: A A Healy
SW cor Square, Milan, MO
example from conributor

Two other cabeinet card era photographers have been found but no connection to Austin Adams Healy has been made.

E R Healy of Hanford and LeMoore CA
Henry C Healy of Waterloo City, IN

photographer: E R Healy
Hanford and Lemoore, CA
example from auction site

photographer: E R Healy
Hanford, CA
example from Petaluma Pioneer

photographer: E R Healy
Hanford and Lemoore, CA
example from pinterest

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.