J W Roshon

photographer: Roshon Galleries
148 N 8th Street and 22 South 9th
Lebanon, PA
example from Lost Gallery

reverse of card at left

photographer: Roshon Galleries
19 North Third, Harrisburg, PA
example from Lost Gallery

reverse of card at left

photographer: Roshon Galleries
121 North Nineth, Lebanon, PA
example from Lost Gallery

reverse of card at left
Thankfully, some of the Roshon cabinet cards were DATED by the photographer, a rare service.

Christian S Roshon and his son John William Roshon were both photographers and each had multiple studio locations including Lebanon, Harrisbirg, Bethlehem, Sunbury, Williamsport, Lock Haven, Pine Grove, Lykens, Berrysburg and Freeburg in Pennsylvania and Morristown in New Jersey.

And multiple studio names were used, such as Roshon Studio, Roshon Photographic Art Studio, Roshon Galleries, American Photographing and Copying co and others.

All dates shown here are from the only documentation found. Actual dates may be slightly earlier or later than shown.

Sources are newspaper items, city directories and some of the actual cards. Dates shown here are the earliest and latest dates that have been found so far for each location. They may not be the ONLY dates for those locations. The Roshon’s moved around a lot.

Most of the research builds only through 1910, as by then the cabinet card format had been replaced with more modern mounting systems.

Atlantic City, NY,
Temp. studio for summer – Jun 1905 to Sep 1905

Berrysburg, PA, address unknown,
1890 (card imprint);
May 1904 mention in news item, (Mrs Roshon in charge)

Bethlehem, PA,
location listed on existing cabinet card, no dates found so far

Chambersburg, PA,
Roshon opens studio –Mar 1905

Elizabethville, PA,
Roshon rents established gallery – Mar 1902 to 18 Oct 1902

Elizabethville, PA,
Roshon builds own gallery (street address unknown) May, July 1903 – Sep 1904

Elizabethville, PA,
Mrs Roshon re-opens gallery Mar 1906

Freeburg, PA,
address unknown – Nov 1890 news ad

Gratz, PA,
address unknown, mention in May 1904, (Mrs Roshon in charge)

Harrisburg, PA,
rear 2001 Derry – 1929 and 1930

Harrisburg, PA,
rear 3007 Derry – 1931

Harrisburg, PA,
Third and Market (possibly same as 329 Market)
as C S Roshon and Co with J C Young – opened Apr 1869; closed Dec 1869 (fire)
as Roshon’s Photograph Gallery - Jul 1870 (with Benj G Flowers);
new owner Yeager Photography in Oct 1870;
as C S Roshon back again in Dec 1870

Harrisburg, PA
Trustee Building – Apr 1911 (apparently brief)

Harrisburg, PA,
8 North Market, Apr 1911 to Dec 1911 (from news items)

Harrisburg, PA,
8 North Second, 1911 to 1917 (from city directory)

Harrisburg, PA,
5 ½ South Third – Apr 1870

Harrisburg, PA,
19 North Third – Apr 1888 to Apr 1911 (apparently closed Oct 1909 thru Dec 1909)

Harrisburg, PA,
19 North Third – 29 Oct 1909 thru 18 Dec - for rent, so not operating as studio;
Jan to Oct 1910 as studio;1933 operating again

Harrisburg, PA
34 North Third – as art supply store 1897, 1898

Harrisburg, PA,
34 North Third – Apr 1892 to Feb 1907 (fire), Roshon operator

Harrisburg, PA,
215 Walnut Street – Feb 1907 to Jun 1909 (news item)

Harrisburg, PA
203 S Market or 502-503 Dauphin Bldg – 1926 to 1928

Harrisburg, PA
329 S Market – Oct 1883 Oct, Nov 1883, May 1884 (news items)

Harrisburg, PA
329 S Market – 1918 to 1925 (city directories)

Harrisburg, PA
408 S Market – Dec 1877 to Dec 1883 (Roshon and H Kruas dissolve partnership)

Harrisburg, PA
424 Market (also called 110 Market) – Apr 1859 to Dec 1869 (fire)

Harrisburg, PA
3001 Pike – 1932

Harrisburg, PA,
Pennsylvania Railroad Station – opens 02 Apr 1885

Lebanon, PA
May 1888, purchase of E E Hauer Gallery (news item)

Lebanon, PA
142 N 8th - 1890 (card imprint)

Lebanon, PA
142 N 8th AND 22 South 9th – 1891 (card Imprint)

Lebanon, PA
10th and Scull streets - 1893

Lockhaven, PA
No dates so far

Lykens, PA
1890 (Card imprint)

Middletown, PA
address unknown, Nov 1885, Nov 1890 (News items)

Morristown, NJ
17 W Park Place, 1891 (card imprint)

Pine Grove, PA
1890 (card imprint)

Selinsgrove, PA
429 Market St, - 1891 (F B Luce operator)

Stroudburg, PA,
Main Street

Sunbury, PA
no dates so far (P M Goettel mngr)

Tower City, PA
Sep 1890

Williamsport, PA
No dates so far

If you have a card with a location not listed here, send a copy and perhaps the continuing search will find the dates of operation.

Some of the items that established the dates.
Harrisburg(PA) Telegraph -
30 Sep 1867 Harrisburg(PA) Telegraph -
02 Oct 1867 Harrisburg(PA) Telegraph -
25 Oct 1867

Harrisburg(PA) Telegraph -
03 May 1869 Harrisburg(PA) Telegraph -
01 Dec 1869

Harrisburg(PA) Telegraph -
04 Apr 1870 Harrisburg(PA) Telegraph -
12 Dec 1870 Harrisburg(PA)Independent-
05 Dec 1877

Harrisburg(PA)Independent-
06 Nov 1883 Harrisburg(PA) Telegraph -
02 Apr 1885 Harrisburg(PA)Independent-
03 Apr 1888

Harrisburg(PA)Independent-
10 May 1888 Harrisburg(PA)Independent-
06 Jun 1888 Harrisburg(PA)Independent-
12 Sep 1890 Harrisburg(PA)Independent-
25 May 1901

Elizabethville(PA)Echo -
06 Mar 1902

Elizabethville(PA)Echo -
04 Apr 1902 Elizabethville(PA)Echo -
03 Oct 1902 Elizabethville(PA)Echo -
28 Aug 1903

Harrisburg(PA)Independent-
18 Dec 1903

Harrisburg(PA)Independent-
15 Mar 1904

Harrisburg(PA)Daily Telegraph -
08 Oct 1904 Harrisburg(PA)Independent-
07 Jun 1905 Harrisburg(PA)Independent-
10 Nov 1905

Elizabethville (PA)Echo -
15 Mar 1906 Harrisburg(PA)Telegraph -
07 Feb 1907 Harrisburg(PA)Telegraph -
24 Feb 1908

Harrisburg(PA)Independent-
02 Oct 1908 Harrisburg(PA)Telegraph -
16 Jun 1908 Harrisburg(PA)Telegraph -
28 Jan 1910

Harrisburg(PA)Telegraph -
03 Apr 1911 Harrisburg(PA)Telegraph -
04 Apr 1911 Harrisburg(PA)Courier -
17 Dec 1911

From contributor MMcGee

From contributor MMcGee:

"I have recently found (damaged) in an antique store in Dallas, TX, another Roshon cabinet photo. This is stage actress Flora Staniford, sitting in Harrisburg studio.

Also included is an advertisement announcing Flora's availability for work."

Other mentions of her are here:
New York Clipper
Old Fulton NY Post Cards By Tom Tryniski (silentera.com)
Newspaper Archive 1895
Newspaper Archive 1896

photographer: Roshon
34 N 3rd St, Harrison, PA
Portrait of Flora Stanford

Advertisement

Multiple Locations Listed

photographer: The Roshon Studio
10th and Scoll Streets
example from auction site
studio dated 1893

reverse of card at left
studios in: Bethlehem, Sunbury,
Williamsport and Lock Haven

photographer: Roshon
142 North Eighth, Lebanon, PA
example from auction site studio dated 1891

reverse of card at left
East Market St, Sunbury; East Main St, Bloomsburg
Main St, Stroudsburg; 17 W Park Place, Morristown, NJ

photographer: The Roshon Studio
reverse not available but possibly the same as the card just above

photographer: Roshon
142 North Eighth, Lebanon, PA
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: Roshon
142 North Eighth, Lebanon, PA
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

408 Market, Harrisburg, PA (finished between 1877 and 1883)

photographer: Roshon Studio
408 Market Street
example from the Flickr collection of J W Carson

reverse of card at left

19 North Third, Harrisburg, PA

photographer: Roshon
19 North Third, Harrisburg, PA
example from auction site

photographer: Roshon
19 North Third, Harrisburg, PA
example from auction site

photographer: Roshon
19 North Third, Harrisburg, PA
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: J W Roshon
19 N Third St, Harrisburg, PA
example from auction site
(studio dated 1889)

reverse of card at left

photographer: J W Roshon
19 N Third St, Harrisburg, PA
example from auction site

34 North Third, Harrisburg, PA

Photographer: Roshon
34 North Third, Harrisburg, PA
example from auction site
(blind stamp)

Photographer: Roshon
34 North Third, Harrisburg, PA
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

142 North Eighth, Lebanon, PA

photographer: C S Roshon
142 North Eighth, Lebanon, PA
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: C S Roshon
142 North Eighth, Lebanon, PA
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: C S Roshon
142 North Eighth, Lebanon, PA
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: C S Roshon
142 North Eighth, Lebanon, PA
example from auction site
probably finished 1890-1891

photographer: C S Roshon
142 North Eighth, Lebanon, PA
example from auction site
probably finished 1890-1891

photographer: C S Roshon
142 North Eighth, Lebanon, PA
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

Sunbury, PA

photographer: Roshon Studio
Sunbury, PA
example from auction site

photographer: Roshon Studio
Sunbury, PA
example from auction site

photographer: Roshon Studio
Sunbury, PA
example from auction site
(really poor scan)

photographer: Roshon Studio
Sunbury, PA
example from auction site
(really poor scan)

Any coverage of J W Roshon would be incomplete without a mention of his sideline...

The Harrisburg (PA) Daily Endependent - 18 Jun 1907

Photo published many places including the Scientific American

The Harrisburg (PA) Telegraph - 29 Oct 1907

And last, a letter to the editor answering another reader about a ticklish subject in 1911. Unfortunately the original letter from the upset reader, "Yours Draped" has not been found.

The Harrisburg (PA) Telegraph - 16 Jan 1911

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.