Home > History

A list of known 18th & early 19th century Cass County photographers has been compiled below. This list is currently a work in progress. Additional information and names will be added as discovered. Links to on-site vintage advertisements and examples of the photographer's work (if available) have been included. Approximate time frames are provided based on any known dated photos and/or biographies. In most cases these are general approximations only, and sometimes based on a single dated photograph.

Per research by JoAnn Burgess for the State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa Stereographs Collection, George Adams had a studios in Pottawattamie County, but also in Lewis in 1883 and in Griswold from 1883-1897. There may have been branch studios in neighboring towns.

From Lafe Young's 1877 History of Cass County, Iowa Together With Brief Mention of Old Settlers, page 114, during a serious fire in Atlantic on February 8, 1871:
"Miss Lucy Allman, photographer, lost goods pertaining to the photographic art, to the amount of $150 probably."

Also listed in 1880-1881, General Directory of the City of Atlantic, pg. 12.

Listed at the towns of Cumberland and Massena in 1912-1913Polk Directory, pg. 371 and 786.

Per Langdon's website (Sources, langdonroad.com), listed in (1901-1902) Polk's IA State Gazetteer and Business Directory: Day, W. S., photographer, Atlantic, IA.

No additional details available at this time. Example of work:

1. 1894 Christian and Lizzie Fuhlendorf;

W. H. Dinsmore Photography was located in Anita, Iowa. Listed as photographer in Anita in the 1907 Bradstreet Ratings, Volume 158; 1912-1913Polk Directory, pg. 181; and 1918-1919Polk Directory, pg. 152.

Article fromThe Adair News, dated October 22, 1915: "W. H. Dinsmore has just completed his twenty-first year of continuous work in the photographic profession in Anita, having commenced taking photographs on Sept. 23, 1894."

Per the 1884 History of Cass County, Iowa, pg. 533, Levi Disbrow was born August 24, 1847 and moved to Cass County at age ten. "He conducted a photograph gallery from 1874 to 1877, then closed out the business and went again to blacksmithing." View full bio

H. H. Egbert was born in Davenport, Iowa in 1876 and relocated to Atlantic with his parents in 1877. He learned photography from his father, W. P. Egbert, and joined his father's business in 1890, taking "practical control" in 1896 when his father's health declined. View his 1904 Exposition Souvenir Album biography.

Egbert, Harry H. listed in Atlantic, Iowa, 1905-06 Polk Directory, pg. 178; 1908-09 Polk Directory, pg. 232; 1911-12 Polk Directory, pg. 189; and 1918-19 Polk Directory, pg. 160. Egbert Studio listed in Atlantic, Iowa in the 1907 Bradstreet Ratings, Volume 158.

W. P. Egbert was born in Pennsylvania in 1831. He opened a gallery in Davenport, Iowa in 1852 which was destroyed by fire in 1876. He moved to Atlantic in 1877 and continued his photographic work until his death in January 1904. View his1904 Exposition Souvenir Album biography.

Listed in 1880-1881, General Directory of the City of Atlantic:
Egbert, W. P. fr Davenport photograph gallery ss 4th st bet Chestnut and Walnut res ws Linn bet 5th and 6th sts. Egbert, Miss Lily fr Davenport bds ws Linn bet 5th and 6th sts. [pg. 29]
Egbert, W. P. photographer es Chestnut bet 3d and 4th sts. [pg. 13]


Listed in 1884-1885,Cass County Business Directory, Atlantic:
Egbert Wm P, photographer.

Advertisement in 1899 Owl Yearbook, Page 21 and Page 22.

Advertisement in 1901 Scraps Yearbook, Page 72.

William P. Egbert Obituary (1904)

Example of work:

1. Unknown Woman;

S. A. Fouchek had a photography studio in Massena, Iowa (See logo below). "Stephen A. Fonchek" is listed at Massena, Iowa in the 1905-06 Polk Directory, pg. 961; and in the 1908-09 Polk Directory, pg. 1012; strongly suspect this to be a misspelling, and actually the same photographer. No additional info available at this time.

Logo:

E. S. Fry had a photography studio in Atlantic, Iowa for a short time. There was a William D. Fry who had a photography studio in Montgomery County (Villisca and Hopkinton) in the 1880's, but it's currently unknown if he was related. No additional info available at this time. Example of work:

1. Unknown Woman;

P. D. Gordon Photography was located in Griswold, Iowa. Listed as photographer in Griswold in the 1907 Bradstreet Ratings, Volume 158; 1905-06 Polk Directory, pg. 751; 1908-09 Polk Directory, pg. 809 and 1912-13 Polk Directory, pg. 631. No additional info available at this time.

Listed at town of Atlantic in 1918-1919Polk Directory, pg. 160.

Listed at town of Griswold in 1918-1919Polk Directory, pg. 568.

Successor to W. H. Woodward. See Woodward Studio. Example of work:

1. Burnside Family;
2. Charles Allen Day;

The 1884 History of Cass County, Iowa, pg. 874, indicates J. A. Hayden was born in Ohio, and began learning his trade with M. H. Eberhart at Mt. Vernon. He "was subsequently employed in Des Moines and elsewhere", arriving in Atlantic in the spring of 1878. Mr. Hayden succeeded T. J. Luccock, commencing the trade in August, 1880.View his full bio from the 1884 History of County.

Listed in 1880-1881, General Directory of the City of Atlantic, pg. 36:
Hayden, J. A. fr Ohio photographer rooms sw cor 4th and Chestnut st bds es Chestnut bet 3d and 4th sts.

Listed in 1884-1885, Cass County Business Directory, Atlantic:
Hayden J A, photographer.

Example of work from the late 1930's:

1. Charles Allen Day.

E. A. Lewis' Studio was located at Fourth and Chestnut streets in Atlantic. Prior to coming to Atlantic he was "employed in some of the leading studios in the country." Most of the photos in the 1913 Industrial Edition were the work of E. A. Lewis, which indicated he had been nine years in the city. View the photo of Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Lewis in the 1904 Exposition Souvenir Album and his 1913 Industrial Edition biography and photo. Edward A. Lewis is listed at Atlantic in the 1905-06 Polk Directory, pg. 182; listed in Atlantic, Iowa, 1908-09 Polk Directory, pg. 233; and 1911-12 Polk Directory, pg. 190.

Examples of his work found on this site:

1. Harris Family 4 Generation Photo circa 1910;

Listed in the Atlantic Directory in Lafe Young's 1877 History of Cass County, Iowa Together With Brief Mention of Old Settlers, page 121.

H. A. Martin had a photography studio in Atlantic, Iowa in the late 1800's. No additional info available at this time.

Listed in 1865 Hair Iowa State Business Register, page 585. Listed as providing "Photographs, Ambrotypes, etc." in Grove City.

Listed in Lafe Young's 1877 History of Cass County, Iowa Together With Brief Mention of Old Settlers, Atlantic Directory, page 121.

Advertisement in 1901 Scraps Yearbook, Page 73.

Listed in 1880-1881, General Directory of the City of Atlantic, pg. 55:
Reeve, H. D. P. fr Penn photographer bds Woodworth House.

Worked in partnership with his brother Francis (Frank), who had a studio in Harlan, Shelby County. Per the 1882 History of Western Iowa, p. 423: "Frank and Albert Reynolds, of the firm of Reynolds & Co. photographers, formerly of Keokuk County, Ia.; learned their trade at Des Moines, and came to Harlan in the spring of 1879; established business in Sept., 1880. They occupy four rooms in Coenen's Block, on the second floor. They make a specialty of copying and enlarging." Albert later moved to Goodland, Kansas.

Listed in 1884-1885,Cass County Business Directory, Griswold:
Reynolds Albert C, photographer.

Worked in partnership with his brother Albert. Per the 1882 History of Western Iowa, p. 423: "Frank and Albert Reynolds, of the firm of Reynolds & Co. photographers, formerly of Keokuk County, Ia.; learned their trade at Des Moines, and came to Harlan in the spring of 1879; established business in Sept., 1880. They occupy four rooms in Coenen's Block, on the second floor. They make a specialty of copying and enlarging." Frank later moved to David City, Nebraska.

Per research by Mary Hoegh published in the March 2014 Cass County Genealogical Society Newsletter, "Thomas J Shouldis came from Chicago buying the photography studio from Mullen photography May 14, 1887. He did not stay long in Atlantic, leaving on October 3, 1888 and returning to Chicago."

Examples of his work found on this site:

1. Mrs. Clark;
2. Abraham Bowling & Wife Photo 1887

C. B. Strawn had a photography studio in Massena, Iowa. No additional info available at this time.

Logo:

A photographer named Wellman had a studio in Cumberland, Iowa (circa 1880s?). No additional info available at this time.

Logo:

Advertisement in 1899 Owl Yearbook, Page 21.

H. E. Hammond was the successor to W. H. Woodward retained his studio logo/stamp. Example of the work from this studio:

1. Burnside Family;
2. Charles Allen Day;

Per research by JoAnn Burgess for the State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa Stereographs Collection, E. S. Young had a studio in Lewis 1884-87.

Exposition Souvenir Album, published by Democrat Publishing Company, Atlantic, Iowa, 1904.

"General Directory of the City of Atlantic 1880-1881. Giving a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Business Firms, Educational, Social, and Religious Institutions", compiled by Glenn & Co., Atlantic, Iowa, Telegraph Steam Printing Press, 1880.

History of Cass County Together With Brief Mention of Old Settlers by Lafe Young, published by Telegraph Steam Printing House, Atlantic, Iowa, 1877.

History of Cass County, Iowa, published by Continental Historical Company, Springfield, Ill., 1884.

Industrial Edition, published by Atlantic News Telegraph, Atlantic, Iowa, 1913.

Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1884-5, Volume III, published by R. L. Polk & Co. and A. C. Danser.

Owl Yearbook, Atlantic, 1899.

Scraps Yearbook, Atlantic, 1901.

Langdon's List of 19th & Early 20th Century Photographers [Offsite at https://www.langdonroad.com/]
----NOTE Oct. 2023: Langdon's site is offine, hopefully only temporarily.

State Historical Society of Iowa Iowa Stereographs Collection overview, and known Iowa Stereo Photographers listing [Offsite].