Fidel Eggel

photographer: F Eggle
Coleman, TX

Very little has been found on the life of Fidel Eggel.

He was a photographer, apparently learning the trade in Brown’s Gallery in Hopkinsville, KY. Then, about 1869, he moved to Nashville, TN, and opened a studio. In 1880 he has a studio in Lexington, TN. By 1900 he has moved to Coleman, TX where spends the rest of his life. His studio is crushed in the collapse of a neighboring building the following month after his death.

His son, Anton, apparently was in the photography business but only a short time. News items indicate that he was not well regarded.

Any information or tips would be appreciated.

Note that Fidel Eggel worked most of his photographic career in Coleman, TX. His son Fidelle Eggel, also a photographer, apparently did NOT work in Coleman, TX. No newspaper items have been found that mention Fidel Eggel. Several were found about Fidelle Eggel.

Fidel Eggel
(1830 – 1905)

1830 Mar
Germany, death records, Fidel Eggel is born
1868
Nashville, TN, city directory, Fidel Eggel NOT listed
1869
Nashville, TN, city directory, Fidel Eggel listed as photographer with studio in business pages only.
1870
Nashville, TN, city directory, Fidel Eggel NOT listed
1878
US census of 1900, marriage to Elizabeth Reed
1880 Jun 10
Lexington, TN, US census, Fidel Eggel as photographist
1881 Jul 11
Waynesboro, TN, state records, daughter Minnie Eggel is born
1884 Feb
Tennessee, state records, son Anton Isaac Eggel is born

1895 Nov 02
Tennessee, state records, son Fidelle Reed Eggel is born
1900 Jun 09
Coleman, TX, US census, Fidel Eggel as photographer
1902 Jul 30
San Angelo (TX) Press, item says son Anton T Eggel is opening a cleaning and dyeing plant on Chadbourne St
1902 Aug 27
San Angelo (TX) Press, advertisement for son A Eggel Tailoring Co
1904 Feb 11
Houston (TX) Post, news item is BOLO for Anton Eggel mentions experience in tailoring, clothes cleaning and photography and printing trades
1905 Feb 20
Coleman, TX, state death record, Fidel “Eggle” dies of heart failure at age 75
1905 Mar 17
Fort Worth (TX) Record, item says building has collapsed crushing the Eggel photograph studio

San Angelo (TX) Press -
27 Aug 1902

San Angelo (TX) Press -
26 Nov 1902

Houston (TX) Post -
11 Feb 1904

Fort Worth (TX) Record and Register -
17 Mar 1905

Coleman TX - unknown newspaper

photographer: Eggel
Coleman, TX
example from pinterest

photographer: F Eggel
Coleman, TX
example from pinterest

photographer: F Eggel
Coleman, TX
example from pinterest

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