Genealogy of the Woodcock Valley

I have a fair number of family photos - some are tin types, cabinet cards, post cards, and well, just photographs!  I have a limited number of early photographs that were taken by professional photographers.  Overwhelmingly, the majority of my photos were taken by L. B. Kline of Huntingdon.  It seems to me that Kline's photography was in business for many years in Huntingdon, leading me to wonder if L. B. practiced with his father and/or if a son took over his business.

My earliest photo is marked Donnell & Kline, Huntingdon, PA.  I'm guessing this photo was taken about 1864.  The next group of photos I have are labeled Kline, 5th & Washington, Huntingdon, PA.  Finally, the later photos are marked L. B. Kline, Photographer, 518 Washington St., Huntingdon, PA. 

So, who was L. B. Kline?  I can first locate him in the 1870 census for Huntingdon's East Ward:

• L. B. Kline, age 27
• Beckie, age 25
• Lilia, age 3
• Effie, age 2
• Josie, age 6/12

L. B. Kline appears in the above photo, about 1873, and is the 5th from the left.  This photo appeared in a souvenir booklet from the First National Bank in 1923.

In 1880, he is again listed in the Huntingdon Census:

• L. B. Kline, age 35, photographer
• Rebecca, 34
• Celie M., 13
• Effie M., 12
• Josie M., 11
• Bertolette M., 9
• Charles M., 7
• Amelia M., 4

Given that all of the children's middle initials are M., I have to wonder if his wife Rebecca's maiden name started with an M...

L. B. Kline appears in the 1900 census in Huntingdon's 2nd Ward living on 7th Street:

• L. B. Kline, born Jan. 1844, married 34 years
• Rebecca, born Sep. 1845, 9 children/7 still living
• Effie, born Nov. 1868
• Bertolette, born Nove. 1871
• Charles, born Aug. 1873
• Fred, born Jan. 1884
• Dollie, born June 1885
• Sophia Schonter, born May 1882, servant

L. B. Kline died in 1901  at the age of 57 after being a photographer for over 30 years according to an article that appeared in the 1901 edition of Wilson's Photographic Magazine, Volume 38:

So, who were some other local photographers?  I have other photos marked with the following:

• Vuille Art Studio, 420 Penn St., Huntingdon, PA
• Shaffer (with initials GMS or MGS), cor. 5th & Allegheny Sts., Huntingdon, PA
• T. R. Norris, Photographer, Saxton, PA
• Edwards, Huntingdon, PA

It appears that the photographer Edwards took over where Kline left off.  All of my photos from the early 1930s on bear the Edwards name.  Do you have other photographs with a Huntingdon photographer listed?  Are any of your photographs dated to tell when the photographer was in business?  Do you know more about L. B. Kline?

There is a unique website that lists photographers across the United States and lists when they practiced.  Langdon Road is operated by Barbara Langdon.  Her website is a work-in-progress and largely contains information from her own personal photos.  She relies on others to share information about photographers in other areas of the country.  I personally e-mailed her information on all of the photographers I listed above last night.  I would encourage you to look through your own photos and e-mail Barbara with information about the photographers in your area.  You can join her website or privately e-mail her.  Barbara also provides services to help you date photos.  You may be wondering, "Why is it important to have a list of photographers?"  Well, it is important, because knowing when and where a photographer worked can help you trace members of your own family by knowing where they lived and when.  While going through my own photos last night, I realized that a large number of my "Unknown" photos were from studios in Ohio.  So, I am going to now look through my family tree in search of a line that went to Ohio.  Perhaps my unknown photos will be of the family I find...