W A Medaris

photographer: Bradley and Medaris
Monticello, IL
example from LOST GALLERY

William Arthur Medaris
(1865-1948)

1865 Oct 01
Perry, IL, state records, US census, W A Medaris is born to Rice Medaris and Margaret Mary Cole
1890
Obituary says Medaris operated a photograph studio in Monticello for “twenty years” and retired to the insurance business in 1910
1900 Jun 04
Monticello, IL, US census, W A Medaris as photographer on State Street
1910 Apr 20
Monticello, IL, US census, Arthur Medaris as real estate agent; East Washington
1920 Jan 12
Monticello, IL, US census, Arthur Medaris as Insurance agent
1948 Oct 24
Monticello, IL, Findagrave, William Arthur Medaris dies at age 83

James S Brady
(1871-1949)

1871 Jul 08
Monticello, IL, state records, James S Brady is born to George Brady and Mary Dresback
1880 Jun 05
Monticello, IL, US census, James S Brady at age 8 (mistakenly identified as a daughter by census taker) living with parents
1892 Dec 21
Platt, IL, state records, William A Medaris and Media Brady (sister of James Brady) are married
It’s only a guess, but this could be about the time that that W A Medaris and Brady started their partnership.
1900 Jun 08
Monticello, IL, US census James Brady as photographer, still living with parents
1905 (earliest available)
Frankfort, IN, city directory, James Brady as carpenter; res Catterlin
1913
Frankfort, IN, city directory, James Brady NOT listed

1910 Apr 27
Frankfort City, IN, US census, James Brady as “laborer, general work”
1919
Fort Wayne, IN, James A Brady as mngr of “Heiny’s”; res 230 Masterson
1920 Jan 02
Monticello, IL, US census, James Brady as carpenter
1921
Fort Wayne, IN, James A Brady as clerk; res 133 Wallace; wife Laura as clerk at Frank’s Dry Goods Co
1922, 1923
Fort Wayne, IN, city directory, James A Brady as clerk; res 133 Wallace
1924
Fort Wayne, IN, city directory, James A Brady NOT listed
1930 Apr 11
Monticello, IL, James Brady as carpenter
1949 Nov 16
Monticello, IL, James Brady dies at age 78

Unfortunately there are no city directories or newspaper files available for Monticello, IL, in the years around 1900. The 1900 US census shows that both were photographers that year. The extent of the photographer partnership of Brady and Medaris cannot be refined closer than “around 1900.”

According to his obituary, W A Medaris was the serious photographer and operated a gallery in Monticello, IL, for 20 years ending in 1910 when he went into the insurance business.

Unknown newspaper - 23 Oct 1948

unknown newspaper - 02 Jul 1931

photographer: Brady and Medaris
No location shown
example from auction site

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