Sim Mould of Wisconsin

Photographer Sim Mould
Baraboo, Wisconsin

Photographer: Mould
Baraboo, Wis.

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.

1888 City Directory Ad

Typical City Directory Ad

Finished between 1883 and 1893

Finished between 1883 and 1893
example from auction site

Finished between 1883 and 1893
example from auction site

Finished between 1883 and 1893
example from auction site

Finished between 1883 and 1893
example from auction site

No address so this could have been finished any time between 1883 and 1900
example from auction site

Finished between 1883 and 1893
example from depthandtime on Flickr

There's no address to go by on any of these examples from Simmons Mould so they could have been finished any time he was in Baraboo, WI, from 1880 to 1900

photographer: Sim Mould
Baraboo, WI
example from auction site

photographer: Sim Mould
Baraboo, WI
example from auction site

Sim Mould
Baraboo, WI
example from auction site

photographer: Sim Mould
Baraboo, WI
example from auction site

Sim Mould
Warren Block, Baraboo, WI
example from auction site

Sim Mould
Baraboo, WI
example from auction site

photographer: Sim Mould
Baraboo, WI
example from auction site

photographer:F W Mould
LA Crosse, WI
example from auction site

photographer: F W Mould
Baraboo, WI
example from auction site

photographer: F W Mould
413 S Third, Baraboo, WI
example from depthandtime on Flickr

photographer: F W Mould
413 S Third, Baraboo, WI
example from auction site

photographer F W Mould
413 s 3rd St, La Crosse, Wis
1883-1893
example from auction site

photographer F W Mould
413 s 3rd St, La Crosse, Wis
1883-1893
From the collection of KEN on Flickr

photographer: F W Mould
413 s Third st. La Crosse, Wis
example from pinterest, no source shown

photographer F W Mould
413 s 3rd St, La Crosse, Wis
1883-1893
example from auction site

photographer F W Mould
413 s 3rd St, La Crosse, Wis
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: Sim Mould
Baraboo, WI
CDV example from James Agnew on Flickr

reverse of card at left

photographer: Sim Mould
Baraboo, WI
example from Picclick

photographer:S I Mould
Baraboo, WI
example from Ken on Flickr

photographer:S I Mould
Baraboo, WI
example from auction site

photographer: S I Mould
Warren Block, Baraboo, WI
example from auction site

photographer: S I Mould
518 Oak, Baraboo, WI
example from auction site

photographer: S I Mould
518 Oak, Baraboo, WI
example from pinterest

photographer: Mould
Baraboo
example from mj aux on Flickr

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.

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