| Mansfield PA and Richmond Township in Tioga County PA |
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Bradford County PA
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Chemung County NY
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Tioga County PA
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Tri-Counties Genealogy &
History by Joyce M. Tice
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Photographers of the Tri-Counties
Bates Studio of Mansfield |
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The above postcard photo is designated as Bates Studio, Mansfield Pa.
I had initally assumed it was a photo of the studio itself, but it
may just be a residence with the Bates logo on it. Does anyone know for
sure? Tell me. |
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| Business: Bates Studio |
| Township: Mansfield Borough, Tioga County
PA |
| Postcards |
| Year: |
| Photo Submitted by: Various Guests |
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John P. Bates was a pharmacist in Mansfield PA before, during and
after the 1920s era. He started with the Pharmacy,
and like so many others in that business branched out to photographic supplies
and then photography. In both the 1899 and 1908 Tioga County directories,
his brother William A. Bates is identified as a clerk in his brother
John's Drug Store.
William A. Bates was the Bates Studio photographer
who left us with a rich record of his time and place. He took countless
studio photographs including my father and uncle shown below. Additonally
he was the photographer of choice at many community events and many of
his photos were published in the postcard form so popular in his time.
He also took many photos of the area and published them as postcards. On
some of them the "W. A. Bates, Postcard Manufacturer, Mansfield Pa." stamp
appears on the back. At least one postcard says "Published by John P. Bates,"
who ran the drug store. Many druggists identified themselves as publishers
on the postcards they sold for the trade. . Most of the postcards are signed
by "Bates," and many are also labeled in the same handwriting. The handwriting
has become familiar enough to me that I can recognize it on cards even
without the photographer name.
William Albert Bates lived 1876 to 1950 and is buried in Mansfield's
Prospect Cemetery. The obituary of his wife, Helen Leach (1876-1938), indicates
that he was the photographer and she assisted him in his business with
her artistic talents. He clearly had a corner on the market for school
class photography in the 1920s and 30s. His signature is on every class
photo.
I will present many of these cards here,but there are so many of them
it will take many pages. Additionally if you have postcards witht he bates
signature, please send them in to me in HIGH resolution JPG scanned format.
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Bradford County PA
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Chemung County NY
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Tioga County PA
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