Thursday, September 16, 2021

Michael Irving Armantrout



Photographer: M I Armantrout
Anthony Kansas

Michael Irving Armantrout
(1868 - 1947)

All data from US census, city directories, government records and items from newspapers as noted.

1868 Nov
Michael Irvine Armantrout is born in Miami County, Indiana
1891
Logan, OK, M I Armantrout marries Fannie Zora Myers
1893
Kingman, KS, son Paul Lawrence Armantrout is born
1895 Mar 01
Kansas State census in Anthony, KS, as photographer
1895 Jul 23
Anthony, KS, daughter Margaret Armantrout is born
1896 Jan 03
Armantrout and wife leave Anthony, KS, for Pueblo, CO

1897 Feb 01
Armantrout and wife move to Golden, CO
1900 Jun 12
US census Golden, CO, as photographer
1905
Guthrie, OK, as photographer w/ Armantrout Bros at 118 e Oklahoma
1907 - 1930
Guthrie, OK, as photographer studio at 118 e Oklahoma mostly as Armantrout Studio
1925 Mar 27
The (Salisaw, OK) Democrat American news item son Paul Armantrout is buying the Wallace Studio in Salisaw, OK
1925 Oct 23
The (Salisaw,OK) Democrat American news item Fire destroys Armantrout Studio in Salisaw, OK; Paul Armantrout decides to abandon photography and sell insurance in Wichita, KS
1935 - 1940
US census Guthrie, OK studio address unknown
1947
Michael Irvine Armantrout dies at age 78 in Guthrie, OK


The records show that Michael Armantrout moved around a lot. He kept studios in several towns in western Kansas, northern Oklahoma and eastern Colorado. Cabinet cards could show locations like Golden, CO, Kiowa, KS, Kingman, KS, Anthony, KS, Salisaw, OK, Guthrie, OK, and perhaps others. The timeline shows some of his movements.

The cabinet card at the left would probably have been finished in that period before he left for Colorado, 1895 and 1896. The card and style indicate that period too.

It should be considered too, that if a card is imprinted only "Armantrout" that it may be Michael's son Paul or his brother W O Armantrout.


The (Anthony KS) Weekly Bulletin - 08 Jan 1892


The (Kingman, KS) Leader Courier - 03 Aug 1893


The (Anthony KS) Weekly Bulletin - 26 Jul 1895


The (Anthony KS) Weekly Bulletin - 03 Jan 1896

The (Anthony KS) Weekly Bulletin - 29 Jan 1897


The (Kingman, KS) Courier - 11 Aug 1898


The (Kingman, KS) Leader Courier - 03 Nov 1898

The (Salisaw, OK) Democrat American - 03 Apr 1925
(Note this is Paul Armantrout, son of Michael)


The (Salisaw, OK) Democrat American - 31 Jul 1925

The (Salisaw, OK) Democrat American - 23 Oct 1925


The (Salisaw, OK) Democrat American - 13 Nov 1925

photographer M I Armantrout
Anthony KS
example from auction site
photographer Armantrout
Caldwell, KS
example from auction site
(Caldwell, KS is only about 30 miles from Anthony, KS)
photographer Armantrout
Hennessey, OT (Oklahoma Territory)
example from auction site
(Hennessey, OK is 80 miles straight south of Anthony, KS)
photographer Armantrout
Anthony, KS
example from auction site
photographer Armantrout
Anthony, KS
example from auction site
(really poor scan)
photographer: M I Armantrout
Anthony, KS
example from auction site
(watermark placed at auction site)
( Note that the imprint is the same as the example at the top of the page)

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.

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3 comments:

  1. I bought the photo of the young woman from the auction site. Do you believe that the photo was taken by M I Armantrout or his brother W O Armantrout. I also noted that Caldwell wasn't very far from Anthony. I was doing a search of the photography studio when I found this blog. I was trying to date my photo. I found a small mention in an 1897 newspaper that W.O. Armantrout & his wife were visiting from Caldwell. In 1892 W.O. Armantrout was living in Anthony. Advertisements for Armantrout Studio in the Caldwell paper were dated in 1897 & 1898.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks very much for your comment! I think it would be a good guess that it was W O Armantrout that was actually the photographer on that one. But that is just speculation.

      It was just good business for the photographer in a small town to spread his operation to neighboring towns, especially if they were on a handy passenger rail line. (Something we don’t have today.) Many of them would rent a second floor over a local business and visit there once or twice a month.

      And some hired a another photographer to operate the gallery for them the rest of the week. So it is possible that neither brother actually was there at that time.

      I will look back into this one and I will leave a note here if I find anything new.

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    2. Very interesting information! Thank you for your helpful response. I appreciate this very much.

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