Faton C. Mohn

Faton C. Mohn was born in Pine Hill, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania on June 28, 1864 to John and Martha Conrad Mohn.^[1] He entered the world while the Civil War was still raging. There is little information on his early life. In 1888 he is recorded as a millhand in a Lancaster city directory.^[2]

On September 29, 1890, he married Lena Marck (or Marks) and lists his occupation as photographer on the Lancaster County marriage license.^[3]

Mohn’s photographic career can be traced through county directory data. In 1892 we find Faton Mohn working as a retoucher and living with his in-laws at 525 St. Joseph St. in Lancaster County.^[4]

According to Boyd’s Chester County Directory for 1896 -1897, Mohn opened a studio on Downing Ave. at the corner of West Lancaster Ave. in Downingtown, PA. His time there must have been brief, since he is not listed in the Directory of Downingtown, Chester County, PA, 1897.^[5]

About the same time, he was also making cabinet cards in Coatesville. His imprint read: “Mohn’s Art Studio, Chestnut St., Coatesville, PA.” An announcement in the Morning Republican newspaper of West Chester, PA signaled some financial troubles, “The Photograph gallery building next to the Opera House will be sold on Monday by Constable Pollock of Downingtown, to satisfy a claim held against it. It belongs to F. C. Mohn of Lancaster.”^[6] However, there is no evidence at the Chester County Archives that this sale was completed.

It is interesting that the announcement identified Mohn as being “of Lancaster.” This could indicate that Mohn did not reside in Chester County while operating these studios. The Pennsylvania Railroad line conveniently connects Lancaster, Coatesville and Downingtown, making it easy to travel between these neighboring towns. Also, Mohn is not listed in the Chester County tax lists for either Downingtown or Coatesville between 1893 and 1898. It may be that he resided in Lancaster and operated studios in these two towns as satellite studios. Both towns were largely blue-collar industrial towns – Coatesville was known for its steel industry while Downingtown had paper mills and machine shops. Part-time studios in each town could have netted the available trade.

Mohn is again listed in the Lancaster 1898 city directory with his studio located at 218 ½ W. King Street while he lived at 533 W. King Street.^[7] Tragically, his wife Lena died in May of 1898 at her parents’ home on St. Joseph’s Street. Her obituary recorded that she died of rheumatism and left behind three young children.^[8]

After his wife died, Mohn moved into his widowed mother’s boarding house on North Water Street. His children, however, are not listed as being with him on the 1900 census.^[9] The census identifies the boys in the care of their grandparents, Frank and Margaret Marks.^[10]

Faton Mohn continued to be listed as a photographer with a studio in Lancaster at 218 ½ W. King Street in the 1901 and 1903 editions of the city directories.^[11] In 1903 he is also running a picture framing shop at 218 ½ W. King St. Lancaster.

The 1910 census reveals Faton Mohn is still working as a studio photographer in Lancaster city. He and his son Harry Andrew Mohn (age15) are living with Martha Mohn in her boarding house now on West German Street.^[12]

The Lancaster County Historical Society has five examples of Mohn’s work in their collection, including cabinet cards, tintypes and large photographic prints, mostly undated.^[13] One 12 x 14 photograph of the St. Joseph’s football team was taken in 1915. The others date from the mid-1890s to early 1900s.

Faton C. Mohn died on October 14, 1916, at his home at 337 N. Queen Street.^[14] He was only 52 years old and suffered with a heart condition and rheumatism. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery and was survived by his two sons, Harry (1893-1949) and Michael Mohn (1895-1964).

According to his obituary Mohn had many talents, he was also a landscape artist, Iroquois band member and stage magician.^[15] He frequently performed his magical act at entertainments held by local organizations. He was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and Lancaster Lodge of Moose.

© Pamela C. Powell, 2023