Myrtle Harcey (1878-1927), daughter of Thomas Edwin Harcey and Albertine (Wendt) Harcey, operated a photography studio in Minneapolis for several decades.
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| A view of 6th Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN., taken from Myrtle (Harcey) Hogue's studio at 714 6th Avenue North, in 1907; the brick building behind the street car, located at 635-637 6th Avenue North, is labeled "Kistler Building;" Myrtle's brother Ed worked as a clerk for James Kistler, a grocer; penciled on the reverse of the original is the date "April 28, ‘07." |
In 1905 she was living with her husband Reynold Scott "Ray" Hogue (whom she married after 1900) -- and was using his last name -- at 715 6th Avenue North in Minneapolis. As teenagers Myrtle and Ray had a daughter, Katherine, born in 1897, who was given up for adoption.
By 1909 Myrtle was single and using the name "Harcey." Her business and residence at that time were located at 714 6th Avenue North in Minneapolis (perhaps the same building as 715), across the street from the Kistler Building at 635-637 6th Avenue North, where Myrtle’s older brother Edwin worked as a grocery clerk (and perhaps had an apartment).
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| Myrtle's photo of her cousins (l. to r.) Ralph, Verne and Ruby Harcey |
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| Myrtle's portrait of her father Thomas Edwin Harcey and younger brother John Asberry Harcey |
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| Myrtle's portrait of her grandson (Katherine's son) Robert Evans Courtney (1917-1943) |
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| Myrtle's portrait of her niece Bernadette Harcey (1908-2004), left, and Bernadette's friend Marion Swanson |
Aren't her photo's stunning?
In the 1910 federal census Myrtle was listed as a ‘boarder’ at 714 6th Avenue North, now the residence of Clarence and Charlotte A. "Lottie" (Starr) Altland and their sons Glen and Lee; her occupation was listed as "bookkeeper." Clarence (1872-1926) was a fireman on the Minneapolis-St. Louis Railway, the same line which employed Myrtle’s father Thomas Edwin Harcey. Mrs. Altland (1874-1916) appears in several of Myrtle’s photos.
There are photos of Myrtle in Europe and Mexico; whether she traveled for work or pleasure is unknown.
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| 1914 Myrtle Harcey in Mexico |
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| 1910, Myrtle Harcey in Naples, Italy |
In the 1910's Myrtle located and reconnected with her daughter Katherine, who had been raised in Minneapolis as Katherine Margaret Tracy by her adoptive parents John Lewis and Kate M. (Tunnicliffe) Tracy. The two remained in contact until the end of Myrtle’s life. Myrtle introduced Katherine to all the Harcey family, including the relatives in Winona County, Minnesota, with whom Katherine appears in several photos.
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| Myrtle Harcey with her daughter Katherine Margaret Tracey |
Ralph Harcey (1899-1993), Myrtle’s much younger first cousin, recalled that Myrtle was struck and killed by a taxi "in New York City or some place." There is a notation on her burial record in the archives of Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis reading simply, "Montgomery Cty., Pennsylvania." Whether her death took place there or, as Ralph Harcey thought, in New York City, remains unknown. Her grave, like those of her parents, sister Elizabeth (Harcey) Roberts and brother William Franklin Harcey, were never marked with a gravestone. On her death cert it says something to with her tonsils having puss on them and a infection set in, if I interpreted it right. There was no car accident and a niece of hers was informant on the death cert and didn't know Myrtle's parents names so they aren't on it.
Here are some more of the photo's she took and some of her.
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| Myrtle (Harcey) Hogue (right) with Mrs. Altland |
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| Myrtle Harcey (1878-1927), daughter of Thomas Edwin and Albertine (Wendt) Harcey |
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| Myrtle Harcey (left) with her niece Lilian Maria Roberts |
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| Myrtle Harcey in her studio |
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| Myrtle Harcey |
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| Myrtle Harcey |
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| Myrtle Harcey taken in her studio |
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| l. to r: Myrtle Harcey, Estella Harcey, Ruby Lela Harcey and Mrs. Altland standing on the stairs of Mannheimer's Memorial (now usually called the "Wedding Arch"), Como Park, St. Paul, MN., in the early 1900's; possibly taken with a camera timer. |
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| Myrtle Harcey New York City 1908 |
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| Myrtle's Namecard |
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| Myrtle Harcey |
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| A view of Minnehaha Falls likely taken by Myrtle Harcey |
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| Myrtle's portraits of her siblings (l. to r.) Chauncey, Florence ("Launey") and Sr. Yvonne |
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| Minnehaha Creek, Minneapolis, MN., in the early 1900's, from an 8 x 10 original by Myrtle Harcey (which she titled Minnehaha Creek and signed M. Harcey |
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| A photograph which Myrtle Harcey took of her little brother John Asberry Harcey (1893-1955); the cardboard mount bears Myrtle’s studio stamp |
Here is a photo of Myrtle's husband Reynold Scott Hogue "Ray"
Here is Myrtle's Death Cert. Such a shame she died at age 48. She had so much more life to live. I would of loved to of spent a day with her in her studio. What a treasure that would of been. She was a gem of a lady way before her time. Full of life and love.
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