Rasmussen and Free

Photographer:
Rasmussen and Free
1725 Second Avenue Rock Island, IL.

Michael Theodore Free
(1871-1941)

1871 Jun 14
Coal Valley, IL, M T Free is born to Theodore Free and Theresa Mary Wagner
1888
Moline, IL, city directory at age 17 as “wks for McCbe Bros”
1892
Moline, IL, city directory Michael T Free as photographer at 2107 4th; res 2109 4th
1897 May 17
Rock Island (IL) Argus small ad looking for a location for a photo gallery
1898 Aug 10
Rock Island (IL) Argus news item shows Free has opened a "photo button" studio at 2107 4th

1899 Nov 14
Rock Island Argus (IL) display ad for studio at 1807 ½ 2nd av
1900 Dec 07
Rock Island (IL) Argus small ad for M T Free’s studio at 1807 2nd av
1901
Moline, IL, city directory as photographer at 1807 ½ 2nd; res 524 16th
1901
Nov 26 Rock Island (IL) Argus small ad for studio no address
1906
Rock Island (IL) Argus small mention of real estate transfer in Rock Island, IL
1907 - 1919
Kansas City, MO, city directory as traveling salesman; res 2401 e 31st

1920 Jan 06
Kansas City, MO, US census as Motor Trucks; res 2401 e 31st
1921
Kansas City, MO, city directory as traveling salesman; res 3214 Harrison
1922
Kansas City, MO, city directory as manager of Butler Motor Co; res 3328 Harrison
1930 Apr 02
Chicago, IL, US census as traveling salesman; res 1036 n Dearborn
1941 Sep 02
Portage, IN, death certificate, as salesman, M T Free dies in a car wreck

John Charles Rasmussen
(1857 – 1943)

1857
John Charles Rasmussen is born in Denmark or Germany or New York, depending on the document
1857
Immigrated to US, From 1920 US census, J C Rasmussen arrives in US from Denmark
1858
Immigrated to US, From 1900 US census, J C Rasmussen arrives in US from Germany
1880
From 1900 US census, J C Rasmussen and Nora F are married
1882
Moline, IL, city directory, J Charles Rasmussen as photographer with A B Gaylord
1885
Rock Island, IL, city directory J C Rasmussen as photographer cor Second Av and Eighteenth

1885, 1886, 1887, 1888
Rock Island, IL, city directory, J Charles Rasmussen as photographer with A B Gaylord
1888
Moline, IL, city directory, J C Rasmussen as photographer at 1801 2nd Av, res 1904 3rd Av
1891, 1892
Rock Island IL, city directories, J. Charles Rasmussen as photographer at 1725 2nd; res 303 15th
1894 Nov 13
Rock Island (IL) Argus newspaper, item says J C Rasmussen has sold his photograph studio to Michael T Free, to take possession Nov 20; apparently they remain working as partners
1896 Jun 26
Rock Island (IL) Argus, small ad for Rasmussen and Free

1897 Mar 03
Rock Island (IL) Argus, news item tells of fire that destroys the Rasmussen and Free photograph studio Rasmussen and Free appear to go separate ways after this point
1900 Jun 04
San Francisco, CA, US census, John Rasmussen as photographer (birth: Germany); wife Nora; res 414 Lyon Street
1901
San Francisco, CA, city directory, J Charles Rasmussen as photographer at 724 ½ Market; res 414 Lyon; Nora not shown
1903
San Francisco, CA, city directory, John C Rasmussen as photographer; res 414 Lyon; NOT listed in Business Section
1904
San Francisco, CA, city directory, J Charles, Rasmussen as photographer, mngr Imperial Photographic Studio, 744 Market; r 414 Lyon,

1905
San Francisco, CA, city directory, J Charles Rasmussen as mgr of “Rasmussen’s Studio”, 139 Post; res 1053 Shrader
1907, 1908, 1909
San Francisco, CA, city directory, J C Rasmussen NOT listed (location unknown at this time)
1910 Apr 28
San Francisco, CA, US census, John C Rasmussen as photographer with own studio; res number 1123
1910
San Francisco, CA, city directory, J Charles Rasmussen as photographer, wife Nora not listed; business pages as photographer at 830 Market; res same
1911
San Francisco, CA, city directory, J Charles Rasmussen as photographer at 830 Market; bus pages same
1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916
San Francisco, CA, city directory, J C Rasmussen NOT listed res or bus

1917
San Francisco, CA, city directory, “Chas” Rasmussen as Salesman, (wife Nora) res: 1027 Schrader (may not be John Charles)
1918
San Francisco, CA, city directory, John C Rasmussen NOT listed
1918
Riverside, CA, city directory, J C Rasmussen NOT listed
1920 Jan 06
San Francisco, CA, US census John C Rasmussen as photographer; res 357 Main; wife Nora NOT listed
1920
San Francisco, CA, city directory, John C Rasmussen NOT listed
1921
Riverside, CA, city directory, Chas Rasmussen, photographer, Hartsook Studio; res 964 W 7th
(Hartsook Studio, P L Johnson, mngr, was at 301 Loring Bldg)

1922
San Francisco, CA, city directory, J C Rasmussen, wife Nora F. res. 1029 Shrader (no occupation shown)
1923, 1924
San Francisco, CA, city directory, J C Rasmussen NOT listed
1923, 1925
Riverside, CA, city directory, Chas Rasmussen (Nora F) as p hotographer at 12 Evans Bldg, tel 428-J; res 964 W 7th
1926
Riverside, CA, city directory, Chas Rasmussen (Nora F) as photographer at 12 Evans Bdg; res 608 Walnut
1927, 1929
Riverside, CA, city directory, Chas Rasmussen (Nora F), photographer 12 Evans Bldg, 671 W 8th, Phone 2855
1930
Riverside, CA, city directory, Rasmussen Studio (Chas Rasmussen, Ida M Tratt) photographers, 12 Evans Bldg, 3671 8th, Tel 2855

1931
Riverside, CA, city directory, Chas Rasmussen as photographer at Rasmussen Studio, 3671 8th ; separate listing shows: Rasmussen Studio (Chas Rasmussen, Ida M Tratt) photographers, 12 Evans Bldg, 3671 8th, Tel 2855
1933, 1934
Riverside, CA, city directory, Chas Rasmussen as photographer at Rasmussen Studio; res 3964 7th
1936, 1937
Riverside, CA, city directory, Chas Rasmussen as photographer at 3671 8th , room 12, res 3964 7th
1940 Apr 11
Riverside, CA, US census, Charles J Rasmussen, no occupation shown, as lodger with Ida M Tratt at 3964 7th Street
1939, 1941
Riverside, CA, city directory, John C Rasmussen (no occupation shown); res 3964 7th

1942
Riverside, CA, city directory, John Charles Rasmussen NOT listed
1943 Sep 17
Riverside, CA, state records, J C Rasmussen dies at age 87

Rasmussen, the photographer, juggled his name often, using J C Rasmussen, J Charles Rasmussen, Charles Rasmussen, and other combinations. For this examination of documents, profession, wife’s name and the location helped confirm the right choices.

It appears from this timeline that Rasmussen and Free worked together from about November of 1894 to March of 1897

Rock Island (IL) Argus - 03 Sep 1941

photographer: Rasmussen and Free
1725 Second Ave, Rock Island, IL
example from auction site

It appears that Rasmussen and Free were both in the photography business only briefly before they began as partners at 1725 2nd Avenue, Rock Island, IL, in November of 1894. When the studio on Second Street burned in 1896, both went separate ways. Rasmussen, who already had a gallery in San Francisco, CA, appears to move there and continue in the photography business until the earthquake of 1906. After that he does not seem to be as active. He moves to Riverside, Ca, in 1923.


After the 1896 fire, M T Free opens another studio in Rock Island, IL, at 1807 ½ 2nd street and stays at that location until at least 1901. He moves the studio to 2401 e 31st and operates there until 1919. He then appears to get out of the photography business in favor of sales, from coffee to cars.

Rock Island (IL) Argus - 12 Jul 1890

Rock Island (IL) Argus - 12 Jul 1890

Rock Island (IL) Argus - 28 Dec 1893

Rock Island (IL) Argus - 13 Nov 1894
Rock Island (IL) Argus - 07 Dec 1894

Rock Island (IL) Argus - 26 Jun 1896
Rock Island (IL) Argus - 13 Mar 1897

Rock Island (IL) Argus - 17 May 1897
Rock Island (IL) Argus - 10 Aug 1898
Rock Island (IL) Argus - 21 Nov 1899

Rock Island (IL) Argus - 19 Apr 1906

photographer: Rasmussen
Rock Island, IL
example from Photohistory.com

photographer: Rasmussen
Rock Island, IL
example from Photohistory.com

photographer: Rasmussen
Rock Island, IL
example from Photohistory.com

photographer: Rasmussen
Rock Island, IL
example from auction site

photographer: Rasmussen
Davneport, IA, and Rock Island, IL
example from auction site

photographer: Rasmussen
Rock Island, IL and Davenport, IA
example from auction site

reverse of the cards at the left

photographer: Rasmussen
Rock Island, IL
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: J C Rasmussen
Rock Island, IL
example from auction site

photographer: J C Rasmussen
Rock Island, IL
example from auction site

reverse of both cards at left
(note: only Rock Island, IL, listed)

photographer: Rasmussen
Davenport and Rock Island, IA
example from auction site
(note: compare differences in the imprint and reverse design of the card just above.)

reverse of card at left
(Note owner dated 1886)

photogrpaher: Rasmussen example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photogrpaher: Rasmussen example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: Rasmussen
Rock Island, IL
example from Ammon Carter Museum

reverse of card at left
(Note: this is the only deckled edge example found)

photographer: Rasmussen
Rock Island, IL
example from auction site

photographer: Rasmussen
Rock Island, IL
example from auction site

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