Photographer:
Houser's South Side Gallery
Huntington, Ind
(see enhances blind stamp below)
This cabinet card must have been finished by George Houser and the
“South Side Gallery” between 1890 and 1896.
This is a rather long and detailed timeline that involves two
brothers, George and Reuben Houser as photographers. It shows how they
worked together and separately in the photography business.
Reuben Houser was in the photography business in Indiana from about
1875 to 1913.
George Houser stayed in the photography business in Indiana from about
1880 until his death in 1932.
In 1880 according to the US census, George, at 17 assisted
Reuben, at 28, in Westville, IN. By June of 1890 they are the
“Houser Brothers” working in Michigan City, IN.
In September 1890 George opens his own studio over “Whitlock
and Son Southside Grocery” and by November
1890 the Huntington Daily Democrat refers to it as Houser’s
“South Side Gallery”. The title continues in ads and news items until
December of 1896 when he leases out the gallery in Huntington,
IN, to Herman H. Drover. Then, midst a divorce suit with wife Ada, he
moves back to Michigan City to again work for his brother, Reuben.
In 1897 George travels to Arkansas to scout for a new location
but instead finds a new wife, Mary Catherine Bennett. In
1898 he sells his Huntington gallery to Drover and goes to work
for another photographer named Reeves in Huntington. In
1900 George is working as photographer in Union, IN.
In 1900, Reuben Houser is working in Michigan City, IN. In
1905 he is at 113 e Fifth. Note this may be a printing error as
in 1910 his studio is shown at 115 e Fifth. Then in
1913 Reuben moves to Seattle, WA, to become a miner and later a
watchman. He never returns to photography. Reuben dies in
1929.
By 1913 George is back in Michigan City, IN, at 115 e Fifth
Street (Reuben’s old place). In 1920 George is in Warsaw, IN,
he and wife Mary working as a team. They live at 739 e Main. The
1930 US census is the same except wife Mary is shown as no
occupation. George dies in 1932.
Reuben Clarence Houser
(9 Mar 1851 - 14 Feb 1929)
George Elsworth Houser
(16 May 1863 - 11 Feb 1932)
1851 Mar 09
Reuben born in Ohio
1860
Union, IN, US census Reuben as farm labor in Union, Wells County,
IN
1863
George born in Indiana
1870
Union, IN, US census Reuben (age 18) as “works on farm”
1875
Montgomery, MI, Ruben C. Houser marries Mary M. Clancy
1880
Westlake, IN, US Census Rueben (age 28) as photo artist in Westville,
La Porte, IN, with brother George (17) living at the same address and
shown as “works in photography”
1890
Michigan City, IN, city directory as photographer Reuben C. Houser
with his brother George E. Houser as Houser Brothers
1890 Jun 20
Daily (Huntington, IN) Democrat Reuben Houser mention from Houser
Brothers Artistic Photographers
1890 Sep 27
Daily (Huntington, IN) Democrat news mention R. C. Houser of Michigan
City, IN. to open studio in Huntington, IN, over Whitelock & Son
Southside Grocery
1890 Nov 12
Daily (Huntington, IN) Democrat blurb Reuben Houser as photographer
gallery over Whitelock grocery
1890 Nov 15
Daily (Huntington, IN) Democrat blurb (George) Houser’s Southside
Gallery
1891 Jun 13
Daily Democrat (Huntington, IN) blurb people visit George Houser, the
“Southside photographer”
1891 Sep 18
Huntington (IN) Weekly blurb George E. Houser, popular South side
photographer
1892 Jul 26
Daily (Huntington, IN) Democrat George Houser, south side photographer
buys lot on Salamonie av to erect residence
1892 Aug 01
Daily (Huntington, IN) Democrat, R C Houser of Michigan City, IN,
visits brother George, the south side photographer
1892 Nov 2
Daily (Huntington, IN) Democrat, small ad for Houser “south of
river”
1893 Oct, Nov, Dec
Huntington (IN) Weekly Herald display ads for G. E. Houser Southside
photographer
1894 Jan through Jun
Huntington (IN) Weekly Herald display ads for G. E. Houser Southside
photographer
1896 Feb 07
George E Houser files for divorce from Ada B. Piatt
1896 Dec 07
Huntington (IN) Daily Democrat George Houser, South Side photographer
leases gallery to
Herman H Drover; to move to Michigan City to work for brother Rueben C
Houser
1897 Mar 05
Huntington (IN) Weekly Herald news George moves to Arkansas to open
new gallery
1897 Nov 01
Huntington (IN) Daily News Democrat George Houser sells Huntington
South Side Gallery to Harmon Drover
1898 Nov 26
Huntington (IN) Daily News Democrat George marries Mary Catherine
Bennett in Warsaw, IN
1900
Michigan City, IN, US census Reuben as photographer at 115 E Market;
res same
1905
Michigan City, IN, city directory Reuben as phtgrphr; 113 E 5th;
brother George not listed
1910 Apr 27
Michigan City, IN, US census Reuben as photographer at 115 e 5th;
(note that George Houser has not been found in the 1910 US census)
1910 Aug 22
Huntington (IN) Daily News blurb George Houser (South Side
photographer) returns to Warsaw, IN
1910 Nov 23
Fort Wayne, IN, Journal Gazette George’s son Edwin Houser marries
Daisy Lewis. George E. living in Warsaw, IN, wife Ada B living in
Huntington, IN
1911 Oct 24
Warsaw, IN, George’s son Glenn marries Amelia B. Klaffei; George E.
living in Warsaw, IN, wife Ada B living in Fort Wayne, IN
1912
Seattle, WA, city directory Reuben Houser NOT listed; his move from
Michigan City, IN, to Seattle, WA, must have been after this date
1913 and 1915
Michigan City, IN, city directory George E Houser as photographer at
115 e 5th
1913 - 1916
Seattle, WA, city directory Reuben Houser as Miner w/ wife Mary M
1914 - 1916
Michigan City, IN, city directory George E Houser NOT listed
1917 - 1928
Seattle, WA, city directory Ruben Houser as Watchman w/wife Mary M
1920 Jan 09
Warsaw, IN, US census George Houser as photographer with wife Mary at
739 E Main, Warsaw, Kosciusko, IN; wife Mary listed as photographer
also
1920 Jan 15
Seattle, WA, Reuben Houser as watchman
1929 Feb 14
Seattle, WA, state records Ruben Houser dies at age 77 in
1930 Apr 15
Warsaw, IN, US census George Houser as photographer with wife Mary at
739 E Main; wife Mary listed as photographer assistant
1932 Feb 11
Warsaw, IN, George Houser dies at age 68
Huntington (IN) Daily Democrat - 01 Aug 1892
Huntington (IN) Weekly Herald - 26 Sep 1893
Enhanced detail of cabinet card at the top
Huntington (IN) Daily Democrat 07 Dec 1896
This photograph mount is labeled "Swiss Card", probably one of the many shapes and sizes that were tried after the popularity of the cabinet card began to dim. This card was probably finished between 1900 and 1912 while Ruben Howser was still in Michigan City, IN.
photographer: Houser 115 E Market Street, Michigan City, IN
example from the William L Clemments Library
Michigan City, IN
example from auction site
Michigan City, IN
example from auction site
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.
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In what years did George work out of the location on 9th and Buffalo Streets in Michigan City, Indiana?
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to date a picture of my ancestors. The back reads as follows:
G. E. Houser, The Photographer, 9th and Buffalo Streets, Michigan City, Ind., This style picture $3.00 per dozen. 1/2 doz. $2.00, Duplicates 25 cents each.
Thanks for your note. I will look at Houser again to see if I can find anything new. I will post a note here if I find anything significant.
DeleteI have several photographs in the cardboard cards that close with photo inside a frame. They have the name “The Houser Studio, Warsaw, Indiana” written across the bottom, underneath the frame. We are pretty sure that one of the photos is my mother in law who was born in 1931. She appears to be 3 or 4 years old in the photo. If G. E. Houser passed away in 1932, who took the photo in 1934 or 1935? Did The Houser Studio continue doing business, and for how long? Thanks fo any information you can give.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your note. I will look into Houser again to see if there is anything new and update the page if I find anything. I would guess that his wife carried on the studio after his death. For well established photographer studios this often happens. An assistant or family will carry on the name for sometimes many years.
DeleteHello! I’m trying to figure out the date of four photographs that are in the little cardboard cards that close. Underneath the framed photo when you open the card, are the words “The Houser Studio, Warsaw, Indiana. I know one of the photos is a little girl who is my mother in law. She was born in 1931, and she appears to be 3 or 4 years old in the photo. If Houser passed away in 1932, I’m wondering if Houser Studio continued in business after his death?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately there are no Warsaw city directories for those years available to me. And Newspapers.com has discontinued the archives of the Warsaw newspaper. So at this time I have no resources to check to see how long the Houser studio continued after George Houser died in 1932. Since his wife is noted as “photographer’s assistant” in the 1930 US census, it is a safe bet that she carried on the studio. For the moment, we don’t know how long.
Delete