photographer: ThayerTonica, IL
example from LOST GALLERY
(contributor Alisa)
reverse of card at left
Realistically, there are two, maybe three, possibilities for the Thayer that produced this card. There are no city directories for the town of Tonica, IL, so confirmation is not easy. The most documented and perhaps the most probable photographer for this card is Nathaniel Clinton Thayer of Chicago.
Nathaniel Clinton Thayer apparently spent most of his business life dealing in photographic supplies. The mentions of him being an actual photographer are very few and all in Chicago, IL. There is nothing to indicate he had a studio in Tonica, IL, 103 miles from Chicago, IL. The towns were connected with a direct rail line however, and it is possible he kept a remote studio there, even with a hired operator. No documentation has been found so far to support this.
There was an Abraham A Thayer as photographer at 115 N Park Av in Chicago, IL listed in the 1900 and 1902 city directory, at that time, partners with Albert Schankel (unconfirmed). No other mentions of this one have been found. Perhaps he moved to Tonica, IL, and opened a studio. There are no Tonica city directories to support this.
There was also an Otis B Thayer appears who appears once in the Chicago, IL, city directory and then apparently moves west, living in Colorado for a while and then finally moving to California. No other mentions have been found of him in Illinois except a few newspaper 1896-1897 mentions of an actor and singer Otis B Thayer.
Here is a timeline of N C Thayer, the best guess until better information is found.
Nathaniel Clinton Thayer
(1826 - 1920)
1826 Apr 21
Erie County, NY, state records, Nathaniel Clinton Thayer is born to William Austin Thayer and Susan Whitney
1850 Aug 14
Erie, NY, US census, Clinton N Thayer (age 22) as sash maker (mill worker)
May 1863
Buffalo, NY, Tax collector, excise tax roll, listed as “Wholesale”
1861
Chicago, IL, city directory, Nathan C Thayer as “photograph goods’; res 113 Lake
1863 Jul 01
Buffalo, NY, Civil War Draft records, Nathan Thayer as painter
1867
Chicago, IL, city directgory, N C Thayer NOT listed in business pages under photographers or supplies
1863
Chicago, IL, city directory, Nathaniel C Thayer as “photographic goods” 113 Lake, res Washington & May
1865
Chicago, IL, city directory, Nathaniel C Thayer as photographer at 113 Lake
1867 (Edwards Annual Directory)
Chicago, IL, city directory, N C Thayer NOT listed
1868
Unknown location, 1900 US census, Nathan C Thayer and Eleanor C Cook are married
1871, 1872
Chicago, IL, city directory, N C Thayer NOT listed
1873
Chicago, IL, city directory, Nathan C Thayer (N C Thayer and Co) 76 State; res 12 Eldridge
1874
Chicago, IL, city directory, Nathan C Thayer (N C Thayer and Co) 250 Wabash; res bds Vermont House
1875, 1876
Chicago, IL, city directory, Nathan C Thayer (N C Thayer and CO) 250 Wabash; res 761 Washington
1877, 1878
Chicago, IL, city directory, Nathaniel C Thayer (N C Thayer and CO) photographer materials 250 Wabash av; res 634 Washington
1876 Jan 08
Evanston, IL, state records, son N C Thayer is born
1878 Oct 22
Chicago, IL, state records, daughter Florence W Thayer is born
1880 Jun 03
Cicero, IL, US census Nathaniel Thayer as Art Supply Dealer
1882
Chicago, IL, city directory, N C Thayer as Thayer and CO with W T Jones, at 46 Jackson; res 421 Monroe
1885
Chicago, IL, city directory, N C Thayer as N C Thayer and CO) at 46 Jackson; Also as photographer in Business section; res 935 Monroe
1887
Chicago, IL, city directory, N C Thayer as photographer and supplies, N C Thayer and Co at 257 State; res 935 Monroe
1888, 1889
Chicago, IL, city directory, N C Thayer as photographer and supplies, N C Thayer and Co at 257 State; res 935 Monroe
1890, 1891 (records incomplete),
1892
Chicago, IL, city directory, N C Thayer as Photograph Supplies at 263 Wabash av; res 916 w Adams
1893, 1894, 1895
No directories found for these years
1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901
Available directories are incomplete, missing last half
1900
Chicago IL, city directory, Nathaniel C Thayer as “agent” res 248 61st
1900 Jun 08
Chicago, IL, US census, Nathaniel Thayer as Photo Supplies, res E 61st
1902, 1903, 1904, 1905
Chicago, IL, business pages only, Nathaniel C Thayer at 204 Adams listed under Photographic Supplies
1906, 1907 bus pages only
Chicago, IL, business pages only, Nathan C Thayer NOT listed
1910 Apr 28
Chicago, IL, US census, Nathaniel C Thayer as “own income”; res Woodlawn Av
1911
Chicago, IL, city directory, Nathaniel C, no occupation shown, res 6129 Woodlawn
1920 Jan 06
Fort Worth, TX, N C Thayer and wife living with daughter and family; no occupation shown
1920 Aug 26
Wilmette, IL, state records, obituary, Nathan C Thayer dies at ate 94
Best guess as an actual photographer is apparently around 1887.
Originally disigned to take up the entire length of a newspaper column - re-arranged here for convenience
Chicago (IL) Tribune - 28 Aub 1920
photographer: ThayerTonica, IL
example from auction site
photographer: ThayerTonica, IL
example from auction site
photographer: ThayerTonica, IL
example from auction site
See this fine example at: Pics of Then
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.
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