More On Photographer J. W. Clark, Mendota, Illinois
Both my Flickr friend Danny Higgins and I, have quite a number of cabinet cards and CDV's by J. W. Clark, Mendota, Illinois. Ckark is not listed as a photographer in any existing census, and has proven to be rather elusive, without some further research.
John W. Clark was born in Lewisburg, Union County, Pennsylvania, February 26, 1852. He was the son of George Washington Bennett Clark and Eliza J. Blee. The Clark family moved to Illinois in 1853, John W. Clark married Harriet (Hattie) Hough, April 11, 1876, in the Cottage Hill Church, Paw Paw, Lee County, Illinois. She was born in DeKalb County, Illinois, June 7, 1856, the daughter of Gilbert Lafayette Hough and Mahala Persis Fay.
John W. Clark was listed in the 1880 census in Mendota, LaSalle County, Illinois, but no occupation was listed. He had learned photography, and the following year (1881) bought out the gallery (studio) of J. L. Gurrad, an earlier Mendota photographer. Gurrad then moved to LaSalle, Illinois, where he operated a photo studio until his death. Clark continued in business in Mendota until his death (of pneumonia), December 28, 1891, at the age of 39.
His death notice indicates that his business would be continued by his widow, Harriett (Hattie) Clark. She apparently continued as a photographer in Mendota until her own death, February 27, 1898. Photographs taken by Hattie continued to use the "J. W. Clark" name. Many of the cabinet cards from the later 1890's were no doubt taken by Hattie Clark.
This death notice is not my photo. It was origianally shared on Ancestry.com by Marianne Tarner, Dec. 2, 2009.
More On Photographer J. W. Clark, Mendota, Illinois
Both my Flickr friend Danny Higgins and I, have quite a number of cabinet cards and CDV's by J. W. Clark, Mendota, Illinois. Ckark is not listed as a photographer in any existing census, and has proven to be rather elusive, without some further research.
John W. Clark was born in Lewisburg, Union County, Pennsylvania, February 26, 1852. He was the son of George Washington Bennett Clark and Eliza J. Blee. The Clark family moved to Illinois in 1853, John W. Clark married Harriet (Hattie) Hough, April 11, 1876, in the Cottage Hill Church, Paw Paw, Lee County, Illinois. She was born in DeKalb County, Illinois, June 7, 1856, the daughter of Gilbert Lafayette Hough and Mahala Persis Fay.
John W. Clark was listed in the 1880 census in Mendota, LaSalle County, Illinois, but no occupation was listed. He had learned photography, and the following year (1881) bought out the gallery (studio) of J. L. Gurrad, an earlier Mendota photographer. Gurrad then moved to LaSalle, Illinois, where he operated a photo studio until his death. Clark continued in business in Mendota until his death (of pneumonia), December 28, 1891, at the age of 39.
His death notice indicates that his business would be continued by his widow, Harriett (Hattie) Clark. She apparently continued as a photographer in Mendota until her own death, February 27, 1898. Photographs taken by Hattie continued to use the "J. W. Clark" name. Many of the cabinet cards from the later 1890's were no doubt taken by Hattie Clark.
This death notice is not my photo. It was origianally shared on Ancestry.com by Marianne Tarner, Dec. 2, 2009.