Adolph Roggen (1863-1941) Photographer of Fort Wayne, Indiana

In my eBay* and Auctiva* Stores is an antique photograph by Adolph Roggen of Fort Wayne, Indiana. This is an unidentified young lady who posed around the year 1900 in a large hat trimmed with wide ribbon and long feathers or fur. Her jacket has leg-o-mutton sleeves and military style cuffs and tails. She has a strand of matched pearls around her high collar. This authentic, antique sepia image measures 3.75” x 5.75” has a matte finish and instead of being mounted on thick cardboard it is partially affixed with glue to 9” x 12” cardstock with a linen surface. The artist's mark is a gold foil paper seal glued to the mount. It reads only: “Roggen, Ft. Wayne.” The reverse is blank. Click on any image to enlarge it. *Photo is sold.

Using census records and city directories, the world of Adolph Roggen appeared. I was first able to locate Mr. Roggen's first name on the 1900 Federal Census for Indiana, Allen County, Wayne Township and Fort Wayne City. Adolph Roggen was the head of household in a house at 34 West Simpson in Fort Wayne. Adolph Roggen, Photographer, aged 36 was born about November 1863 in Germany of German-born parents. He noted that he was a naturalized citizen, having immigrated to the US in 1872 and had been living here for 27 years. As he would have been about 9 years at the time, he may have come to the US with his parents or family.

Boarding in the house at 34 West Simpson were several men with different occupations. One is another photographer named Chas A. Quillen, aged 22, born about October 1877 in Ohio.

On the 1910 Indiana Census, Wayne Twp, Allen Co., Fort Wayne City, Adolph Roggen is aged 46, still single and living by himself at 1122 Calhoun. He is renting the house, but owns the photography studio. His emigration year is given as 1873. According to Indiana Marriages 1800-1941, Adolph Roggen married on 11 April 1911 to Pearl Crouse in Allen County, IN. (Source: Index to Marriage Record 1824 - 1920 W. P. A. Book 35 OS Page 404)

There is a typed transcript of the 1903 Fort Wayne, IN City Directory. Listed is Pearl Crouse who was working as a photo retoucher for Adolph Roggen. At the time Pearl Crouse was boarding at 754 W. Superior. The house there was owned or rented by David Crouse, whose occupation is given as laborer. That year Adolph Roggen, photographer worked and lived at 1122 Calhoun, the address where he was still listed on the 1910 Census.

By 1920, Adolph Roggen had moved to Illinois, Lakeview Township in Cook County. The 1920 Federal for Illinois Cook Co. Lakeview Twp shows him living at 1242 Cornelia Avenue. The ages and dates for him in particular are inconsistent and he is working as the manager of restaurant. Wife Pearl Roggen aged 37, was born in Indiana and their daughter Josephine Roggen was born in 1912-1913 in Indiana as well. There is a birth record for a daughter born to Adolph and Pearl Roggen in 16 August 1912 that seems to be for daughter Josephine. (Source: Allen County, Indiana Index to Birth Records 1887 - 1920 Inclusive, Book CH-5, Page 132)

By the time of the 1930 Census, Adolph Roggen is again working as a Photographer. He and his wife and daughter were living at 1320 Montague Avenue, in Chicago's 48th Ward in Cook County, IL.

Albert C. Roggen died 7 July 1941 in Chicago. [Source: File number 19021 Cook County Genealogy Records (Deaths), Chicago, IL]

William H. Sherman, Photographer, born 1822 in Vermont

In my Auctiva and eBay Stores is an authentic antique full length CDV carte de visite of a lady in a figured silk gown with Pagoda sleeves with rows of detailed embroidered trim worn over white undersleeves. There are medium sized bows down the front of the bodice and she has a ribbon tie around the collar. This CDV is dated on the back in pencil: Dec. 29, 1864. Next to the image of the lady is also written: "Mrs. M. Kelmer." The image is on a cream colored thin cardboard mount which measures about 2 ¼" x 3 ½". The artist's mark is on back: "W. H. Sherman, Photographic Artist, 16 Wisconsin Street, Milwaukee." The corners have been clipped by the first owner to fit in an album or frame.

Using Federal Census and vital statistics, one can readily follow a photographer named William H. Sherman working in Milwaukee. On the 1860 Federal Wisconsin Census, Milwaukee, in Milwaukee County is: William H. Sherman, Photographist, born about 1823 in Vermont. He had a $12,000 net worth. His wife is Cornelia Sherman, born about 1825 in New York and two children: Harriet born about 1854 in Pennsylvania and William W. born about 1857 in Wisconsin.

On the 1870 Federal Census for Wisconsin in Milwaukee City and County is: William Sherman, Photographer, born about 1822 in Vermont; he had real and personal estate that totaled $18,000. Cornelia Sherman, born about 1825 in New York, Harriet Sherman born about 1854 in Pennsylvania, William Sherman born about 1857 in Wisconsin, Mary Sherman born about 1861 in Wisconsin and Julia Sherman born about 1866 in Wisconsin. Living with the family was Della Fleet aged about 26, whose occupation was a Printer, born in Ohio, and a domestic servant named Bridget Lacy aged about 17 born in Massachusetts.

In 1880, the family’s address is 455 Jackson Street in Milwaukee. W. H. Sherman, Photographer, born about 1822 in Vermont (his parents’ birthplaces were left blank). Cornelia Sherman born about 1825 in New York. Her father was born in Vermont, (her mother’s birthplace was left blank). William Sherman, now aged 23, still single and born in Wisconsin, is working as a Photographer with his father. Mamie [Mary] Sherman aged 19 and Julia Sherman aged 14. Both born in Wisconsin.

Listed in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin City Directories, in 1889 and 1890, Wm. H. Sherman, photographer, his residence still was 455 Jackson, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In Wisconsin Deaths, 1820 – 1907, there is a Wm. H. Sherman who died 7 September 1898 in Milwaukee County. He no longer appears on the 1900 Milwaukee census; his son William W. Sherman does. On the 1900 Federal Wisconsin Census is William W. Sherman, Artist, born May 1857 in Wisconsin and his wife Martha J. Sherman, born April 1857 in New York. They had been married for 19 years and Martha J. Sherman had been the mother of two children, one of whom survived. Living with them are: Anna E. Ingalls, William W. Sherman’s sister-in-law who was born June 1864 in New York, and his mother-in-law Marcelia Ingalls who was born August 1826 in New York.

Special Note: According to Craig’s Registry of Daguerreians, William H. Sherman (1821-1898) was born in Lunenburg, Virginia. He began his career as a daguerreian in Clinton, New York. He was instructed by Avery in the Mayall process and worked on his own at first near Rome and Clinton, New York. In 1848, he married Cornelia Rawson, daughter of Professor Peloriah Rawson. He left Clinton, traveled by way of Oswego, Lake Ontario and Lewiston to Niagara Falls. From Buffalo he traveled to Sandusky, Ohio by steamboat and to his parents' home near Milan, Ohio and visited Norwalk and Monroeville with the idea of moving there. But about August 1848, he returned to New York State, and located in Springville, Erie County. In the summer of 1849, he traveled to Ellicottville for six to eight weeks and then to Forestville, Chautauqua County, New York. In 1850, Sherman was listed as a daguerreian in Erie, Pa., in partnership as Sherman and Lewis. He was listed in the city in 1851 and 1853-1854, and his address was listed North Park Street between the Reed House and Brown's Hotel, with his residence on Fourth Street. In 1854-1855 he was listed on Park Row and in 1854, he may have been affected by the railroad riots. In 1860, William H. Sherman relocated his studio in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This William H. Sherman, daguerreian and photographer, may be the same except for some discrepancies such as his birthplace in Vermont.