Mathew C Mould and Sarah Jane Islip had eight children, three
daughters and five sons. Mathew and two sons, Simmons and Frederick
were photographers. There was a considerable amount of information on
the Moulds on Rootsweb,
Ancestry,
Cabinet Card Gallery
and
Photography in La Crosse, Wisconsin 1853-1930 By Edwin L. Hill
After immigrating to the US in 1850 the family lived in Newport, NY
until about 1856. Mathew is noted once as working as a grocer. The
family then moved to Baraboo, WI, where Mathew began his photographic
study and business in 1857.
Records are thin but it appears Mathew opened the “Mould and Son”
studio at 411 S 3rd, La Crosse, WI, about 1879. It is a bit
speculative but the “Son” probably included both Frederick and Simmons
Mould. Other sources say that both brothers learned the trade by
working with their father.
By 1882, son Frederick had taken over sole operation of the firm in La
Crosse, WI, changing the name to F W Mould Photographic Studio. In
1888 the studio was at 413 s 3rd.
Mathew C Mould died in 1890.
Frederick William Mould
(1858 - 1947)
1858
Baraboo, WI, city records, Grederick William Mould is born to Mathew C
Mould and Sarah Jane Islip
1880
La Crosse, WI, (WI Biographical History) as photographer with father
1882 Spring
La Crosse, WI, (WI Bio Hist) takes over as sole operator of business
in La Crosse, WI
1888 through 1894
La Crosse, WI, city directory as photographer at 413 s 3rd
1900
La Crosse, WI, US census as photographer; res 136 13th south (Business
address not given)
1901
La Crosse, WI, US census NOT listed (Mould has probably moved back to
Baraboo, WI, now)
1905
Baraboo, WI, Wisconsin state census as photographer
1910
Baraboo, WI, city directory as photographer at 408 3rd (Only directory
available for Baraboo, WI)
1910
Baraboo, WI, US census as photographer
1920
Baraboo, WI, US census as photographer; res 408 3rd av
1921
Madison, WI, city directory as photographer; res 18 s Bassett
1923
Madison, WI, city directory as photographer; res 505 Washington av (F
W Mould is working for another studio and not running his own)
1925
Madison, WI, city directory NOT listed (Mould has probably moved back
to Baraboo, WI, now.)
1930
Baraboo, WI, US census no occupation listed; res 752 Mound st
1935
Baraboo, WI, US census for 1940, no occupation given
1940
Baraboo, WI, US census no occupation given
1947
Baraboo, WI, US FindAGrave website Frederick W Mould dies
Some accounts mention that Frederick Mould was not the finest
photographer. He worked cheap and did shoddy work, according to one
source.
Simmons I Mould
(1856 - 1918)
1856
New York, Simmons J Mould is born to Mathew C Mould and Sarah Jane
Islip
1870 Aug 05
Baraboo, WI, US census age 14, no occupation
1879 Mar 20
Dane County, WI, US census 1900, Simmons Mould marries Emma K
Burdick
1880 Jun 05
Baraboo, WI, US census as photographer; res 1631 Main st
1895 Jun 20
Baraboo, WI state census as no occupation given
1900 Jul 02
Baraboo, WI, US census as photographer
1901
Dubuque, IA, city directory as photographer at 797 Main
1903
Dubuque, IA, city directory as photographer at 797 Main; res 1752
Main
1904
Dubuque, IA, city directory as photographer at 797 Main
1908
Dubuque, IA, city directory as photographer at 8th; res 124 w 14th
1909
Dubuque, IA, city directory as photographer at 1073 Main
1911
Dubuque, IA, city directory as photographer at 1073 Main
1913
Dubuque, IA, city directory as photographer at 1073 Main; res 1631
Main
1915
Dubuque, IA, state records, wife Emma K Burdick dies
1916
Dubuque, IA, city directory as photographer at 1073 Main
1917 Jan 22
Dubuque, IA, state records Simmons J Mould marries Nettie M Smith
1918
Bariboo, WI, Simmons J Mould dies at age 62
Baraboo, WI, where all three of the photographers lived at one time
or another, has no city directory available so tracking some of their
movements is limited.
Those cabinet cards labeled “Mould and Son” in Lacrosse, WI, would
have been done between 1879 and 1882 by Mathew Mould and one of the
sons.
If the card is imprinted with Mould and 413 s 3rd, La Crosse, WI, it
was finished between about 1882 and 1893 by Frederick Mould
If the card is imprinted with Mould and 411 s 3rd, La Crosse, WI, it
was probably finished 1894 or after and before 1900 by Frederick
Mould
If stamped Mould or “F W Mould Photographic Studio,” in Baraboo, WI,
it was probably done by Frederick between 1905 and 1920.
Cabinet cards labeled Mould at Madison, WI, were done by Frederick
Mould between 1921 and 1923.
Nothing shows Frederick as a photographer after 1923.
Simmons Mould apparently stamped his work “Sim Mould,” “Simmons
Mould” “S I Mould” or just “ Mould”
Simmons Mould worked in Baraboo, WI, from 1880 to 1900
797 Main, Dubuque, IA, from 1901 through 1904
Eighth Street, Dubuque, IA, 1908 (and possibly a couple years
before)
1073 Main, Dubuque, IA, 1909 through 1916
It’s a complicated trail so if there are any suggestions of
corrections please leave a comment.
Typical City Directory Ad
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.
Sim Mould is a great great uncle of mine. I am Fred Mould originally from Wauconda, IL. I now live in Aurora, CO. I visited the Mould Studio in Dubuque, IA in 1968. I don't have much information about my family. Sims nephew was my grandfather.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment! Nice to meet you Fred. Visiting the studio must have been quite a treat. Seeing the original backdrops, props and the camera would be very interesting in comparison to the photography of today. BTW, I’m a “Fred” also.
DeleteWhere would I find a photo of Sim Mould? I am doing a story on early Baraboo, WI photographersTom. Thank you,
DeleteYou might write to the Baraboo or the Sauk County historical society. I am sure they have a lot of items that they don't put on line. I have not run across a photo of the photographer.
Delete