The Shelby Museum Of History
 
Recorders of Shelby Pictorial History
 
 
 
Early Shelby Photographers and their Photographs
 
(A. W.) Greene & Best (c. 1902 - c. 1904)
 
 
 
The March 3rd 1902 Shelby Daily Globe ran the following:
 
"New Firm Is Now in Charge of Gramley Photograph Gallery.
 
Green & Best two prominent and popular photographers of Detroit, Mich. have purchased the photographic gallery of A. J. Gramley in the Brickley block and they took charge last Saturday. They are live up-to-date men in their business and come to Shelby with the very latest ideas of a metropolis in regard to photography, which they will sell to the people here at Shelby prices. They are both pleasant men to meet and will move their families as soon as convenient. In addition to giving the people a first class photography gallery they will, with their families make valuable acquisitions to Shelby society. They will have the gallery ready for business immediately."
 
 
Other than the above article, at this time, Greene and Best photographers can only be described by a few examples of their craft that exist at the Shelby Museum.
 
 
Picture courtesy of the Shelby Museum
Miss Ziegler - 1902
 
 
This photograph was taken on April 29th, 1902. The subject was Miss Ziegler, a third grade teacher at the Hayes Elementary School in Shelby. A search of the Shelby directories of the era have produced no further information on Miss Ziegler. The Richland County marriage records soon after 1902 may give some possible leads for our teacher.
 
 
 
 
This is an enlargement of the Greene & Best embossed mark (above).
 
 
 
 
 
Picture courtesy of the Shelby Museum photo. - c. 1901-1902
Russell Johnston
Shelby Football career c. 1896 - c. 1902
 
 
 
The Greene & Best embossed mark on this photo is the same as used in the "Miss Ziegler" photograph with the exception that it is placed in the lower right corner. Russell is holding what looks like a nose guard in his left hand. Russell appears to be in his late teens or early twenties in this picture.
 
The subject Russell R. Johnston was the oldest child of Daniel and Elizabeth Whitney Johnston. He was born c. May, 1880 in Cranberry Twp., Crawford County, Ohio. His parents had named him Jacob in the 1880 census when he was less than a month old, however by 1900 when the family was living at 54 North Broadway, his name had become Russell. Russell was employed at the Tube Works in 1900 and 1906. By 1908 he had married Bessie K. ? and they were living at 64 East Whitney. In 1910 they had moved to 82 West Whitney with their son Lowell who was born c. 1907. In the 1920 census Russell and family were living at 36 Grand Blvd. and Russell lists no occupation.
 
Fred Eichinger's book "The History of Shelby Football 1894 - 1985" lists Russell Johnson (the family seemed to have spelled it Johnston) as a player for the 1896 Shelby Tube Works Football Team as well as in 1899 when he played center for the Tube Works Team. In 1900 Russell "Bud" Johnston played for the Shelby Athletic Association Team who were State Champions (Russell was elected team Captain). He continued to play for the Shelby A. A. (State Champions) Team in years 1901 and 1902 when he was again chosen team Captain. 1902 appears to be the last year that Russell played football for the Shelby A. A. teams. For this reason and the apparent age of Russell (in the photo) it is thought that the above photo was taken between the years 1898 and 1902.
 
 
Please contact us with further information on the Russell Johnston family.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Picture courtesy of the Shelby Museum
Shelby Mystic Club - Feb. 22, 1904
 
 
This photo of the Shelby Mystic Club members was taken about 2 years after the Charles Follis and Russell Johnston pictures shown above.
 
Those pictured are (left to right):
 
Back Row:
Wm. J. Close, Dr. E. H. Heagerman, Mrs. Heagerman, Mrs. Florence Tucker, Fred Sutter, Harry Tucker, Earl Pennington, Mrs. George Myers, Clay Morse.
 
Third Row:
Unknown, W. H. Hart, George Sutter, Mrs. Clark Ritchey, Mr. Griffith, John Sutter, Mrs. Clay Morse.
 
Second Row:
Unknown, Mrs. W. H. Hart, Mrs. George Sutter, Mrs. Green, Mrs. Steve Kekker, George Myers, Steve Keller, Mrs. Griffith, Mrs. John Sutter, Mrs. Fred Sutter.
 
First Row:
Mrs. Wm. J. Close, Mrs. Wickstrom, Elmer Kirkpatrick, Mrs. Miller.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The embossing on the" Mystic Club" photo (above) reads: A. W. Greene - Shelby, Ohio. Another clue to the identity of Mr. Greene, however, no Greene has been located in the Shelby area at that time with those initials.
 
 
 
 
Picture courtesy of the private collector
Ralph Bodley - c. 1902 - 1903
 
 
Ralph Homer Bodley born 1889, was the only son of James T. and Malinda J. Sturtz Bodley. James Bodley died in 1894 and in 1900, Ralph and his mother were living in Plymouth, Ohio. By 1901 Malinda Bodley and her son were residing at 30 Wilson Ave., in Shelby where they were living when the above photo was taken.
Ralph appears to have been about 12 to 13 years old when the photo was made. In 1910 Malinda and son Ralph were still living at 30 Wilson Ave and she was running a boarding house. Sometime after 1910 Ralph took a job as a clerk in a hardware store where he was still employed at the time of his death in 1915.
 
 
 
A. W. Greene embossing on Bodley photo.
 
 
 
 
 
 
A search of the Greene and Best surnames yields no immediate candidates for photographer in the Shelby area in the 1900 - 1910 era.
 
All A. W. Greene as well as Greene and Best photos discovered to this time (Feb. 2008) have
been dated in the range of 1902 to 1904. Additional photo discoveries could extend that range.
Your help in identifying Mr. Greene and any information concerning Greene & Best would
be greatly appreciated.
 
 
 
 
* Fred Eichinger's book "The History of Shelby Football 1894 - 1985"
 
 
If you have questions or if you would like to add information, please contact :
 
The Shelby Museum of History
% Sally Maier
76 Raymond Ave.
Shelby, Ohio 44875
 
Email  Us
 
 
 
 
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