Coquille Valley Museum

Charles Wilkins was a photographer who rode the riverboats and had a studio in Coquille photographer about the turn of the 20th century.  These photographs were probably the copies kept by the Mr. Wilkins, or were photos that were not picked up by his patrons. The museum has the collection out for display to the general public and is trying to identify the individuals in the images.

Some of the collection of photographs were first donated to the Coos Historical Society and then to the Coquille Valley Museum by the Myrtle Point Library. Librarian, Barbara Caffey, reported that the collection had been stored in the library in a cardboard box since she started in the library in 1979. The photographs in the display above are on loan from the Coquille Sentinel.

If you have another photographs taken by Mr. Wilkins, or can provide any other information, click here to tell us about it.

To view some of the individual photographs and perhaps identify them, click here.

 

Little is known about Charles Wilkins personally. In Orvil Dodge's book, Pioneer History of Coos and Curry County (written in 1898), he indicates that Mr. Wilkins photographed all of the pioneers assembled at the 3rd reunion of the Coos County Pioneer Association in Myrtle Point. This event took place on September 15th and 16th, 1893 in conjunction with the arrival of the first train from Marshfield to Coos Bay. Several copies of this photograph were said to have been made. (See p.222)

 

In this photograph of Coquille, taken about 1900, you can see the building where Charles Wilkins had his Photographic Studio. After Charles death in 1895, another local photographer, J.P. Beyers, began using some of his backdrops and props (click on the photograph for a larger image.)

 

In the 1894 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map for Coquille City, you can see that the photography studio was located on the second floor of the building in the upper right hand corner of this map (click on the photograph for a larger image.)

 

More information on Charles Wilkins:

The 1870 Census shows Charles Wilkins, 30, living in Coos County.

The 1880 Census shows Charles Wilkins, 39, living near the north fork of the Coquille river and employed as a farmer. Family members are his wife, Sarah E. (29), Minnie I. (13), Martha M. (12), George P. (9), Mabel M. (7) and Amy L. (5). Minnie and Martha are both shown to have been born in the Washington Territory, but the later three children were born in Oregon.

In 1898, Orvil Dodge indicates that Mr. Wilkins, of Myrtle Point, repaired guns and had an apiary [beekeeper] (p.213)

Orvil Dodge also says Mr. Wilkins was a prominent citizen in Myrtle Point, but that he has died at the time his book was written (1898) (p.215)

The Myrtle Point Herald newspaper shows C. Wilkins passed away on November 28, 1895 at the age of 55 years. "C. Wilkins, an old esteemed citizen of Coquille City, and formerly of this place, died Wednesday, Nov. 20, at the age of 55 years. He was an old resident of this county and leaves a large family and a host of friends to mourn his loss". (MP Enterprise November 28, 1895).

The Marshfield Sun newspaper Special Edition of 1901 features a biography of Goerge P. Topping, who married Amy Wilkins September 21, 1898. According to the article, by 1901 they had one daughter born to them. (Marshfield Sun Special edition 1901 - George P. Topping).

 

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