Francis Marion Lewis
          (1837-1919)
          
          1837 Mar 25
          Clarion County, PA, Francis Marion Lewis is born to Zachariah Lewis
          and Lydia King
          1876
          Allegheny Valley, PA, city directory for Clarion, PA, F M Lewis as
          photographer on Jefferson; res on Liberty
          1880 Jun 01
          Clarion, PA, US census, Francis M Lewis as photographer 
          1885 Oct 29
          Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis has opened a branch studio
          in Edenburg
          1885 Dec 17
          Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis has closed the branch studio
          in Edenburg
          1885 Dec 21
          Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis is ill
          1886 Jun 03
          Clarion (PA) Democrat small ads for Clarion Gallery
          1888 Dec 27
          Clarion (PA) Democrat item/ad about business at F M Lewis Gallery
        
      
        1889 Oct 10
          Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis will move gallery to Porter
          building on Main
          1890 Mar 13
          Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis, ill again, has hired Mr
          Schalch of Pittsburg to operate gallery
          1890 Aug 21
          Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis is not operating
          galleries in Clarion, Emlenton, Parker and Petrolia, PA
          1892 Jun 23
          Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis has purchased he
          gallery at Edenburg, PA
          1894 Mar 08
          Clarion (PA) Democrat news/ad says F M Lewis gallery is now on Court
          House Square
          1894 Mar 08 
          Clarion (PA) Democrat news/ad says F M Lewis is planning to relocate
          to Pittsburg in the Spring
          1894 Mar 15
          Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis is planning to move to
          Wilkinsburg, near Pittsburg
          1894 May 31
          Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis has decided to retain his
          gallery in Clarion after moving to Pittsburg
        
      
        1895 Jan 31
          Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis has been in the
          photograph business from 1875 to 1994
          1895 Bic 28
          Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis will be in Leeper, PA to
          make photographs from Dec 03 to Dec 07
          1898 May 12
          Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis is in the hospital at
          Boston, MA for surgery; Gallery will remain open
          1898 May 26
          Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis is still recovering but
          gallery will remain open 
          1898 Dec 08 and Dec 15
          Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis will open a gallery at
          Leeper, PA, managed by a son
          1899 Jan 12
          Clarion (PA) Democrat display ad says gallery at Leeper, PA, is
          operated by son A R Lewis
          1899 Feb 02
          Clarion (PA) Democrat small item says the photograph gallery at
          Leeper, PA, will not be open after Jan 31 except on specified dates
          1899 Aug 03
          Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis is planning to open his
          gallery in the Frampton Building on Main st 
        
      
        1900 Jun 16
          Clarion, PA, US census Francis M Lewis as photographer; res Fifth
          st
          1900 Jul 05
          Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis an sons Leon and Arthur have
          leased a gallery in East Brady to open in middle of month
          1902 May 15
          Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis is injured in fall while
          taking lunch to his son Arthur working there as a store keeper
          1903, 1904
          Pittsburg, PA, city directory, Francis M Lewis NOT LISTED
          1905 Aug 24
          Clarion (PA) Democrat item mentions Mrs F M Lews of East Brady, PA
          1905 Oct 16 
          Clarion (PA) Democrat item says F M Lewis has left for Pittsburg
          1907, 1908
          Pittsburgh, PA, city directory, pages missing
          1907 Oct 31
          Clarion (PA) Democrat news item says F M Lewis, former resident, is
          now located at 314 Euclid in Pittsburgh, PA; he has been in ill health
          for some time but is now well 
          1909
          Pittsburgh, PA, city directory, Francis M Lewis as elevator operator;
          res 1221 Sheffield
        
      
        1910
          Pittsburgh, PA, city directory, pages missing
          1910 Apr 24
          Pittsburgh, PA, US census, Francis M Lewis as elevator operator; res
          1221 Sheffield 
          1911
          Pittsburgh, PA, city directory not available
          1912
          Pittsburgh, PA, city directory, Francis M Lewis as elevator operator;
          res 7014 Kelly
          1913
          Pittsburgh, PA, city directory, F M Lewis as elevator operator for F T
          a& T co; res 510 Collins
          1914
          Pittsburgh, PA, city directory, not available
          1915
          Pittsburgh, PA, city directory F M Lewis as elevator operator; res:
          510 Collins av
          1916
          Pittsburgh, PA, US census, Francis M Lewis as elevator operator for
          Fidelity Title and Trust co; res 202 Euclid av
          1917
          Pittsburgh, PA, city directory Francis M Lewis as elevator operator;
          res 202 Euclid
          1918
          Pittsburgh, PA, city directory, pages missing
        
      
        1919 Nov 02
          Clarion, PA, state records, Francis Marion Lewis dies at age 82; His
          death certificate lists him as photographer
          1919 Nov 04
          Clarion (PA) Democrat death notice for F M Lewis
          
          
          According to the 1890 Veterans Census, he was a 1st Sgt. and had been
          wounded in the leg.
          
          Lewis moved his studio around Clarion, PA, several times. All cabinet
          card examples found so far do not include an address in the imprint
          making it impossible to pinpoint a finishing date for them. 
          
          It appears F M Lewis was in the photography business from 1874 to
          sometime around 1900. Perhaps his illnesses and injuries convinced him
          to take on less mobile tasks.
          
          Although documents show he worked as an elevator operator for Fidelity
          Title and Trust Co in Pittsburgh, PA, from about 1905 until his death
          in 1919, his death certificate still lists him as photographer.
      
29 Oct 1885

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
17 Dec 1885

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
31 Dec 1995

03 Jun 1886

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
27 Dec 1888

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
Oct 10 1889


Clarion (PA) Democrat -
12 May 1898

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
26 May 1898

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
08 Dec 1898

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
15 Dec 1898

12 Jan 1899
 
      
        This would be Arthur R Lewis, 
          18 year old son of F M Lewis
        
      
Feb 02 1899

03 Aug 1899

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
05 Jul 1900

Clarion (PA) Democrat -
15 May 1902

        
          Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's
          
            INDEX by name. All the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th century found in
          LOST GALLERY are listed there. 
        
      
        
          This is a work always in progress. 
          Additional information and New examples 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.
          Email to the address found in the profile at the bottom of this page.
        
      
        
          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.
      
 








































 

I have a beautiful Album that I think was put together by Lewis. I would love to get it to the family of the people in photos. It came to me via my grandmother (married name Steiner, maiden name Elder). Her Mother's name was Walters. It also has some photos from some other PA Studios.-A. Hausold, Allegheny, PA, Barnes, New Bethleham, PA.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your note. I can’t believe your luck at acquiring a whole album. I know exactly the feeling of wanting to return it to a family historian. I have been in the same situation several times. Most of the time, you just can’t. Sometime you have it because the family just wasn’t interested in keeping that “old stuff.” But it really is worth the effort because it’s a good feeling of accomplishment when you do connect with a descendant and return a bit of their heritage to them. I’d start on Ancestry and try to build a tree out of the names that you have. See the backs of the photographs for information if there is any. Post scans of the pictures in the tree and see if that gets results. See if it develops forward into a descendant that you can contact through Ancestry. My email address is in the profile at the bottom of this page.
DeleteFrancis Marion Lewis was my great grandfather. His daughter Anna Lewis was my grandmother. I don’t know if album pertains to his direct family but would love to have additional information. Ssussnmccarney@hotmail.com
DeleteThanks for your comment. Sorry to be of no help at all. Email bounced back.
Delete