J.C. Strauss - Page 2
by Thomas Yanul

  The Strauss Family  ET AL

J.C. Strauss married Flora Isaacs. Flora was a twin whose sister Lilly
was married to Strauss' Business manager Lewis Godlove.

Strauss had three sons and one daughter.
The eldest son, Louis Reuben Strauss, began a fulltime association with
his father in the studio in 1911. His skills and professional interests made
him heir apparent and Louis did indeed become the head of the studio when
his father died in 1924. Louis' son, named after his grandfather, is currently
helping with information on the family. [ J.C. Strauss II, 1920-2005 ]

Charles Strauss played a minor role in running the studio but was never
the serious player that his brother Louis was.

Irving G. Strauss was not associated with the studio.

Daughter Blanche went on to marry Oscar Marx. This family line is
maintained and is adding to Strauss studio & family history.

The studio was closed in 1940 by Louis who moved to Los Angeles.
The depression had been difficult times for the Strauss studio as it was
for most businesses. The studio's clientele had diminished and Louis felt
it was time to move on.  Despite difficult times, Louis made arrangements
for people to take their family's negatives if they wanted them. He was
obviously concerned and attached great import on the families that the
Strauss Studio had recorded for some 60 plus years, as his father had
done before him.  In 1912 J.C. Strauss realized the import of the historical
collections that he had amassed over the years and donated to the public
library about 250  portrait photos of St. Louis' prominent figures in
government,business and industry.

From Wilson's Photographic Magazine
September, 1897

BY J. C. STRAUSS

1902 COVER OF
PHOTOGRAPHER'S
ASSOCIATION OF
AMERICA ANNUAL
CONVENTION
PROGRAM.

coll. author

UNIDENTIFIED BOY,  1911
SIGNED IN PENCIL  J.C. STRAUSS
31/2X51/2" ON 7X10"  PAPER
PHOTO WAS PROPERTY OF M.J. STEFFENS
Mix of photo & pencilwork - a favorite of Strauss
collection author

Louis R. Strauss in1939
 Named after his father's
 two brothers, Louis & Reuben
Carried on the Strauss studio
to closure in 1940.

Six of the other individual photographers in this photo
have been tentatively identified from other sources.
 (there was no i.d. on the photo)
They are:
 #1- J.E. Schneider, Columbus, Ohio
 #2 - William L. Koehne, Chicago, Ill
 #3 - Possible-S.L. Stein of Milwaukee
 #5 - Alfred Torbert (TR) Proctor -  Huntington, W.V.(died 1933)
 #6 - Milton Somers, Cincinnati, Ohio

ABOVE GROUP
JC STRAUSS
M J STEFFENS       H H PIERCE
         FRANK SCOTT CLARK

Photo by M.J. Steffens Studio - ca.1914--20
10 1/2  x 14" - Blindstamp "Steffens-Chicago"
Coll. Author
Probably taken during P.P. of A. convention in Chicago




STUDIO TIDBITS
IN AN ARTICLE FROM CAMERA CRAFT MAGAZINE (1915),
A PARAGRAPH WAS DEVOTED TO VISITORS TO THE
PAN-PACIFIC EXPOSITION IN SAN FRANCISCO.
ONE ITEM STATED "MISS REITH, WHO HAS HAD CHARGE
OF THE RECEPTION ROOM FOR STRAUSS OF ST. LOUIS,
FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS."

JULIUS CAESAR STRAUSS II
A MAN WHOSE FATHER AND
GRANDFATHER WOULD BE
PROUD OF.