Above, Mr. Tenner, who is responsible for the Tenner Collection, with his many photos in the background.

Photo Album


This is a recent "find".  I was searching for background information on John Kinley - from Ireland, born around 1750 or so - a friend of Thomas Campbell (the father of the reformationist - Alexander Campbell) when I located a site that had these photographs.  The photographer it turns out was William Hampdon Tenner.

          I, too, almost just passed this fellow - until I noticed he was married to "Rhoda Lodder". 

In August 2003 when we visited the Pacififc Northwest we - my lovely wife Ann & I, took a deliberate side trip to meet up with Dick Coulter.  In an afternoon and evening the Coulter's shared with us family photographs and wonderful family stories.  There were a couple of photographs of William Tener.

This William Tener is in the Tener Blue Book - page 77.  Also on page 77 TBB - directly associated with William H. Tener is a notation he was born in 1858, and died in 1948.  The entry also tells us William H. Tener was married to "Rhoda LODDER".

William H. Tener was the brother of Hubert Tener of Pittsburgh - who married Mary Tener; and the brother of Sara Tener Feuchtinger; and the brother of Dr. Robert W. Tener who moved from Wheeling W. VA. to central California.

Like my genealogy mentor says, "Serendipity!"

This same web site - the photo album link above - that shows a number of photographs by Wm. H. Tenner, NEE TENER, also contains his obituary.  This 'obit.' provides us with more information on a man who appears to have been a wonderful photographer.

Below: a cut and paste obituary from this web site:

"W.H. Tenner, 88, Succumbs at Devlin; His Camera Recorded For Posterity Early Day Scenes Within This District

William Hampdon Tenner, who leaves as a memorial the finest complete collection of photographs of early days in the District of Rainy River, passed away at his home in Devlin on June 10, 1948.
He was an ardent and artistic photographer and many pictures of steamboat navigation on the Rainy River as well as many other scenes of early pioneer life remain as a token of his memory. Hundreds of his glass plates portraying these early scenes, have been preserved by W.G. Bartley and Pat Kerr of Fort Frances.
Mr. Tenner was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, on December 3, 1860, and came to the United States at the age of 23. He travelled extensively in the United States, recording his progress with his camera, before coming tot the District of Rainy River where he took up farming in Roddick township on May 10, 1898. After farming for two years, he moved to Emo and shortly thereafter to Devlin where he engaged in farming until illness forced him to retire. He continued to reside in Devlin until his death.
On May 7, 1924, he was married to Miss Rhoda Abbie Lodder of Devlin, who survives. Other survivors include a sister, Mrs. Feachtinger of Chicago and a cousin John Kinley Tenner who served as Governor of Pennsylvania from 1911 to 1915.
Funeral Services were held at the Devlin United church on Saturday, June 12, at 1:30 p.m. with Rev. A.B. Schulte of Fort Frances officiating. Internment took place in the Devlin cemetery. Pallbearers were Thomas Cornell, A. Steel, Fred Patterson, William Pope, John Richardson and William G. Bartley of Fort Frances.
NOTE:
The Fort Frances Times obtained Tenner's photo collection in 1972. Willard Price gave a collection of glass plates bearing Tenner's photos to the Times. The Times reproduced the photos and the glass plates were sent to the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Ontario where they can be better preserved."

In the next few days I'll try to do more research into the Canada sites, historical society's and the Royal Ontario Museum.

In the mean time, enjoy!