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Two Civil War Era CDV's From Reading, Pennsylvania
The CDV on the right was done by Clarke, 539 Penn St., Reading, Pennsylvania. Photographer Samuel E. Clark (also Clarke) was born 11 February 1832 in Pennsylvania (PA), one of at least seven children born to Irish immigrant Daniel Clarke (1788-1872) and Mary Peterson (born circa 1800). In 1850, Samuel was living with his parents and six siblings in Sadsburyville, Chester County, PA., where his father worked as a shoemaker. Samuel and two of his brothers also listed shoemaker as their occupations in the 1850 census. It is not known when Samuel began his photographic career, but it was possibly as the verso above notes as "Clarke and Wiley", but Reading directories were not available for that period. He was listed in an 1866 Reading directory as having a studio at 539 Penn Street over Neff’s store. He also is listed in tax lists for that year as paying for a Class B license. Samuel remained at 539 Penn through 1868, and then relocated to 1033 Buttonwood (1869) and later 441 Bingaman (1871). Samuel and Abigail were listed as being in Reading for the 1870 census, and the couple had six sons and four daughters. Only one of them was working, John, who was a telegrapher. Samuel was not listed in the 1874 Reading directory and apparently had relocated to Philadelphia. In 1875 and 1876 Philadelphia directories, he was listed as photographer, but no business address was provided. Hower, the 1877 directory listed him as a music teacher, which is also the occupation he listed for the 1880 census. He was listed in later directories as a photographer, but without a business address. I lost track of him after 1889, but did find that Samuel Clark passed away on 25 June 1902 in Cook County, Illinois; he was buried in Pennsylvania.
The other CDV was done by Saylor's New Photograph Gallery, S.W. Corner of Fifth and Penn Sts., Reading, Pennsylvania. Photographer Charles A. Saylor was born 2 April 1838 in Pennsylvania, the son of Joseph M. Saylor (1803-1891) and Christianna Rickert (1808-1894). Circa 1864, he married Elmira Wetzel Hannam (27 May 1840 - 3 June 1912), and the couple would have at least five children. In 1850, Charles was living in Reading, Pennsylvania with his parents and four siblings; his father was a Methodist clergyman. In 1860, Charles was a farm laborer in Montgomery, Pennsylvania. In 1862 he paid $10.00 for a Class B license as a photographer in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. In 1864, Charles was in Reading, Pennsylvania, with a studio located at 538 Penn Street; that year he paid $25.00 for his Class B license. In 1865 and 1866, his studio was at 454 Penn Street. In the August-December 1866 period, he had reported income of $2,651. In 1867, his studio was at the southeast corner of 6th and Penn Streets, over Reizmann’s. In censuses from 1870 through 1920, Saylor remained in Reading working as a photographer, although in the 1920 census it appears that his son, Clifford, had taken over the studio. Charles A. Saylor passed away on 11 October 1921 in Reading.
Two Civil War Era CDV's From Reading, Pennsylvania
The CDV on the right was done by Clarke, 539 Penn St., Reading, Pennsylvania. Photographer Samuel E. Clark (also Clarke) was born 11 February 1832 in Pennsylvania (PA), one of at least seven children born to Irish immigrant Daniel Clarke (1788-1872) and Mary Peterson (born circa 1800). In 1850, Samuel was living with his parents and six siblings in Sadsburyville, Chester County, PA., where his father worked as a shoemaker. Samuel and two of his brothers also listed shoemaker as their occupations in the 1850 census. It is not known when Samuel began his photographic career, but it was possibly as the verso above notes as "Clarke and Wiley", but Reading directories were not available for that period. He was listed in an 1866 Reading directory as having a studio at 539 Penn Street over Neff’s store. He also is listed in tax lists for that year as paying for a Class B license. Samuel remained at 539 Penn through 1868, and then relocated to 1033 Buttonwood (1869) and later 441 Bingaman (1871). Samuel and Abigail were listed as being in Reading for the 1870 census, and the couple had six sons and four daughters. Only one of them was working, John, who was a telegrapher. Samuel was not listed in the 1874 Reading directory and apparently had relocated to Philadelphia. In 1875 and 1876 Philadelphia directories, he was listed as photographer, but no business address was provided. Hower, the 1877 directory listed him as a music teacher, which is also the occupation he listed for the 1880 census. He was listed in later directories as a photographer, but without a business address. I lost track of him after 1889, but did find that Samuel Clark passed away on 25 June 1902 in Cook County, Illinois; he was buried in Pennsylvania.
The other CDV was done by Saylor's New Photograph Gallery, S.W. Corner of Fifth and Penn Sts., Reading, Pennsylvania. Photographer Charles A. Saylor was born 2 April 1838 in Pennsylvania, the son of Joseph M. Saylor (1803-1891) and Christianna Rickert (1808-1894). Circa 1864, he married Elmira Wetzel Hannam (27 May 1840 - 3 June 1912), and the couple would have at least five children. In 1850, Charles was living in Reading, Pennsylvania with his parents and four siblings; his father was a Methodist clergyman. In 1860, Charles was a farm laborer in Montgomery, Pennsylvania. In 1862 he paid $10.00 for a Class B license as a photographer in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. In 1864, Charles was in Reading, Pennsylvania, with a studio located at 538 Penn Street; that year he paid $25.00 for his Class B license. In 1865 and 1866, his studio was at 454 Penn Street. In the August-December 1866 period, he had reported income of $2,651. In 1867, his studio was at the southeast corner of 6th and Penn Streets, over Reizmann’s. In censuses from 1870 through 1920, Saylor remained in Reading working as a photographer, although in the 1920 census it appears that his son, Clifford, had taken over the studio. Charles A. Saylor passed away on 11 October 1921 in Reading.