Cabinet Card Photographers: March 2019

Saturday, March 30, 2019

Wesley C Rowley

Photographer: W C Rowley
110 and 112 W Water St
Elmira, New York
example from auction site

There are several gaps in the records of the life of Wesley C Rowley, photographer. This timeline includes notations of where Rowley was NOT, to help narrow the possibilities of where he was in a given year. Rowley moved around a bit but outside of short periods in Altoona, PA, and New Bedford, MA, it does not appear that he ventured much from the state of New York.

1850 Oct 05
New York, NY, US census Wesley C Rowley is born to Almon Rowley and Edith A Rowley
1870 Jun 08
Canton, NY, US census Wesley Rowley as “Lives at home” no occupation listed
1874
Poughkeepsie, NY, city directory W C Rowley NOT listed
1875
Poughkeepsie, NY, city directory Wesley C Rowley as clerk; res: 48 Catharine
1875 Jun 20
Poughkeepsie, NY, state census Weslie Rowley as grocer (res is apparently a boarding house)
1876
Poughkeepsie, NY, city directory Rowley NOT listed

1879, 1880
New York, NY, city directory W C Rowley NOT listed (1881 not available)
1880 Jun 07
New York, NY, US census Wesley Rowley as artist; living with two other artists, A C Knox and Ema Taft
1882
New York, NY, city directory W C Rowley as artist at 1193 Broadway; res 50 w 32nd
1883
New York, NY, city directory Wesley C Rowley as “portraits” 1193 Broadway; res 48 w 32nd
1884
New York, NY, city directory W C Rowley NOT listed (1885 not available)
1885
Elmira, NY, city directory W C Rowley NOT listed
1886, 1887, 1888
Elmira, NY, city directory Wesley C Rowley as photographer 110 & 112 w Water; res 501 William
1889
Elmira, NY, city directory Wesley C Rowley as photographer 110 & 112 w Water; res 302 w Water

1890, 1891
Elmira, NY, city directory Wesley C Rowley as photographer 110, 112 w Water; bds Wyckoff house
1891 Jun 09
Elmira, NY, Star Gazette news item says W C Rowley of Corning, NY, was in Elmira, NY, “yesterday”
1892
Elmira, NY, city directory Wesley C Rowley as photographer, 110 w Water; res 350 w Water; mother at same address
1892 Apr 09
Elmira, NY, Star Gazette news item tells of painting by W C Rowley, West Water st photogrpher
1893
Elmira, NY, city directory Wesley C Rowley as photographer, 110 w Water; res 319 Church
1894
Elmira, NY, city directory Wesley C Rowley as photographer, 110-112 w Water; res 319 Church
1894 Jan 13
Elmira, NY, Star Gazette news item mentions D F Stamp, “connected” with W C Rowley for many years, has now opened his own gallery at 116 Baldwin st

1895, 1896
Elmira, NY, city directory Wesley C Rowley as photographer 126 n Main; res 319 w Church
1897
New Bedford, MA; Elmira, NY, city directory W C Rowley NOT listed
1898
New Bedford, MA, Wesley C Rowley, photographer 25 Purchase; res 115 Mill
1898 May 18
Elmira, NY Star Gazette news item says W C Rowley is now in New Bedford, MA, formerly of Corning and Elmira, NY
1899
New Bedford, MA; Corning, NY; New York, NY, city directory W C Rowley NOT listed
1900
New Bedford, MA; Elmira, NY, city directory W C Rowley NOT listed; Corning not available
1901
Corning, NY, city directory Wesley C Rowley as photographer 293 E Market; res Dickinson House

1904 Mar 02
Elmira, NY Star Gazette news item says Rowley’s mother has died in Cherryvale, KN, where she was staying with another son, Albert J Rowley (1834-1914)
1903, 1905
Corning, NY, city directory Wesley C Rowley NOT listed
1910 Apr 20
Manhattan, NY, US census as photographer, wage earner (working for another studio)
1919
Ithaca, NY, city directory W C Rowley NOT listed
1920 Jan 13
Ithaca, NY, US census as photographer; res 325 e State st
1921
Ithaca, NY, city directory W C Rowley NOT listed
1921 through 1933
Corning, NY, city directory W C Rowley NOT listed

1922
Watertown, NY, city directory shows a Wesley Rowley as fireman; res 131 Union (NOT in 1923 listing; in 1921 listing, same address, as “Webster”, so this is probably not the photographer) Also photographer W C Rowley would be about 72)
1930
Altoona, PA, US census Wesley C Rowley as photographer, (Altoona city directories 1920 through 1935 not available)
1931
Manhattan, NY, city directory W C Rowley NOT listed
1933
Corning, NY, city directory, W C Rowley NOT listed
1936
Corning, NY, city directory, Wesley Rowley as retired
1937 Feb 14
Bath, NY, state records, Wesley C Rowley dies at age 86

The cabinet card by Rowley at the top of the page must have been finished between 1886 and 1892 when Rowley had a studio at 110 w Water st in Elmira, NY.

Elmira, NY, Star Gazette - 09 Jun 1891

Elmira, NY, Star Gazette - 09 Apr 1892

Elmira, NY, Star Gazette - 13 Oct 1894

photographer: W C Rowley
110-112 W Water St, Elmira, NY
example from auction site
finished between 1886 and 1894

Elmira, NY, Star Gazette - 18 May 1898

Elmira, NY, Star Gazette - 02 Mar 1904

The following two newspaper articles contribute little to the whereabouts of W C Rowley but are an interesting event in his life.

Elmira, NY, Star Gazette - 30 Aug 1905

Elmira, NY, Star Gazette - 31 Aug 1905

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.

Friday, March 29, 2019

F J Kesler

Photographer: Kesler
Newport, Arkansas

Felix J Kesler
(1842 - 1910)

Although the connections are a bit sketchy, it appears that the photographer at Newport, AR, was Felix John Kesler (1842-1910). There are no documents showing he was ever in Newport, AR, but at the time, no other photographers named Kesler were any closer. F. J. Kesler lived in St. Louis, MO, from 1900 to his death in 1910. Saint Louis is just about 200 miles from Newport.

Although it is fairly certain that he moved to Saint Louis, MO, in 1900, between then and 1910 his appearances in the Saint Louis city directories is spotty, as if he may have moved around a bit.

Timeline facts
1842 Sep 14
Montgomery, TX, state records, Felix John Kesler is born to Anthony Kesler and Henrietta Krohe
1864 Dec
Beardstown, IL, Tax Assesment record, Felix Kesler as Retail Dealer
1865 Nov 30
Beardstown, IL F J Kesler marries Henrietta Louisa Kuhl

1888 Nov 17
Beardstown, IL, son Adolph D. Kesler is born
1895
Saint Louis, MO, city directory, Felix Kesler is NOT listed
1897
Saint Louis, MO, city directory Felix Kesler as photographer at 3547 s Broadway; res 16 s Fourth av; Note William Kesler, res 16 s Fourth, and George H Kesle, res 212 Market, are also listed as photographers
1899
Saint Louis, MO, city directory Felix Kesler as photographer at res 20 s Fourth, res same
1900 Jun 08
St. Louis, MO, US census Felix Kesler as photographer at s 4th st
1901 - 1903
Saint Louis, MO, city directory. Felix Kesler is NOT listed
1904
Saint Louis, MO, city directory lists John Kesler as Insurance agent at 2730 Lucas (This is probably not the photographer)

1905 - 1907
NOT in Saint Louis, MO, business section, res section not available
1908
Saint Louis, MO, city directory as photographer at 6130 Clayton
1909
Saint Louis, MO, city directory, F Kesler is NOT listed
1910
Saint Louis, MO, city directory Felix Kesler as photographer; res 6130 Clayton av
1910 Apr 27
St Louis, MO, US census as Felix Kesler as photographer at 6013 Besthold st, Saint Louis, MO
1910 Oct 15
dies in Saint Louis, MO, at age 68

No documents have been found placing Felxz J Kesler in Arkansas at any time. Of course the stay may have been very short and simply was not caught by a census or other document. And it is still possible there was another photographer Kesler still undocumented.

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Joseph Collier Brown

Photographer: J. Brown
136 - 138 Grand Ave. Milwaukee, WI
Nothing on reverse

There were MANY cabinet card photographers named Brown which slowed, even hindered searches for this Wisconsin photographer. Found were imprint examples: Brown, J Brown, J C Brown, J G Brown, H R Brown and R M Brown, to list only a few. The best guess on this cabinet card is Joseph Collier Brown who actually did work at 136 and 138 Grand in Milwaukee, between 1885 and 1888.

Filling out a timeline for this photographer Brown was a challenge. There was more than one J C Brown and oddly, there were two photographers named Joseph Collier Brown. It appears that one of them never left Scotland and the other spent most of his adult life in Milwaukee, WI.

The following timeline reflects the best linked documents on the photographer Joseph Collier Brown, of Milwaukee, WI. Mysteriously, nothing could be found about exactly when, J C Brown died.

Joseph Collier Brown
(Mar 1851 - 24 Aug 1948)

1851 Mar
Austria, Joseph Collier Brown is born

1857-1859
According to US census, 1900, 1910, 1920, Arrival in US
1874
Milwaukee, WI, state records, US Census of 1900, Marriage to Mary Franz
1877, 1878
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown is NOT listed
1879
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as laborer; res 753 Grove
1880
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as lithographer; bds 342 8th; Sons Joseph and Alexander, apparently twins, are born, Milwaukee, WI
1881
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, NOT listed
1882
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as laborer at either 827 2nd or 759 Grove (two listings same name, occupation)
1883
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, as lithographer; res 791 5th
1884
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as president of Milwaukee Photoengraving Co; res 1009 Walnut

1885, 1886
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as photographer at 138 (136) Grand; res 1000 Walnut
1887
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as photographer at 136 Grand av; res 621 10th; Son Edwin Brown born in Milwaukee, WI
1888
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as photographer at 136 Grand; res 2230 Chestnut
1889
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as Brown Photogravure Co; res 913 Vine
1890
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as photographer at 524 Center
1891, 1892
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as Supt Art Gravure & Etching Co 346 Broadway; res 524 Center
1893, 1894
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as Supt at 346 Broadway; res 967 6th
1895
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as supt. at 346 Broadway; res 791 21st; son Joseph Brown at same address

1896, 1897
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as photographer with Brown Brothers (with brother, Frank P Brown) photogravure printers at 246 Broadway; res 832 18th
1898
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as photo engraver; res 832 18th Joseph Brown Jr as draftsman; same address
1899
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as photo-engraver; res 832 18th
1900 Jun 07
Milwaukee, WI, US census & city directory, as photographer at 782 18th ave
1901
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as Engraver; res 782 18th
1902, 1903
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as photographer at 539 12th;; res 1811 Bismarck
1904
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as photographer at 538 12th; res 1811 Bismarck

1905
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as photographer at 529 12th; res 1811 Bismarck (note: 529 is probably a misprint)
1906
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as photographer at 539 12th;; res 1811 Bismarck
1907
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as photographer at 537-538 12th; res 1811 Bismarck
1908
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as photographer at 537 12th
1909
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as photographer at 539 12th ; res 2102 Vine
1910
Milwaukee, WI, US census, J C Brown as photographer at 2102 Vine
1911
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Joseph Brown as commercial photographer 539 12th; res 3803 Lisbon av

1912-1926
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, US census, J C Brown as photographer at 3803 Lisbon; res same
1927
Milwaukee, WI, city directory Jos Brown no occupation shown; 3928 Galena
1928
Milwaukee, WI, city directory, Mary Brown listed as Widow of Jos Brown; after the death of Joseph Collier Brown, wife Mary Brown moves in with son Edward Brown, res 815 55th; Milwaukee, WI; FindAGrave, Joseph Collier Brown died in 1928

Note that photographer David Thoms and J. Brown use the same address at 134 and 136 Grand Avenue, Milwaukee, Wi, but probably not at the same time.

And the studio is very close to Hugo Broich who was at 116-118 Spring (aka Grand) Avenue, Milwaukee, WI. All three were active between 1890-1900.,

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Paris Art Studio

Trimmed Slightly
Photographer: Paris Art Studio
Cassville, MO

While it is possible that Paris Art Studio was operated by several photographers, nothing has been found to document this. Photographers by the names Hisey, and Fields are associated with Cassville, MO, but no connections to Paris Art Studio have been made.

There were several photograph studios named “Paris Art Studio” across the US. Locations included Los Angeles, CA, Yale, MI, Hartford, CT, Washington DC, Buffalo, NY, Minneapolis, MN as well as Cassville, MO.

There were no city directories available for Cassville, MO.

Cassville, MO, is a small town 60 miles south east of Joplin, MO. The population in 1900 was only about 700. Obviously, it could not support a photographer for very long. Advertisements and news items in the Cassville Republican, a weekly newspaper, describe a parade of photographers working in Cassville and then moving on.

Although the name of the photographer who ran the Cassville Paris Art Studio is still not known, it is a safe guess that the studio only operated a short time there. In fact, it was probably there only during the span of the advertisements in the newspaper. From January through April of 1899, Paris Art Studio ran multiple one line ads for cabinet cards at 50 cents a dozen, sometimes four or five to a page. The cabinet card here was probably finished around that time.

The Clinton(MO)Eye - 24 Mar 1894