Hezelton Rudes

This photo was taken at "Bliven's New Photograph Gallery, Ground Floor, Near the Foundry, Elmore, Ohio" and duplicates can be made for $2.50 a dozen. Also on the back, handwritten, is "Heseltin Rudes, Genoa O".

Timeframe: The bottom of the back says "R.H. Bliven". When I look him up in the "Ohio Photographers: 1839-1900" there is a "Bliven, R. Harry" that worked in Toledo from 1872 to 1873. There is also a listing for "Bliven, Robert H." that worked on 10 Gradolph Block in Toledo from 1871 to 1872. I don't know what to think. Since it says it is his new studio does that mean he just recently moved to Elmore? That would make it after he closed his Toledo studios I would think making this taken in 1874 or later. In 1874 Hezelton/Heseltin was 20. He looks a little thin in the hair department to be 20 but anything is possible.

To attempt to narrow this down a little I ran a quick search to see if any of the Bliven family/descendants were working on a family history. I found a Robert Henry Bliven that was born in Toledo, Ohio on December 6, 1842 and died in Loomis, Washington on 13 April 1895. In the 1880 Census he is listed as living in Elmore, with his wife Alice and her family. His profession is listed as photographer. Robert & Alice were married in Elmore in 1873. I was unable to locate him in the 1870 census but since he was working in Toledo, I assume it was in the general area. His son was attending high school in Elmore in 1894. So I assume the picture was taken somewhere between 1874 and 1894.

That gives us a window of 20 - 40 for Hezelton/Heseltin. The clothing dates from 1880 - 1890, mainly because of the tie and the cut of the coat. That makes Hezelton/Heseltin somewhere between 26 and 36.

Where It Fits: Hezelton is the oldest son/child of George Rudes & Louisa Baxter. He is the husband of Fanny Buthaway and father to Guy, Lester and Verne. He is the grandfather of Robert, Margaret, Nancy & Charles. Hezelton is the uncle of Albert, Alice, Cecil, Dewey, Earl, Emery, Esther, Florence, Fredrick, Gail, George, Gerald, Hazel, Howard, Inez, Merrill, Metta & Raymond.