Photographers of Smith County

Date Range: 1940 – Unknown

• Business Address (1940): 303 Swann Building, Tyler, Texas

• Listed in: 1940 Tyler City Directory

  • Photographer: Ezra T. Skinner

  • Directory References:

    • Page 640: Allen Studios listed under Photographers

    • Page 57: Ezra T. Skinner named as photographer at Allen Studios

    • Page 373: Ezra T. Skinner’s residence listed as 421 West Woldert

Date Range: 

• Business Address:

• Listed in: 

  • Photographer: 

  • Directory References:

    • Page 

Date Range: 1853 – 1855

• Business Locations:

  • Marshall, Texas – (? – 1853)
  • Northampton, Massachusetts – (1849 – 1851)
  • Cincinnati, Ohio – (1855)

• Listed in: 1853, The Texas Republican

  • Daguerreotypist: M. T. Arbuckle

  • Newspaper References:

    • Page 2: The Texas Republican, May 21, 1853

Date Range: 1922

• Business Address: On second floor of 213 W. Ferguson, Tyler, Texas

• Listed in: 1919 Tyler, Texas Sanborn Map, pg. 2

  • References:

    • Page 4: The Troup Banner (Troup, Tex.), Vol. 29, No. 22, Ed. 1, Thursday, November 30, 1922

    • Page 6: The Troup Banner (Troup, Tex.), Vol. 29, No. 22, Ed. 1, Thursday, November 30, 1922

Date Range: 1927 –

• Business Address:

• Listed in: 

  • Photographer: 

  • Directory References:

    • Page 

Date Range: 1918 – 

• Business Address:

• Listed in: 

  • Photographer: 

  • Directory References:

    • Page 

Date Range: 1870 – 1872

• Business Address: 

• Listed in: 1870 Census Records, Tyler Reporter

  • Photographer: Samuel R. Askew & T. H. Glenn

  • References:

    • Tyler Reporter, 6 Apr. 1872 

    • 1870 Census – Samuel appears in the 1870 Census, identified as a 19-year-old working as a photographer.
    • 1871 – Smith County Tax Records
    • 1872 – Smith County Tax Records

Date Range: 1897

• Business Address: Gallery near I & G N. Depot on E. Ferguson Street

• Listed in: Tyler Courier

  • Photographer: J. W. Blaylock

  • References:

    • Tyler Courier, 18 Sept. 1897 

Date Range: 1918 – 

• Business Address:

  • Photographer: Orphay M. Bradley

  • References:

    • Interview

Date Range: 19_

• Business Address:

  • Photographer: 

  • References:

Date Range: 1870 – 1875

• Business Locations:
  • Tyler, Texas – (1870)
  • Hallsville, Texas – (1871)
  • Upshur County, Texas – (1871 – 1875)
  • Rusk County, Texas – (1875)
• Listed in: Tax Records
• Photographer: W. M. Bullock
• References:
  • 1870 – Tyler Tax Records
  • 1871 – Hallsville Tax Records
  • 1871 – Upshur County Tax Records
  • 1875 – Rusk County Tax Records

Date Range: 1904 – 

• Business Locations:

  • Waller County, Texas – Began photographic work in 1874
  • Austin County, Texas (1875)
  • Columbus, ??? (1876 – 1877)
  • Brenham, Texas (1878 – 1877) & (1882 – 1883)
  • San Antonio, Texas (1885 – 1900):
    • 1885 – 1892: Located at 413 E. Houston St.
    • 1892 – 1896: Located at 511½ E. Houston St.
    • 1896 – 1897: Located at 513 – 515 E. Houston St. 
    • 1897 – 1900: Located at 511½ E. Houston St.
  • Tyler, Texas (1904) – Studio Locations: 105½ W. Ferguson and later 729 N. Broadway

• Listed in: Census Records, City Directories, Business Listings, Business Guides, Tax Records, and Newspapers

  • Photographer: W. M. Bullock

  • References:

    • 1876 – 77: Colorado Citizen, 6 Jul. 1876, 9 Nov. 1876, 15 Feb. 1877

    • 1874 – 75: Texas Occupation Tax Rolls
    • 1890: Texas State Gazetteers & Texas Business Guidebook
    • 1900:
      • 1900 Census Record
      • San Antonio City Directories in mid-1880s through 1900
      • Tyler City Directories in 1904 & 1910

See also: C. N. Callaway and Callaway & Peterson

Date Range: 1867 –

• Business Address: 

• Listed in: Tyler Tax Records

  • Photographer: William Carlyle

  • References:

    • 1867: Tyler Tax Records

Date Range: 1874 –

• Business Address: 

• Listed in: Democrat, Tyler, Texas

  • Photographer: Professor Cooper

  • References:

    • 6 Jun. 1874: Democrat, Tyler, Texas (“Photographic Artist in this City”)

Date Range: 

• Business Address: 

• Listed in: Newspaper, Tyler, Texas

  • Photographer: 

  • References:

    • Possible 1890’s: Tyler Newspaper

Date Range: 1860 – 1861

• Daguerreian

• Business Address: 

• Listed in: Census Records, Tyler Reporter

  • Photographer: 

  • References:

    • Census Records:
      • 1860: Tyler, Texas, Listed as an “Artist”
      • 1870: Tyler, Texas
    • Marriage Records of Smith County, Texas: Volume B, Pg. 66
    • Newspapers:
      • 27 Jun. 1857: Democrat, Henderson, Texas
      • 1 Aug. 1861, Tyler Reporter, Sky Light Ambrotype Gallery”

General History: Born in South Carolina in ca. 1810. Married Marianna Alexander in Smith County, Texas on 23 Dec. 1858. Had one daughter, born about 1860, Minnie Curlee.

Date Range: 1874 –

• Business Address: Also operated as Tyler Art Gallery on North side of square

• Listed in: Tax Records, Democrat

  • Photographer: 

  • References:

    • Records:
      • 1874: Smith County Tax Records
    • Newspapers:
      • 12 Jun. 1875: Democrat, Tyler, Texas

Date Range: 1910 – 1920

• Business Address:

• Listed in: Letter by George Denison, son of R. A. Denison

  • References:

    • Letter:
      • Letter written by George Denison, son of R. A. Denison

Date Range: 1932

• Business Address:

• Listed in: 

  • References:

Date Range: 

• Business Address:

• Listed in: New Encyclopedia of Texas

  • References:

Date Range: 1870 –

• Business Locations:

  • Starrville, Texas – (?)
  • Jefferson, Texas – (1870)
  • Sycamore, Illinois – (1878)
• Listed in: Census Records, Smith County Tax Records
  • Census Records: 1870, Starrville, Texas (52 years old, “photographer”)
  • Tax Records: 1870, Smith County Tax Records

General History: Born in Georgia ca.1838

Date Range: 

• Business Locations:
• Listed in: 
  • Census Records: 
  • Tax Records: 

General History: 

Date Range: 1940 – 1990

• Business Locations:
• Listed in: 
  • Census Records: 
  • Tax Records: 

Blog entry that discusses his family and the history of his photographic studio. 

General History:

R. L. Falkner’s Collection of negatives and photos are being inventoried and proofread. There are many steno pads that were filled with IDs and descriptions that include the subject(s) of the negatives and/or who ordered the work. It sometimes listed phone numbers and/or addresses. It could also include descriptions such as wedding, portrait, family, baby, etc. It could have a date or range of dates that gives the date(s) the work was ordered, or maybe the date it was done or completed.

Mr. Falkner’s IDs are broken into several alphanumeric listings. We have put up the first part of the listing and we will add the others as we have time.

“A” Accounts

“B” Accounts, Coming Soon

Date Range: 1890 – 1891

• Business Locations:

  • Bois d’Arc, Tyler, Texas (1890), Source back of a photograph
  • Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Albuquerque, New Mexico (1892)
• Listed in: 
  • Census Records: 
  • Tax Records: 

General History: Born in Vermont in 1839. Died in Albuquerque, NM in 1893 from consumption.

Date Range: 1866

• Business Locations:

  • Starrville, Texas
  • Uvalde, Texas (1868 – 1869)
  • Medina County, Texas (1870)
• Resources:
  • Tax Records: 1866, 1868, 1869, 1870
• Studios: 
  • Flemister & Company (1871)
  • Flamister & Estes
  • Flamister & Wall

Date Range: 1900

• Business Locations:

  • Tyler, Texas
• Resources:
  • Census Records: 1900

General History: Born in Kentucky in 1875

Date Range: 1909 –

• Business Locations:

  • Tyler, Texas
• Resources:
  • Census Records: 1900

General History: Born in Tennessee in 1838. According to family, A.J. Gilliam was a “traveling photographer” from 1837 – 1925.

Date Range: 1870 – 1872

• Business Locations:

  • Tyler, Texas
• Listed in: Tax Records, Newspapers 
  • Tax Records: 1870 Smith County
  • Newspapers: 6 Apr. 1872, Tyler Reporter
• Studio: Askew & Glenn

Date Range: 1900 –

• Business Locations:

  • Tyler, Texas
• Listed in: Census Records
  • Census Records: 1900 Smith County

General History: Born in Hungary in 1875.

Date Range: 1930’s –

• Business Locations:
• Listed in: 
  • Census Records: 

General History: 

Date Range: 1890’s –

• Business Locations:

  • Tyler, Texas
• Listed in: Census Records
  • Census Records: 1900 Smith County

Notes: Old Photograph about 1892

Date Range: 1892

• Business Locations:

  • Marshall, Texas (1884 – 1885, 1896 – 1897)
  • Bryan, Texas (1890 – 1891)
  • Ennis, Texas (1890 – 1891)
  • Corsicana, Texas (1892)
  • Tyler, Texas (1892)
  • Galveston, Texas (1900)
• Listed in: Census Records
  • Census Records: 1900 Smith County
• Studios: Harper & Company, J. B. Willyerd

Notes: Photograph “Of Tyler, Mexia & Waxahachie,” date unknown, possibly before 1900

Date Range: 1875

• Business Locations:

  • Smith County, Texas (1875)
• Listed in: Tax Records
  • Tax Records: 1875 Smith County

Notes: 

Date Range: 1936 – 

• Business Locations:
• Listed in: 
  • Tax Records: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 193_ – 

• Business Locations:
• Listed in: 
  • Tax Records: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 1869 – 

• Business Locations:

  • Tyler, Texas
• Listed in: Tax Records
  • Tax Records: 1869

Notes: 

Date Range: 1889 – 1895 

• Business Locations:

  • Tonica, Illinois (1867)
  • Santa Fe, New Mexico (1871 – 1878)
  • Iowa (1880’s)
  • Tyler, Texas (1889 – 1895)
• Listed in: Individual Stories
  • Czach, Rudisill

General History: He was ran over in Lewisville, Texas in January of 1895. He died from his injuries in Dallas the following month. He potentially bought out Henry R. Farr, Vernon, and Lewisville.

Notes: Information about Richard Ruisill at the Museum of New Mexico and was information taken from the back of a 1890’s photograph.

Date Range: 1860 – 1869 

• Business Locations:

  • St. Louis, Missoui (1859 – 1860)
  • Over Kolstad’s Jewelry Store in Tyler, Texas (1861)
  • Rumford, Maine (1870s)
• Listed in: Census Records, Tax Records, Individual Stories, and Newspapers
  • Census Records: 1860, “Artist”
  • Tax Records: 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869
  • Individuals: Van Ravenswaay, Darrah
  • Newspapers: 01 Aug. 1861, Tyler Reporter, “Skylight Photographic and Ambrotype Rooms”

General History: Born in 1841 in Tennessee.

Notes: see Chronicles of Smith County, Texas, Spring 1972

Date Range: 19__ – 

• Business Locations:
• Listed in: 
  • Tax Records: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 19__ – 

• Business Locations:
• Listed in: 
  • Tax Records: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 

• Business Locations:
• Listed in: 
  • Tax Records: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 

• Business Locations:
• Listed in: Census Records
  • Census Records: 1860, Troup (Canton Beat), Age 19

Notes: 

Date Range: 1892 – 1897 (?)

• Business Locations:
• Listed in: Tax Records
  • Tax Records: 1896, 1897 Smith County, Texas
• Studio: Eureka Gallery

Notes: About 1895 – 1900, known as “The Fruit Palace Photographer”

Date Range: 1940 –

• Business Locations:
• Listed in: 
  • Tax Records: 
• Studio: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 1872 –

• Business Locations:

  • Smith County, Texas
• Listed in: Tax Records
  • Tax Records: 1872 Smith County, Texas

Notes: 

Date Range: 1879

• Business Locations:
• Listed in: Census Records
  • Census Records: 1880 Smith County, Texas; Born in England, Age 27

Notes: Est. 1879, Teagarden & Knutson, 1882

Date Range: 19_

• Business Locations:
• Listed in: 
  • Census Records: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 1932 –

• Business Locations:
• Listed in: 
  • Census Records: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 1900

• Business Locations:

  • Smith County, Texas
• Listed in: Census Records
  • Census Records: 1900

General History: Born in 1873 in North Carolina.

Notes: 

Date Range: 1880 –

• Business Locations:

  • Tyler, Texas
• Listed in: Census Records
  • Census Records: 1880

General History: Born in 1860 in Louisiana.

Notes: Possibly in business with O. P. Knutson in 1880 before Knutson joined Teagarden.

Date Range: 1893 – 1933

• Business Locations: Tyler, Texas

  • 112 N. Bois d’Arc (1893)
  • 107 W. Ferguson (1910)
  • 216 Swann Building (1933)
• Listed in: Chronicles, Census Records, Newspapers, & City Directories
  • Chronicles: Homecoming Edition, 1909
  • Census Records: 1900
  • Newspapers: 02 May 1899, 05 Dec. 1933, Tyler Daily Courier Times 
  • City Directories: 1893, 1910
• Studios: 
  • Eureka Gallery (Dates Unknown)
  • Mims & Rafferty

General History: Born in 1878 in Louisiana. Possibly began his career in Tyler in 1893. Moved to Denver, Colorado after 1933. Married Elter (?) Medlin in 1895. He died on August 21, 1945.

Notes: Est. 1893, Mims & Rafferty with Frank Ernest Rafferty. Later had studio under his own name as late as 1933. 

Date Range: 1893 – 

• Business Locations: 
• Listed in: 
  • Chronicles: 

General History: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 1933 –

• Business Locations: 
• Listed in: 
  • Chronicles: 

General History: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 19_

• Business Locations: 
• Listed in: 
  • Chronicles: 

General History: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 19_

• Business Locations: 
• Listed in: 
  • Chronicles: 

General History: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 1902

• Business Locations: 
• Listed in: Chronicles of Smith County, Texas 
  • Chronicles: Homecoming Edition, 1909

General History: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 1911 – 1953

• Business Locations: 
• Listed in: Individual Interview
  • Interview: Mrs. Nicks’ Interview

General History: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 1870 

• Business Locations: 

  • Tyler, Texas
• Listed in: Tax Records
  • Tax Records: 1870

General History: Born ca. 1822 in Georgia

Notes: 

Date Range: 1870 

• Business Locations: 
• Listed in: Census Records
  • Census Records: 1870, Canton – Age 39, born in South Carolina.

General History: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 1891 – 

• Business Locations: 
• Listed in: Chronicles of Smith County, Texas
  • Chronicles: Homecoming Ed. on Ed Mims

General History: 

Notes: Began in 1891 in Tyler as a photographer; Mims & Rafferty in 1893 with Ed W Mims

Date Range: 1869 

• Business Locations: 

  • St. Louis, Missouri (1859 – 1860)
  • Henderson, Texas (1869)
  • Jamestown, Smith County, Texas (1869)
  • New Orleans, Louisiana (1870)
  • Upshur County, Texas (1871)
  • Houston, Texas (1872)
  • Walker County, Texas (1872)
  • Fayette County, Texas (1873)
  • Harris County, Texas (1874)
  • Limestone County, Texas (1874)
  • Harris County, Texas (1875)
  • Austin County, Texas (1876)
  • Bastrop County, Texas (1876)
  • Austin, Texas (1877 – 1879)
  • Houston, Texas (1880 – 1888, 1898 – 1899)
• Listed in: Tax Records, Individual Stories 
  • Tax Records: 1869
  • Individual Stories: Van Ravenswaay

General History: Born ca. 1823 in Indiana.

Notes: 

Date Range: 1923 

• Business Locations: 
• Listed in:  
  • Tax Records: 

General History: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 1884 

• Business Locations: 

  • Tyler, Texas
• Listed in: City Directory
  • City Directory: 1877, Tyler, Texas

General History: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 1940 – Unknown

• Business Address (1940): 303 Swann Building, Tyler, Texas

• Listed in: 1940 Tyler City Directory

  • Photographer: Ezra T. Skinner

  • Directory References:

    • Page 640: Allen Studios listed under Photographers

    • Page 57: Ezra T. Skinner named as photographer at Allen Studios

    • Page 373: Ezra T. Skinner’s residence listed as 421 West Woldert

General History: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 1867 – 1870

• Business Address:

  • Tyler, Smith County, Texas
  • Portland, Maine (During Civil War)
  • Cleburne, Texas (1880, 1884 – 1885, 1890 – 1892, 1896 – 1899)

• Listed in: Census Records, 

  • Census Records: 1870, 1880

  • Tax Records: 1867, 1869

General History: Born in Missouri in ca.1833

Notes: 

Date Range: 1870  

• Business Address:

• Listed in: Census Records, 

  • Census Records: 1870 Starrville, Texas; Age 33 & born in Alabama

General History: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 1879 – 1899  

• Business Address:

  • Rusk, Texas (1870)
  • Houston County, Texas (1871)
  • Trinity County, Texas (1871)
  • Houston County, Texas (1873 – 1874)
  • Wood County, Texas (1875, 1882)
  • Tyler, Texas (1879 – 1899)

• Listed in: Census Records, 

  • Census Records: 1870, 1880

  • Tax Records: 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1882
  • City Directories: 1882, 1887
  • Newspapers: 
    • 08 Jul. 1882, Democrat Reporter
    • 09 Jun. 1883 Weekly Courier

Studios: Teagarden & Knutson (est. 1879); Teagarden & Wherry (1870’s)

General History: Born in the late 1840’s in Ohio

Notes: 

Date Range: 1879 –  

• Business Address:

• Listed in: City Directories 

  • City Directories: 1882

General History: Est. 1879

Notes: 

Date Range: 1870 – 1871 

• Business Address:

  • Kickapoo, Texas (1869)
  • Tyler, Smith County, Texas

• Listed in: Tax Records 

  • Tax Records: 1869, 1870, 1871

Studios: O. B. Thigpin & Co., Thigpin & McDonald

General History: Born ca.1845 in South Carolina

Notes: The 1870 census reports a Hosias (possibly Josiah) Thigpen living in Tyler, and the Woldert manuscript from the Tyler Public Library mentions a J.P. Thigpen in the same area. These names might be variants of the same family name or could indicate relations who were associated with “and company.” Additionally, an advertisement for Askew & Glenn references “Professor Thigpen’s old stand,” suggesting that Professor Thigpen had no longer been in that location by that time.

Date Range: 1870 – 

• Business Address:

• Listed in: Census Records 

  • Census Records: 1870, Age 25, Born in South Carolina

General History: 

Notes: “Professor Thipen” mentioned in add (1872); J. P. had studio before 1879 (Woldert Manuscript)

Date Range: 1875 – 

• Business Address:

• Listed in: 

  • Census Records: 

General History: 

Notes:

Date Range: 1913 – 

• Business Address:

• Listed in: 

  • Census Records: 

General History: 

Notes:

Date Range: 18_ – 

• Business Address:

• Listed in: 

  • Census Records: 

General History: 

Notes: Date Unknown; On old photograph, possibly 1890’s

Date Range: 1890’s –

• Business Address:

• Listed in: 

  • Census Records: 

General History: 

Notes: On old photograph (1895 – 1910)

Date Range: 1896 – 1897; 1900

• Business Address:

  • Garden Valley, Texas (1896 – 1897)
  • Tyler, Texas (1900)

• Listed in: Census Records

  • Census Records: 1900

General History: Born in Georgia in 1853

Notes: 

Date Range: 1934 – 

• Business Address:

• Listed in: 

  • Census Records:

General History: 

Notes: 

Date Range: 1870

• Business Address:

  • Tyler, Texas

• Listed in: Tax Record

  • Tax Records: 1870

General History: 

Notes: 

Date Range: Possible late 1890’s

• Business Address:

  • Austin, Texas (1890 – 1891)
  • Palestine, Texas (1892)
  • Tyler, Texas (Late 1890’s)

• Listed in: City Directory

  • City Directory: 1889 – 1890 Austin, Texas

Studios: Yancy & Rhomberg

General History: 

Notes: Possibly Charles R. Yancy. Listed as a printer for Charles Rhomberg (q.v.) in Austin, Texas

Date Range: 193_ –

• Business Address:

• Listed in: 

  • City Directory: 

Studios: 

General History: 

Notes: