Wheldon, Rupert Henry (see Sunset Studio)→

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RUPERT HENRY WHELDON (1883-1960) Rupert Henry Wheldon was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 3, 1883. Between 1891 and 1908, he lived in England and graduated from the Metropolitan College of Music, London. He was said to be an accomplished violinist. By 1918, Wheldon was working as a photographer in Goldendale, Klickitat County, Washington.  In March 1923, he sold his Goldendale studio and moved to Petaluma. The Wheldon family lived at 515 F Street and later at 614 D Street. In 1923, Wheldon purchased the Sunset Studio on 23 Western Avenue from Walter K. Waters.  Wheldon maintained the Sunset Studio until April 1942, when he sold it to James G. Bennett of Sacramento. Wheldon moved to Salinas, California, where he operated a health food store. He died in Salinas on June 6, 1960.

Petaluma Photography Studio: Sunset Studio, located on 23 Western Avenue

Active in Petaluma: 1923 - April 1942

Bibliography: https://digital.sonomalibrary.org/about/photographers. The Californian, (Salinas, California) June 7, 1960, p. 2; June 10, 1960, p. 2. Petaluma Argus-Courier, November 27, 1940, p. 2; April 25, 1942, p. 5. Petaluma Daily morning Courier, March 16, 1923, p. 9; March 21, 1923, p.2; March 25, 1923, p.7; March 26, 1923, p. 2. Goldendale Sentinel,(Goldendale, Washington) Nov. 9, 1922, p. 3; March 15, 1923, p.3.

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Wayne, Joseph

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JOSEPH WAYNE, Wayne was a Petaluma photographer in the early 1900’s. He owned the GEM Theater in Petaluma where he displayed magic lantern images. It has been asserted that he named the GEM Theater after his children. It has also been asserted that Wayne was a red headed child who came across the plains in a covered wagon. His descendants are the Poehlmann & Wayne families currently living in Petaluma.