This photograph is simply labeled “William Shuler’s Uncle and Aunt.” It was taken in Hutchinson, Kansas, which is located a couple of counties over from where my relative lived in Madison, Kansas.
There was a William D. Shuler living in Hutchinson who could be the William Shuler mentioned here. He was buried there in 1924. I’d have to do more research to be sure and then even more research to come up with possibilities for who is aunt and uncle might be.
The photograph was taken at the studio of “Photographer: A. McInturff, No. 11 Main St., Hutchinson, Kas.”
I found McInturff in Winfield, Kansas in mentions from 1877-1883. The 1878 Winfield Directory lists “A. McInturff, 41; spouse, L, 34” and in 1880 shows “McInturff, A., photographer. Here’s McInturff’s ad in the Winfield Courier newspaper on October 11, 1877:
“Don’t you forget it. McInturff is ahead on good pictures. Makes gems, photographs, and landscape views. Just opposite the post office, Winfield, Kansas. Call and see work done in Winfield.”
And this snippet of news on October 10, 1878:
“A. McInturff left yesterday for Florence. He will probably go into business at that place. He is a first-class artist in the photograph line, and we wish him the success he so well merits no matter where he may locate.”
Oh, no! October 24, 1878.
Died, on Monday evening, at 4 o’clock, of croup, Albert, son of Mr. and Mrs. McInturff, aged 6 years.
Cowley County Courant, April 20, 1882:
A couple of ladies were examining the pictures in McInturff’s show case the other day when a wag, whose name we will not divulge, pointed out to them O. M. Seward’s photo as that of Jesse James, when they both exclaimed, “Oh, my, he looks just like a robber!”
Winfield Courier, December 14, 1882:
Mr. J. S. McIntire has purchased the McInturff photograph gallery over Wallis & Wallis’ grocery store. He is reputed to be a very fine artist.
The Winfield Courier on November 22, 1883 published a “Roll of Honor” which listed “old soldiers in this county drawing pensions from the government for injuries sustained on account of service:
McInturff, Andrew, Winfield, g s w rt shoulder, $8.00 monthly.
McInturff would have been about 46 in 1883, so surely he didn’t retire after he sold his business the previous year.
McInturff died in Hutchinson on Nov. 26, 1909, so apparently he relocated there from Winfield sometime after 1883.
It seems likely that the photograph was taken in the 1880s.
You can read more about this collection of photos and its provenance here. You will also find links to all the posts in this series in that post.
Please leave a comment below if you’re related to any of the people mentioned in this series. I’d love to hear from you!
Orphan Photos: Two Victorian Albums 
Bingo! I looked William D. Shuler up on Ancestry, and one tree has this photo. They’ve labeled it, “WD Shuler and I believe his wife Sarah Ann (Koontz), Taken in Hutchinson, KS.”
Sometimes when people write on the back of the photo, it is the recipient’s name. Perhaps the photo was given to the aunt and uncle. I’ll explore this tree further to see what potential aunts and uncles look like.
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Maybe William D. had a nephew also named William? I’m still trying to figure out why it’s labeled as it is. The notation is written on the album page, not on the back of the photo.
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I just came across the exact same photo in the 2nd album. It’s labeled “Grandpa Koontz’s sister Sally Shuler.” Sally is likely the short form of Sarah.
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I’ll have to write a follow-up post to address all this new info.
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Andrew McInturff (1836-1909) is my great-great granduncle; he was a younger brother of my great-great grandmother, Nancy (McInturff) Reynard. He was born in the Powell’s Fort Valley, Shenandoah County, Virginia, one of 14 children & seven brothers. All the brothers served in the Civil War, five in the Army of Northern Virginia, and two – Andrew & his older brother Alfred – for the Union. Andrew had left home about 1850, arriving in St Louis via Chicago. He headed for the gold fields around Pike’s Peak in the late 1850s, but returned to Missouri within a month or two. He was in Ft. Leavenworth when the war began, and enlisted in the 5th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, serving under Jim Lane & Powell Clayton. He was wounded at the battle of Helena, Arkansas. The effects of the wound would preclude his engaging in labor, thus he became a photographer. Andrew’s eldest son, Eugene, was apparently something of a celebrity in Hutchinson, Kansas, for his food wagon. He was known as “Hamburger Gene”, and also was a partner with his younger brother, Austin, in a photography studio.
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Well, of course, I had to go read about “Hamburger Gene”! 25 hamburgers for a dollar in the early 1900s! Thanks for sharing your family’s McInturff history–I really enjoyed learning more about Andrew. Now I’m wondering if I have more photographs from his studio in these Victorian photo albums. I’ll have to take a look.
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Hello! I am the great-great granddaughter of Andrew and great-granddaughter of Hamburger Gene. My Uncle, Gerald McInturff, passed away last week and his funeral was today. He was the grandson of Hamburger Gene and is now buried close to Andrew, Gene and the rest of the McInturffs in the family plot in Hutchinson.
Gordon Sandine’s account is pretty accurate, as I understand it, though I think in my ancestry research I found that Andrew was wounded in a battle in Missouri, but I could be wrong. I’d have to go back and check my notes. Interesting note: Andrew’s grandson, Edward, married my grandmother, Stella. Her father had a twin by the name of Jefferson Davis Beard, so we know which side that family was on. On her mother’s side, her grandfather, James Orme, fought for the Confederacy under Sterling Price. It’s entirely possible Andrew McInturff and James Orme may have fought against each other in skirmishes across the Kansas/Missouri border and possibly at Pea Ridge. Andrew was mustered in as a quartermaster at Ft. Leavenworth then deployed to Fort Scott, but he soon requested to be demoted to a private in the cavalry. I have been to Fort Scott and the quartermaster building is one of the few that hasn’t been rebuilt. It was pretty cool to walk around in there, knowing he occupied that same space at one time and what he must have experienced there.
Also of note: Most would think McInturff is a Scottish name. It is not. Johannes McInterfeer is our immigrant ancestor. In early 1729 he made his way up the Rhine River from Neckerau (now part of Mannheim) to Rotterdam where he boarded a ship called The Allen. From there it sailed to Cowes, England to take on provisions before leaving for America. As was true of many people of that period, he wasn’t able to sign his own name. When he went though immigration in America he was asked his name. He said Johannes Meckendorfer with I’m sure what was a thick German accent, but because the ship had come from England it got recorded as McInterfeer. So the name McInturff (and every variant spelling of it) is a bastardized version of the name Meckendorfer, with no origins outside of America and all McInturffs in America can trace their lineage back to Johannes Meckendorfer. I guess you could say we had to trade in our kilts for lederhosen!
https://www.immigrantships.net/v4/1700v4/allen17290915.htmltps://www.immigrantships.net/v4/1700v4/allen17290915.html
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HeyToto thank you for much of the information on this page. I didn’t have much on Andrew McInturff’s years in Winfield and never knew he was scoping out Florence at one point. He did indeed land in Hutchinson sometime around 1883 where he opened a portrait studio with his sons Irvin (Hamburger Gene), Austin and Ebba. I think the first address was at 7 N Main, then 11 N Main then moved to the Whiteside building a block north, at 2nd and Main. You can still see the skylight that was installed on the north side of the building to let in the natural north light for photography.
Hamburger Gene was a silent partner in the business I think from about 1905 on, when he opened his food cart. Ebba passed away in 1905, Andrew in 1909. I’m assuming Austin carried on the business with his brother as silent partner, in Hutchinson, for a few more years. He moved to LA in the early1920s and I believe he worked in lighting in the film industry. Somewhere in my research I found that he and a partner had a patent for some kind of lighting gizmo they had invented. I’m assuming Ebba stayed with his father in Hutchinson as he is buried along with the others in the family plot in Eastside Cemetery. Austin is the only one who isn’t buried there. His grave is in LA.
If anyone who knows anything about Austin Perry McInturff comes across this, please reply. I’ve not been able to find much info on him after moving to LA. I would like to know who he married and if they had any children. Thank you!
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Thanks, Kristi! Your family research is so interesting and a bonus, since I only researched Andrew McInturff because I hit a dead end with my Shuler connections. I’m so glad McInturff descendants are finding it helpful.
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