Bessie Sage of 806 North Wilson street was 85 years old when she passed away at her home of breast cancer. Missouri Death Certificate.
Her husband Samuel had preceded her in death in 1930. They both had been photographers, and at the time of her death she was retired.
She was the daughter of William Highley and Hannah T. Blain Highley. Her funeral arrangements were under the direction of Johnston-Arnce-Simpson Mortuary in Webb City, MO.
Although Bessie is interred in Mt. Hope Cemetery, there is a memorial stone for her and Sam in Park Cemetery in Carthage, MO. Click Here to view page.
♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸†¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪•*¨*•.¸¸†¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪•
JOPLIN GLOBE
Sunday, October 25, 1970
86-YEAR OLD PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS ENDED BY FAMILY
WEBB CITY, Mo. - A field service photography business that traced its history back to 1884 was closed out here earlier this month by its owner, Mrs. Geraldine Sage Hampsten.
Mrs. Hampsten, who took over the business in 1934 following the death of her father, Samuel Sage, has not conducted business which specialized in recent years in school children photography since 1965 due to illness.
Bess A. Highley Mrs. Hampsten's mother started the business in 1884 after serving as an assistant for several years to a traveling photographer named McCoy in Southeast Kansas and Southwest Missouri. The photographer and his family followed the fair route throughout the area, and Mrs. Hampsten's mother, then 19 years old learned the trade while babysitting the youngsters of the family.
While operating her own field service photo business, with both wet and dry tintype equipment, Miss Highley instructed her two brothers James L. Highley and Charles A.L. Highley in the art, and the trio operated the business throughout Southern Missouri.
During the 1900's Miss Highley worked in St. Louis for the Martin Schweig and Gearhardt Sisters Studios and also for the Geraldine Commercial Studio on the St. Louis riverfront. In 1903, she married Samuel Sage, who was a life insurance salesman from Pennsylvania. She taught her husband the photography trade and the business became a family affair.
The style of photography back then, Mrs. Hampsten said was called "kidnapping." Working out of the Joplin area, the photographers would go house-to-house knocking on every door trying to sell their product. At each house, a chalk mark was made in front so that other members would know that the area was already "covered."
The Sages' only child, Geraldine started school in Neosho in 1909 and by the time she was 7 years old, she already was helping with the door-to-door selling. At the age of 5 years, she was helping with the sorting of photos on sheets spread on the floors of hotel rooms in the towns her family's business happened to be in at the time. Back then, she said the photos sold for 50 cents per dozen, or $1.50 per dozen in folders. Dry plate film, she said was purchased at a cost of $1 per dozen plates.
The family never had a studio, she said always processing the films and photos in hotel rooms.
A permanent base of operations was established in Joplin in 1910, and Mrs. Hampsten attended schools in Joplin until 1917 when she graduated from Washington School. During the time the family lived in Joplin area, Sage photographed much of the mining scenes until the mines played out. Then the family moved to the coal mining region of the state of Illinois. Geraldine Sate was married to Harlen Hampsten in East St. Louis, Illinois on January 29 1923.
Hampsten, who was employed as a pipe fitter on a railroad, promptly was laid off and was taken into the family photography business as a cameraman, a vocation that became his lifetime career. Now, at the age of 70, he is employed as a photographer for the William Duckwall school of photography agency in Carthage.
When Mrs Hampsten took over the family business in 1934 after the death of her father, she decided to bring the field photography service back to the Four-State Area and get a start on the just-opening school photography market.
The business grew fast from its Joplin and Webb City based headquarters, and at its peak, involved 371 schools and eight complete school annuals. Mr. and Mrs. Hampsten, who live at 806 North Wilson street, here, for many years took pictures at schools throughout Southwest Missouri as well as Southeast Kansas and Northeast Oklahoma. It was one of five field service photography businesses in operation in this area. The two would shoot pictures during the weekdays and then would return to their home in Webb City to process the film and print the shots over the weekends.
Mrs. Hampsten, who was owner and operator of the business, said her greatest satisfaction from the operation of the business throughout the many years it specialized in school photography was working with the youngsters.
"They were always uninhibited," she said, "and completely honest. Some of things they would come up with during the photo sessions would really floor you."
Her husband Samuel had preceded her in death in 1930. They both had been photographers, and at the time of her death she was retired.
She was the daughter of William Highley and Hannah T. Blain Highley. Her funeral arrangements were under the direction of Johnston-Arnce-Simpson Mortuary in Webb City, MO.
Although Bessie is interred in Mt. Hope Cemetery, there is a memorial stone for her and Sam in Park Cemetery in Carthage, MO. Click Here to view page.
♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸†¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪•*¨*•.¸¸†¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪•
JOPLIN GLOBE
Sunday, October 25, 1970
86-YEAR OLD PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS ENDED BY FAMILY
WEBB CITY, Mo. - A field service photography business that traced its history back to 1884 was closed out here earlier this month by its owner, Mrs. Geraldine Sage Hampsten.
Mrs. Hampsten, who took over the business in 1934 following the death of her father, Samuel Sage, has not conducted business which specialized in recent years in school children photography since 1965 due to illness.
Bess A. Highley Mrs. Hampsten's mother started the business in 1884 after serving as an assistant for several years to a traveling photographer named McCoy in Southeast Kansas and Southwest Missouri. The photographer and his family followed the fair route throughout the area, and Mrs. Hampsten's mother, then 19 years old learned the trade while babysitting the youngsters of the family.
While operating her own field service photo business, with both wet and dry tintype equipment, Miss Highley instructed her two brothers James L. Highley and Charles A.L. Highley in the art, and the trio operated the business throughout Southern Missouri.
During the 1900's Miss Highley worked in St. Louis for the Martin Schweig and Gearhardt Sisters Studios and also for the Geraldine Commercial Studio on the St. Louis riverfront. In 1903, she married Samuel Sage, who was a life insurance salesman from Pennsylvania. She taught her husband the photography trade and the business became a family affair.
The style of photography back then, Mrs. Hampsten said was called "kidnapping." Working out of the Joplin area, the photographers would go house-to-house knocking on every door trying to sell their product. At each house, a chalk mark was made in front so that other members would know that the area was already "covered."
The Sages' only child, Geraldine started school in Neosho in 1909 and by the time she was 7 years old, she already was helping with the door-to-door selling. At the age of 5 years, she was helping with the sorting of photos on sheets spread on the floors of hotel rooms in the towns her family's business happened to be in at the time. Back then, she said the photos sold for 50 cents per dozen, or $1.50 per dozen in folders. Dry plate film, she said was purchased at a cost of $1 per dozen plates.
The family never had a studio, she said always processing the films and photos in hotel rooms.
A permanent base of operations was established in Joplin in 1910, and Mrs. Hampsten attended schools in Joplin until 1917 when she graduated from Washington School. During the time the family lived in Joplin area, Sage photographed much of the mining scenes until the mines played out. Then the family moved to the coal mining region of the state of Illinois. Geraldine Sate was married to Harlen Hampsten in East St. Louis, Illinois on January 29 1923.
Hampsten, who was employed as a pipe fitter on a railroad, promptly was laid off and was taken into the family photography business as a cameraman, a vocation that became his lifetime career. Now, at the age of 70, he is employed as a photographer for the William Duckwall school of photography agency in Carthage.
When Mrs Hampsten took over the family business in 1934 after the death of her father, she decided to bring the field photography service back to the Four-State Area and get a start on the just-opening school photography market.
The business grew fast from its Joplin and Webb City based headquarters, and at its peak, involved 371 schools and eight complete school annuals. Mr. and Mrs. Hampsten, who live at 806 North Wilson street, here, for many years took pictures at schools throughout Southwest Missouri as well as Southeast Kansas and Northeast Oklahoma. It was one of five field service photography businesses in operation in this area. The two would shoot pictures during the weekdays and then would return to their home in Webb City to process the film and print the shots over the weekends.
Mrs. Hampsten, who was owner and operator of the business, said her greatest satisfaction from the operation of the business throughout the many years it specialized in school photography was working with the youngsters.
"They were always uninhibited," she said, "and completely honest. Some of things they would come up with during the photo sessions would really floor you."
Bessie Sage of 806 North Wilson street was 85 years old when she passed away at her home of breast cancer. Missouri Death Certificate.
Her husband Samuel had preceded her in death in 1930. They both had been photographers, and at the time of her death she was retired.
She was the daughter of William Highley and Hannah T. Blain Highley. Her funeral arrangements were under the direction of Johnston-Arnce-Simpson Mortuary in Webb City, MO.
Although Bessie is interred in Mt. Hope Cemetery, there is a memorial stone for her and Sam in Park Cemetery in Carthage, MO. Click Here to view page.
♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸†¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪•*¨*•.¸¸†¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪•
JOPLIN GLOBE
Sunday, October 25, 1970
86-YEAR OLD PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS ENDED BY FAMILY
WEBB CITY, Mo. - A field service photography business that traced its history back to 1884 was closed out here earlier this month by its owner, Mrs. Geraldine Sage Hampsten.
Mrs. Hampsten, who took over the business in 1934 following the death of her father, Samuel Sage, has not conducted business which specialized in recent years in school children photography since 1965 due to illness.
Bess A. Highley Mrs. Hampsten's mother started the business in 1884 after serving as an assistant for several years to a traveling photographer named McCoy in Southeast Kansas and Southwest Missouri. The photographer and his family followed the fair route throughout the area, and Mrs. Hampsten's mother, then 19 years old learned the trade while babysitting the youngsters of the family.
While operating her own field service photo business, with both wet and dry tintype equipment, Miss Highley instructed her two brothers James L. Highley and Charles A.L. Highley in the art, and the trio operated the business throughout Southern Missouri.
During the 1900's Miss Highley worked in St. Louis for the Martin Schweig and Gearhardt Sisters Studios and also for the Geraldine Commercial Studio on the St. Louis riverfront. In 1903, she married Samuel Sage, who was a life insurance salesman from Pennsylvania. She taught her husband the photography trade and the business became a family affair.
The style of photography back then, Mrs. Hampsten said was called "kidnapping." Working out of the Joplin area, the photographers would go house-to-house knocking on every door trying to sell their product. At each house, a chalk mark was made in front so that other members would know that the area was already "covered."
The Sages' only child, Geraldine started school in Neosho in 1909 and by the time she was 7 years old, she already was helping with the door-to-door selling. At the age of 5 years, she was helping with the sorting of photos on sheets spread on the floors of hotel rooms in the towns her family's business happened to be in at the time. Back then, she said the photos sold for 50 cents per dozen, or $1.50 per dozen in folders. Dry plate film, she said was purchased at a cost of $1 per dozen plates.
The family never had a studio, she said always processing the films and photos in hotel rooms.
A permanent base of operations was established in Joplin in 1910, and Mrs. Hampsten attended schools in Joplin until 1917 when she graduated from Washington School. During the time the family lived in Joplin area, Sage photographed much of the mining scenes until the mines played out. Then the family moved to the coal mining region of the state of Illinois. Geraldine Sate was married to Harlen Hampsten in East St. Louis, Illinois on January 29 1923.
Hampsten, who was employed as a pipe fitter on a railroad, promptly was laid off and was taken into the family photography business as a cameraman, a vocation that became his lifetime career. Now, at the age of 70, he is employed as a photographer for the William Duckwall school of photography agency in Carthage.
When Mrs Hampsten took over the family business in 1934 after the death of her father, she decided to bring the field photography service back to the Four-State Area and get a start on the just-opening school photography market.
The business grew fast from its Joplin and Webb City based headquarters, and at its peak, involved 371 schools and eight complete school annuals. Mr. and Mrs. Hampsten, who live at 806 North Wilson street, here, for many years took pictures at schools throughout Southwest Missouri as well as Southeast Kansas and Northeast Oklahoma. It was one of five field service photography businesses in operation in this area. The two would shoot pictures during the weekdays and then would return to their home in Webb City to process the film and print the shots over the weekends.
Mrs. Hampsten, who was owner and operator of the business, said her greatest satisfaction from the operation of the business throughout the many years it specialized in school photography was working with the youngsters.
"They were always uninhibited," she said, "and completely honest. Some of things they would come up with during the photo sessions would really floor you."
Her husband Samuel had preceded her in death in 1930. They both had been photographers, and at the time of her death she was retired.
She was the daughter of William Highley and Hannah T. Blain Highley. Her funeral arrangements were under the direction of Johnston-Arnce-Simpson Mortuary in Webb City, MO.
Although Bessie is interred in Mt. Hope Cemetery, there is a memorial stone for her and Sam in Park Cemetery in Carthage, MO. Click Here to view page.
♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸†¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪•*¨*•.¸¸†¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪•
JOPLIN GLOBE
Sunday, October 25, 1970
86-YEAR OLD PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS ENDED BY FAMILY
WEBB CITY, Mo. - A field service photography business that traced its history back to 1884 was closed out here earlier this month by its owner, Mrs. Geraldine Sage Hampsten.
Mrs. Hampsten, who took over the business in 1934 following the death of her father, Samuel Sage, has not conducted business which specialized in recent years in school children photography since 1965 due to illness.
Bess A. Highley Mrs. Hampsten's mother started the business in 1884 after serving as an assistant for several years to a traveling photographer named McCoy in Southeast Kansas and Southwest Missouri. The photographer and his family followed the fair route throughout the area, and Mrs. Hampsten's mother, then 19 years old learned the trade while babysitting the youngsters of the family.
While operating her own field service photo business, with both wet and dry tintype equipment, Miss Highley instructed her two brothers James L. Highley and Charles A.L. Highley in the art, and the trio operated the business throughout Southern Missouri.
During the 1900's Miss Highley worked in St. Louis for the Martin Schweig and Gearhardt Sisters Studios and also for the Geraldine Commercial Studio on the St. Louis riverfront. In 1903, she married Samuel Sage, who was a life insurance salesman from Pennsylvania. She taught her husband the photography trade and the business became a family affair.
The style of photography back then, Mrs. Hampsten said was called "kidnapping." Working out of the Joplin area, the photographers would go house-to-house knocking on every door trying to sell their product. At each house, a chalk mark was made in front so that other members would know that the area was already "covered."
The Sages' only child, Geraldine started school in Neosho in 1909 and by the time she was 7 years old, she already was helping with the door-to-door selling. At the age of 5 years, she was helping with the sorting of photos on sheets spread on the floors of hotel rooms in the towns her family's business happened to be in at the time. Back then, she said the photos sold for 50 cents per dozen, or $1.50 per dozen in folders. Dry plate film, she said was purchased at a cost of $1 per dozen plates.
The family never had a studio, she said always processing the films and photos in hotel rooms.
A permanent base of operations was established in Joplin in 1910, and Mrs. Hampsten attended schools in Joplin until 1917 when she graduated from Washington School. During the time the family lived in Joplin area, Sage photographed much of the mining scenes until the mines played out. Then the family moved to the coal mining region of the state of Illinois. Geraldine Sate was married to Harlen Hampsten in East St. Louis, Illinois on January 29 1923.
Hampsten, who was employed as a pipe fitter on a railroad, promptly was laid off and was taken into the family photography business as a cameraman, a vocation that became his lifetime career. Now, at the age of 70, he is employed as a photographer for the William Duckwall school of photography agency in Carthage.
When Mrs Hampsten took over the family business in 1934 after the death of her father, she decided to bring the field photography service back to the Four-State Area and get a start on the just-opening school photography market.
The business grew fast from its Joplin and Webb City based headquarters, and at its peak, involved 371 schools and eight complete school annuals. Mr. and Mrs. Hampsten, who live at 806 North Wilson street, here, for many years took pictures at schools throughout Southwest Missouri as well as Southeast Kansas and Northeast Oklahoma. It was one of five field service photography businesses in operation in this area. The two would shoot pictures during the weekdays and then would return to their home in Webb City to process the film and print the shots over the weekends.
Mrs. Hampsten, who was owner and operator of the business, said her greatest satisfaction from the operation of the business throughout the many years it specialized in school photography was working with the youngsters.
"They were always uninhibited," she said, "and completely honest. Some of things they would come up with during the photo sessions would really floor you."
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