John George Boos (Forest Grove)
On April 27, 1882, The Aurora announced that J. G. Boos was opening a photo studio within a week. During May he advertised “Photographs. J. G. Boos has lately started in connection with his Tin and Hardware business, a Photograph Gallery! First-class Tin Types and Photographs. His Tin Types cannot be excelled. Call and see. Up stairs, over his Tin shop.” His advertising was mostly about stoves and tinware but also included general merchandise such as guns, eyeglasses, watches, etc. He marked his work from this time with a rubber stamp, one example dated June 1882 reads “J. G. Boos, Photographer, Forest Grove, Oregon.” In the 1890s, a photographer named I. N. Hobbs leased the old photo studio over the hardware store. An 1897 advertisement states that at Boos’ General Merchandise Store has been in business twenty years in Forest Grove. He also dealt stone. Around 1902, he moved to Portland and began a small stove building business. Around 1907 he returned to Forest Grove and lived on his farm.