John McArter   John McArter - seated at the right. John McArter was born in Huron County, Ontario. He received his public and high school education there. He took up Professional Photography and had a studio in Brussels, Ontario. He came to Manitoba first in 1901, but returned to the East to dispose of his business. He came back to Hartney in 1904 and bought the Hartney Photo Studio where he was in business until his death April 30, 1915. He took many pictures of pioneer farming in the .Hartney area. He was an active member of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church. He was an avid curler, taking part in all the surrounding bonspiels and coming home with many trophies.  John McArter's Studio, Hartney, 1906. John McArter’s Studio was right next door to the Hartney Star, and although this photo is unattributed, it must be his work.   Hartney’s new Town Hall, built in 1906, was a natural subject for a community photographer. It housed fire-fighting equipment, an auditorium for public meetings and social functions, meeting rooms for the local lodges and the Hartney town band.  Some helpful person defaced this photo in a way this is quite helpful to the historian.   Several of the surviving downtown scenes of Hartney are McArter’s work   As with many rural photographers, existing prints often don’t have the photographer’s name. A careful examination the handwritten descriptions can allow one to make an educated guess as to origins. Most Hartney photos from 1904 - 1920, were either McArter or Durrant.   McArter helped promote the local natural settings.
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