The imprint on a photograph can provide valuable clues to dating when the image was taken and possibly where it was taken. From genealogical and family history perspectives, the imprint may allow an individual to connect people with places at a particular period in time. This sort of information can quickly result in a cascading discovery of other relatives living in the same area at the same period of time. Hence, an imprint can become a useful artifact into the discovery of one's genealogy and family history.
An attempt has been made here to enumerate the photographers that conducted business within Porter County, Indiana, prior to 1925. Photographers' imprints have been included when examples of them could be found. Also included, if known, is the location where the photographer conducted business, their approximate date of operation, and a brief outline of their genealogy. Note that this list is very likely to be incomplete.
The first individual known to have professionally taken photographic images in Porter County was W. Wood, who produced Daguerreotypes at the Indiana Hotel beginning in January 1852. Below is an example of Wood's promotion of his business as it appeared in an advertisement in the Practical Observer, a Valparaiso newspaper.
Less than four months after the appearance of Wood's first advertisement in the Practical Observer appeared a similar advertisement placed by L. P. Williams. Williams' advertisement indicates that he established a Daguerrean gallery near the Unrue [Unruh] and Eahart stores in Pleasant Township. These two stores were located in Tassinong, which is located along Morgan Township's southern border; the southern boundary of Tassinong was also the boundary between Morgan and Pleasant Townships. These pieces of information suggest that Williams' gallery was situated along Baum's Bridge Road immediately south of Tassinong and north of Spencer Cemetery.
images taken by W. Wood at Valparaiso's Indiana Hotel, 1852.
Source: Practical Observer, January 19, 1852.
Advertisement for production of Daguerreotype
images taken by L. P. Williams at Tassinong, 1852.
Source: Practical Observer, May 3, 1852.
Source: Chicago Tribune, June 2, 1866.
located at Valparaiso, as suggested by this news item.
Source: Porter County Vidette, September 23, 1875.
Prior to 1925
[Last Update: October 4, 2024]
Allen, Jessie
Atkins produced several different postcards depicting street scenes located in Chesterton and the Town of Porter. These postcards were likely sold by local retailers. Several examples of his postcards exist, and they are postmarked between 1907 and 1910. Atkins imprinted his work with E. G. ATKINS and Photo by E. G. ATKINS.
In 1909, Ault opened a photography shop located a 303 South Michigan Street in South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana. The 1910 Federal Census for Penn, St. Joseph County, Indiana, enumerates Nelson L. Ault as being a 26 year old photographer. A World War I draft registration card completed in 1918 shows that Ault was still working as a photographer at his shop on Michigan Street.
Note that research suggests, but does not conclusively confirm, that the Ault appearing on Valparaiso postcards is Nelson Lafayette Ault. For instance, the imprint on Valparaiso postcards matches those on South Bend images that were produced by Ault.
Nelson Lafayette Ault was born February 20, 1883, in Antigo, Langlade County, Wisconsin, the son of William Albert Ault and Lillie Jane (Hobart) Ault. He married Clarrissa Devine (Dilling) Ault in 1905. Ault died on June 17, 1960, in Naples, Collier County, Florida; he was interred in Riverview Cemetery in South Bend. Despite Ault's death, the Ault Camera Shop continued operation on Michigan Street till its closure in 1978.
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Barney, John G. A.
John G. A. Barney was a business partner of Meshack Terry and traveled to
communities in Indiana from their headquarters in Hillsdale, Hillsdale
County, Michigan, to establish temporary Daguerreotype galleries. A notice
placed in the May 31, 1852, issue of the Practical Observer, a
Valparaiso newspaper, indicated that Terry and Barney had "taken room at
the American Eagle House." The American Eagle House was located at the
southeast corner of the present day intersection of Franklin Street and
Lincolnway
Research carried out to fully identify John G. A. Barney has not been successful.
established at American Eagle House in Valparaiso.
Source: Practical Observer, May 31, 1852.
Barrett produced numerous postcard scenes focused on Flint Lake, Sager's Lake, Valparaiso, and Valparaiso University. Given evidence, it is believed that Barrett was producing his postcards between 1910 and 1915; it is suspected that Barrett sold the postcards at his retail establishment. Barrett's postcards were imprinted with C. E. Barrett.
Cassius E. Barrett was born at New London, Huron County, Ohio, on November 3, 1852, the son of Eliada Barrett and Wealthy (Blackman) Barrett. Cassius married Jennie B. Dille on November 17, 1908, in Valparaiso. On November 24, 1945, Cassius passed away at his home, 205 Franklin Avenue in Valparaiso, and was buried in Maplewood Cemetery on November 24.
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developing at Charles W. Beam's retail store on College Hill in Valparaiso.
Source: Collection of Steven R. Shook.
Source: Collection of Steven R. Shook.
Reverse of postcard promoting film developing at Charles W.
Beam's Student Supply Store on College Hill in Valparaiso.
Source: Collection of Steven R. Shook.
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Beatty, Robert R.
Robert R. Beatty's photography studio was located at 65 College Avenue and later at 20 South Locust Street in Valparaiso. Photographs were imprinted Beatty. Research suggest that Beatty's Valparaiso photography business operated from the 1880s till about 1902 when it was apparently sold to Henry A. W. Brown.
Robert R. Beatty, Valparaiso, Ind., has remained at the college longer than many would consider necessary, because he was determined to get all there was to be got in the course.
Detroit photographer....1893. There was a photographer named R. R. Beatty in 1902 at 65 College Avenue in Valparaiso, Indiana, and Artesia, New Mexico, had a photographer named R. R. Beatty in 1907 and 1908.
Note that George William Belting, Bird Coleman, and Jerome F. Snyder were also operating their photography businesses at 17 Main Street at this time, suggesting a cooperative of photographers using the same studio space.
George William Belting was born at Illiopolis, Sangamon County, Illinois, on August 11, 1878, the son of Theodore Belting and Elizabeth (Council) Belting. It is believed that Belting arrived at Valparaiso University in 1903 or 1904 to study to become a physician. On January 18, 1906, he married Grace P. Bemis in Valparaiso. Belting finished his education and was a physician for over 30 years in Rock County, Wisconsin. On April 17, 1944, at his home in Orfordville, Rock County, Wisconsin, George shot himself to death while his wife was away from home. He had been in serious ill health for more than a year, which is presumed to have the contributing factor behind his suicide. Belting is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Beloit, Rock County, Wisconsin.
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Bentley, William Seth
William Seth Bentley operated a studio on Main Street [Lincolnway] directly across from the county courthouse in the late 1880s and early 1890s. His photographs were imprinted W. S. Bentley. Bentley had moved away from Valparaiso by December 1892.
William Seth Bentley was born in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, in December 1860, the son of Seth J. Bentley and Mary (Green) Bentley. The 1880 federal census for Kankakee Township, Jasper County, Indiana, indicates that William was residing with his parents, two brothers, and three sisters, and was working as a farmer. He married Lena May Bell Hawkins on February 28, 1891, at Valparaiso. William and Lena were living in Chicago by December 1892 when their son Marion was born there. The 1900 federal census for the Burton Precinct (Vashon Island) of King County, Washington, shows Bentley's occupation as a locomotive engineer. The 1930 federal census for the Burton Precinct of King County, Washington, lists William's occupation as a poultry farmer. William appears in the 1940 federal census for the Burton Precinct of King County, Washington, as an 80 year old widow. He died on January 2, 1949, at Everett, Snohomish County, Washington, at the age of 89 years.
Normal Party of the United States of America, 1889.
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Blackley, C. G.
A short news item appeared in the July 15, 1880, issue of the Porter County Vidette stating that C. G. Blackley had established a photograph gallery in Hebron. Extensive research has failed to identify C. G. Blackley or any works that were created by this photograph gallery. It is possible that this individual may have been a member of the Blachly family of Porter County.
photograph gallery in Hebron by C. G. Blackley.
Source: Porter County Vidette, July 15, 1880.
Bregstone, Henry H.
Henry H. Bregstone operated a photography business at Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois, producing real photo postcards of locations in Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. There are at least three known examples of Bregstone real photo postcards taken in Porter County - the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad depot in Hebron, the Christian Church in Hebron, and the bridge spanning the Kankakee River south of Hebron. Postcard images produced by Henry H. Bregstone were imprinted BREGSTONE and H. H. Bregstone.
Bregstone graduated from the Chicago College of Law in 1898 and practiced as an attorney for a few years in Cass County, Indiana, before transitioning into the photography business at some point in time between 1900 and 1910. Bregstone had siblings residing at Chicago and Michigan City, LaPorte County, Indiana, so he was likely to be somewhat familiar with Porter County. Bregstone is most noted for the real photo postcards that he produced of professional baseball players during the early 1900s; these postcards are very rare and highly collectible, and thus quite valuable.
Henry H. Bregstone was born in Poland on January 9, 1865, the son of Selig Bregstone and Hannah Rebecca (Rivka) Bregstone. On December 24, 1901, Henry married Katherine L. Stout in Bourbon County, Kansas. Bregstone died in Danville on May 24, 1940, and was buried June 5 in the Spring Hill Cemetery in that community.
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Brewer, A. S.
A. S. Brewer was a Daguerreotype photographer that partnered with J. M. Poe as a traveling photographer. An advertisement for Brewer and Poe appeared in the January 12, 1854, issue of the Practical Observer, a Valparaiso newspaper, alerting subscribers that they would be producing photographs locally at the American Eagle House in Valparaiso. Little is known concerning the identity of Brewer, and examples of his work have not been found.
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Brody, Leland Edgar
Leland "Lee" Edgar Brody is believed to have operated a photography studio in Boone Grove at some point between 1910 and 1917. His only known work is a real photo postcard of the July 4, 1914, Independence Day parade at Boone Grove. The postcard is imprinted "L. E. Brody, Photographer, Boone Grove, Ind."
Leland's World War I draft registration card indicates under the question "What is your present trade, occupation or office?" that he was employed as a telegraph operator. His obituary, which appeared in the January 4, 1960, issue of The Hammond Times, states that he "was a retired employe of the Erie Railroad for which he had worked 47 years." This length of employment implies that Brody was simultaneously working as a photographer and for the Erie Railroad in 1914.
Leland Edgar Brody was born March 12, 1892, in Boone Grove, the son of Franklin Dean Brody and Harriet Eveline (Fox) Brody. Leland married Frances Mary Gallagher in Chicago on January 27, 1911, a union that resulted in three children. He passed away on January 3, 1960, in Hammond, Lake County, Indiana, and was buried in the Salem United Methodist Church Cemetery north of Hebron.
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Brooks, A. C.
A.C. Brooks appears in the Hebron news published in the July 14, 1881, issue of the Porter County Vidette where it is mentioned that Brooks "has opened a picture gallery." Research has failed to identify this photographer and no works have been found that are attributed to A. C. Brooks at Hebron.
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Brooks, Herbert B.
Herbert B. Brooks was the son of Margaret A. (Larkin) Brooks, and together they published numerous real photo postcards of locations throughout the greater Chicago area. Their real photo postcards typically used the written imprint Brooks Photo. The Brooks would establish a partnership with Dalibor Ralph Chapek for a period of time and imprinted these postcard images as Brooks Chapek Photo. The area in and around the Indiana Dunes and Waverly Beach was the predominant subject matter for Brooks and Brooks Chapek postcards taken in Porter County.
Herbert B. Brooks is believed to started his own commercial real photo postcard business for a short period of time. He would imprint his real photo postcards with Brooks and H. B. Brooks Photograph Post Cards. He apparently formed a business partnership with his mother after 1920.
Herbert appears in the 1920 Federal Census of Ward 23 in Chicago, along with his wife Judith and son Burton. Herbert is enumerated as a 37 year old and his occupation is listed as "Manager" in the "Com. Photography" industry. Margaret and her son Herbert appear in the 1930 Federal Census of Precinct 53 in Chicago. Margaret is listed as a 69 year old widow and her occupation is listed as "Comm. Photographer" in the "Post Card" industry. Herbert, who is residing with Margaret, is listed as a 47 year old with his occupation noted as "none."
Herbert B. Brooks was born June 11, 1882, in Illinois, the son of Howard F. Brooks and Margaret A. (Larkin) Brooks. Herbert would marry Judith Samuelson, who preceded him in death. Herbert passed away on February 26, 1936, at 1340 Granville Avenue in Chicago and was buried on February 29 at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Cook County, Illinois.
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Brooks, Margaret A. (Larkin)
Margaret A. (Larkin) Brooks was
the mother of Herbert B. Brooks, and together they published
a large number real photo postcards of locations throughout the greater Chicago area. Their real photo postcards used the imprint Brooks Photo. The Brooks would establish a partnership with Dalibor Ralph Chapek for a period of time and imprinted these postcard images as Brooks Chapek Photo. The area in and around the Indiana Dunes and Waverly Beach was the predominant subject matter for Brooks and Brooks Chapek postcards of Porter County.
Margaret is believed to have entered the commercial postcard business with her son Herbert at some point after 1920.
Margaret appears in the 1920 Federal Census of Ward 14 in Chicago, along with her brothers James and Edward Larkin, both brothers being listed as police officers in that census. Margaret is enumerated in the 1920 census as a 60 year old
widow and her occupation is listed as "Housekeeper." Margaret and her son Herbert appear in the 1930 Federal Census of Precinct 53
in Chicago. Margaret is listed as a 69 year old widow and her occupation
is listed as "Comm. Photographer" in the "Post Card" industry. Herbert, who is residing with Margaret, is listed as a 47 year old with his occupation noted as "none."
Margaret A. (Larkin) Brooks was born December 9, 1860, at Buck Mountain, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Patrick Larkin and Margaret (Kiernan) Larkin. She married Howard F. Brooks who passed away in July 1916. Margaret died on February 3, 1938, in Chicago and was buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Cook County, Illinois.
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Brown, Harriet E. (McCauley)
Harriet E. (McCauley) Brown produced real photo postcards in partnership with an individual named Brooks. Research
focused on identifying the Brooks in this partnership has been
inconclusive. The company address appears on some of their postcards as 2019 Lane Court in
Chicago. Brooks
& Brown produced real photo postcards of locations in Valparaiso,
predominantly of sites in and around Valparaiso University, between 1910
and 1920. Their work was imprinted with either a hand written BB on the front of the image or printed on the reverse with BROOKS & BROWN.
A city directory for Chicago published in 1913 provides this
listing for 2019 Lane Court:
An individual by the name of Brown, presumably Harriet E. Brown, placed a classified advertisement for a three room rental suite at 2019 Lane Court in the March 26, 1916, issue of the The Chicago Sunday Tribune. It is possible that the Brooks in this partnership was either Herbert B. Brooks or Margaret A. (Larkin) Brooks.
Harriet E. (McCauley) Brown was born in July 1849 in New York, the daughter of Charles and Margaret McCauley. She was married to Frederick A. Brown. An 1884 Cook County, Illinois, birth record for their daughter Maud indicates that Harriet's maiden name was McCauley. The 1900 Federal Census records show that Frederick and Harriet were residing in Paw Paw, Van Buren County, Michigan, where 60 year old Frederick's occupation is listed as "Grocer." No occupation is provided for Harriet in this census record.
The 1910 Federal Census record for Casco Township, Allegan County, Michigan, shows that Harriet E. Brown was living with her daughter, Ethel M. (Brown) Cogdall. Harriet is enumerated as a 61 year old widow, born in New York, with no listed occupation. Harriet is listed in the 1920 Federal Census in Ward 25 of Chicago; she is living at 1314 Waveland Avenue (four blocks west of Wrigley Field) with her son Frederick's family as a 71 year old widow with no listed occupation. Son Frederick is a listed as a clerk at Marshall Field. Research attempting to locate Harriet after her enumeration in the 1920 Federal Census has been fruitless.
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Brown, Heinrich A. W. "Henry"
Henry A. W. Brown marked his photographs as Brown & Company. The June 26, 1884, issue of the Porter County Vidette includes a news item that states that "Mr. A. W. H. Brown, of Munich, Germany, is preparing an art studio in the rooms over Rowley & Letherman's drug store. A new fountain will be one of the pleasing attractions."
Brown apparently moved the location of his business since it is listed in the Valparaiso city directories of 1893 and 1902 as being located at 20 South Locust Street on College Hill. Research suggests that Brown purchased the photography business of Beatty around 1892 or 1893.
Brown likely remained in business till 1897 when he and Valparaiso resident Theodore Hansen, son of Liberty Township farmer John N. Hansen, were each convicted on November 28, 1897, in federal court of counterfeiting silver certificates; Brown and Hanson were consequently sentenced to five years imprisonment at Columbus, Ohio. Brown was described as "a nervous little German with mutton chop whiskers just turning gray, and a face suggesting the ideal anarchist" and "a photographer of more than ordinary ability."
Brown made photographs of one, two, and five dollar silver certificates. He used the negatives to produce plates for printing money. Thomas B. Carter and Thomas J. Porter, agents with the United States Secret Service, learned that counterfeit bills were circulating in the Indiana counties of Lake, LaPorte, and Porter and had detectives dispatched to the region to identify the producer of the fake money.
The Secret Service raided Brown's College Hill studio and discovered a nearly completed counterfeit ten dollar silver certificate. At the Hanson farm, situated just south of Mink Lake in Liberty Township, investigators found other plates, a small press, paper, and inks used to produce counterfeit bills in a small outhouse.
For a short period of time, Brown operated his photography studio with an individual named Ottnat.
Henry A. W. Brown was born June 14, 1844, in Germany. He married Anna Cole. Brown died at his Locust Street property in Valparaiso on June 26, 1908, and interred in nearby Maplewood Cemetery.
Normal Party of the United States of America, 1889.
Bryant, William Cullen
William Cullen Bryant, commonly referred to as W. C. Bryant and Will Bryant, was a photographer who briefly maintained a studio in Hebron. Few details are known about Bryant's photography business in Porter County, and only a single example of his work has been found, imprinted with W. C. Bryant, HEBRON, INDIANA.
Piecing together information from a variety of sources, it is believed that Bryant operated his studio at Hebron at some time between 1882 and 1886. A short news item appearing in the August 7, 1884, issue of the Porter County Vidette mentions that "Will Bryant, of our town [Hebron], took charge of the blue-light gallery in Valpo while Mr. [Galon]Whipple attended the photographers' convention at Cincinnati."
His obituary, published in 1935 in The Telegraph-Forum at Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio, indicates that he was in the photography business for fifty years and that "although his work at times took him away from this city for short periods, he always retained his residence here [Bucyrus]."
A news item in Valparaiso's newspaper, The Vidette-Messenger, published on September 21, 1927, briefly mentions that Bryant was a "former local man having been engaged in the restaurant business here at one time, leaving the city in '84 about two weeks after the laying of the corner stone of the court house." This suggests that Bryant moved to Hebron in 1884 to establish his photographer studio. It appears that Bryant was a bachelor while operating his studio at Hebron since he married in January 1887.
Bryant had two siblings residing in Porter County, Edward R. Bryant and Lulu B. (Bryant) Sheldon, both of Hebron. He also had several ancestors that were pioneers of southwest Porter County and southeast Lake County. It is these family connections that likely brought him to live and work briefly in Porter County. After leaving Porter County, it is known the Bryant maintained a photography studio in Shelby, Richland County, Ohio, from about 1893 to 1900.
William Cullen Bryant was born at Bucyrus, Crawford County, Indiana, on June 11, 1858, the son of Edmund Randolph Bryant and Mary Elizabeth (Miller) Bryant. He married Lulu Pierce Stansell on January 30, 1887, a union that resulted in the birth of at least one child, Beth Bryant Lones. Bryant died at Bucyrus on June 2, 1935, and his remains were interred in Bucyrus' Oakwood Cemetery.
Cameron, A. G.
A. G. Cameron specialized in portrait photographs in Valparaiso during the 1890s and he resided at 18 West Jefferson Street. Little is known of this photographer.
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Chapek, Dalibor Ralph
Dalibor Ralph Chapek, of Chicago, produced real photo postcards with Margaret Brooks imprinting them as Brooks Chapek Photo. The Indiana Dunes and Waverly Beach were the most common photographs produced by Brooks & Chapek.
Dalibor Ralph Chapek was born December 18, 1886, in Wisconsin, the son of Frank P. Chapek Theresia (Matoush) Chapek, and passed away in July 26, 1966, at Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida, and was buried in Fort Myers Cemetery on July 28.
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Childs, Charles Russell
Charles R. Childs was one of the most prominent photographers and postcard producers in the Chicago area, commercially active in the early 1900s through the 1950s. The majority of Childs' postcards provide historical documentation of life in communities located in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Childs would send his photographers out on the interurbans from his Chicago studio located at 5707 Lake Street to surrounding communities with instructions to capture saleable views. The postcard views were then mass produced and wholesaled to local merchants in the outlaying communities for retail sale.
Nearly all of Childs' photographs and postcards are marked as C. R. Childs or C. R. Childs Company. One of Childs' most impressive works was his "Duneland Camera Study" postcard series, which captured the natural scenery of the Indiana Dunes region. In Porter County, Childs captured scenes of the Indiana Dunes, Porter, Chesterton, Valparaiso, Hebron, Kouts, and Flint Lake. Given the breadth of coverage, the longevity of his business, and the fact that his company photographed both large and small communities, Childs was one of the few photographers to fully capture life in the Chicagoland area from 1900 to 1950.
Charles Russell Childs was born March 28, 1875, at Chicago, the son of John D. and Sophronia Olivia (Pinneo) Childs. On December 20, 1897, in Chicago he married Delia H. Hornburg. Charles passed away at Chicago on January 15, 1960, and was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chicago.
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Coddington, Elmer E.
Elmer E. Coddington specialized in portrait photographs. He resided at 110 East Jefferson Street, Valparaiso, and was active in the photography business during the 1890s before he moved to LaPorte, LaPorte County, Indiana, in 1897. At LaPorte, Elmer would own and operate a hardware store for 35 years.
Elmer E. Coddington was born January 6, 1862, near Abingdon, Knox County, Illinois, the son of John Coddington. He married Charlena Parkinson on March 15, 1883, at Hebron, Porter County, Indiana. Elmer passed away on September 27, 1938, at Fairview Hospital in LaPorte, and was interred at Door Village Cemetery in LaPorte County on September 29.
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Coleman, Viola Martella "Birdie V" (Simon)
A "Mrs. Bird Coleman" appears under the listing of photographers in the 1907 City Directory for Valparaiso operating from 17 Main Street. The 1905 edition of the directory does not list Bird as a photographer; however, she is listed as residing with her husband, J. E. Coleman, at 254 College Avenue in 1905. To date, no known works have been uncovered inscribed with a Coleman mark.
Note that George William Belting, Jerome F. Snyder, and George W. Webster were also operating operating their photography businesses at 17 Main Street at this time, suggesting a cooperative of photographers using the same studio space.
James and Bird Coleman are enumerated in the 1910 Federal Census living in Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado. James is listed as a forty-two year old native of Indiana and employed as a teamster for a lumber yard. His wife of seven years, Bird Coleman, is listed as a thirty-five year old native of Indiana; no occupation is indicated for Bird. The census record shows that Bird had given birth to two children, but both were deceased by 1910. One additional person is listed as living with James and Bird, Mae Simon. Mae is enumerated as James' sister-in-law and her occupation is listed as a photographer for a gallery. Mae is thirty years old and unmarried in this census record.
Viola Martella "Birdie V" Simon was born December 12, 1871, in Indiana, the daughter of Charles O. Simon and Josephine Mary (Adair) Simon. Birdie married James E. Coleman in Noble County, Indiana, on March 17, 1903, a year after she had graduated from Valparaiso University. They had one son, James Coleman, who was delivered stillborn on January 30, 1905, at Valparaiso. Birdie passed away in Denver County, Colorado, on April 18, 1922, at the age of fifty and her burial location is unknown.
Cook, Lloyd Lewis
Lloyd Lewis Cook established the L. L. Cook Company at Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, in 1921. The company would soon become one of the largest publishers of postcards in the United States. The vast majority of L. L. Cook Company's postcards were real photo postcards that were imprinted on the reverse with The L. L. Cook Co., Milwaukee. The company produced and sold numerous real photo postcards of Valparaiso locations, especially during the 1940s. In 1956, the company would purchase a major competitor, the E. C. Kropp Company, and continue publishing real photo postcards into the 1960s.
Lloyd Lewis Cook was born at Lake Mills, Jefferson County, Wisconsin, on June 24, 1887, the son of James Lewis Cook and Marguerite Katherine (Krippner) Cook. He married Jessie Edna Smith in 1912. Lloyd died on May 17, 1972, in Milwaukee and was buried at Rock Lake Cemetery in Lake Mills.
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Crose, Thomas Albert
Thomas A. Crose was a photographer of Lake County scenes who typically hand marked his photographs and postcards as Crose, Crose Photo Co., or Photo by Crose. Some of the highest quality photographs of the industrial development of northern Lake County were taken by Crose. Crose was one of a handful of photographers in Northwest Indiana that produced panoramic photographs. Crose also published photographs and postcards of Porter County locations, especially of the Kankakee River and Hebron areas.
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Decker, Joseph
Joseph Decker was a prolific publisher in Valparaiso during the early 1900s and was commonly referred to by county residents as "Little Joe Decker." Decker published city directories, photographs, and photograph books that promoted the community, educational opportunities, and businesses of Valparaiso. Decker's occupation was primarily in advertising, but he made prolific use of local photographs in his promotional materials.
Joseph Decker was born in 1854 in Germany. He migrated to Valparaiso from Germany in 1870 to work in Joseph Steinfield's retail store in the Academy of Music Block across from the county courthouse; Steinfield was Decker's uncle. Decker died at Valparaiso's Hotel Lembke at 4:30 pm on June 19, 1929. He was interred at Graceland Cemetery on June 23.
A "W. S. Dickinson" is first mentioned twice in the July 5, 1895, issue of the Chesterton Tribune as carrying out "artistic work in the photography line" in the Chesterton area. This individual was Walter G. Dickinson; note that the newspaper item published the wrong middle initial. No known works have been uncovered inscribed with a Dickinson mark.
Walter G. Dickinson was born November 7, 1865, in Westchester Township, Porter County, Indiana, the son of Joseph Dickinson and Alice (Pennington) Dickinson. Walter never married and died on August 5, 1905, at the same location where he was born. He is buried in Chesterton's St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery. Walter's death certificate documents his occupation as a photographer.
News item mentioning the photography work of Mr. Dickinson in Chesterton.
News item mentioning the photography work of W. S. Dickinson in Chesterton.
Charles. B. Diltz is briefly mentioned conducting photography work in the February 5, 1880, issue of the Porter County Vidette. Research has been unable to determine whether Diltz was a either a professional or amateur photographer. No known works have been found imprinted with the Diltz name.
work for customers located in Chesterton.
Source: Porter County Vidette, February 5, 1880.
Wilfrid J. Dorward operated a studio in Valparaiso at some time between 1903 and 1905. The exact location of Dorward's studio is unknown. One of Dorward's photographs has been positively dated as 1904. Dorward's work was imprinted with Dorward.
A news item published in the November 4, 1905, issue of The Chicago Daily Tribune concerns a police raid on "the largest plant in the United States for the production of vulgar photographs" located at 173 Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago and operated by Thomas Collier. More than "120,000 obscene photographs and negatives" were seized in the raid. Photographs were allegedly produced on Sundays at an abandoned gallery on the top floor of the building located at 95 Chicago Avenue in Chicago, with Collier being assisted by H. J. Dorward [should read W. J. Dorward] of Valparaiso, who was "known as the wooden legged photographer." Dorward would apparently travel to Chicago once a week to assist in shooting photographs for Collier. It is suspected that Dorward exited the photography business in Valparaiso soon after the Chicago raid.
Wilfrid Dorward can be found in a 1903 directory for Chicago. He is listed as "Dorward, Wilfred J photog 95 Chicago av." Dorward is also listed in the same directory under Photo Engravers in the business directory section, also located at 95 Chicago Avenue. This address is identical to the one in which the police raid took place. Records from the 1900 and 1910 Federal Census show that Wilfrid was residing at Caledonia Township, Columbia County, Wisconsin In the 1900 census his occupation is listed as "Artist," while he is listed as a "Photographer" in the 1910 census.
By 1920, Wilfrid Dorward was residing in Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington. The 1920 Federal Census records show that the 61 year old Dorward was living in Ward 5 of Tacoma with his 40 year old wife, Pauline.
Wilfrid J. Dorward was born March 14, 1858, in Saint Francis, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, the son of Bernard Isaac Durward and Theresa (Hillyard) Durward. At some point in time, Wilfrid would change the spelling of his name to Dorward. Wilfrid married Helga Pauline Viland. Dorward passed away on June 11, 1927, at Tacoma, and was buried at Durward Family Cemetery in Durwards Glen, Columbia County, Wisconsin.
production of immoral photographs in Chicago. Note
the column incorrectly provides the initials H. J.
Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, November 5, 1905.
Source: Find A Grave, Memorial No. 7731836.
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Dowdell, Lewis Edgar
Lewis Edgar Dowdell, who was referred to as Edgar, moved to Valparaiso with his parents when eight years old. He began employment as a printer with Edward Welty at the Valparaiso Vidette newspaper during the early 1890s. Dowdell would later work as a printer for newspapers published at Michigan City, Gary, and Hammond. He was employed for many years at Wade & Wise, a Valparaiso printing company located on College Hill. For a period of time, Dowdell was engaged in the advertising novelty business. Dowdell would occasionally write feature stories for The Vidette-Messenger newspaper.
It is unclear if Dowdell prepared his own photographs for printing or if he obtained them from other photographers. One postcard example is imprinted "DOWDELL, PRINTER, VALPARAISO IND."
Lewis Edgar Dowdell was born November 15, 1875, in Lawrenceburg, Dearborn County, Indiana, the son of William Henry Dowdell and Christina Margaret (Toph) Dowdell. On February 11, 1900, Edgar married Myrtle Bell Coulter, a union that resulted in two sons, Paul Lowell Dowdell and Merle Edgar Dowdell. Edgar passed away on April 15, 1930, at Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana, due to pneumonia and was interred in Valparaiso's Graceland Cemetery.
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Eckstein, Charles R.
Charles R. “C. R.” Eckstein is mentioned in the July 29, 1892, issue of The Tribune as a portrait artist “who has been here [Chesterton] for the past three months” and “has gone to Michigan City to remain for some time. During his stay in Chesterton he has made two hundred and twenty-eight pictures for people of this vicinity, and in every instances has given excellent satisfaction…. He tells us that he will probably return this fall, the remain several weeks.” Another news item concerning Eckstein appears in the October 21, 1892, issue of The Tribune. Collectively, this information suggests that Eckstein likely rented out a room, probably in one of the two local hotels, and worked as a traveling photographer. No examples of photographs containing Eckstein’s imprint are known to exist.
Between approximately 1900 and April 1907, Eckstein maintained a photography studio in Summitville, Madison County, Indiana. He then moved to Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, where he had been offered a position as a professional photographer.
Charles R. Eckstein was born in 1864 in Canada. Charles died on October 24, 1916, in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, when he, as a pedestrian, was hit by an automobile on Hamilton Street. The impact threw his body against a pile of bricks, knocking him unconscious, fracturing his skull, and breaking his collarbone; he died without regaining consciousness. He is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Bowling Green, Wood County, Ohio.
News item concerning business solicitation on
behalf of portrait artist C. R. Eckstein.
Source: The Tribune, October 21, 1892.
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Eikenberry, Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin Eikenberry operated the Star Studio on College Hill located on South Union Street, across the street from Commercial Hall in Valparaiso. Eikenberry operated this studio as early as 1889 in partnership with Joseph Marion Harkless; by 1890, the
studio partnership with Eikenberry had apparently dissolved as only Harkless
appears on photograph imprints. No examples of photographs solely containing Eikenberry's imprint are known to exist. Eikenberry's photographs were imprinted as HARKLESS & EIKENBERRY.
Benjamin Franklin Eikenberry appears in the 1890 and 1893 city directories for Valparaiso as B. F. Eikenberry and is listed as residing at 129 South Locust Street. According to a death notice, Eikenberry was a graduate of Valparaiso University and the Hahnemann Medical College in Chicago. He practiced medicine at Peru, Miami County, Indiana, for approximately 48 years.
Benjamin Franklin Eikenberry was born October 27, 1869, in Miami County, Indiana, the son of John B. Eikenberry and Nancy (Miller) Eikenberry. He married Effie Ellen Wilson in Cass County, Indiana, on September 20, 1899. Eikenberry passed away on October 23, 1943, at Peru as a result of prostate cancer and was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in that community.
Source: Find A Grave, Memorial No. 25174795.
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One sentence appears in the July 22, 1880, issue of the Porter County Vidette, under Hebron news, stating that E. Farley and his "photograph car" would soon be leaving Hebron. This information, though limited, suggests that Farley was a traveling commercial photographer who would temporarily establish a photograph studio in his wagon in various communities. No examples of E. Farley's work have been identified.
Fox, Harry J.
Harry J. Fox was one of the most prolific early photographers of Porter County. A graduate of the School of Photography located in Effingham, Effingham County, Illinois, he specialized in portrait photography, though he also took photographs of community events and locations of special interest. Fox opened his photography studio at 455 College Avenue in 1905, the same year he arrived in Valparaiso. Fox's photographs were typically imprinted with H. J. Fox or The Fox Studios. Fox retired from the photography business in 1958, after operating from the same location for 53 years.
During the mid 1910s, Hisgen operated The Studio in Valparaiso in partnership with John Walter Hisgen.
Harry J. Fox was born in Lebanon, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, on April 27, 1882, the son of John and Anna (Faber) Fox. Harry died on May 17, 1963, at Porter Memorial Hospital in Valparaiso. He is interred at Graceland Memorial Park in Valparaiso.
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Franklin, James
James Franklin is mentioned under Hebron news in the July 24, 1884, issue of the Porter County Vidette as being "prepared to take a picture of your residence." Attempts to identify Franklin have been fruitless and no examples have been uncovered of his work.
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Fuller
On July 12, 1852, the partnership of Osborn & Fuller advertised in the Practical Observer, a Valparaiso newspaper, that they were operating a Daguerreotype business in Valparaiso's Temperance Hall, which was located above John N. Skinner's store. Research has failed to determine the identity of Fuller, but it is speculated that Fuller and Osborn were traveling businessmen that set up shop across Indiana communities.
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Garrison, John Truman
A short notice appears under Thelma community news in the August 30, 1901, issue of The Chesterton Tribune stating that "John Garrison announces that he will take pictures three days of each week in the old Friday home." One example of Garrison's work has been identified, a photograph of teenagers wading in Flint Lake dated August 9, 1908, and is pencil inscribed on the reverse with John T. Garrison. Note that Thelma was an alternative name given to Suman in Porter County's Jackson Township.
The "old Friday home" was located in the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 28 in Jackson Township, slightly west of Suman. John Garrison is shown to own the property in the 1906 plat map of Jackson Township.
John Truman Garrison was born in the state of New York on February 16, 1859, the son of John V. Garrison and Ester G. (Fox) Garrison. He died on March 30, 1937, at the Christian Hospital in Valparaiso. John is interred at Dillingham Cemetery in Porter County's Liberty Township.
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Gooch, George A.
Public records indicate that George A. Gooch was a farmer and laborer. However, he may have operated a photography studio in Valparaiso from the mid-1920s till his death in 1936. One example of his Gooch's work has been identified and is imprinted with GEORGE A. GOOCH, VALPARAISO, IND. A news item appearing in the December 13, 1935, issue of The Vidette-Messenger mentions that Gooch was a "local photographer."
George A. Gooch was born in Maine on March 11, 1875; he married Emma B. Bessler on June 28, 1914, in Chicago. George died on September 27, 1936, at Valparaiso and was interred in the community's Graceland Cemetery.
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Haase, August Frederick
August Frederick Haase owned and operated a photography studio in the Frederick Building at Hobart, Lake County, Indiana, from about 1906 to October 1913. Haase would sell his Hobart photography studio to J. J. Naumann in October 1913 due to poor eyesight and took up employment as an assistant engineer in the operation of gas engines at a Gary steel mill. A World War I draft registration card completed for Haase on September 11, 1918, indicates that he was employed by the Illinois Steel company in Gary and residing at Miller. The 1922 city directory for Gary lists Haase's occupation as electrician.
While most of Haase's photographs were of sites located in Lake County, there are a few real photo postcard images of Woodville and Wheeler believed to have been created by him. Haase also formed a partnership with Adelbert Henry Reading from about 1902 to 1906. They would imprint their postcards with Reading & Haase Pub. It is believed that the Reading-Haase partnership was short-lived, with Reading later firmly establishing himself as a photographer in Valparaiso.
August Frederick Haase was born March 1, 1880, in Hobart, Lake County, Indiana. On March 2, 1904, in Lake County, Indiana, he united in marriage with Anna Mae Myers. The 1930 Federal Census reveals that August and his wife were living at 6721 Prairie Avenue in Chicago where August was employed as an electrician. The 1940 Federal Census places Frederick and his wife at 538 East 74th Street in Chicago; August's occupation is listed as a machinist for electrical construction. In February 1968, Haase passed away and his funeral took place on February 28 followed by his interment at Cedar Park Cemetery in Calumet Park, Cook County, Illinois.
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Harkless, Joseph Marion
A Valparaiso photographer, Joseph Marion Harkless operated the Star Studio on College Hill at 41 South Union Street, across the street from Commercial Hall; the studio operated in partnership with an individual named Eikenberry. By 1889, however, Harkless' partnership with Eikenberry had apparently dissolved as only Harkless appears on photograph imprints. Harkless typically marked his photographs with imprints of HARKLESS & EIKENBERRY and J. M. Harkless. Some Harkless photographs include the misspelled surname of Harkles (only one "s").
Harkless also had a photography studio in Chesterton during the 1890s and early 1900s. Harkless' Chesterton studio, located just north of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway tracks at 748 Valparaiso Street (present day Calumet Road), was still in operation as late as June 1903. Gustave Lawson may have purchased his business operation directly from Harkless. On June 21, 1903, Harkless opened a studio in Porter, while maintaining the operation of his Chesterton studio. Harkless' Porter studio may have been the former studio of Rudolph H. Keagy. Few Harkless photographs exist with a Chesterton imprint; no Harkless photographs have been found with a Porter imprint. Harkless would depart the Chesterton and Porter area for East Chicago, Lake County, Indiana, where he would operate a photography studio till the time of his death in July 1909.
Joseph Marion Harkless was born June 4, 1867, at Monroeville, Adams County, Indiana, the son of William Harkless and Barbara Ann (Bradley) Harkless. He married Emma Gaby at Albion, Noble County, Indiana. He would pass away around 3:00 pm on July 22, 1909, in the Calumet River at East Chicago, Lake County, Indiana, due to accidental drowning. Joseph's children reportedly attempted to save him, but were not successful in their efforts. He was buried on July 25, 1909, at Rose Hill Cemetery in Albion.
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Harris, Calvin Lynn
The 1910 Federal Census for Center Township, Porter County, Indiana, enumerates Lynn Harris as being a photographer with his own studio. Harris is listed as a 45 year old divorced male, born in Kansas, and residing at 108 Lincoln Avenue as a "roomer." No examples of Harris' work in Valparaiso have been found.
Prior to arriving in Valparaiso, Harris was operating a photography business at Council Grove, Morris County, Kansas. He may have departed Council Grove to study at Valparaiso University or Adelbert H. Reading's Valparaiso School of Photography. Newspaper records indicate that Harris was a partner in the photography business of Harris & Garrison in 1886, which was located in Parson, Labette County, Kansas.
Calvin Lynn Harris was married to Elizabeth S. Martin on February 18, 1886, in Labette County, Kansas.
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Hathaway, Clarence Hudson
Clarence Hudson Hathaway is believed to have operated a photography studio in Hebron in the very late 1890s and early 1900s. He advertised in the Porter County directory published by Bumstead in 1905. His advertisement reads "High Art Portrait Developing and Finishing for Amateurs. View works of all kinds. Photo supplies, Picture framing, Enlarging pictures and Button jewelry a specialty. Also make a specialty of children's pictures." Hathaway marked his photographs with the imprint of C. H. HATHAWAY.
Clarence Hudson Hathaway was born December 10, 1874, in Pulaski County, Indiana, the son of John C. Hathaway and Margaret (Conner) Hathaway. He married Etta May Reed on August 3, 1902, in Porter County. The 1910 Federal Census for Boone Township, Porter County, Indiana, suggests that Clarence had by then exited the photography business since his occupation is listed as "Painter" in the "House Painting" industry. Records from 1920 Federal Census reveal that Clarence and Etta were residing at Grayling, Crawford County, Michigan, where Clarence was employed as a "Car Inspector" in the "Railroad" industry. Clarence and Etta were still living in Grayling in 1930, but Clarence's occupation had reverted back to "Painter." Clarence died on February 4, 1949, at Cheboygan, Cheboygan County, Michigan, and was buried at Pine Hill Cemetery in Cheboygan.
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Hayes, Allen Ellsworth
Allen Ellsworth Hayes is believed to have been engaged in the photography business in Valparaiso for a very brief period during the late 1890s. His business operated under the name of Imperial Art Studio and was on the second floor of the building located at the northeast corner of Main Street [Lincolnway] and Lafayette Street. Hayes' photographs were typically imprinted with A. E. Hayes and Imperial Art Studio.
Allen Ellsworth Hayes was born on March 10, 1878, in Jasper County, Indiana, the son of William L. Hayes and Louisa (Goff) Hayes. Allen was living with his parents in Hebron, Porter County, Indiana, according to 1880 Federal Census records. On December 15, 1902, at Elk River, Sherburne County, Minnesota, Allen married Etta Louisa Whitcomb, whom he divorced prior to 1925. He would then marry Edith May Williams. Allen would remain in Minnesota for the remainder of his life where he was was a furrier. On July 8, 1968, Allen passed away at Lake Bronson, Kittson County, Minnesota, and he was interred at Lakeview Cemetery at Blackduck, Beltrami County, Minnesota.
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Hayward, Edwin J.
Edwin J. Hayward was a very early photographer located in Valparaiso where he operated a studio with his nephew Warren Henry Hayward. The Haywards sold their Valparaiso photography business to John W. McLellan in December 1873. Edwin may have separated from the photography business prior to 1870 as he is enumerated in the 1870 federal census as residing near Merrillville, Lake County, Indiana, where his occupation is listed as farmer.
Edwin J. Hayward was born January 6, 1837, in Woodstock, Oxford County Municipality, Ontario, Canada, the son of Charles Richard Hayward. Edwin married Amanda "Mandy" Melvina Pierce and they moved to Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, California, in 1875. Edwin appears in the 1880 federal census as a photographer living in Santa Barbara. Edwin passed away in the city of Santa Barbara on June 23, 1911, and was buried in the Santa Barbara Cemetery.
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Hayward, Warren Henry
Warren Henry Hayward was a very early photographer located in Valparaiso where he operated a studio with his uncle Edwin J. Wayward. The Haywards sold their Valparaiso photography business to John W. McLellan in December 1873. Warren Henry Hayward would remain in the photography business for the remainder of his life, operating studios at Crown Point and Lowell in Lake County, Indiana, for many years.
Warren Henry Hayward was born June 25,1852 in Indiana, the son of Henry Hayward and Martha (Cronkright) Hayward. Warren would marry Jessie Bliss in Lake County, Indiana, on May 10, 1876. He would pass away at the Wesleyan Hospital in Chicago on July 26, 1917, soon after an operation to remove gall stones, and was interred on July 29 at Maplewood Cemetery in Crown Point, Lake County, Indiana.
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Heggie, John Henry
John Henry Heggie produced Daguerreotypes during the early 1850s at Valparaiso. Little is known of his work and no examples of Heggie's work have been found to date. An advertisement appears in the September 29, 1853, issue of the Practical Observer, a Valparaiso newspaper, indicating that Heggie would be preparing Daguerreotype pictures at Spring & Brown on Main Street (Lincolnway) in Valparaiso.
John H. Heggie was born in 1834 in Michigan the son of Robert Heggie and Bathsheba (Robinson) Heggie. On August 14, 1856, he married Elizabeth A. "Betsy" Gates in Porter County, Indiana. Heggie apparently exited the photography business as he appears in the 1860 Federal Census for Porter Township as a farm laborer living in his father-in-law's (William Gates) household.
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Heward, Joseph Hammond
Joseph Hammond "Joe" Heward was a partner of the P. & H. Drug Store in Chesterton with Glen Lacy Phillips.
This drug store produced a series of real photo postcards in February
1921 of the New York Central and Michigan Central train wreck in Porter, Indiana. These real photo postcards, which were taken by Phillips, were imprinted with P. & H. DRUG STORE. The drug store also produced a series of postcards taken at Waverly Beach along Lake Michigan. In 1929, P. & H. Drug Store was dissolved and Heward would then open his own independent drug store in Chesterton called Heward's Drug Store.
Joseph Hammond Hayward was born at Grass Creek, Fulton County, Indiana, on June 28, 1894, the son of Wilson Heward and Aley (Hammond) Heward. He graduated from the University of Illinois with the degree of pharmaceutical chemist in 1917. He married Mary Antoinette Moore on March 8, 1921, in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. Joseph died on May 4, 1968, at Porter Memorial Hospital in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana, and was buried at Chesterton Cemetery on May 7.
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Hinea, Charles B.
Charles B. Hinea operated a photography business at Valparaiso in partnership with Bernhardt Schuldt; their business was located at 17 East Main Street [Lincolnway]. The business was in operation in from the early 1890s to about 1901. Charles' obituary indicates that he moved to Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, in 1898, where he opened a studio, which was where he worked for the remainder of his life. Photographs from this partnership were imprinted as Hinea and Schuldt and Hinea & Schuldt.
Contemporary advertising from 1892 suggests that Hinea also operated independently of Schuldt, having a studio located at 22 West Main Street in Valparaiso and imprinted these photographs as Hinea. Research has yet to conclusively determine whether Hinea's independent business existed before or after his partnership with Bernhardt Schuldt; evidence, however, hints that Hinea's independent business existed before the partnership.
Charles B. Hinea was born at Frederick, Frederick County, Maryland, on August 14, 1871, the son of Addison and Amanda (Routzehn) Hinea. He married Estelle Hiatt. Charles appears in the 1910 Federal Census records in Ward 4 for Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, where his occupation is noted as "Photographer" in the "Show Gallery" industry. Charles passed away at Lafayette on April 24, 1944, and his cremated remains were buried at Spring Vale Cemetery in Lafayette.
Joseph Kimmel Hineline operated a photographic studio using a portable tent. A newspaper item appearing in the September 10, 1874, issue of the Porter County Vidette mentions that Hineline had moved his photographic tent to the Flint Lake area. He apparently then removed to Hobart in Lake County, but sold his equipment in May or June of 1875 to return to Liberty Township. No examples of Hineline's photographs are known to exist. The 1880 Federal Census indicates that he was employed as a teamster in the Chesterton area.
Joseph K. Hineline was born October 13, 1853, in York Township, Noble County, Indiana, the son of William F. Hineline and Anna (Houser) Hineline. He married Mary Jane Bancroft on January 1, 1879, in Lockport, Will County, Illinois, a union that resulted in two children. Joseph passed away in Liberty Township, Porter County, Indiana, on April 13, 1909, and is buried in Chesterton Cemetery.
John Walter Hisgen was the proprietor of The Hisgen Studio that was located at 17 Lincolnway in Valparaiso and later at 301 Monroe Street. The Hisgen Studio is known to have existed from 1923 to 1938.
During the mid 1910s, Hisgen operated The Studio in Valparaiso in partnership with Harry J. Fox.
John Walter Hisgen was born in Kentucky on April 11, 1879, the son of Hugo Hisgen and Emma (Balsover) Hisgen. He married Lucy Ann Mundt. John died on October 3, 1938, in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana, and was interred at Graceland Memorial Park in Valparaiso on October 5.
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Hockett, Orange Judd
Orange Judd Hockett owned and operated a photography studio in Kouts. His business is listed in the 1902 city directory for Valparaiso. It is believed that Hockett had lived briefly in Kouts with his brother, Kouts physician Clarkson Pierce "Doc" Hockett. No examples of Hockett's work have been found.
Orange Judd Hockett was born in Grant County, Indiana, on July 18, 1878, the son of Henry Nordyke Hockett and Lavina (Hiatt) Hockett. The Federal Census of 1900 reveals that Orange was residing at Bryantown, Charles County, Maryland. Orange is enumerated as 21 years of age and born in Indiana; his occupation is listed as "Photographer." The 1920 Federal Census shows that Orange was residing in Union Township, Marshall County, Indiana, where he was engaged as a farmer. He married Eva Myrtle Wimpy on June 10, 1903; the marriage record notes Orange's occupation as "Photographer." Orange died on March 19, 1951, at Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, and was interred in Riverside Cemetery in that city.
Porter County Business Directory, 1902.
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Hoffman, William Gottlieb
William Gottlieb Hoffman was a postcard publisher located in Chicago. Research suggests that his business was active from 1912 and 1924. Hoffman produced real photo postcards of a few locations situated in Porter and Chesterton. Hoffman's work was imprinted with Wm G Hoffman, Pub. or an overlap of his initials, as shown in the example below.
William Gottlieb Hoffman was born April 17, 1879 at Chicago, the son of Anton Hoffman and Wilhelmina (Becker) Hoffman. He married Aurelia M. Tatge at Chicago on November 29, 1905. William died in February 1951 and was interred at Memorial Park Cemetery at Skokie, Cook County, Illinois.
Houser, George Elsworth
George Elsworth Houser was a resident of Chesterton when mentioned in the August 10, 1882, issue of the Porter County Vidette. George Houser appears in the 1880 Federal Census for Westville as a 17 year old whose occupation is "Works in Photo Gallery" who was living in the household of his "brother" Reuben Houser. The Housers may have been partners in the photography business.
A news item appearing in the November 8, 1883, issue of the Porter County Vidette mentions that "Mr. G. E. Houser, photographer of this place [Chesterton], has taken an interest in the McLellan gallery at Valpo, and will go there in short time. Mr. H. thoroughly understands the business, and is a gentleman we are pleased to recommend." By April 1884, however, Houser had moved to Silver Lake in Kosciusko County, Indiana, to engage in his own photography business.
No examples of Houser's work have been uncovered in the process of researching this index of photographers and it is unknown how long Houser operated his gallery in Chesterton.
George Elsworth Houser was born on May 18, 1864, the son of Benjamin Franklin Houser and Eliza Louisa Jane (Wright) Houser. George married Mary Katherine Bennett in Wabash County, Indiana, on November 26, 1898, and this union produced at least one son and two daughters. George passed away February 11, 1932, in Warsaw, Kosciusko County, Indiana, and he was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Warsaw.
Source: Porter County Vidette, August 10, 1882.
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Houser, Reuben Clarence
Reuben Clarence Houser was a resident of Westville in LaPorte County, Indiana. The April 22, 1882, issue of the Porter County Vidette briefly mentions in its Chesterton items that "Mr. Houser, of Westville, has started a photograph gallery here...." Houser appears in the 1880 Federal Census for Westville as a 28 year old "Photo Artist." George E. Houser, likely a relative of Reuben, was living in Reuben's household in this census enumeration. The Housers may have been partners in the photography business.
No examples of Houser's work have been uncovered in the process of researching this index of photographers and it is unknown how long Houser operated his gallery in Chesterton. However, a news item appearing in the April 22, 1886, issue of The Tribune mentions that Frank D. Hunt had purchased an interest in Houser's photograph gallery, located the "first door south of Schaper's jewelry store." This partnership operated under the name Houser and Hunt.
Reuben Clarence Houser was born in Ohio on March 9, 1851, the son of William C. Houser and Nancy E. (Mygrants) Houser. Reuben married Mary M. Chaney on July 10, 1875, in Montgomery, Hillsdale County, Michigan, and this union produced at least two daughters and one son. Reuben passed away in Seattle, King County, Washington, on February 14, 1929, and his remains were cremated.
a photograph gallery in Chesterton.
Source: Porter County Vidette, April 27, 1882.
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Hoyt, Clara A.
Clara A. Hoyt is enumerated in the 1910 Federal Census for Westchester Township, Porter County, Indiana, and her occupation is noted as "Photographer." Hoyt is listed as a 34 year old single female residing on Valparaiso Street [Calumet Road] in Chesterton. Clara's obituary notes that "In 1907 she came to Chesterton from Valparaiso to engage in photographic work...." The Hoyt Studio is mentioned in the October 7, 1909, issue of The Chesterton Tribune.; it is believed that this studio was located in what was known as the Swanson Building along present day North Calumet Road. It is presumed that she discontinued her photography business when she married in 1912.
Clara A. Hoyt was born April 10, 1876, at LaPorte City, Black Hawk County, Iowa, the daughter of James W. Hoyt and Ellen C. (Merrill) Hoyt. She married George R. Williams, a Chesterton attorney, on September 14, 1912. Clara passed away at 12:30 pm on March 10, 1927, at her home in Chesterton and was buried at Graceland Memorial Park in Valparaiso on March 13.
Clara was a photographer operating in Chesterton.
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Huckins, Percival "Percy" Lowe
Percival "Percy" Lowe Huckins was the proprietor of a publishing house located in Chicago. The company produced real photo postcards of locations throughout Porter County, though the majority of Huckins' photographs were of places situated in the northern one-half of the county. The company published other works as well, such as musical compositions and stationery. Huckins would produce large quantities of postcards that were then sold by retailers in Porter County. A large number of real photo postcards of the Indiana Dunes and Waverly Beach area were produced by Huckins. Huckins' postcards were imprinted with Made by P. L. HUCKINS.
Percival Lowe Huckins was born March 10, 1868, in Kansas, the son of Alonzo A. Huckins and Frances Harriet (Dunlap) Huckins. On September 23, 1907, Huckins married Ida C. Palmer in Lake County, Indiana. Huckins died on October 1, 1932, at 111 West Huron Street in Chicago and was buried at Mount Muncie Cemetery in Lansing, Leavenworth County, Kansas, on October 3.
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Hunt, Frank D.
Frank D. Hunt was a cabinet card photographer who located in Chesterton from Hartford, Van Buren County, Michigan, in April 1886 when he purchased an interest in Reuben Houser's photograph gallery. This partnership operated under the name Houser and Hunt.
It is believed that Hunt would eventually purchase the remainder of Houser's share of the business in August or September of 1886. Photographs of Hunt's work were imprinted with Hunt and F. D. Hunt. Hunt departed Chesterton in June 1892, selling his photographer business in Chesterton to a gentleman named George Philip Peters and establishing a mercantile business and residence at Watervliet, Berrien County, Michigan.
Frank D. Hunt was born at Covert Township, Berrien County, Michigan, on June 27, 1858, the son of John A. Hunt and Lucy Ann (Whitcomb) Hunt. He married Anna Estelle Bowe on October 18, 1883, in Berrien County. Hunt died on June 12, 1927, at Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, following an operation and was interred in Watervliet Cemetery on June 14.
F. D. Hunt purchases an interest in Houser's photograph gallery.
Source: The Tribune, April 22, 1886.
H. D. Hunt [Frank D. Hunt] to relocate in
Chesterton to operate photograph gallery.
Source: The Tribune, April 22, 1886.
Source: The Tribune, May 20, 1886.
Source: The Tribune, December 20, 1888.
Jackson, Marlin Francis
Marlin Francis Jackson was a cabinet card photographer located in Chesterton. Jackson, who had been residing in Huntington, Huntington County, Indiana, had purchased the photograph gallery of George Peters in October 1893 and began business in Chesterton as the Chesterton Photograph Gallery the following month. Jackson would depart Chesterton on October 10, 1894, and open a photograph gallery in Michigan City, LaPorte County, Indiana. Photographs of Jackson's work were imprinted with Jackson's.
Marlin Francis Jackson was born September 25, 1867, in Whitley County, Indiana, the son of Allen Price Jackson and Sarah (Mygrant) Jackson. He married Grace A. Way of Furnessville on June 5, 1892, in Porter County, Indiana. Jackson passed away on May 1, 1956, in Los Angeles County, California.
News item concerning the transfer of George Peter's
photography gallery in Chesterton to M. F. Jackson.
Source: The Tribune, November 3, 1893.
Marlin was a photographer operating in Chesterton.
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Johnston, Charles E. Allen
A short advertising item published in the February 1, 1906, issue of The Chesterton Tribune on behalf of the Lowentine department store in Valparaiso states "A chance to get a high grade portrait for 50c. Proif. Charles E. Allen Johnston of Chicago, will open a temporary studio at our store. For the first 10 days will make a portrait from any photo or tintype, size 16x20, or smaller for the small price of 50c. Or portraits in water colors for $1 extra." To date, no known works have been uncovered inscribed with Johnston's mark that originate from Porter County. Efforts to identify Johnston more fully have not been successful.
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Jones, Charles Francis
Charles F. Jones had a partnership with his neighbor John N. Sigler selling dry goods and groceries at a general store located at Wheeler. They also produced postcards under the name Sigler & Jones, which they presumably sold at their store. Photographs were largely centered on the area in and around Wheeler. Jones and Sigler would dissolve their general store business in 1912. Jones then moved to Valparaiso where he resided for the remainder of his life.
Charles Francis Jones was born September 22, 1846, in Chautauqua County, New York. He married Sophia Vader on October 8, 1869, at Boone, Boone County, Iowa. Jones died in Valparaiso on January 30, 1931, and is buried in that community at Graceland Memorial Park.
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Keagy, Rudolph Hayes
The April 26, 1901, issue of The Chesterton Tribune states that "Robert Keagy, a brother of the pastor of the Porter Congregational church is here and is fitting up the Carlson building for a photograph studio. He is said to be an expert photographer." The name of Robert provided in this news item is incorrect and should be Rudolph Hayes Keagy.
Little is known about Rudolph H. Keagy life in Porter County and no examples of his photographic work have been uncovered. Rudolph's brother, Franklin William Keagy, was the pastor of the Congregational Churches of Porter and Furnessville from 1900 to 1902; Franklin resigned his pastorate position at Porter and Furnessville on April 1, 1902, due to health reasons, but later in 1902 he assumed a pastoral position at the Congregational Church in Roseville, Warren County, Illinois.
Federal Census data from 1900 and 1910 show that Rudolph was residing in Stark County, Ohio. Both of these census enumerations list Keagy's occupation as "Photographer." Hence, it is likely that Rudolph followed his brother Franklin to Porter and left the community when Franklin moved to Illinois in 1902.
Rudolph Hayes Keagy was the son of Henry and Margaret E. (Moore) Keagy and was born July 30, 1877, in Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. He never married and died as a result of tuberculosis on June 22, 1923, in Massillon, Stark County, Ohio. Rudolph was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery in Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania, on June 25.
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King, J. H.
J. H. King is believed to have been a amateur photographer. Three examples of his work, all views of tornado damage in Kouts and Hebron produced in 1917, are known to exist. King's postcards were imprinted with J. H. KING and KING.
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Knapp, William Ashbelle
William Ashbelle Knapp was enumerated in the 1910 Federal Census for Center Township, Porter County, Indiana, as a 27 year old married male photographer. The census data indicates that Knapp operated his own business and that it was located on Main Street [Lincolnway] in Valparaiso. Knapp would die less than five months after being enumerated in the census on September 13, 1910, at Valparaiso.
William Ashbelle Knapp was born on May 26, 1882, in Indiana, the son of William H. and Hannah E. (Pumroy) Knapp. Knapp married Clara Belle Hickok on September 28, 1904. William is buried at Graceland Memorial Park in Valparaiso.
William was a photographer operating in Valparaiso.
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Koppelmann, H.
H. Koppelmann was the proprietor of the Imperial Gallery, which was located at 21 West Main Street in Valparaiso. Photographs from this studio were marked H. Koppelmann and IMPERIAL. The Imperial is listed in the city directory for Valparaiso in 1885.
Research into the identity of H. Koppelmann has been inconclusive, but it is believed that this individual may have been Herman Koppelmann. Herman appears in the 1880 Federal Census for New York City, and the 1910 and 1920 Federal Census records for Chicago. Census records indicate that Herman was born in Prussia (Germany) around 1862 and emigrated to the United States in 1878. All three census records indicate that Herman's occupation was "Photographer."
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LaMont
Two LaMont
photographs are known to exists, the subject matter of both being postcards of Waverly Beach at the Indiana Dunes. It is believed that these two postcards were created in the 1920s. LaMont's worked was imprinted as LA MONT PHOTO.
Research concerning LaMont has not been conclusive with regard to his or her identification.
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Lawson, Gustave Alfred
Gustave "Gus" Alfred Lawson owned a photography studio in Chesterton located at 748 Valparaiso Street, known today as Calumet Avenue. The exact years that Lawson was operating his studio is unknown, but it is known that he left Chesterton in July 11 to take a position in Gary, Indiana, with the Crose Photo company, owned by Thomas Albert Crose. On September 25, 1911, Lawson removed to Remington, Indiana, to take charge of the Brown Studio at that place.
Lawson apparently returned to Chesterton, however, since he is known to have produced photographs at his Chesterton studio as late as 1913. Lawson photographs were imprinted with LAWSON and PHOTO BY GUS LAWSON. Note that Joseph Marion Harkless operated a photography studio from the same location in the 1890s through 1900; it is possible that Lawson purchased business upon Harkless' death in 1909.
Gustave Alfred Lawson was born August 12, 1867, at Baillytown, Porter County, Indiana, the son of Anna Lawson. In 1889, he married Ida Charlotte Lindeen. Lawson died at Valparaiso on April 11, 1918, due to pneumonia. His death certificate indicates that he was buried at Porter Station Cemetery on April 15, which is likely is the Augsburg Lutheran Church Cemetery. No tombstone marks Lawson's burial location; his wife Ida's tombstone, however, is located within this cemetery.
the Crose Photo Company located in Gary, Indiana.
News item concerning Gust Lawson's departure to
Remington, Indiana, to take charge of the Brown Studio.
Source: The Chesterton Tribune, April 3, 1913.
Postcard produced by Gust Lawson in front of his studio located
on at 748 Valparaiso Street (present day North Calumet Road) just
north of the Lake Shore & Michigan South Railway tracks, 1912.
Source: Collection of Gordon D. Rogers.
photography studio located on North Calumet Road.
Source: Collection of Steven R. Shook.
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Leonhard, Leon
Leon M. Leonhard co-owned and operated the M-L Photo Company in
Chicago. M-L Photo Company, a partnership between Leonhard and Ismar Bismark Masure, was a very prolific publisher of real photo
postcards taken of locations throughout Illinois and Indiana. Nearly all
of the company's postcards were imprinted with either M.L. PHOTO or M-L Photo Co., obviously based on the surname initials of its business partners. The business was active and, presumably, profitable; the company had seven employees in 1913.
Bel-Park
Photo was later housed in the M.-L. Photo Company building located at
2837 Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago; note that prior to September 1, 1909,
this location's address was known as 2419 North Milwaukee Avenue.
Leon's partnership with Masure is
believed to have begun in 1907 and ceased in 1915 when Masure moved to
Whitehall, Muskegon County, Michigan, where he operated a photography studio and greenhouse. Prior to entering the photography business, Leonhard had been a professional barber. Leonhard would continue working as a photographer after his partnership with Masure dissolved. By 1920, however, his profession had changed to electrician.
Leon M. Leonhard was born at Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, on March 24, 1868, the son of William Leonhardt and Bertha (Corsten) Leonhardt. He married Alice E. Goth. Leonhard
died on February 1, 1938, at Chicago, and was
interred on February 4 at Irving Park Cemetery in Chicago.
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Lighty, Charles Almonzo
Two news items appear in the August 2, 1888, issue of The Tribune of Chesterton mentioning that the Lighty Brothers would be taking photographs at Hebron. Research suggests that the Lighty Brothers were Charles Almonzo Lighty and Lewis Edgar Lighty who were based out of White County, Indiana. The brothers were likely traveling photographers that provided their services to small towns that lacked a resident photography studio. Photographic examples of Lighty Brothers' work that took place in Porter County have not been found.
Charles Almonzo Lighty, the son of Henry Lighty and Sidney Jane (Black) Lighty, was born at Attica, Fountain County, Indiana, on May 7, 1858. Charles married Clara Virginia Keever, a union that resulted in the birth of five children. Charles passed away on July 11, 1935, at Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, and was interred in Evergreen Memorial Park in Tucson. Charles’ death notice mentions that “Mr. Lighty was a native of Indiana and for years followed the photography profession.”
News item concerning the Lighty Brothers
implying they are traveling photographers.
Source: The Tribune, August 2, 1888.
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Lighty, Lewis Edgar
Two news items appear in the August 2, 1888, issue of The Tribune of Chesterton mentioning that the Lighty Brothers would be taking photographs at Hebron. Research suggests that the Lighty Brothers were Charles Almonzo Lighty and Lewis Edgar Lighty who were based out of White County, Indiana. The brothers were likely traveling photographers that provided their services to small towns that lacked a resident photography studio. Photographic examples of Lighty Brothers' work that took place in Porter County have not been found.
Lewis Edgar Lighty, the son of Henry Lighty and Sidney Jane (Black) Lighty, in Fountain County, Indiana, on February 24, 1852. Lewis never married and passed away on July 3, 1929, at Tucson, Pima County, Arizona. He was interred in Evergreen Memorial Park in Tucson and shares a tombstone with his brother Charles. Lewis’ death notice mentions that “…occupation was that of a photographer.”
News item concerning the Lighty Brothers
implying they are traveling photographers.
Source: The Tribune, August 2, 1888.
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Lilienthal, Leopold
Leopold "Leo" Lilienthal produced high quality real photo postcards of Valparaiso locations between 1908 and 1913. Most of these real photo postcards were imprinted with L. LILIENTHAL, though some were imprinted with LILIENTHAL & SZOLD. Leo formed a retail business partnership in Valparaiso with his brother-in-law, Louis Szold, operating as the Lilienthal & Szold Department Store. For a period of time, Leo was the director of the Valparaiso Standards baseball team. Leo and his wife Minnie (Rosenak) Lilienthal would later move to Michigan City, LaPorte County, Indiana, where they opened a ladies' ready-to-wear retail store. Soon after the conclusion of WWII, Leo and Minnie would move to Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida.
Leopold Lilienthal was born in 1869 in Hungary and emigrated to the United States in 1898. Lilienthal married Minnie Rosenak in Chicago in 1897. He died on April 10, 1951, at Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida, and was buried at Mount Sinai Cemetery in Daytona Beach. Leo and Minnie were the parents of David Eli Lilienthal, who served as the director and later chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) from 1933 to 1946 and then served as the first chairman of the United States Atomic Energy Commission.
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Lytle
An individual with the surname of Lytle worked in partnership with Edmond Edway Wonser producing photographs from their business location at 20 Locust Street in Valparaiso. Several
individuals with the surname Lytle resided in Porter County at the time
the studio is believed to have been in business, circa 1895 to 1900, and research concerning
Lytle has yet to lead to a positive identification. Photographs produced
by this partnership were imprinted with Wonser & Lytle.
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Mandeville, Lewis H.
Lewis H. Mandeville was a prominent early photographer in Valparaiso. Mandeville operated a studio producing ambrotype photographs in the Empire Block on Main Street (Lincolnway) as early as 1860, and perhaps a few years earlier. By the mid-1860s, Mandeville had moved his studio to 14 North Washington Street. He resided at 22 West Chicago Street and later at 38 West Chicago Street, Valparaiso. Prior to arriving in Valparaiso Mandeville was a Daguerreian in Michigan. Mandeville imprinted all of his photographs with L. H. MANDEVILLE. Lewis was still producing photographs in Valparaiso as late as 1905.
Adelbert Henry Reading, another long-time Valparaiso photographer, claims in a booklet he published about Valparaiso in 1905 that "Capt. Lewis Mandeville, retired for these many years, was the first photographer west of New York to make 'paper pictures' in place of the daguerreotype."
Lewis H. Mandeville was born at Trumansburg, Tompkins County, New York, on January 15, 1823, the son of Thomas Clark Mandeville and Mercy (Gilbert) Mandeville. In 1838, Lewis migrated west to Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania, where he married Sara Jane Brown in 1850. Lewis and Sara then moved to Adrian, Lenawee County, Michigan, where Lewis farmed. They then moved to Tecumseh, Lenawee County, Michigan, where Lewis operated a hotel for about one year. The Mandevilles arrived in Valparaiso on May 5, 1855.
During the late 1850s, Mandeville was trained in photography at Chicago by Clark H. Lillibridge, a noted pioneer in daguerreotype, ambrotype, and ferrotype photography whose studio was located at 75 Lake Street. Lillibridge is reportedly one of the first photographers in the United States to use paper for producing photographic prints. Thus, Reading's declaration that Mandeville was "the first photographer west of New York" to utilize paper for the production of photographic prints is likely untrue, through Mandeville may have trained with the man that could make this claim.
Mandeville was well known as being very mechanically inclined and an inventor. His death notice states that he "is said to have invented the first grip car [railway cable car]. He built two or three miniature railways and two steamboats and is said to have brought the first sewing machine to Valparaiso. He invented a balance valve for steam engines and still later worked out a wonderful telephone model." Mandeville also constructed a unique portable darkroom that would allow him to produce photographs away from his gallery on Main Street in Valparaiso. He was also known to print photographs on the crystals of watches.
Lewis H. Mandeville died at Valparaiso on December 25, 1906, and was interred at Union Street Cemetery in Valparaiso.
Washington Street in 1866 (structure with stairwell).
establishment of a photograph gallery in Valparaiso.
Marshall, Wilfred G.
Wilfred G. Marshall owned and operated a photography studio located at 30 South Locust Street in Valparaiso. Marshall was a veteran of the Spanish-American War where he served in Company F of the 1st Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry.
Marshall appears in the 1900 Federal Census for Center Township, Porter County, Indiana.The census enumerates him as a student attending Valparaiso University, aged 22 years, and born in Illinois in June of 1877. It is believed that Marshall may have operated his Valparaiso business between 1902 to 1906. The 1910 Federal Census reveals that Wilfred was residing in Ward 2 of Racine, Racine County, Wisconsin were he was employed as a ticket agent for an interurban company.
Wilfred G. Marshall was born on June 24, 1877, in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, the son of Frederick Perry Marshall and Desdemona "Dessie" (Scott) Marshall. Between 1900 and 1903, Wilfred married Evelyn "Eva" M. Case. Eva may have been related to Jerome Increase Case, founder of the J. I. Case Threshing Machine Company of Racine, Wisconsin, which was later known as Case Corporation and then Case IH. Wilfred passed away in Racine, Wisconsin on April 13, 1977, and was interred in Mound Cemetery in that city.
Wilfred's obituary mentions that he was a "postal employe [sic] most of his working life" and that he "retired in 1943 and took up photography as his consuming interest in his remaining years."
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Masure, Ismar Bismark
Ismar Bismark Masure co-owned and operated the M-L Photo Company in
Chicago. M-L Photo Company, a partnership between Ismar and Leon Leonhard, was a very prolific publisher of real photo
postcards taken of locations throughout Illinois and Indiana. Nearly all
of the company's postcards were imprinted with either M.L. PHOTO or M-L Photo Co., obviously based on the surname initials of its business partners. The business was active and, presumably, profitable; the company had seven employees in 1913.
Bel-Park Photo was later housed in the M.-L. Photo Company building located at 2837 Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago; note that prior to September 1, 1909, this location's address was known as 2419 North Milwaukee Avenue. While Masure's business was located in Chicago, he lived in East Chicago, Lake County, Indiana, in 1909.
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Maxwell, John Franklin
John F. Maxwell was born at Saint George, Tucker County, West Virginia, on February 16, 1867, the son of Rufus Maxwell and Sarah Jane (Bonnefield) Maxwell. John would marry Iona V. Piper on July 31, 1894, at Osceola, Clarke County, Iowa. Soon after his marriage, Maxwell moved to Valparaiso and operated a photography studio for one year, 1895.
In 1896, Maxwell would move to Fresno, Fresno County, California, to open a photography studio in that city. He would partner with Achilles Colfax "A. C." Mudge, of Valparaiso, to form a business venture in Fresno in 1898 that they named Maxwell & Mudge. As of 2017, this photography studio continues operation in Fresno operating under the name of Maxwell Studio.
Maxwell would pass away on March 17, 1955, in Fresno County, California, and be interred Mountain View Cemetery in Fresno.
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McLellan, John Wesley
John Wesley McLellan operated a photographic studio in the Empire Block of East Main Street [Lincolnway] in Valparaiso. His earliest known work is from 1873. He is listed as a photographer in the city directory for Valparaiso in 1885. McLellan's photographs were imprinted with J. W. McLellan and J. W. McLELLAN.
John Wesley McLellan was born in LaPorte County, Indiana, on August 2, 1848, the son Joseph McLellan and Phidelia (Reed) McLellan. He attended high school at Westville in LaPorte County for two and one-half years and then enrolled and graduated from the State Normal School at Oswego, Oswego County, New York.
shooting, fishing, ranchmen, and business suits, 1889.
Charles A. McNay is an elusive photographer since his photographs failed to include his full name. Instead, his photographs were imprinted with BY H. & Mc. and H. & Mc.n. The only known Porter County related photographs by McNay are those taken on July 4, 1910, which are mentioned in an article published on October 24, 1938, in The Vidette-Messenger:
On July 4, 1910, the late Charles McNay, former Valparaiso resident, while visiting here, took a picture of the first [interurban] car operated from Valparaiso to Flint Lake. Mr. McNay was a photographer. A large number of postcards were printed from his photographs.Interestingly, when the last interurban car operated on the same Valparaiso line in 1938, Charles' brother Mark McNay took photographs of that event while visiting from Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. Mark McNay is noted as being the first rural mail carrier out of the Valparaiso post office when rural mail service was established in 1898.
Born in Indiana in 1853, most likely in LaPorte County, Charles A. McNay was the son of Robert McNay and Martha S. (Collins) McNay; the McNay family was residing in Valparaiso in 1860. In the 1870 Federal Census, Charles is enumerated as living with his uncle, John McNay, and working as a farm laborer in Cedar Creek Township, Lake County, Indiana.
Charles is enumerated with a wife, Caroline "Carrie" M. McNay, in the 1910 Federal Census of Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin. He is listed with an occupation of photographer and had his own shop. A 1925 city directory for Madison indicates that Charles was still occupied as a photographer, his business being located at 227 Atwood Avenue and his home at 444 Clemons Avenue.
Charles died on November 18, 1933 at his sister's home located at 1939 West 48th Street in Kansas City, Missouri. His death notice published in the November 19 issue of The Kansas City Star states that he was "a retired photographer."
The identification of the individual with the initial "H" imprinted with "Mc" on McNay's images is unknown, but may be George W. Hoffman who is listed as a Madison photographer in a 1911 business directory of Wisconsin.
Mead, Willis
Willis Mead is
enumerated in the 1900 Federal Census for Center Township, Porter
County, Indiana, where his occupation is listed as "Photographer." At the time of this census, Mead was residing at 41 South College Avenue in Valparaiso. Mead may have been an employee for one of the photography studios
operating in Valparaiso at that time. No examples of Mead's photographic work have yet been found.
Willis Mead was born in Indiana in November 1875, the son of Martin Mead and Mahala (Yager) Mead. Additional effort in researching Mead's life has been fruitless.
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Millikin, V.
A Miss V. Millikin is listed as a photographer located at 457 College Hill in Valparaiso in the Porter County directory of 1905. Millikin may have been a student at Valparaiso University and conducted a photography studio while studying at the institution.
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Moorman, E. W.
The February 25, 1886, issue of The Tribune, published in Chesterton, includes an advertisement placed by E. W. Moorman for portrait photography orders and reprints of existing photographs. The advertisement also indicates that Moorman was affiliated with the Imperial Gallery in Valparaiso. Efforts have been unsuccessful in identifying E. W. Moorman.
Advertisement for E. W. Moorman of the Imperial Gallery in Valparaiso.
Source: The Tribune, February 25, 1886.
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Morton
Morton was a Daguerreotypist who worked in partnership with a man named W. L. Stark. Morton and Stark are believed to have been traveling photographers who would establish themselves for brief periods in various communities and then move to another to continue to their business. It is known that they were operating in Lake County and Porter County during the middle months of 1854. Efforts to identify of Morton and Stark have been fruitless. No known examples of their Daguerreotypes have been uncovered.
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Moses, Charles Francis
One photograph and one postcard are known to exist that are imprinted with C. F. Moses, a photographer in Valparaiso, Indiana. It is strongly believed, but not confirmed, that this individual is Charles Francis Moses. Dating of the images suggests that Moses was producing photographs in Valparaiso between 1908 to 1912.
Charles Francis Moses, a son of Emanuel B. Moses and Laura C. (Smiley) Moses, was a native of Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas, and born on June 6, 1888. He married Teresa Jane Burns at Kankakee County, Illinois, on September 21, 1910. An Indiana State Board of Health Certificate of Birth issued for Ancel Moses on October 12, 1912, indicates that Charles and Theresa were residing at 455 College Avenue in Valparaiso; the certificate notes Charles' occupation as telegraph operator. Charles passed away on July 2, 1972, at Deshler, Henry County, Ohio, and was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in Deshler.
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Mudge, Achilles Colfax
Achilles Colfax "A. C." Mudge managed his brother Marion's photography studio located in Valparaiso during the 1890s. A column published in February 1897 in Wilson's Photographic Magazine, a trade publication, states "Mr. A. C. Mudge, who has had several years' practical experience in the management of his brother's gallery at Valparaiso, Ind., desires a position where his capabilities will find appreciation."
In 1898, A. C. Mudge would form a business partnership with John Franklin Maxwell they named Maxwell & Mudge in Fresno, Fresno County, California. As of 2017, this photography studio is still in operation in Fresno operating under the name of Maxwell Studio.
A. C. Mudge was born in Pipestone Township, Berrien County, Michigan, on May 27, 1868, the son of Andrew Mudge and Lucinda (Cross) Mudge. He was the brother of two other Valparaiso photographers, Elsworth Linias Mudge and Marion M. Mudge. He married Minnie M. Fellows at Grant, Newaygo County, Michigan, on May 20, 1891. A. C. died on January 8, 1963, at Fresno, Fresno County, California, and was interred at Mountain View Cemetery in Fresno.
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Mudge, Elsworth Linias
Elsworth Linias "E. Lynn" Mudge was a photographer in Valparaiso, likely working in partnership with his brother, Achilles Colfax "A. C." Mudge. He is listed as L. E. Mudge in the 1893 Valparaiso City Directory. Mudge was residing at 13 East Main Street [Lincolnway] in Valparaiso.
Elsworth Linias Mudge was born March 1, 1873, in Newaygo County, Michigan, the son of Andrew Mudge and Lucinda (Cross) Mudge. He would marry Tressie Bigelow. He was the brother of two other Valparaiso photographers, Achilles Colfax Mudge and Marion M. Mudge. He died at Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee, on August 21, 1921.
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Mudge, Marion M.
Marion M. "M. M." Mudge was the proprietor of a photography studio in Valparaiso from 1886 to 1937. Mudge typically marked his photographs M. M. Mudge and M. M. MUDGE. Mudge's studio was located at 59 West Main Street [Lincolnway] in the Empire Block. Contemporary newspaper information implies that Marion M. Mudge began his photography career in Valparaiso in late 1882 or early 1883 as an employee of John W. McLellan.
Marion M. Mudge was born February 10, 1859, at Grattan, Kent County, Michigan, the son of Andrew Mudge and Lucinda (Cross) Mudge. He would marry Helen Spalding. He was the brother of two other Valparaiso photographers, Achilles Colfax Mudge and Elsworth Linias Mudge. Marion passed away at Dayton Beach, Volusia County, Florida, on November 23, 1950, and was buried at Union Street Cemetery in Valparaiso.
Nelson
Numerous real photo postcards taken circa 1910 at or near the vicinity of the Kankakee River in Porter County and Jasper County are imprinted with NELSON. It is possible that these postcards were produced by Roy Elmer Nelson.
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Nelson, Roy Elmer
Roy Elmer Nelson appears in the 1910 Federal Census for Westchester Township, Porter County, Indiana, as Roy Nelson, a 19 year old single male photographer with his own business. At the time of the census, Roy was living with his divorced mother, Helena F. Nelson, on Valparaiso Street [Calumet Avenue], where she was running a news stand and candy store. Nelson purchased the Chesterton Photograph Gallery from Lulu Seymour in July 1909. This business was located immediately north of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway tracks on the east side of present day North Calumet Road. Nelson imprinted his work with Photo By R. E. Nelson.
Roy Elmer Nelson was born December 11, 1890, at Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, the son of Claus T. Nelson and Helena E. (Florence) Nelson. He would marry Anna Anderson in Porter County on August 28, 1918. Roy passed away at the age of 27 on January 29, 1918, at Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana, a victim of the influenza pandemic of 1918.
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Nickel, Arthur E.
Arthur E. Nickel owned a drug store in Chesterton that sold postcards featuring views of the surrounding community, such as schools, street scenes, and mineral springs. It is uncertain as to whether Nickel produced the photographs or merely purchased photographs and published them as postcards to be sold at his retail establishment. Postcard photographs published by Nickels have been found with postmarks dating as early as 1907 and as late as 1913. The postcards are imprinted with Arthur E. Nickel, Publisher.
Arthur E. Nickel was born at Chicago on February 7, 1883, the son of Charles "Karl" Nickel and Louise (Gutperlet) Nickel. At the age of 16, Arthur began to the learn the trade of druggist. He would then graduate from the Valparaiso University School of Pharmacy. He married Amanda Graubman on June 10, 1905, and soon after the marriage Arthur and Amanda would open their first drug store in Chesterton in the former Eschenbach restaurant building. In 1914, Nickel would have a new drug store built at the corner of Third Street and Broadway Avenue. The drug store was operating as late as September 1955. Nickel passed away on July 8, 1959, at Porter Memorial Hospital in Valparaiso and was interred at Chesterton Cemetery on July 11.
Jonas W. Oldfather was a traveling Daguerrian who would establish a temporary gallery in small communities throughout Northern Indiana. He would later transition to photography as consumer demand faded for Daguerreotypes images. Efforts to identify examples of Daguerreotypes and photographs produced by Oldfather have not been successful.
gallery of J. W. Oldfather at Hebron.
On July 12, 1852, the partnership of Osborn & Fuller advertised in the Practical Observer, a Valparaiso newspaper, that they were operating a Daguerreotype business in Valparaiso's Temperance Hall, which was located above John N. Skinner's store. Research has failed to determine the identity of Osborn, but it is speculated that Fuller and Osborn were traveling businessmen that set up shop across Indiana communities.
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Ottnat
A photograph likely taken in the 1880s or early 1890s in imprinted with BROWN & OTTNAT, located on College Hill. The Brown in this partnership is believed to be Henry A. W. Brown.
Research has not positively identified Ottnat. However, it is possible that this individual is Mrs. May D. Ottnat. May advertised in Oregon newspapers in 1890 as an artist producing life size crayon portraits using "any photograph, tintype, or daguerreotype." Her advertisements state that orders should be directed "to Mrs. May D. Ottnat, 191 Center street, Chicago, Ill., formerly of San Francisco, Cal." It is possible that May D. Ottnat formed a business partnership with Brown providing crayon drawn renderings of Brown's photographic work.
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Peters, George Philip
George Philip Peters was a cabinet card photographer who located in Chesterton at some point in time between June and September 1892 after purchasing the photography studio of Frank D. Hunt, which was located along the east side of present day North Calumet Avenue immediately north of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway tracks. It is believed that Peters' studio may have been named the Chesterton Photograph Gallery. Photographs of Peters' work were imprinted with Peters.
According to a newspaper report published in The Tribune on September 15, 1893, Peters intended to cease operating his photography gallery in Chesterton on October 15, 1893. The November 3, 1893, issue of The Tribune, however, indicates that Peter's closed his photography gallery in Chesterton on October 28, 1893, and that after some remodeling of Peter's former gallery it would be "occupied by Mr. M. F. Jackson, of Huntington, Ind." The December 8, 1893, issue of The Tribune reported that Peters had "secured a lucrative position as clerk in a large grocery establishment in Hammond, his old home."
George Philip Peters was born in Illinois on May 15, 1873, the son of Methodist Episcopal minister August Peters and Fredericks (Schultz) Peters. George married Aid P. Bunnell in Cass County, Indiana, on February 18, 1914; Aida is believed to have been a divorcee when she married George, being previously married to Charles H. Nichols. George died within one month of his marriage to Aida on March 7, 1914, at St. Joseph Hospital in Eel Township, Cass County, Indiana. His remains were interred in Forest Home Cemetery located in Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois.
News item indicating that Frank D. Hunt's business
was now occupied by Photographer Peters.
Source: The Tribune, September 16, 1892.
Newspaper mention of the Chesterton Photograph Gallery
published during same period George Philip Peters was identified
by the same newspaper as a new photographer in Chesterton.
News item indicating that George Peters would be closing
his photograph gallery in Chesterton on October 15, 1893.
Source: The Tribune, November 3, 1893.
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Philley, Vernon Lanford
Vernon Lanford Philley is enumerated in the 1900 Federal Census for Center Township, Porter County, Indiana, where his occupation is listed as "Photographer." One example of Philley's photographic work has been found and is imprinted with VERNON L. PHILLEY, PHOTOGRAPHER, VALPARAISO, IND. From 1947 till his death in 1964, Vernon was the president of Philley Manufacturing Company, Inc., located at 5 Lafayette Avenue in Valparaiso; this company manufactured aprons.
Vernon Lanford Philley was born at Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana, on March 10, 1881, the son of William H. Philley and Flora Ada (Smith) Philley. He married Mildred M. Archer on June 26, 1918, at DeKalb, DeKalb County, Illinois. Philley passed away at his home located at 1202 Forest Park Avenue in Valparaiso on June 20, 1964, and was interred in Graceland Memorial Park in Valparaiso on June 23.
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Phillips
One Porter County example, a photograph of the Christian Church at Boone Grove, is known to have been taken by a photographer named Phillips who operated a studio at 3986 Vincennes Avenue in Chicago. The photograph is imprinted with the stamp mark PHILLIPS, PHOTOGRAPHER, 3986 VINCENNES AVE, CHICAGO.
Taken together, the 1900 and 1910 Federal Census records suggest that the photographer was John C. Phillips. Born in July 1845, the son of Phinehas Phillips and Susanna (Hudkins) Phillips, John married Mary A. Apt in 1871. John served as auditor of Fulton County, Indiana. Phillips died on October 29, 1903, at Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana, and was interred at the Rochester I.O.O.F. Cemetery on October 31.
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Phillips, Glen Lacy
Glen Lacy Phillips was a partner of the P. & H. Drug Store in Chesterton with Joseph "Joe" Hammond Heward.
This drug store produced a series of real photo postcards in February
1921 of the New York Central and Michigan Central train wreck in Porter, Indiana. These real photo postcards, which were taken by Phillips, were imprinted with P. & H. DRUG STORE. The drug store also produced a series of postcards taken at Waverly Beach along Lake Michigan. In 1929, P. & H. Drug Store was dissolved, and Phillips would then
open his own independent drug store in Chesterton called Phillip's Drug
Store.
Glen Lacy Phillips was born May 10, 1890, at Frankfort, Clinton County, Indiana, the son of Harry Cyrus Edward Phillips and Nancy Catherine (Daniel) Phillips. After working at a Hook's Drug Store in Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, he arrived at Chesterton around 1920 to open a drug store. He married Ethel May Props at Hillsdale, Hillsdale County, Michigan, on June 22, 1913. Glen died on November 8, 1934, at Chesterton and was buried
at Chesterton Cemetery on November 11.
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Poe, J. M.
J. M. Poe was a Daguerreotype photographer that partnered with A. S. Brewer as a traveling photographer. An advertisement for Brewer and Poe
appeared in the January 12, 1854, issue of the Practical Observer,
a Valparaiso newspaper, alerting subscribers that they would be
producing photographs locally at the American Eagle House in Valparaiso.
Little is known concerning the identity of Poe, and examples of his
work have not been found.
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Portmess, Jacob E.
Jacob E. Portmess was the proprietor of the Imperial Studio. It is believed, though unverified, that Portmess sold his business to Allen Ellsworth Hayes around the mid 1890s and Hayes renamed it the Imperial Art Studio. The Federal Census for 1870 shows that Jacob Portmess was residing in Clay County, Illinois, where his profession is listed as "Artist."
By February 1877, Portmess was residing at Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana, where he was the proprietor of the Centennial Photograph Gallery; the 1880 Federal Census for Plymouth indicates his occupation as "Photographer." A short news item published on March 6, 1886, in The Bremen Enquirer of Marshall County, Indiana, states that "J. E. Portmess is now carrying on the photograph business since Mr. Brown left." Another news item in the same newspaper published on September 22, 1888, reports that "J. E. Portmess intends to move to Hobart, Ind., in a couple of weeks." Collectively, evidence suggests that Portmess moved to Hobart in late 1888 and soon after established the Imperial Studio at nearby Valparaiso.
Jacob E. Portmess was born at Spring Gap Mountain, Hampshire County, Virginia (now West Virginia) on December 6, 1834, the son of John Portmess and Ruth (Easter) Portmess. He married Frances Anna Griffith on February 12, 1874, at Angola, Steuben County, Indiana. Portmess died on May 27, 1917, at Hobart, Lake County, Indiana, as a result of heart disease and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Hobart. Portmess was earning a living as a painter at the time of his death, most likely as an artist.
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Reading, Adelbert Henry
Adelbert Henry Reading owned and operated the Valparaiso School of Photography
at 13 Main Street [Lincolnway], where he taught photographic techniques
and sold photography supplies. The photography school was established
in 1902. Reading was likely Valparaiso's most prolific
photographer during the early 1900s. Beginning in September 1909, Reading established a satellite branch of his photography business in Chesterton.
In the city directory for
Valparaiso published in 1902, Reading advertised that photographs
ranging in sizes from "Locket to 25x30 inches" could be produced at his
studio. He also advertised that his studio had "The largest Camera in
the state." Reading's school was still operating as late as 1928, and
his studio continued producing photographs in 1939. Reading also briefly maintained a photography studio at Knox, Starke County, Indiana. Reading typically imprinted his photographs with A. H. Reading, A. H. Reading Studio, or simply Reading.
Reading also participated in the production of motion pictures. Newspaper account indicate that he produced a film of a parade that took place in Valparaiso. He also produced a film titled Birth of Gary in 1917, which premiered at Gary's Cosmo Theatre on December 5, 1917. Portions of this motion picture were filmed in Porter County's East Gary [now Portage]. It is believed that none of Reading's motion pictures exist.
Adelbert
Henry Reading was born May 26, 1872, at Crown Point, Lake County,
Indiana, the son of Byron Edwin Reading and Anna Margaret (Spaulding)
Reading. He died on December 15, 1955, at Safety Harbor, Pinellas
County, Florida.
Birth of Gary, which was filmed by Adelbert H. Reading.
Source: The Lake County Times, November 10, 1917.
Birth of Gary, which was filmed by Adelbert H. Reading.
Source: The Lake County Times, December 4, 1917.
Source: Bumstead and Company, 1905.
Source: St. Louis and Canadian Photographer, 1903.
Valparaiso School of Photography [1]
and Snyder's Studio [2] on Main Street
in Valparaiso, Indiana, circa 1909.
Source: Collection of Steven R. Shook.
Source: Bumstead's Valparaiso City and
Porter County Business Directory, 1905.
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Record, J. F.
J. F. Record was the proprietor of the University Studio located 65 College Avenue in Valparaiso; the address of the studio was later at 557 College Avenue. It is known that the University Studio was in business during 1898 through 1915, but whether it was operating before and after these dates is unknown. The studio catered to university clientele.
Research attempting to identify J. F. Record has been unsuccessful, but the name has been found to also appear as F. J. Record. It is possible that Record relocated his business in Wenona, LaSalle County, Illinois, in 1917.
Source: Valparaiso Railroad and General Information Guide, 1914. [p. 37]
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Sansone, Charles
Chicago photographer Charles Sansone established a studio and gallery at Kouts in February 1906; it is unknown how long he operated his business in the community. A search for Sansone's work and family information has yielded no results.
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Schuldt, Bernhardt
Bernhardt Schuldt operated a photography business at Valparaiso in partnership with Charles B. Hinea, their business being located at 17 East Main Street [Lincolnway].
The business was in operation in from the early 1890s to about 1901.
Photographs from this partnership were imprinted as Hinea and Schuldt and Hinea & Schuldt.
Bernhardt Schuldt was born May 21, 1874, in Valparaiso, the son of Peter Schuldt and Phoebe (Rathjens) Schuldt. Bernhardt passed away at Porter Memorial Hospital in Valparaiso on February 2, 1949, and was interred at Maplewood Cemetery in Valparaiso on February 5. Bernhardt's obituary mentions that "For many years he was engaged in the photography business in Valparaiso and Chicago. Later he took up railroad work and was employed in the offices of the EJ&E railroad in Gary, retiring June 30, 1939."
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Schumann, Anthony Jacob
Anthony Jacob "A. J." Schumann was a manufacturer of real photo postcards in Chicago. He produced several real photo postcards of communities located along Lake Michigan in Indiana, including Chesterton and Porter. Schumann imprinted his postcard with A. J. SCHUMANN and A. J. SCHUMANN, MAKER. The 1910 Federal Census for Ward 7 in Chicago enumerates Schumann as a 31 year old "Proprietor" in the "Photographer Card Mfg." industry. His photo finishing shop was located at 389 George Street in New Brunswick and it operated under the name of Schumann Photo Company, Inc.
Schumann had moved to New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey, on March 1, 1919. According to 1940 Federal Census records, 61 year old Schumann was residing at North Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey, where his occupation is listed as "Photographer" in the "Photo Finishing" industry.
Anthony Jacob Schumann was born August 14, 1878, in New York. He married Anna A. Sabin, a union that resulted in at least one child. Schumann would retire from his photography business around 1953 and moved to 16201 Redington Drive in Redington Beach, Pinellas County, Florida. He died on April 6, 1959, at hospital located in St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida.
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Scofield, Herbert Dudley
Herbert Dudley Scofield was the proprietor of a general store located at Crisman, Porter County, Indiana, which he opened in 1892. The store also served as the Crisman post office. Scofield's real photo postcards were predominantly focused on locations in Portage Township in Porter County, Indiana, and he imprinted his images with Pub By H. D. Scofield. It is believed that Scofield produced the postcards to sell at his retail establishment.
Herbert Dudley Scofield was born February 22, 1860, in Cook County, Illinois, the son of John Henry Scofield and Emma (Montrose) Scofield. He married Augusta Matilda "Mattie" Humphrey on May 30, 1883. Herbert died on July 20, 1928, at Crisman, Porter County, Indiana, and was buried at McCool Cemetery in Portage, Portage Township, Indiana, on July 22.
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Scott, William M.
William M. Scott advertised in Valparaiso's Practical Observer newspaper in 1855 that he would be taking photographs at Valparaiso for "a few weeks" using Bryin's Splendid Sky-Light Daguerrean Car. A Daguerrean car was an elongated wagon that appeared similar to a short railroad boxcar with a barrel-type roof. At one end of the car would be square skylight cut into the roof.
Daguerrean cars were rather rare since traveling photographers could easily rent space in local retail establishments rather than investing in a photography studio housed in a portable wagon. An estimate of the cost of purchasing and outfitting a Daguerrean car is approximately $12,000 in 2020 dollars given contemporary information concerning the sale of such cars in the mid-1850s.
William M. Scott was born in Michigan in 1837. He operated the Excelsior Daguerreian Gallery over Vail's Jewelry Store in LaPorte, LaPorte County, Indiana from 1853 to 1861. It is believed that Scott continued operating a studio at LaPorte possibly as late as 1880. George D. Thomas would later purchase Scott's business. Scott married Helen L. Leonard and died of heart failure on February 23, 1901, in LaPorte. He is buried in Patton Cemetery in LaPorte.
Bryin's Splendid Sky-Light Daguerrean Car at Valparaiso, 1855.
Source: Practical Observer, July 27, 1855.
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Seymour, Louise "Lulu" (Mackey)
The May 27, 1904, issue of The Chesterton Tribune includes a small news item mentioning that:
Miss Lulu Seymour, who has been employed in some of the leading photograph studios of Michigan City and Laporte for the past two years, is now employed at the Chesterton photograph gallery.
The "Chesterton photograph gallery" mentioned in the news item was likely the studio owned by Joseph Marion Harkless. Chesterton merchant Arthur E. Nickel produced several postcard scenes taken in the Chesterton and Porter area. Some of these postcards are imprinted with Photo by Semour, who was likely Lulu Seymour.
Seymour eventually came to own the Chesterton Photograph Gallery, which she purchased from Harkless. She would later sell the business to Roy Nelson in July 1909 due to health issues she was experiencing at the time.
Louise "Lulu" Seymour appears in both the 1900 and 1910 Federal Census enumerations for LaPorte, LaPorte County, Indiana, which suggests that she would travel to and from Chesterton by rail to work in Chesterton. The census data indicates that she was residing in LaPorte with her husband, Grant Seymour, who was employed as a moulder at the LaPorte Bicycle Works.
Louise "Lulu" (Mackey) Seymour was born December 1851 in Wisconsin. She married Grant Seymour on April 18, 1881, at New Buffalo, Berrien County, Michigan. Lulu passed away on October 20, 1919, at her home in LaPorte and was interred in Patton Cemetery in that community. Note that in some genealogical records that Seymour appears as Lucy.
News item concerning the health of Miss Lulu Seymour,
manager of the Chesterton Photograph Gallery.
Source: The Chesterton Tribune, July 15, 1909.
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Shook, Arthur Waite
Arthur Waite Shook produced photographs and real photo postcards for a very short period of time at Chesterton, perhaps for three years. Shook marked his photographs as SHOOK PHOTO and SHOOK. The only examples of Shook's work are dated 1914 and 1915. The September 10, 1914, and May 6, 1915, issues of the Chesterton Tribune include advertisements for this photographer.
Shook completed a military draft registration card on March 9, 1918. The card indicates that his residence was at 1312 Polk Street in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, and that he had already been serving as a private in the United States Army's 129 Ordnance Company for ten months prior to the completion of the card. Collectively, this information suggests that Shook was serving in the United States military by at least April 1917.
According to 1920 Federal Census records, Arthur was residing at Connersville, Fayette County, Indiana, where he is listed as a 29 year old whose occupation is "Photographer." Around 1945, Shook would move to Kissimmee, Osceola County, Florida, where he was the proprietor of the Shook Photo Shop till his death in 1964.
Arthur Waite Shook was born March 29, 1890, in Ridgeway, Logan County, Ohio, the son of Lee Shook and Roxie (Baker) Shook. He married Edith Lillian Cotton on November 20, 1919, in Spencer County, Indiana, whom he divorced in 1922. He would marry a second time to Clara May (Fread) Lingg on December 6, 1926, at Butler County, Ohio; the marriage license indicating his occupation as being a photographer. Arthur and Clara would divorce prior to 1930. During the 1940s, Arthur served as a deputy sheriff in Osceola County, Florida. Arthur passed away on September 8, 1964, and was interred at Rose Hill Cemetery in Kissimmee, Osceola County, Florida.
Source: The Chesterton Tribune, September 10, 1914.
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Sigler, E. A.
E. A. Sigler is mentioned in the December 18, 1884, issue of the Porter County Vidette as an employee at Floyd M. Whipple's Imperial Gallery in Valparaiso. Efforts to identify E. A. Sigler have been unsuccessful.
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Sigler, John Nelson
John N. Sigler had a partnership with his neighbor Charles Jones selling dry goods and groceries at Wheeler. They also produced postcards under the imprint Sigler & Jones, which they presumably sold at their retail establishment. Photographs were largely centered on the area in and around Wheeler. Jones and Sigler would dissolve their general store business in 1912.
John Nelson Sigler was born September 23, 1852, in Union Township, Porter County, Indiana, the son of Samuel and Nancy (Stockdale) Sigler. He married Frances Ophelia Obitts; when Francis passed away in 1899, John married a second time to Jessie V. Humes on June 25, 1901. Sigler passed away due to stomach cancer on May 10, 1914, at Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, and was buried at Janes Cemetery in Porter County's Union Township.
John was a photographer operating in Wheeler.
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Simon, Bird
The city directory for Valparaiso published in 1902 lists Miss Bird Simon as a photographer located at 41 Union Street. The 1905 directory for Porter County list a H. F. Bird as photographer located on Monroe Street near Morgan Avenue. It is possible that Bird Simon and H. F. Simon are the same individual. A graduate of the Valparaiso University class of 1902 was named Bird Simon. Research concerning this photographer has yielded little information.
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Skinner, George Lional
George Lional Skinner is enumerated as a sixteen year old in the 1870 Federal Census for Center Township, Porter
County, Indiana, where his occupation is listed as "Photographer." This census record reveals that Skinner was residing in the household of Lewis H. Mandeville. Mandeville was a prolific photographer operating in Valparaiso during the latter half of the 1800s.
George Lional Skinner was born in Oil Creek, Venango County, Pennsylvania in December 1853, the son of Chauncey A. Skinner and Abagail Rosa Peet. He married Almira Olive Pace in 1874. It is believed that George and Almira later divorced. The 1900 Federal Census reveals that George and Almira were residing in Pueblo, Pueblo County, Colorado, where George was a employed as a deputy sheriff.
George married on December 27, 1915, to Emily Holder at Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. By 1917 George had moved to Brigham City, Box Elder County, Utah, where he was employed as an air compressor operator at a copper mine. According to Emily's obituary, George died in 1922.
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Smith, Harrison R.
Harrison "Harry" R. Smith operated a mercantile business at 101 Broadway Avenue with his father, Myron B. Smith, for decades. Myron
and Harry produced at least one postcard
depicting the German Lutheran Church and parsonage in Chesterton, which
they likely sold at their mercantile or perhaps gave to members of the
church congregation. This postcard was produced circa 1910 and was
inscribed M. Smith & Son.
Harrison R. Smith was born August 6, 1877, in Porter County, Indiana, the son of Myron B. Smith and Harriet E. (Hill) Smith. He married Anna E. Morgan on June 11, 1901. Harrison died on November 10, 1961, at Chesterton and was interred in Chesterton Cemetery on November 13.
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Smith, Myron B.
Myron B. Smith was a rather prominent businessman in Chesterton where he operated a mercantile at the southwest corner of the intersection present day Calumet Road and Broadway Avenue (101 Broadway Avenue). The Smith Building, where Myron's business was located, still stands and is considered a historic structure in downtown Chesterton's business district.
Myron and his son, Harrison "Harry" R. Smith, produced at least one postcard depicting the German Lutheran Church and parsonage in Chesterton, which they likely sold at their mercantile or perhaps gave to members of the church congregation. This postcard was produced circa 1910 and was inscribed M. Smith & Son.
Myron B. Smith was born January 12, 1852, in Wayne County, Ohio, the son of George B. Smith and Caroline (Baird) Smith. Myron married Harriet E. Hill at Valparaiso on November 1, 1876. On March 28, 1918, at Chesterton, Myron passed away; he was buried on April 1 in Chesterton Cemetery.
located in the Smith Building on the Elias N.
Thomas Block of downtown Chesterton, 1907.
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Smith, Willard M.
Willard M. Smith was the proprietor of a photography studio on College Hill in Valparaiso, which is believed to have operated at some point between 1890 and 1896. One cabinet card of Smith's work reveals that he concurrently operated a studio located in Englewood, Cook County, Illinois.
Willard M. Smith's Englewood photograph studio was established in 1890 and located at 418 West 63rd Street; prior to this Smith had a studio located at 3432 Cottage Grove in Chicago that was established in 1881. Smith would sell the Englewood business, likely in autumn of 1897, to one of his employees, Goldson White McWhinney, who operated the business until his death on June 5, 1907. McWhinney began his employment with Smith around 1887. From 1896 to 1897, Charles A. Mayo, a well known Chicago photographer, was employed at Smith's Englewood studio. Mayo is especially known for his photographs of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest taken in the 1890s in association with J. E. Weed.
Research concerning the life of Willard M. Smith has yielded little information.
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Snyder, Jerome F.
Jerome F. Snyder, a native of Illinois, attended Valparaiso University at the turn of the century. It is believed that he opened a photography studio in Valparaiso immediately after earning his degree. Note that George William Belting, Bird Coleman, and George A. Webster were also operating their photography businesses at 17 Main Street at this time, suggesting a cooperative of photographers using the same studio space.
Snyder also sold photography supplies for amateurs from his studio. By 1910, however, Snyder was living with his parents and operating his own photography studio at Salina, Kankakee County, Illinois. Snyder's photographs were marked J.F. Snyder.
Jerome F. Snyder was born August 4, 1872, the son of William A. Snyder and Margaret (Conrad) Snyder. Jerome passed away on December 21, 1948, in Cook County, Illinois, and was buried at Maple Grove Cemetery in Bonfield, Kankakee County, Illinois.
Valparaiso School of Photography [1]
and Snyder's Studio [2] on Main Street
in Valparaiso, Indiana, circa 1909.
Source: Collection of Steven R. Shook.
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Stark, W. L.
W. L. Stark was a Daguerreotypist who worked in partnership with a man named Morton.
Morton and Stark are believed to have been traveling photographers who
would establish themselves for brief periods in various communities and
then move to another to continue to their business. It is known that
they were operating in Lake County and Porter County during the middle
months of 1854 and the spring of 1855. Efforts to identify Morton and Stark have been
fruitless. No known examples of their Daguerreotypes have been
uncovered.
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Starr, Elmer Eugene
Elmer Eugene Starr owned and operated The Varsity Shop, located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Freeman Street and College Avenue, on the Valparaiso University campus. Starr sold the business to Myers E. Zimmerman in 1924. Elmer was also a jeweler, which was his primary line of business. Evidence suggests that Starr may have exited the photography business prior to the 1920s.
Starr produced one of the most unique and collectible postcard imprints of any postcard producer in the United States (see below). The imprint shows the "Lover's Repose" bridge over the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks in Valparaiso; this bridge connected Valparaiso University with the Sager's Lake area south of the university campus. Imprints of Starr's work include Starr, STARR PHOTO, Photo by Elmer Starr, and ELMER E. STARR.
Elmer Eugene Starr was born in Porter County, Indiana, in 1873, the son of Albert Eugene Starr and Lona Elizabeth (Sturtevant) Starr. He married Gertrude Lydia Barker on January 31, 1901, at Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Elmer died on January 21, 1953, in La Mesa, San Diego County, California. He was buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery in San Diego.
Source: Collection of Steven R. Shook.
Source: Collection of Steven R. Shook.
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Szold, Louis
Louis Szold produced high quality real photo postcards of Valparaiso locations from approximately 1910 to 1913 in partnership with Leopold "Leo" Lilienthal. Szold's real photo postcards were imprinted
with LILIENTHAL & SZOLD. Louis had formed a retail business partnership in Valparaiso in 1905 with his brother-in-law, Leo Lilienthal, operating as the Lilienthal & Szold Department Store. The partnership between Szold and Lilienthal dissolved in 1913. Szold continued his retail operation independently as Szold Department Store and disposed of his business in 1929. It is believed that Szold did not take the photographs imprinted with his name. Rather, the photographs were taken by his business partner, Lilienthal, and published by the business partnership.
Louis Szold was born April 18, 1868, in Pressburg, Hungary, the son of Bernard Szold and Amalia (Menzer) Szold. Today, Pressburg is known as Bratislava, Slovakia. Szold married Olga E. Radozy on January 12, 1896, in Chicago. He
died from pneumonia on January 19, 1947, at his home located at 208 Washington Street in Valparaiso. Louis was interred at Acacia Park Cemetery in Chicago on January 21 after funeral services in Valparaiso.
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Terry, Meshack
Meshack Terry was a business partner of John G. A. Barney and traveled to communities in Indiana from their headquarters in Hillsdale, Hillsdale County, Michigan, to establish temporary Daguerreotype galleries. A notice placed in the May 31, 1852, issue of the Practical Observer, a Valparaiso newspaper, indicated that Terry and Barney had "taken room at the American Eagle House." The American Eagle House was located at the southeast corner of the present day intersection of Franklin Street and Lincolnway.
Meshack Terry was born in Moriches, Suffolk County, New York, on April 9, 1820. He passed away on September 29, 1887, at Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, and was interred at Riverside Cemetery in Kalamazoo.
established at American Eagle House in Valparaiso.
Source: Practical Observer, May 31, 1852.
established at American Eagle House in Valparaiso.
Source: Practical Observer, June 21, 1852.
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VanCleave
The imprint Photo by VanCleave appears on an undivided back postcard showing a banquet hall at Valparaiso University, thus dating the production of the postcard to 1907 or perhaps a year or two earlier. The identification of VanCleave is uncertain. The online Directory of Indiana Photographers includes a Bert Van Cleave who is known to have operated a photography studio at Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana, between 1916 and 1917, and a Samuel M. Van Cleave, also of Crawfordsville, who operated S. M. Van Cleave's Photograph and Fine Art Gallery from the 1860s to about 1880.
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Veach, Herbert Edgar
Herbert Edgar Veach was a photographer employed by the G. A. Webster Studio located at 17 East Main Street [Lincolnway] in Valparaiso. Veach is listed in the city directory for Valparaiso in 1902 as a photographer. Veach would later move to Delaware County, Indiana, where he would operate his own photography studio.
Herbert Edgar Veach was born September 8, 1881, in Indiana to Jerry V. Veach and Sarah (Shipley) Veach. He died at the Delaware County Home at Muncie on August 3, 1957, having resided there the previous eighteen years. Herbert was interred at the Beech Grove Cemetery in Muncie on August 6. The death certificate issued for Herbert lists his occupation as photographer.
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Vilmer, William E.
William E. Vilmer was employed by Floyd M. Whipple's Imperial Gallery in Valparaiso as a photographer in 1884 after having learned the photography trade with Whipple. It is unclear how long Vilmer was employed by the Imperial Gallery. Prior to his employment with Whipple, Vilmer was employed at a photography gallery located in Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana. By 1900, Vilmer was operating his own photography studio in Crown Point, Lake County, Indiana.
William E. Vilmer was born February 1861, in Crown Point, Lake County, Indiana, the son of Edward William Vilmer and Margaret Catherine (Herlitz) Vilmer. He married Julia A. Merrill in 1893. On December 10, 1918, William passed away in Crown Point and was buried in that community's Maplewood Historic Cemetery.
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Vogel, Paul Richard
Paul Richard Vogel owned and operated the Paul R. Vogel Company located at 2343 Irving Park Boulevard in Chicago. His company sold postcards, greeting cards, and display items to drug, candy, dry goods, and stationery stores in the Chicago region. Vogel's greeting cards were sold under the Charm Craft brand. Several postcards of Valparaiso were produced and distributed by the Paul R. Vogel Company, the earliest known postcard being postmarked in 1911. Real photo postcards of Valparaiso were produced and sold by Vogel as late as the early 1940s, and his company was still selling greeting cards as late as 1959. Most of Vogel's work was imprinted with PAUL R. VOGEL CO.
Paul R. Vogel was born in April 15, 1886, in Germany. He married Hannah H. Winkler in Chicago on June 11, 1916. Paul died in Florida in 1965 and was interred at Hillside Cemetery in Ormond Beach, Volusia County, Florida.
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Webster, George Albert
George Albert Webster operated a photography studio at 17 East Main Street [Lincolnway] in Valparaiso. Webster's business is listed in the city directory for Valparaiso in 1902. The 1900 Federal Census records for Center Township, Porter County, Indiana, enumerate George as a 43 year old whose occupation is listed as "Photographer." George's photographs were typically imprinted with G. A. Webster. By 1910, George A. Webster had moved to Bloomfield, Greene County, Indiana.
Note that George William Belting, Bird Coleman, and Jerome F. Snyder were also operating operating
their photography businesses at 17 Main Street at this time, suggesting a
cooperative of photographers using the same studio space.
George Albert Webster was born in Durham Township, Port Hope, Ontario, Canada, on May 24, 1857, the son of John Webster and Martha (Long) Webster. He migrated to the United States in 1866. He married Nellie F. Carpenter on December 8, 1887, in Winnebago County, Illinois. George died on February 12, 1924, in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.
Source: Bumstead's Valparaiso City and
Porter County Business Directory, 1902.
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Wells, John
John Wells was the proprietor of a photography studio in Valparaiso during the early 1900s. His business was completely destroyed by a fire in May 1902, resulting in a financial loss of $2,500. It is unknown whether Wells reestablished his business.
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Whipple, Floyd M.
Floyd M. Whipple owned the Whipple Studio at 17 East Main Street [Lincolnway] in Valparaiso, possibly in partnership with his father Galon Whipple. Whipple would also own and operate the Imperial Studio previously owned by Allen Ellsworth Hayes.
It is also believed that Floyd may have managed the Star Studio on Valparaiso's College Hill for either his father, Joseph Harkless, or Henry A. W. Brown before opening his own studio at 12 East Main Street [Lincolnway] in Valparaiso. Whipple also established a photography studio in Hebron in the spring of 1882. Whipple's work was imprinted with Whipple, Whipple Studio, F. M. Whipple, Photo Art Studio, The Star Studio.
A news item appearing in the August 2, 1883, issue of the Porter County Vidette states that "Floyd Whipple has sold his photography business in Knox and moved back to Valparaiso." This information suggests that Floyd may have been operating photography studios in Hebron and Knox simultaneously.
It was reported in September 1878 that Floyd would be teaching school in Marshall County, Indiana. The 1880 Federal Census for Valparaiso indicates that Whipple's occupation was "Piano Tuner" and that he was living with his parents, Galon Whipple and Juliette (Hens) Whipple.
The May 8, 1884, issue of the Porter County Vidette states that "Floyd Whipple is in Chicago, to-day [May 3], making purchases for his new gallery. He will open about next Saturday." This news item suggests that Floyd opened a photograph gallery in Valparaiso on Saturday, March 10, 1884. It is believed that Floyd and his wife, Effie, moved to Chicago around 1893 where Floyd would open F. M. Whipple & Company, a photography studio located at 738 South Halsted Street. The 1900 Federal Census for Laketown, Cook County, Illinois, shows that Floyd's occupation was "Merchant."
During the mid-1880s in Valparaiso, Floyd M. Whipple's Imperial Gallery was competing directly with the Blue Light Gallery, owned and operated by his father, Galon Whipple.
Floyd M. Whipple was born in November 1857 in Illinois. He married Effie F. Louderback on May 15, 1882, in Porter County, Indiana.
Source: Porter County Vidette, April 13, 1882.
Source: Porter County Vidette, May 18, 1882.
photography gallery in Valparaiso.
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Whipple, Galon
Galon Whipple was the father of Valparaiso photographer Floyd M. Whipple and established a photography studio in Valparaiso in March 1880. The 1880 Federal Census for Valparaiso indicates that Galon's occupation was that of a photographer. By 1890, Galon had moved to Illinois and was operating a photography studio at 738 Halsted Avenue. Some of Galon Whipple's photographers were imprinted with Blue Light Gallery and G. Whipple.
During the mid-1880s in Valparaiso, Galon Whipple's Blue Light Gallery was competing directly with the Imperial Gallery, owned and operated by his son, Floyd M. Whipple.
Galon Whipple was born January 9, 1823, in New York, the son of Ichabod Whipple and Chloe (Kempton) Whipple. He married Juliette Hewes on August 26, 1850, at Keene, Cheshire County, New Hampshire. Whipple died on August 17, 1895, in Chicago; his remains were interred in Maplewood Cemetery in Valparaiso.
Whipple's photographic studio in Valparaiso.
Source: Porter County Vidette, December 4, 1879.
Whipple's blue-light photograph gallery in Valparaiso.
Source: Porter County Vidette, April 1, 1880.
Source: Porter County Vidette, June 24, 1880.
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White, William Henry
William H. White was a photographer located in the community of Wheeler, residing on North Second Street. The 1910 Federal Census for Union Township lists William as being a 26 year old married male with his occupation listed as photographer. White would imprint his photographs with PHOTO BY WHITE. Newspaper evidence suggests that White may have been employed around 1906 by the Reading Studio in Valparaiso.
William Henry White was born November 10, 1883, at Hammond, Lake County, Indiana, the son of John A. White and Mariette (Bachelder) White. He married Asenath E. Obitts on November 25, 1905, at Hammond, Lake County, Indiana.
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Williams, L. P.
L. P. Williams placed an advertisement in the May 3, 1852, issue of the Practical Observer,
a Valparaiso newspaper published by William C. Talcott, that stated:
"L. P. WILLIAMS, ARTIST, HAVING opened a Daguerrean Gallery near Unroe [William Unruh] and Eahart's [John Clark Eaheart] stores in Pleasant Township, is ready at all times to serve those who may favor him with their patronage. The public are invited to call and examine specimens of his work." The advertisement strongly suggests that the gallery was situated immediately south of Tassinong, likely along Baum's Bridge Road. Williams is the second known individual to have produced
photographs in Porter County. Research to identify L. P. Wood
has not been successful.
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Wonser, Edmond Edway
Edmond Edway Wonser worked in partnership with an individual with the surname Lytle. Their business was located at 20 Locust Street in Valparaiso. Several individuals with the surname Lytle resided in Porter County at the time the studio is believed to have been in business and research concerning Lytle has yet to lead to a positive identification. Photographs produced by this partnership were imprinted with Wonser & Lytle.
Genealogical and business directory evidence suggests that Wonser was active in the photography business in Valparaiso at some point between 1895 and 1900. The 1893 Valparaiso City Directory lists Wonser as a laborer residing at the Sefton Building.
Edmond Edway Wonser was born August 21, 1860, at Oberlin, Lorain County, Ohio, the son of Elanson E. Wonser and Agnes Louisa (Brannon) Wonser. Edmond married Laverna Alda (Courtright) Wonser on February 2, 1882, at Coffey County, Kansas. Wonser was tragically killed in an automobile accident on February 19, 1927, at North Second and Oliver Street in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois; his remains were interred in Rockford's Greenwood Cemetery. An article concerning the automobile accident states that Wonser was operating a small grocery in nearby Loves Park in Winnebago County at the time of his death.
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Wood, W.
W. Wood placed an advertisement in the January 19, 1852, issue of the Practical Observer,
a Valparaiso newspaper published by William C. Talcott, that stated:
"MR. W. WOOD takes this method of informing the Citizens of Valparaiso
and the surrounding country, that he has taken Rooms at the Indiana
Hotel, where he is prepared to execute Daguerreotypes in the finest
style of the art." This is first known documented evidence of
photographs being taken in Porter County. Research to identify W. Wood
has not been fruitful; it is suspected that he was a traveling
photographer that established a temporary studio in Valparaiso.
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Books
Bumstead & Company. 1902. Valparaiso City and Porter County Business Directory. Chicago, Illinois: Radtke Brothers. 350 p.
Bumstead & Company. 1905. Valparaiso City and Porter County Business Directory. Chicago, Illinois: Radtke Brothers. 421 p.
Bumstead & Company. 1907. Valparaiso City and Porter County Business Directory. Valparaiso, Indiana: Wade & Wise. 424 p.
Bumstead & Company. 1911. Valparaiso City and Porter County Business Directory. Valparaiso, Indiana: Crisman Brothers. 416 p.
Goodspeed, Weston A., and Charles Blanchard. 1882. Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana: Historical and Biographical, Illustrated. Chicago, Illinois: F. A. Battey & Company. 771 p. [see pp. 258-259, 260-261].
Kraft & Radcliffe. 1893. Valparaiso City Directory 1893. Chicago, Illinois: Kraft & Radcliffe.
Nichols, Eleanore W. 1922. The Congregational Year-Book, Statistics for 1922. Cooperstown, New York: The Cooperstown Press. 559 p. [see p. 475]
Northwestern Indiana Telephone Company. 1923. Telephone Directory. Valparaiso, Indiana: Joseph Decker. 152 p.
R. L. Polk & Company. 1911. Wisconsin State Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1911-1912. Chicago, Illinois: R. L. Polk & Company. 1936 p. [see p. 1773]
Reading, A. H. 1905. The City of Homes, Schools and Churches: A Pictorial Story of Valparaiso, Its People and Its Environs. Valparaiso, Indiana: A. H. Reading. 82 p.
Vandor, Paul E. 1919. History of Fresno County, California. Los Angeles, California: Historic Record Company. 1,298 p. [see p. 2,574]
Periodicals
Anonymous. 1902. Items of Interest. The St. Louis and Canadian Photographer 26(6):268.
Anonymous. 1917. What's Doing in Photograph. Bulletin of Photography 20(511):498.
Grand Trunk Railway. 1898. Valparaiso, Ind. Headlight: Sights and Scenes Along the Grand Trunk Railway 3(6):1-32.
Wilson, Edward L. 1894. Editor's Table. Wilson's Photographic Magazine 31(449):237.
Wilson, Edward L. 1897. Editor's Table. Wilson's Photographic Magazine 34(482):96.
Newspapers (listed by date of publication)
Practical Observer, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; January 19, 1852; Volume 3, Number 25, Page 2, Column 7. Column titled "Daguerreotyping."
Practical Observer, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; May 3, 1852; Volume 3, Number 40, Page 3, Column 1. Column titled "Daguerreotyping."
Practical Observer, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; May 31, 1852; Volume 3, Number 44, Page 2, Column 5.
Practical Observer, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; June 21, 1852; Volume 3, Number 47, Page 2, Column 6. Column titled "Daguerreotypes."
Practical Observer, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; July 12, 1852; Volume 3, Number 50, Page 2, Column 7. Column titled "Daguerreotypes."
Practical Observer, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; September 29, 1853; Volume 1, Number 40, Page 3, Column 5. Column titled "Life-Like Likenesses."
Practical Observer, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; January 12, 1854; Volume 2, Number 3, Page 3, Column 2. Column titled "Daguerreotype Pictures."
Practical Observer, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; June 29, 1854; Volume 2, Number 27, Page 2, Column 6. Column titled "Stark & Morton, The Superior Daguerreotypists."
Practical Observer, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; August 8, 1854; Volume 2, Number 32, Page 2, Column 4. Column titled "Grand Improvement."
Practical Observer, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; April 27, 1855; Volume 3, Number 18, Page 2, Column 3. Column titled "Daguerreotypes."
Practical Observer, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; July 27, 1855; Volume 3, Number 31, Page 2, Column 4. Column titled "Hurrah for the Car!"
Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; June 2, 1866; Volume 19, Number 363, Page 4, Column 8. Column titled "For Sale."
Porter County Vidette, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; December 18, 1884; Volume 28, Number 51, Page 5, Column 6. Column titled "Nothings Succeeds Like Success."
Porter County Vidette, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; December 25, 1884; Volume 28, Number 52, Page 8, Columns 5-6. Column titled "The 'Imperial.'"
The Parsons Daily Sun, Parsons, Labette County, Kansas; February 20, 1886; Volume 8, Number 29, Page 4, Column 1. Column titled "Local Brevities."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; February 25, 1886; Volume 2, Number 48, Page 1, Column 8. Column titled "A Card."
The Bremen Enquirer, Bremen, Marshall County, Indiana; March 6, 1886; Volume 1, Number 16, Page 1, Column 6. Column titled "Local Links."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; April 22, 1886; Volume 3, Number 4, Page 1, Column 5. Column titled "In and About Chesterton."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; April 22, 1886; Volume 3, Number 4, Page 1, Column 6. Column titled "In and About Chesterton."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; May 13, 1886; Volume 3, Number 7, Page 1, Column 8. Column titled "At Home and Abroad."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; May 20, 1886; Volume 3, Number 8, Page 1, Column 5. Column titled "At Home and Abroad."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; October 28, 1886; Volume 3, Number 30, Page 1, Columns 6-7. Advertisement titled "Cabinet Photoes $3.00."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; August 2, 1888; Volume 5, Number 16, Page 1, Column 4. Column titled "Hebron."
The Bremen Enquirer, Bremen, Marshall County, Indiana; September 22, 1888; Volume 3, Number 45, Page 1, Column 7. Column titled "Local Links."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; December 20, 1888; Volume 5, Number 36, Page 1, Column 4. Advertisement titled "The Holidays are Here."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; September 19, 1889; Volume 6, Number 23, Page 4, Column 3. Column titled "Local News."
The Daily Morning Astorian, Astoria, Clatsop County, Oregon; August 16, 1890; Volume 35, Number 46, Page 3, Column 6. Column titled "Ottnat Life Size Portraits."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; June 17, 1892; Volume 9, Number 10, Page 5, Column 6. Column titled "Talk of the Town."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; July 29, 1892; Volume 9, Number 16, Page 5, Column 4. Column titled "Talk of the Town."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; September 16, 1892; Volume 9, Number 23, Page 5, Column 2. Column titled "Talk of the Town."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; October 14, 1892; Volume 9, Number 27, Page 5, Column 5.
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; October 21, 1892; Volume 9, Number 28, Page 5, Column 3. Column titled "Talk of the Town."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; April 7, 1893; Volume 9, Number 52, Page 1, Column 3.
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; May 19, 1893; Volume 10, Number 6, Page 5, Column 1. Advertisement for "Peters, The Photographer."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; September 1, 1893; Volume 10, Number 21, Page 4, Column 4. Notice placed by George Peters.
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; September 15, 1893; Volume 10, Number 23, Page 5, Column 4. Column titled "Personal Mention."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; November 3, 1893; Volume 10, Number 30, Page 5, Column 2. Column titled "Talk of the Town."
The Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; December 8, 1893; Volume 10, Number 35, Page 5, Column 2. Column titled "Talk of the Town."
Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; September 28, 1894; Volume 11, Number 25, Page 1, Column 2. Column titled "Hustle and Win the Prize!"
Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; July 5, 1895; Volume 12, Number 13, Page 8, Column 1. Column titled "Chesterton Chips. What the People are Doing and Saying."
Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; May 31, 1895; Volume 12, Number 8, Page 1, Column 3. Column titled "Chesterton Chips."
The Council Grove Republican, Council Grove, Morris County, Kansas; January 31, 1896; Volume 24, Number 5, Page 5, Column 2. Column titled "Local News."
The Westchester Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; June 13, 1896; Volume 13, Number 9, Page 5, Column 5. Advertisement for J. M. Harkless, Photographer.
The Westchester Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; September 25, 1897; Volume 14, Number 24, Page 1, Column 5. Column titled "Brown and Hanson Case. Result of Their Examination at Laporte. Evidence Very Strong Against Both Men -- Hanson Claims Brown Made the Bills."
The Bremen Enquirer, Bremen, Marshall County, Indiana; December 3, 1897; Volume 12, Number 49, Page 1, Column 6. Column titled "Made Bogus Money. Two Counterfeiters, of Valparaiso, Given Five Years Each."
The Herald, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California; December 4, 1897; Volume 25, Number 65, Page 10, Column 5. Column titled "Mrs. A. M. Hayward Dead."
The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California; October 26, 1899; Volume 18, Page 13, Column 1. Column titled "Pasadena Brevities."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; January 6, 1900; Volume 16, Number 39, Page 5, Column 5.
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; April 26, 1901; Volume 18, Number 3, Page 5, Column 6. Column titled "Porter Pointers."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; May 24, 1901; Volume 18, Number 7, Page 4, Column 1. Column titled "Porter Pointers."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; August 30, 1901; Volume 18, Number 21, Page 5, Column 6. Column titled "Thelma."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; March 7, 1902; Volume 18, Number 48, Page 5, Column 7. Column titled "Porter Pointers."
The Indianapolis News, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana; May 9, 1902; Volume 33, Number 132, Page 2, Column 6. Column titled "General State News."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; October 24, 1902; Volume 19, Number 29, Page 4, Column 5. Column titled "Personals."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; June 19, 1903; Volume 20, Number 11, Page 4, Column 5. Column titled "Porter Pointers."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; August 14, 1903; Volume 20, Number 19, Page 5, Column 6. Column titled "Chesterton Chips."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; May 27, 1904; Volume 21, Number 8, Page 4, Column 3. Column titled "Chesterton Items."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; August 10, 1905; Volume 22, Number 19, Page 5, Column 7. Column titled "Chesterton Chips."
The Chicago Daily Tribune, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; November 4, 1905; Volume 44, Number 264, Page 3, Column 7. Column titled "Immoral Picture Factory is Raided by the Police."
Alton Evening Telegraph, Alton, Madison County, Illinois; November 6, 1905; Volume 70, Page 3, Column 2. Column titled "Debasing Art is Seized. Plant for Producing Immoral Pictures Suppressed."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; February 1, 1906; Volume 22, Number 44, Page 1, Column 6.
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; February 15, 1906; Volume 22, Number 46, Page 8, Column 5. Column titled "Kouts."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; June 14, 1906; Volume 23, Number 11, Page 5, Column 4. Column titled "Local News of the Week."
The Lake County Times, Hammond, Lake County, Indiana; January 5, 1907; Volume 1, Number 170, Page 1, Column 7. Column titled "Photo Making Genius Dies. Lewis H. Mandeville of Valparaiso, One of the Pioneer Photographers."
The Muncie Morning Star, Muncie, Delaware County, Indiana; April 5, 1907; Volume 28, Number 341, Page 9, Column 3. Column titled "Summitville."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; July 2, 1908; Volume 25, Number 14, Page 3, Column 1. Column titled "Mortuary Record. Henry A. Brown."
The Lake County Times, Hammond, Lake County, Indiana; December 5, 1910; Volume 5, Number 144, Page 6, Column 6. column titled "Hobart."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; April 3, 1913; Volume 30, Number 2, Page 3, Column 5. Column titled "Photos of Particular People to Lease."
Hobart News, Hobart, Lake County, Indiana; October 30, 1913; Column titled "August Haase Studio Sold to J. J. Naumann."
The Lake County Times, Hammond, Lake County, Indiana; November 15, 1913; Volume 3, Number 42, Page 6, Column 3. Column titled "Hobart."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; September 10, 1914, Volume 31, Number 25, Page 7, Column 5. Column titled "The Shook Studio."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; May 6, 1915, Volume 32, Number 7, Page 3, Column 4. Column titled "The Shook Studio."
The Chicago Sunday Tribune, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; March 26, 1916; Volume 75, Number 13, Section 10 - Want Ads, Page 7, Column 6. Column titled "To Rent -- Housekeeping Room, North Side."
The Torch, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; July 7, 1916; Volume 3, Number 35, Page 1, Column 3. Column titled "Attention Students."
The Porter County Vidette, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; August 1, 1917; Page 2, Column 5. Column titled "Father of Dr. Hayward Dies in Chicago."
The Lake County Times, Hammond, Lake County, Indiana; November 10, 1917; Volume 6, Number 44, Page 5, Column 6. Column titled "In An' Around Gary."
The Rockford Daily Register-Gazette, Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois; November 26, 1917; Page 8, Column 1. Column titled "Tronce to Enter Army."
The Lake County Times, Hammond, Lake County, Indiana; December 4, 1917; Volume 7, Number 140, Page 11, Column 5. Column titled "Day News in Gary."
The Porter County Vidette, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; December 12, 1917; Page 2, Column 1. Column titled "Local Squibs and Personals."
The Porter County Vidette, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; December 12, 1917; Page 4, Column 2. Column titled "'Moving Pictures' Discussed at Club Meeting."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; April 18, 1918; Volume 35, Number 5, Page 3, Column 1. Column titled "Porter Department. Swedish Lutheran Church."
The Lake County Times, Hammond, Lake County, Indiana; December 11, 1918; Volume 13, Number 155, Page 1, Column 4. Column titled "Crown Point Photographer Dead. W. E. Vilmer, Well Known Over County, Succumbs Near Midnight."
The Indianapolis News, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana; August 20, 1921; Volume 52, Number 231, Page 18, Column 4. Column titled "Indiana News in Brief. Valparaiso."
Decatur Herald, Decatur, Macon County, Illinois; November 20, 1921; Volume 41, Page 3, Column 3. Column titled "Two Angels Visit Decatur Home, Bear Father and Son. Ernest Atkins Dies 12 Short Hours Before Birth Of Edward Francis."
The Richmond Item, Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana; June 29, 1922; Volume 44, Number 310, Page 3, Column 2. Column titled "Fayette County News."
Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania; June 25, 1923; Number 14364, Page 20, Column 4. Column titled "Deaths. Rudolph H. Keagy."
Sullivan's Englewood Times, Englewood, Cook County, Illinois; August 10, 1923; Volume 36, Number 52, Page 8, Column 4. Column titled "Charles A. Mayo."
The Chesterton Tribune, Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana; March 17, 1927, Volume 44, Number 1, Page 5, Column 2. Column titled "Mrs. Clara Hoyt Williams."
St. Joseph Herald-Press, St. Joseph, Berrien County, Michigan; June 13, 1927; Page 8, Column 2. "Column titled "Treasurer of Watervliet Is Taken By Death. Frank D. Hunt Succumbs at Kalamazoo Following Operation."
The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; June 20, 1929; Volume 2, Page 1, Column 1. Column titled "Death Claims Joe Decker at Local Hotel."
The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; September 4, 1929; Volume 3, Page 3, Column 7. Column titled "Partner Asks Receiver Firm."
The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; November 7, 1929; Volume 3, Page 11, Column 2. Column titled "Help Valparaiso University Find Present Addresses of Former Students."
The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; April 15, 1930; Volume 3, Page 1, Column 1. Column titled "L. E. Dowdell Dies After 3 Week's Illness."
The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; January 31, 1931; Volume 4, Page 1, Column 6 and Page 4, Column 7. Column titled "C. F. Jones, 85, Dies After a Short Illness."
Oakland Tribune, Oakland, Alameda County, California; May 28, 1932; Volume 116, Number 149, Page 2, Column 3-5. Column titled "Five Couples in Reunion to Honor Golden Weddings."
Omaha World-Herald, Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska; September 12, 1933; Volume 49, Number 11, Page 15, Column 2. Column titled "News in the Social World. Frank Beam."
The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri; November 19, 1933; Volume 54, Number 63, Page 5B, Column 6 Column titled "Other Deaths in Greater Kansas City."
The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; November 20, 1933; Vole 7, Page 1, Column 6. Column titled "Receives Word Death Brother."
The Telegraph-Forum, Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio; June 3, 1935; Volume 13, Number 129, Page 1, Column 4. Column titled "Will Bryant, Photographer, Passes Away."
The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; December 13, 1935; Volume 9, Page 2, Columns 4-5. Column titled "Town Talk."
The Vidette-Messenger,
Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; August 12, 1936; Volume 10, Page 2,
Column 6. Column titled "W. H. Gerhart 90, to Attend Centennial."
The Vidette Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; October 1, 1936; Volume 10, Page 2, Column 5. Column titled "Hold Rites for George Gooch."
The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; March 31, 1937; Volume 10, Page 2, Column 3. Column titled "Death Claims John Garrison at Hospital."
The Vidette-Messenger,
Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; September 28, 1938; Volume 12, Page 2,
Column 8. Column titled "Former Local Resident Dies."
The Vidette-Messenger,
Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; October 3, 1938; Volume 12, Page 2,
Column 4. Column titled "John Hisgen, Photographer, Dies Aged 65."
The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; October 24, 1938; Volume 12, Page 1, Column 3 and Page 2 Column 3. Column titled "Harry Clark Pilots Final Railway Run."
The Daily Home News, New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey; March 1, 1939; Page 4, Columns 6-7. Column titled "Mr. A. J. Schumann Twenty Years in New Brunswick."
The Hammond Times, Hammond, Lake County, Indiana; October 24, 1943; Volume 38, Number 109, Page 6, Column 1. Column titled "Pioneer Physician Dies."
The Capital Times, Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin; April 18, 1944; Volume 53, Number 125, Page 4, Column 2. Column titled "Physician Kills Self With Gun."
The Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana; April 25, 1944; Volume 11, Number 45, Page 8,
Column 3.
Lafayette Journal and Courier, Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana; April 25, 1944; Volume 99, Number 25, Page 11,
Column 5. Column titled "Charles B. Hinea Is Taken by Death."
The Vidette-Messenger,
Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; November 23, 1945; Volume 19, Page 1,
Column 6. Column titled "Cassius E. Barrett."
The Vidette-Messenger,
Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; November 26, 1945; Volume 19, Page 2,
Column 3. Column titled "Barrett Rites Held Saturday."
The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; January 20, 1947; Volume 20, Number 167, Page 1, Column 1. Column titled "Long Illness Is Fatal To Louis Szold. Former Merchant Of City Taken By Death Here Sunday Morning."
Logansport Pharos Tribune, Logansport, Cass County7, Indiana; April 2, 1948; Volume 104, Number 103, Page 1, Column 6. Column titled "Aida Peters Dies At Home."
The Vidette-Messenger,
Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; September 17, 1948; Volume 22, Number 63, Page 4,
Column 4. Column titled "Looking Backward. Fifteen Years Ago."
The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; February 3, 1949; Volume 22, Number 179, Page 1, Column 3. Column titled "Heart Attack Proves Fatal. Bernhardt Schuldt Dies In Hospital Here On Wednesday."
The Detroit Free Press, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan; February 5, 1949; Volume 118, Number 277, Page 19, Column 3. Column titled "Michigan Deaths."
The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; November 25, 1950; Volume 24, Number 122, Page 1, Column 2. Column titled "Death Takes M. M. Mudge: Former Valparaiso Photographer Dies In Daytona, Florida."
Chicago Daily Tribune, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; February 28, 1951; Volume 110, Number 51, Page 18, Column 6. Column titled "Death Notices. Hoffman."
The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; April 11, 1951; Volume 24, Number 237, Page 1, Column 8. Column titled "Death Takes Leo Lilienthal."
St. Petersburgh Times, St. Petersburgh, Pinellas County, Florida; April 7, 1959; Volume 265, Page 22-A, Column 2. Column titled "Obituaries. Anthony J. Schumann."
The Vidette-Messenger,
Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; July 10, 1959; Volume 33, Number 5, Page 1, Column 4. Column titled "Art Nickel, 76, Druggist, Dies In PMH."
The Hammond Times, Hammond, Lake County, Indiana; January 4, 1960; Volume 54, Number 168, Page B-3, Column 1. Column titled "Lee E. Brody."
The Vidette-Messenger,
Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; November 11, 1961; Volume 35, Number 111, Page 1, Column 5 and Page 3, Column 2. Column titled "Chesterton Businessman Dies At 84. Final Rites For Harry R. Smith Will Be Monday."
The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; May 18, 1963; Volume 36, Number 269, Page 1, Column 3. Column titled "Veteran 'Hill' Photographer Dies Aged 81."
The Vidette-Messenger,
Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; June 22, 1964; Volume 37, Number
298, Page 1, Column 2 and Page 6, Column 2. Column titled "President Of Apron Firm Dies."
Orlando Sentinel, Orlando, Orange County, Florida; September 9, 1964; Volume 80, Number 119, Page 9-B, Column 5. Column titled "Obituaries."
Osceola-Polk Sentinel, Winter Haven, Polk County, Florida; September 10, 1964; Page 2, Column 2. Column titled "Obituaries."
Fort Myers News-Press, Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida; July 27, 1966; Volume 82, Page 2, Column 7. Column titled "D. R. Chapek."
Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; February 28, 1968; Volume 121, Number 59, Section 1A, Page 10, Column 7. Column titled "Death Notices."
The Journal Times, Racine, Racine County, Wisconsin; April 14, 1977; Volume 121, Number 104, Page 1 Columns 7-8 and Page 3, Columns 3-6. Column titled "1898 War Vet is Dead at 99."
Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; January 2, 1994; Column titled "History by Mail: Photo Postcards are Snapshots of Time Gone By," by Abigail Foerstner.
© 2017 Steven R. Shook. All Rights Reserved.