A. A. Bentley & Company  

Business years	1895-1900
Business address	25 Broadway (Smith Block)

  
  

Arthur A. Bentley was born in March 1870 in Eden Valley, Minnesota.  He came to Fargo and established his photography studio circa 1895, taking over the studio of H. S. Greene.  Circa 1896 he married Minnie (last name unknown), who was born in February 1873 in Minnesota.  They had two children: Sarah, born March 1897, and Lizzie, born June 1899. 

His studio employed a large staff, and around 1898 he had studios for a short time in a number of North Dakota towns including Buffalo, Edgeley, LaMoure, and Lisbon.    In 1902 Mr. Bentley is listed as having a studio at Sheldon, N.D. 

In 1907 he move out to Hettinger County, North Dakota where he founded the town of Bentley. There he operated a number of businesses including a photo studio. In 1912, he sold all his North Dakota intrests and moved to LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Here he opened a photography studio and a general store, as well as starting the Weekly Review newspaper. From 1915 to 1923 he served as Mayor of LaCrosse. In 1924 the Bentleys moved to Fulton, Illinois where he served as president of Fidelity Life Association. Mr. Bentley died on November 14, 1935 in Clinton, Iowa. Mrs. Bentley died in 1952.

Known employees of A.A. Bentley & Company:

Corliss, Harland D.
Harland D. Corliss was born in November 1871 in Pennsylvania, his parents having come from Vermont.  He came to Fargo circa 1896 and was employed at A.A. Bentley & Company, both at its Fargo and Lisbon studios from 1896 to 1899.

On June 9th, 1898 he married Clara Record. By 1900 Mr. Corliss had moved to Casselton, N.D. and opened his own studio.  He remained in Casselton after 1904 when he left the photography business and apparently returned to Fargo.  In 1907 he was in business with T.E. Wall as Corliss & Wall, confectioners and ice cream manufacturers.  The business apparently ended soon, and Mr. Corliss is listed as being in real estate until 1911. 

Lockwood, Mrs. J.P.
Mrs. J. P. Lockwood is listed in the Fargo city directories as working for A. A. Bentley & Company from 1898 to 1899.  A Miss Sarah M. Lockwood is listed as an artist in the 1899 to 1900 directory.  There was also a woman by the name of M.R. Lockwood who is listed in the 1885 Census, living in Lisbon, North Dakota. She was 28 years old, born in Canada, and working as an artist.  Whether these two women are the same as or related to Mrs. J.P. Lockwood is unknown.

Reis, Carl J.
See Biographical Sketch

Redd, J.O.
J.O. Redd is listed as a photographer with the A.A. Bentley & Company from 1896 to 1899.  In the 1899/1900 city directory he is listed as a travel agent, living at 115 Broadway.

Smith, Henry M.
Henry M. Smith worked for A. A. Bentley & Company according to the 1898/1899 Fargo city directory. An article in the March 19, 1897 issue of the Fargo Forum & Daily Republican states that H. M. Smith had bought the Strauss galery in Bismarck and was going into business for himself.

1890s  &  1900s photographers