John K Stevens

Photographer: Stevens Art Studio
McVickers Theater Bldg, Chicago

John K Stevens
(1838 Jul - )
Over 700 ads were found for the Stevens studio the name varying between J. K. Stevens, J. K. Stevens Co. and J. K. Stevens and Son. They seem to overlap between 1881 and 1900. There is some evidence that J. K. Stevens himself died as early as 1901 though no documentation has been found. His son Lester probably kept the business going. It appears the studio name carried on until 1905 when it was changed in court to Gibson, Sykes and Fowler studios.

1838 July
Stevens born in Erie, NY
1858
Stevens starts as helper in Alfred Pattiana’s old portrait studio at 75 Lake; res on State st
1858 Jul 04
marriage to Mary Brown in Knox, IL
1860
Stevens opens own studio at West Madison st, Chicago, IL
1863 Dec 15
Son Lester Webb Stevens born in Chicago, IL
1864
Misawaka, IN, gazetteer as photographer on Main
1866
daughter Mary Grace born in Indiana
1870 - 1874
Chicago city directory as photographer; res 163 Halstead, Chicago, IL

1876 Jul 24
Chicago Tribune news item announcing J. K. Stevens to retire turning the studio over to W. A. Armstrong at 75 Madison st

Chicago (IL) Tribune Sun - 24 Jul 1876

Chicago (IL) Tribune Sun - 08 Oct 1876

1877 Jan 27
Inter Ocean news item his “retirement” obviously a ruse, J. K. Stevens opens new location at Madison and Robey sts

Chicago (IL) Inter Ocean - 7 Dec 1877

1877 Jul 08
Chicago Tribune as for studio at 85-87 Madison, opposite McVickers Theater
1878 Mar 10
Chicago Tribune Sun party at residence of J. K. Stevens, 271 Park av
1878 Jul 13
Inter Ocean ad studio at 85-87 East Madison st over Hershey Music Hall; 271 Park
1880
Chicago Tribune 3 ads for studio at 786 West Madison
1881
Chicago Tribune 20 ads for studio at 108 Dearborn, Chicago, IL

1881 Oct 25
marriage to Addie B. Cater
1881 Apr 10
Chicago Daily Tribune ad studio at 108 Dearborn and 786 W Madison
1881 Aug 07 - 1882 Jan 08
Chicago Daily Tribune ad as JK Stevens, studio at 108 Dearborn st
1883 Jun 17
Chicago Tribune ad/news item puts Stevens studio at 108-110 Dearborn st
1885 Jan 13
Inter Ocean ad for studio 106-108-110 Dearborn st; later same year moves to McVickers Bldg
1887 Jan 27 - 1892 Oct 12
Inter Ocean many ads for J K Stevens at McVickers Building
1889 Oct 04 - 1900 Jul 18
Inter Ocean news ads now as J. K. Stevens and Son
1890 Jan 18 - 1900 Aug 13
Inter Ocean ads Stevens and Son at McVickers Building
1892 Jan 31
Chicago (IL) Tribune Sun news item establishing photographic business incorporated, J. K. Stevens, Charles H. Stevens and Addie B. Stevens (The relationship of Charles H. Stevens to the rest of the family is unknown at this time.)

Chicago Inter Ocean - 13 Jan 1885

Chicago Inter Ocean - 04 Oct 1889

1895 May 30
Chicago Inter Ocean Sun, son Lester Webb Stevens opens gallery at 699 Washington blvd
1900 Jun 01
Chicago, IL, US census lists photographer John K. Stevens, wife Addie B. and son Harry K.
1901 Feb 10
Chicago Inter Ocean news item short bio about J. K. Stevens
1902
Chicago, IL, city directory NO listing for any of the family; odd entry in business section as Stevens and Son, 78 Madison
1904 Jan 12
Chicago Inter Ocean news item death of Harry Kimble Stevens, aged 20, funeral at residence 690 Washington blvd
1905 Apr 12
Inter Ocean news item J. K. Stevens & Sons, Chicago; Name changed to Gibson, Sykes and Fowler studios

The cabinet card represented here must have been finished between 1885 and about 1900.

Chicago (IL) Inter Ocean - 10 Feb 1901

photographer: Stevens Art Studio
McVickers Theater Bldg, Chicago
example from auction site

Here is an unusual find. This gentleman was found under a more contemporary snapshot stuck on the card.

photographer: Stevens Art Studio
McVickers Theater Bldg, Chicago
example from contributor J Dempsey

reverse of card at left

Photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theater Bldg, Chicago
example from Flickr member T Conrad

reverse of the cabinet card on the left

Photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theater Bldg, Chicago
example from Flickr member T Conrad

reverse of the card on the left

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theater building
example from T Conrad on Flickr

reverse of the card at the left

photographer Stevens, Chicago, IL
example from the
Pierce/Vaubel genealogy website
owner's estimated date c 1880

photographer Stevens, Chicago, IL
example from the
Pierce/Vaubel genealogy website
owner's estimated date c 1885

photographer: Elite Studio, J K Stevens
108 Dearborn Street, Cor Washington,
Chicago, IL (poor scan)
example from Slices of Time
Finished between 1881 and 1885

reverse of card at left

photographer: Elite Studio
108 Dearborn Street, Cor Washington,
Chicago, IL
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: J K Stevens Elite Studio
108 Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL
example from contributor B Shelton

reverse of card at left
Note this is the same imprint design
as the card in the row just above
but larger and clearer

The example at the left shows typical trimming done to a cabinet card to ease the slide into the snug paper album sleeves of the time.

This example shows the missing parts of the card.

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theater Building, Cbicago, IL
example from contributor

photographer: Stevens
McVicker's Theater Bldg, Chicago, IL
example from auction site
(note the same backdrop in the following example)

photographer: Stevens
McVicker's Theater Bldg, Chicago, IL
example from Flickr member William Creswell

photographer J K Stevens
CDV example from auction site

photographer: Stevens
McVickers theater, Chicago, IL
example from Flickr member James Agnew

reverse of card at left

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theatre Building, Chicago, IL
example from RedLead

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theater Building
example from Slices of Time
Finished between 1885 and 1889 before Stevens' son is added as partner

photographer: J K Stevens and Son Co.
McVickers Theater Building
example from Slices of Time
Finished after 1889 when Stevens son was added as partner

photographer: J K Stevens
McVickers Bldg, Chicago, IL
example from auction site

reverse of card at left
(Note the reverse imprint is smaller than other examples. This card is also gilt edged.)

photographer: J K Stevens
McVickers Theater Bldg, Chicago, IL
example from contributor CPrentice

From CPrentice: This is a photograph of my grandmother (1884-1980) and her younger sister. Must have been
taken circa 1888.

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theater Building, Chicago, IL
example from auction site

Photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theater, Chicago, IL
example from auction site

photographer: Stevens
Vickers Building, Chicago
example from Facebook

Photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theater, Chicago, IL
example from auction site

photographer: J K Stevens and Son Co.
McVickers Theater Building, Chicago, IL
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

Photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theater, Chicago, IL
example from auction site

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theater Building, Chicago, IL
example from auction site

photographer: J K Stepvens
McVickers Theater
example from contributor B Grigg

reverse of card at left

photographer: J K Stevens
McVickers Theater
example from auction site

reverse if card at left

photographer: J K Stevens
108-110 Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: J K Stevens
McVicker's Theatre, Chicago, IL
example from TCDb

photographer: J K Stevens
McVicker's Theatre, Chicago, IL
example from contributor

Photographer: J K Stevens and Son
McVickers Theater Buildingm Chicago, IL
example from contributor

Photographer: J K Stevens and Son
McVickers Theater Buildingm Chicago, IL
example from Donna Cashion

Photographer: J K Stevens and Son
McVickers Theater Buildingm Chicago, IL
example from Donna Cashion

reverse of the three cards at left

photographer: Stevens
108-110 Dearborn St, Chicago, IL
example from auction site
probably finished 1881-1885

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theatre Building, Chicago, IL
example from Flickr Collection of Beverly

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theatre Building, Chicago, IL
example from Flickr Collection of Beverly

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theatre Building, Chicago, IL
example from pin

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Theatre Building, Chicago, IL
example from contributor

From contributor D Brekke

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Building, Chicago, IL
example from D Brekke

reverse of card at left

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Building, Chicago, IL
example from D Brekke

reverse of card at left

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Building, Chicago, IL
example from D Brekke

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Building, Chicago, IL
example from D Brekke

photographer: Stevens
McVickers Building, Chicago, IL
example from D Brekke

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.

Cabinet cards typically have the photographer’s name and address printed on the bottom edge or the reverse of the card. 19th century photographers moved around a lot. The basic idea here is to find WHEN a photographer was WHERE, which will help date an unidentified CABINET CARD from your family album.

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.

Charles Burton Estabrook

Photographer: Estabrook
711 Market Space
Washingto D. C.

Photographer: Estabrook
711 Market Space
Washingto D. C.

Photographer: Estabrook
711 Market Space
Washingto D. C.

There were at least eight photographers named Estabrook working in eastern US states during the cabinet card era. One of them spent his entire photographer career in Washington, DC, in primarily two locations, 711 Market Place and 1227 Pennsylvania Avenue. Fortunately, although the three cards here do not include the photographer’s first name or initials, they do include his studio address, 711 Market Space.

Charles Burton Estabrook grew up in Athens, PA apparently. He married Stella, A. Smith in 1882 also of Athens. He was baptized in his church at age 27 still in Athens. There are no city directory listings available for Athens, PA.

The next document found is a listing for C. B. Estabrook in Washington, DC, as photographer at 711 Market space northwest. If he was in the photography business before then, there seems to be no record.

Charles Burton Estabrook
(1856 - 1933)

1856 Apr 16
Athens, PA, state records, Charles Estabrook is born to George Estabrook and Susan McAfee
1860 Jun 12
Athens, PA, US census, Charles Estabrook at age 4
1880 Jun 07
Charles Estabrook was not found in the US census of 1880. His father, mother and siblings were found on page 20 of district 04, Athens, PA, census. A Charles “Eastbrook”, farm labor in Tippecanoe, IN, is probably not the photographer
1882 Jun 13
Athens, PA, North American Family Histories, 1900 US census, Charles Estabrook and Stella A. Smith are married
1883 Oct 07
Athens, PA, Presbyterian Baptism record, Charles Burton Estabrook is baptized
1885 & 1886 (1885 earliest available)
Bradford, PA, city directory Charles B Estabrook NOT listed

1885
Washington, DC, city directory, Charles Estabrook NOT listed
1886 Nov - 1890 Nov
Washington (DC) Bee, small ads for Estabrook photography location 711 Market
1887
Washington, DC, city directory, Charles B Estabrook as photographer at 711 Market sp nw
1890 through 1895
Washington, DC, city directory, Chas B Estabrook as photographer, 711 Market sp nw
1895 Mar 23
Washington (DC) Evening Star small news item about move to 1227 Pennsylvania
1896
Washington, DC, city directory, Charles B Estabrook, as photographer at 805 Market sp nw and 1227 Pennsylvania ab nw
1896 May - 1903 Apr
Washington (DC) Times, four small ads at 1227 Penn. Washington
1897, 1898, 1899
Washington, DC, city directory, Charles B Estabrook, 1227 Pennsylvania Av. nw

1900
Washington D C, city directory, Chas B Estabrook as photographer at 1227 Pa av nw
1900 Jun 14
Washington, DC, US census, C B Estabrook as photographer at 1227 Pennsylvania Avenue (wife listed as “S A”)
1901 through 1904
Washington D C, city directory, Chas B Estabrook as photographer at 1227 Pa av nw At the end of 1904, Charles B Estabrook leaves the photograph business for the grocery business which was his father’s lifelong occupation
1905
Washington, DC, city directory, Charles B Estabrook, as grocer at res 1117 7th nw ; res 139 T nw
1910 Apr 21
Washington DC, US census as grocer; res 731 Market
1913
Washington, DC, city directory listing as grocer at 347 Market
1915 Nov
Family Tree records, C B Estabrook wife Stella A Smith dies in Athens, PA

1917 (approx)
Indiana, source: family tree on ancestry, C B Estabrook marries Hannah J MCafee
1920 Jun 20
Tippecanoe, IN, US census, Charles Estabrook, no occupation shown
1930 Apr 07
Tippecanoe, IN, US census, Charles Estabrook, as retired, retail grocer
1933 Jul 01
Towanda, Bradford, PA, FindaGrave Charles Burton Estabrook dies at age 77

So the cabinet cards here were done after his move in 1886 to 711 Market Space in Washington, DC, and before his move in March 1895 to 1227 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC. He apparently gave up photography sometime in late 1904 to become a grocer and never returned to the studio.

Washington (DC) Evening star -
20 Nov 1886

One of the competition at the time

Washington Bee - 7 Sep 1889

Washington Evening Star - 23 Mar 1895

Washington Times - 04 Aug 1896

The Washington Post - 30 Nov 1903


Washington (DC) Evening Star -
13 Jul 1904

Washington (DC) Times -
18 Aug 1904

Washington (DC) Times -
22 Aug 1904

Washington (DC) Evening Star -
17 Sep 1904

The Washington Post - 27 Jun 1905

Fayette (IN) Journal and Courier -
12 Jan 1932

Sayre (PA) Evening Times -
5 Jul 1933

Two more from 711 Market Space

photographer: Estabrook
711 Market Space, Washington, DC
Contributed by rfinch on Ancestry.com

reverse of card at left Contributed by rfinch on Ancestry.com

photographer: Estabrook
711 Market Space, Washington, DC
example from LOST GALLERY

Three examples from the 1227 Pennsylvania Avenue studio

photographer: Estabrook
1227 Pennsylvania Av, Washington, DC
Contributed by rfinch on Ancestry.com

photographer: Estabrook
1227 Pennsylvania Av, Washington, DC
Contributed by rfinch on Ancestry.com

photographer: Estabrook
1227 Pennsylvania Av, Washington, DC
Contributed by rfinch on Ancestry.com

Here is another example imprinted "Market Space".

Here is an example, face and reverse, imprinted “Market Space Studio” with no photographer credit. At this point, no documents have been found to show who the actual photographer was in this example. It could be speculated that when Charles Estabrook abruptly left the photograph studio business in late 1904 that possibly someone else retained "Market Space" as the studio name for a period. The style of the card indicates 1900 or after.

Photographer: Market Space
805 Pennsylvania Av

Reverse of card on the left
From rfinch on Ancestry.com

From contributor L Breyfogle

Hughes and Sarjeant worked together in Detroit, MI, from 1895 to 1904.

C B Estabrook studio was at 1227 Pennsylvania from March 1895 to December 1904.

It is possible that BOTH of these photographs are copies or reprints. There are parts missing in each that are present in the other.

photographer: Estabrook
1227 Pennsylvania Av, Washington, DC

photographer: Hughes and Sargeant
Detroit, MI

The previous tenant of 1225 Pennsylvania in Washington DC was Frank Jordan. Unfortunately he ended his own life in October of 1888.

Thanks for a tip from Simon (see comment section)

Washington DC Critic and Record -

photographer: Jordan
1227 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC
example from Kyushi News

photographer: Jordan
1227 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC
example from Wikimedia

Washington DC Evening Star - 31 Oct 1885

The card at the right is by
Thomas Sherman Estabrooke of Houlton, ME, 1835-1921. This Estabrooke seems to have never left Houlton, ME, and worked as photographer until 1910.

No connection to Charles Burton Estabrook has been found.

photographer: Thomas S Estabrooke
Houlton, Maine
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.