Barber County Kansas

F.M. Steele, The Tourist Photo Artist

Imprint of F.M. Steele, the Tourist Photo Artist.

Image courtesy of Kim Fowles.
F.M. Steele, the Tourist Photo Artist.
The above logo was stamped or printed on the mat of the following photo of the Hoagland family.
Image courtesy of Kim (Hoagland) Fowles.

Frank and Hattie Hoagland with their children at the Oldfather Place east of Sun City.

Photo by F.M. Steele, from the collection of Kim (Hoagland) Fowles.
Frank and Hattie Hoagland with their children at the Oldfather Place east of Sun City.

Date of Photo: I believe this photo was taken in late 1890s. Clifford Hoagland (youngest child in photo) was born 12/20/1893 so we know that it was taken after 1893. He appears to be less than 5 years old in this photo. The three kids in the buggy are: Edith Francis Hoagland, Nina Pansie Hoagland and Clifford Hoagland ." - Kim Fowles, 26 April 2006.

Photo by F.M. Steele, from the collection of Kim (Hoagland) Fowles.

Roundup in Barber County, Kansas, 1894.

This photo was taken by F.M. Steele at Cottonwood Springs, about 7 miles southwest of Sun City, Barber County, Kansas.

Left to right, front row:  Harry Clements, Joe Gant, Roe Cole, George Abell, Bert Young, Walt Sears, Joe Burson, Jim Talliaferro, Jim Elsea.

Second row:  Charlie Kinkaid, round-up foreman; Jack Larkin, George Meadors, Arthur Shaw, Green Adams, Ed Teagle, Pearl Bunton, Jake Warrenstaff, Ed Hoagland, Tom Pepperd, Aub Donovan, Jack Ballanger, Bob Doles, Homer Hoagland. 

Back row:  Cook Denver Boggs, Frank Abell and Doc Williams. This photo was published in the Kansas Stockman in 1942 and 1949.

Photo courtesy of Mary Lou (Elsea) Hinz.
Roundup at Cottonwood Springs, about 7 miles southwest of Sun City in Barber County, Kansas, 1894.
Photo by F.M. Steele, courtesy of Mary Lou (Elsea) Hinz.

Left to right, front row: Harry Clements, Joe Gant, Roe Cole, George Abell, Bert Young, Walt Sears, Joe Burson, Jim Talliaferro, Jim Elsea.     Second row: Charlie Kinkaid, round-up foreman; Jack Larkin, George Meadors, Arthur Shaw, Green Adams, Ed Teagle, Pearl Bunton, Jake Warrenstaff, Ed Hoagland, Tom Pepperd, Aub Donovan, Jack Ballanger, Bob Doles, Homer Hoagland.     Back row: Cook Denver Boggs, Frank Abell and Doc Williams. This photo was published in The Kansas Stockman in 1942 and 1949.


Kings and Queens of the Range, a Pictorial Record of Early Day Cattlemen of Clark County, Kansas, compiled by Florence E. Hurd. Photographs taken from 1884 to 1904 by F. M. Steele.

"This 90-page, hardbound book is a recent (1977) reprint sponsored by the Clark County Historical Society and the Pioneer Museum. The pictures taken by Steele, self-styled "tourist photo artist," are of cattle drives, ranch life, and farming operations in southwest Kansas and Oklahoma territory." -- Source: http://www.kancoll.org/khq/1977/77_3_offthepress.htm.


Do you have any photos by or information about F.M. Steele?

Reprinted from The Gyp Hill Premiere, 24 July 2006

The Center for Great Plains Studies is seeking photographs by and information about the life of F. M. Steele, who was active in this region from 1890 until his death early in 1936.

Steele began his career as an itinerant photographer traveling the plains with a darkroom mounted on a wagon and photographing cowboys and wheat harvesters at work. He later worked from studios at various towns in the plains region and expanded the scope of his work to include industrial projects and portraits, in addition to agriculture.

Although he is considered one of the most significant of early Great Plains photographers, little is known about Steeleā€™s life. Of the thousands of photographs he took, fewer than 250 are known to be extant, most of them in historical society museums. Some, however, have turned up in attics and closets.

If your family collection includes any Steele photos, or if you know something of his personal life, I would be grateful if you would write me at Box 19, Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas 66801; email me at jhoy@emporia.edu; or call at 620 343 3192.

Thank you,

Jim Hoy, Director
Center for Great Plains Studies
Emporia State University


Thanks to Kim (Hoagland) Fowles for the photographs and for contributing the above information to this web site!




Last Updated:  

Barber County Home page