M E Mater-Smith

photographer: Smith and Hooper

This page is to determine whether Mary Elizabeth Starkey, Mater-Smith could be the SMITH of Hooper and Smith.

See Henry Thomas Hooper page for timeline and biography.

Mary Elizabeth Starkey, Mater, Smith
(29 Aug 1858 - 03 Jul 1934? )

1858 Aug
Illinois, US census Mary Elizabeth Starkey is born 1890-1893
1874 Dec 23
Douglas, KS, state records, M E Starkey marries Adolph G Mater
1875 Mar 01
Chanute, KS, state census, Mrs M E Mater has moved to Chanute, KS
1877
Chanute, KS, 1885 state census, son George is born
1879
Chanute, KS, 1885 state census, daughter Genie (Jennie) (Gertrude) is born
1880 Jun 19
Chanute, KS, US census, Mrs M Elizabeth Mater, no occupation shown
1883 Jan
Chanute, KS, state records, daughter Ada Mater is born

1885 Jan 29
Chanute, KS, state records, husband Adolphus Marion Mater dies
1885 Feb 10
Chanute, KS, state records, son Adolphus Marion Mater is born
1885 Mar 01
Chanute, KS, state census, M E Mater as no occupation, husband is not listed; four children
1893 Dec 08
Neosho, KS, state records, Mary Elizabeth Mater marries William H Smith
1895 Jan 07
Chanute, KS, local newspapers mention Mater-Smith rents rooms
1895 Jan 15
Chanute (KS) Blade, Jan 10 news item says E Ross Gregg takes possession of Mater-Smith Gallery
1895 Mar 01
Chanute, KS, state census M E Smith no occupation
1896
Chanute, KS, local newspapers run NO advertisements for the M E Mater studio

1897
Chanute, KS, local newspapers run multiple ads for M E Mater-Smith studio
1897 Oct 04
Chanute (KS) Daily Tribune classified ads for girl to do housework, rent furnished rooms about the Mater Art studio and rent the mater home property
1898 Aug 30
Chanute (KS) Sun, news item says Mrs M E Mater-Smith is attending a photographers meeting in Syracuse, NY
1898 Nov and Dec
Chanute, KS, local newspapers run multiple ads for M E Mater-Smith studio through Jan 1899
1899 Sep 04
Chanure (KS) Sun news item says Mrs Mater Smith will have a gallery on the fairgrounds, Howard Kinder will be operator
1900
Chanute, KS, US census, as photographer; res s Junction st
1900 Nov and Dec
Chanute, KS, local newspapers run about 30 small ads for the Mary E Mater-Smith studio

1901 Feb 17
Chanute (IS) Sun, news item says Mater-Smith gallery production has slowed because of inclement weather
1901 Sep thru Dec
Chanute, KS, local newspapers run about 50 small ads for the Mary E Mater-Smith studio
1902
Chanute, KS, local newspapers run about 70 small ads for the Mary E Mater-Smith studio
1903
Chanute, KS, city directory, listed at Smith, Mary E Mater, (Mrs William H) photographer 14 s Lincoln; listed in business pages also
1903 May 06
Chanute (KS) Daily Tribune classified ad says Mater-Smith has two building lots for sale
1903
Chanute newspapers, same ad runs nearly two hundred times in all papers
1903 Jun 11
Chanute (KS) Daily Tribune, news item says Mater-Smith studio special “cut” will end on Jun 20.

1904 Mar 11
Chanute (KS) Daily Blade AND Chanute (KS) Daily tribune AND Chanute (KS) Sun, small ad/news item says Mrs Mary E Mater-Smith will retire 15 Mar 1904; MULTIPLE ADS
1905
Chanute, KS, city directory, Mary E Smith NOT listed; William H Smith res 16 s Lincoln
1906
Chanute, KS, city directory, listed at Smith, Mary E Mater, (Mrs William H); res 305 n Forest av
1908
Chanute, KS, city directory, Mary E Smith, No occupation shown; A F Randolph, photographer, at 14 s Lincoln
1910
Chanute, KS, city directory, Mary E Smith, no occupation shown, res 16 s Lincoln
1912
Chanute, KS, city directory, Mary E Smith no occupation shown; res 16 s Lincoln
1914
Chanute, KS, city directory, Mary E Smith is NOT listed

1914 Mar 20
Chanute (KS) Weekly Tribune; obituary for Wm H Smith mentions Mrs Smith has been spending the winter in Kansas, City with her daughter Jessie
1916
Chanute, KS, city directory, Mary E Smith NOT listed; T C Newman at 14 s Lincoln av through 1922

It appears that Mary Elizabeth Mater-Smith ran a photography studio from about 1895 until she retired in March, 1904. She had at least two photographers working for her during that time: E Ross Gregg and Howard Kinder.

She liked to call herself Mater-Smith after her second marriage and it appears, except for a short presence in nearby Seneca, KS, that she seldom ventured outside of Chanute, KS.

From Chanute, KS, to Washington, KS, is 228 miles.

It is very doubtful that she was the Smith of Smith and Hooper.

photographer: Mater Art Studio
Chanute, KS
(M E Mater-Smith)
example from auction site

Chanute (KS) Daily Tribune - 07 Jan 1895


Chanute (KS) Blade - 10 Jan 1895


Chanute (KS) Daily Tribune - 10 Jan 1895

Chanute (KS) Daily Tribune - 15 Jan 1895


Burlington )KS) Democrat - 18 Jan 1895


Chanute (KS) Sun - 30 Sep 1897


Chanute (KS) Sun - 30 Aug 1898

Chanute (KS) Sun - 06 Jan 1899


Chanute (KS) Sun - 04 Sep 1899

Chanute (KS) Daily Tribune - 11 Dec 1901


Chanute (KS) Sun - 17 Feb 1902


Chanute (KS) Daily Tribune - 06 May 1903

Chanute (KS) Daily Tribune - 11 Jun 1903


Chanute (KS) Daily Tribune - 12 Jun 1903


Chanute (KS) Sun - 16 Jul 1903

Chanute (KS) Daily Blade - 11 mar 1904


Chanute (KS) Daily Tribune - 01 Feb 1904

The cabinet card at the left is by Hooper and Smith. Henry Thomas Hooper was found and documented fairly well. See Henry Thomas Hooper page.
But there were at least NINE photographers named Smith that could POSSIBLY have been in Washington, KS, for a brief stay, between the years of 1892 and 1909. This is a list:

Smith, Charles P, Topeka, KS (123 miles to Washington)
Smith, Eugene Warren, Pittsburg, KS (290 miles to Washington)
Smith, Gregory, Ottawa, KS (171 miles to Washington)
Smith, Mrs M E, Chanute, KS; AKA Mrs M E Smith AND Mrs Mary Elizabeth Maters-Smith
Smith, P S, Le Roy, KS (193 miles to Washington)(the same as Peter Smith?)
Smith, Peter, Seneca, KS (71 miles to Washington)(No information found on either)
Smith, R R, Larned, KS (191 miles to Washington)
Smith, Rodrigo Gilbert Leavenworth, KS (144 miles to Washington)
Smith, W H, Pardee, KS, (Pardee is now a ghost town in Atchison county, KS)(117 miles to Washington)

The photographer Smith, of Hooper and Smith, could be any one or none of these. In order to determine which, if any, of these photographers was possibly the one associated with Henry T Hooper in Washington, KS, a timeline or biography for each was developed.

The research above shows that M E Mater-Smith was probably NOT the photographer who was the Smith of Smith and Hooper.

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.

Aditional 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.