Robert Wilson Pearson

Photographer:
Pearson,
Main Street,South Side,
Arcade. N. Y.

At first examination, there appeared to be too many photographers in the area of Arcade, NY, by the name of Pearson, too many to narrow down to the Pearson on this cabinet card.

Benjamin M. Pearson, Albany, NY, over 200 miles from Arcade, NY
Emma J. Pearson, Rochester, NY, about 60 miles from Arcade, NY
William R. Pearson, Buffalo, NY, about 30 miles from Arcade, NY
William R. Pearson, Niagara, NY, about 60 miles from Arcade, NY

But finally,
Robert Wilson Pearson, of Arcade, Wyoming County, New York

R. W. Pearson is documented through the US Census and the New York State Census, as photographer from 1900 through 1930 always in Arcade, NY. The town did not have a city directory.

The cabinet card to the left is glossy on both sides, has rounded corners a ruled border. It was probably finished around 1900 or slightly before.

Timeline

Robert Wilson Pearson
(1867 - 1938)

1867 Jan 29
Ontario, Can, state records; R W Pearson is born to Robert Pearson and Mary Ritchie
1894 Jan 12
Buffalo (NY) Commercial news item says photographer C E Churchill has rented his gallery to his assistant, R W Pearson
A review of C E Churchill is here.
1895
From 1900 US census, R W Pearson and Mattie Oneal are married
1898 Dec 15
Buffalo (NY) Times item says R W Pearson lost 2000 dollars in fire at Arcade
1900 Jun 04
Arcade, NY, US census, Robert Pearson as photographer
1905 Apr 07
Arcade, NY, state records, wife Mattie O’Neal dies
1907 Apr 28 and 1907 May 05
Buffalo (NY) Courier small ad for R W Pearson for sale of picture post cards
1909 Sep 04
Buffalo (NY) Evening News classified ad R W Pearson has framing machine for sale

1910 Apr 15
Arcade, NY, US census, Robert Pearson as photographer
1911 Mar 24
Buffalo (NY) Morning Express item says Robert W Pearson and Addie Rogers were married in Ontario
1915 Jun 01
Arcade, NY, state census, Robert W Pearson as photographer
1920 Jan 17
Arcade, NY, US census, Robert W Pearson as photographer
1925 Jun 01
Arcade, NY, sate census, R W Pearson as photographer; res Main st
1930 Apr 15
Arcade, NY, US census, Robert W Pearson as photographer
1938 Nov 05
Arcade, Wyoming, NY, Robert W Pearson dies at age 72
1938 Dec 06
Rochester (NY) democrat and Chronical news item says Roger Gorham has purchased the gallery of R W Pearson

In a comment (see below), someone has added this bit of information: "R.W. Pearson was the photographer on Main Street in Arcade. He was the assistant to C.E. Churchill and rented Churchill's studio when Churchill moved to Franklinville"

From this suggestion the following news items were found.

Buffalo (NY) Commercial - 12 Jan 1894

Link to a brief review of Clark Eugene Clifton mentioned timeline at 1894.

Buffalo (NY) Courier - 15 Dec 1899

Buffalo (NY) Courier -
28 Apr 1907


Buffalo (NY) Evening News -
04 Sep 1909


Buffalo (NY) Morning Express -
24 Mar 1912

Binghamton (NY) Press -
06 Oct 1934


Springville (NY) Journal -
17 Nov 1938


Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle -
06 Dev 1938

From Contributor Dawn:
"Pearson's photography studio on the second floor of the Steele-Foote building on Main Street in Arcade ca. 1900 from a poster exhibit by the Arcade Historical Society."

From Contributor Dawn:
"A photo of the building today -- "

From Contributor Dawn:
"Front and back portrait of a young lady named Alta Howlett, taken by R.W. Pearson likely ca. 1900. That was the only year her family lived in Arcade. They lived in the nearby town of Freedom by 1905. Alta was born in 1880, married Newman Lawrence Hawks and died in Batavia, NY in 1959 according to familysearch.org "

Buffalo (NY) Courier - 23 Jun 1912

photographer: Pearson
Main Street, South Side, Arcade, NY
example from RescuedPhoto

photographer: Pearson
Arcade, NY
example from auction site

photographer R W Pearson
Main Street, South Side, Arcade, NY
example from auction site

Photographer: Pearson
Arcade, NY
example from auction site
(from really poor scan)

The following pair are NOT cabinet cards but included because cabinet card examples from B W Pearson appear to be rather scarce.

photographer: Pearson
Arcade and Strykersville, NY
example from auction site
actual size: 3 1/2 X 4 7/8 in

photographer: Pearson
Arcade and Strykersville, NY
example from auction site
actual size: 3 1/2 X 4 7/8 in

The following examples are by J R Pearson of Pittsburg, PA. So far, no connection to R W Pearson has been found.

photographer: J R Pearson 96 Fifth Av and 43-45 Federal, Pittsburg, PA
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: J R Pearson 96 Fifth Av and 43-45 Federal, Pittsburg, PA
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: J R Pearson
96 Fifth Street and 43-45 Federal, Pittsburg, PA
example from auction site

photographer: J R Pearson
96 Fifth Street and 43-45 Federal, Pittsburg, PA
example from auction site

photographer: J R Pearson
96 Fifth Street and 43-45 Federal, Pittsburg, PA
example from auction site

photographer: J R Pearson
96 Fifth Street and 43-45 Federal, Pittsburg, PA
example from auction site

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.

New examples and additional information 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.

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.