Christian L Maechtlen

photographer: C L Maechtlen
Highland, IL
example from LOST GALLERY

Christian L Maechtlen
(27 Sep 1847 - 16 Feb 1925)

Some of the events in C L Maechtlen’s life are well documented. Due to the absence of a city directory for Highland, IL, the actual dates are difficult to document.

A small biography was found on Find-a-Grave which, if it is accurate, tells what is needed:

Operated a photographic business in Highland IL from 1870 to 1904 then he sold it to H. T. Jost.
The family moved to Calif in 1912.
First marriage was to Carrie L. Marxer on 9 Sept 1872 in Madison Co. IL
Second marriage was to Addie L Wildhaber.
His father died in Jan 1877 in Milwaukee, and he attended the funeral there.

According to that, this cabinet card must have been finished between 1870 and 1904. The style of the card places it between 1886 and 1895.

Christian Lorenz Maechtlen
(1847 – 1925)

1847 Sep 27
Baden-Württemberg, Ger, US census, Christian Lorenz Maechtlen is born to Christian and Johanna Maechtlen
1852
From various sources, immigration to US
1860 Jul 07
Milwaukee, WI, US Census, Christian Maechtlen at age 13
1872 Sep 09
Madison, IL, state records, Christian Lorenz Maechtlen and Caroline L Marxer are married
1873 Jun 21
Illinois, state records, son Edward Christian Lorenz Maechtlen is born
1880 Jun 01
Highland, IL, US census, Chris Maechtlen as photographer, wife Carrie, son Edward
1895 Oct 02
Highland, IL, state records, wife Caroine L Marxer dies at age 48
1895
Highland, IL, Christian Maechtlen and Addie Wildhaber are married

1900 Jun 13
Helvetia Township, Highland City, IL, US census, Christian Maechtlen as photographer
1910 Apr 30
Helvetia Township, Highland City, IL, US census, Christian Maechtlen as photographer
1911
Los Angeles, CA, city directory Christian L Maechtlen, NOT listed; W L Maechtlen, res 1407 Valencia, as photo printers at T E Stanton and W L Maechtlen, 213 S B’way, rm 328
1912
Los Angeles, CA, city directory, Christian L Maechtlen; no occupation shown, 1514 W 50th ; NOT in business section
1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, no 1919
Los Angeles, CA, city directory, Christian L Maechtlen; no occupation shown, 1514 w 50th; Wm L Maechtlen as sec-treas of Earl V Lewis Co at 1407 Valencia; Earl V Lewis Co, photograph supplies, developing and picture framing, 226 W 4th and 316 W 7th ; also Clarence L as mach; res 1514 w 50th
1920 Jan 20
Los Angeles, CA, US census, Christian Maechtlen as photographer; res 1514 W 50th st

1920
Los Angeles, CA, city directory, Christian L Maechtlen; no occupation shown, 1514 w 50th; Wm L Maechtlen as sec-treas of Earl V Lewis Co at 1407 Valencia; Earl V Lewis Co, photograph supplies, developing and picture framing, 226 W 4th and 316 W 7th
Also Una L Maechtlen as Kodak finisher, res 1407 Valencia; and Clarence L as mach, res 1514 W 50th
1921
Christian L Maechtlen; no occupation shown, 1514 w 50th; Wm L Maechtlen as sec-treas of Earl V Lewis Co at 1407 Valencia; Also Clarence L as mach, res 1514 W 50th
1922 Bus pages only
Los Angeles, CA city directory, Christian L Maechtlen NOT listed

1923
Los Angeles, CA, city directory, Christian L Maechtlen, no occupation shown, res 1514 w 50th; also Wm L Maechtlen, photo, res 1407 Valencia; Clarence L mach, res 1407 Valencia
1924
Los Angeles, CA, city directory, Christian L Maechtlen, res 1514 W 50th; Wm L, photo, res 1407 Valencia; also Lawrence J, student, 1407 Valencia
1925 Feb 16
Los Angeles, CA, state records, Christian L Maechtlen dies at age 77

Edwardsville (IL) Intelligencer - 31 Aug 1892 Edwardsville (IL) Intelligencer - 15 Mar 1895

Edwardsville (IL) Intelligencer - 08 Sep 1896 Edwardsville (IL) Intelligencer - 25 Sep 1896

Covina (CA) Argus - 27 Jan 1912

Los Angeles (CA) Times - 24 Dec 1947

photographer: C L Maechtlen
Highland, IL,
example from Curt J on FLickr

reverse of card at left
(this card was trimmed top and bottom)

photographer: C L Maechtlen
Laurel Street, Highland, IL,
example from Curt J on FLickr

reverse of card at left

photographer: C L Maechtlen
Highland, IL,
example from Curt J on FLickr

photographer: C L Maechtlen
Highland, IL
example from Rootsweb

photographer: C L Maechtlen
Highland, IL
example from auction site

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.

George W Varney

photographer: Varney - Chicago

reverse of cabinet at left

George William Varney
(1860 - 1925)

Sources: US census, city directories

1860 Mar 04
George W Varney is born in York County, Maine
1870
Berwick, ME, US census, at ten years old
1878
Chicago, IL, city directory, No listing in business pages or residential pages
1880
Denver, CO, US census, at 20 no occupation listed; voter registration is in Chicago, IL
1882
Chicago, IL, city directory, as photographer; bds 1057 Monroe; not in business pages
1883, 1884
Chicago, IL, city directory not available
1885
Chicago, IL, city directory, as photographer with Perry and Varney, 3800 Cottage Grove av; res same; Henry B Perry res Hyde Park

1886
Chicago, IL, city directory not available
1887
Chicago, IL, city directory, as photographer at 189 Wabash; res bds 3802 Langley
1888, 1889
Chicago, IL, city directory, as photographer at 3915 Cottage Grove; res 4919 Champlain; 1889 - 1890 photography business pages missing, no res pages after “Q”
1890
Chicago, IL, voter registration, res 4519 Champlain
1891 through 1899
Chicago, IL, city directories are either incomplete or unavailable
1900
Chicago, IL, US census as photographer; res 4849 Langley; city directory: pages after Merriman not available
1901
Chicago, IL, city directory pages after McCollum not available
1902, 1903
Chicago, IL, city directory NOT listed in business section or residential

1904 - 1907
Chicago, IL, city directory, as photographer at 3937 Drexel; res same; directory starts at Mut-Man
1908
Chicago, IL, city directory many pages missing
1909
Chicago, IL, city no residential pages; directory Not in business pages
1910
Chicago, IL, US census, as photographer; res 4504 Forestville
1911 - 1917
Chicago, IL, city directory, as photographer at 3945 Drexel; res 4504 Forestville
1916
Chicago, IL, city directory, no listing in business pages; no residential pages
1918 - 1919
Chicago, IL, city directory, NOT listed in business pages, No residential pages available
1920 Jan 13
Chicago, IL, US census, as photographer; res 4504 Forestville; no listing in city directory business pages

1921, 1922, 1923
Chicago, IL, city directory NOT listed in business pages. No residential pages available
1924
Chicago, IL, city directory, not available
1925
Chicago, IL, city directory, not listed in business pages; no residential pages
1925
Jan 09 Chicago, IL, G W Varney dies of a heart attack while visiting a photography shop on s 63rd st, Chicago

The only document that finds him outside of Chicago, IL, is in 1880 when he was in Denver, CO, and even then his voter registration is still in Chicago. The address on the reverse of the card is 3915 Cottage Grove Avenue dating it to about 1888-1889. Chicago city directories 1890 through 1899 are unavailable or incomplete so it is not certain how long he was at that address. By 1900 he had moved to 4849 Langley.

Also this card stock has gilt edges, a feature popular between 1866 and 1890.

photographer: Varney, Chicago, IL
This one would have been finished around
1911 to 1917.
Example found on the Pinterest - no credit shown

Abel Photographic Weekly - 06 Oct 1912 Camera Craft Vol 19 - 08 Dec 1012

photographer: Varney
Chicago
example from auction site
(This is a folder style mounting, gaining popularity in the early 1900's.)

photographer: Varney
3915 Cottage Grove Av, Chicago, IL
CdV ecample from Auction site
(Probably finished between 1888 and 1889 but possibly as late as 1899; see timeline)

photographer: Varney (G W V)
Chicago, IL
example from auction site

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.

Osee Hall Wheat

Wheat
107 Church, Rockford, IL

Reverse of the card a the left

Osee Hall Wheat
(1851 - 1909)

1851 Dec 29
Oswego, New York Osee Hall Wheat is born to James Wheat and Ermina Hall
1870 Jun 06
Rockford, IL, US census Wheat family has moved to Rockford, IL; O H Wheat is 18
1872 - 1876
Rockford, IL, city directory as photographer but not with own studio; this is probably the period he was working for G W Barnes, photographer
1877
Chicago, IL, city directory as photographer, not listed in business pages
1878 Nov 12
Belvidere (IL) Standard news item S K Doolittle is destroying all J H Loper, O H Wheat and Doolittle negatives over 2 years old
1879 May 30 to 1879 Jul 06
Nebraska State Journal and Lincoln Evening Call news items showing Wheat has gallery north side of “O” street, Lincoln, NE
1879 Oct 26
Nebraska State Journal news item Wheat dissolves partnership with A H Drain, Oct 12, 1879
1882 Jul 03
Lincoln (NE) Journal Star news item Kelley and Co takes over the O H Wheat Studio in Lincoln, NE

1883 Feb 20
St Joseph (MO) Gazette Herald news item shows O H Wheat now associated with Mr Stone; mentions O H Wheat is from Omaha, NE, and Chicago, IL
1885
Rockford (IL) Republic News, Obituary of 1909 Jun 21 mentions O H Wheat buys out The Medlar Studio this year
1886 Jan 23
Green, WI, O H Wheat marries Belle Wood
1887
Obituary mentions beginning studio in Rockford, IL, this year
1888 Aug 24
Marengo (IL) Republican-News item mentions studio is at 107 N Church, Rockford, IL
1900 Jun 13
Rockford, IL, US census, as photographer
1902 - 1908
Rockford, IL, city directory as photographer at 111 n Church
1909 Jun 21
Rockford, IL, O H Wheat dies at home of heart failure at age 57

The cabinet card at the top must have been done in that year, 1888 when the studio was at 107 Church st in Rockford, IL.

Belvidere (IL) Standard - 12 Nov 1878

Nebraska State Journal - 30 May 1879

Lincoln (NE) Evening Call - 24 Jun 1879

Nebraska State Journal - 26 Oct 1879

Lincoln (NE) Journal-Star - 03 Jul 1882

St Joseph (MO) Gazette - 20 Feb 1883

Nebraska State Journal - 03 Feb 1886

Marento (IL) Republican News - 25 Aug 1888

Decatur (IL) Herald - 24 Oct 1907

Rockford (IL) Republican - 20 Jun 1909

Example from auction site purported to be by O H Wheat

photographer: Wheat
107 N Church Street, Rockford, IL
probably finished around 1888
example from auction site

photographer: O H Wheat
Rockford, IL
example from auction site

photographer: Wheat
107 North Church Street, Rockford, IL
example from auction site
(poor scan)

photographer: Wheat
107 North Church Steet, Rockport, IL
example from auction site

Following are two examples from J E Wheat of Tonia, MI. Not connection has been made yet to Osee Hall Wheat of Rockford, IL

photographer: J E Wheat
301 West Main, Tonia, MI
example from auction site

photographer: J E Wheat
301 West Main, Tonia, MI
example from auction site

photographer: Medlar (Frank W)
Spencer, IA
example from auction site
(Mentioned above in S H Wheat timeline at 1885. Medlar worked in Spencer, IA,
between 1895 and 1902)

photographer: Medlar
Rockford, IL
exaample from Rescued Photo
(Would have been finished before O C Wheat bought the studio in 1885)

photographer: Medlar's Art Emporium
323 & 325 W State St, Rockford Il
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

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.