Fogg, Foley(4)

Photo Friday
Ethel Wight Collection
By Don Taylor

This week for Photo Friday, I identify the people in five more envelopes from the Ethel Wight Studio Collection[i]. The envelopes contain the names who paid for the photos, not necessarily of the individual portrayed in the image. As such, it is vital to analyze the pictures and information to identify the individual therein.[ii] Ultimately, my goal is to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image.

Alice Frances Foley, circa 1936.

This negative envelope says, “Miss Alice Foley, 512 Cumberland Ave., Portland #739.”

Alice Frances Foley, circa 1936

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1940 Portland City Directory lists Frederick J. Foley (wife Margaret M.) as the treasurer at 512 Cumberland Ave and 281 St. John but making their home at 59 Kenwood. Additionally, Fred T is the Station Supervisor at 512 Cumberland, residing at 56 Congress. John T. Foley is a clerk at 512 Cumberland and living at 46 C in South Portland. Community Oil Co. Inc, a gas and oil service station, is at 512 Cumberland. There are four Alice Foley’s living in Portland, none of which appear to be associated with 512 Cumberland or any of the other addresses above.
• The 1930 US Census lists Alice F. Foley, the 14-year-old daughter of Frederick J and Margaret M Foley, living with them at 46 Noyes Street. Alice was born in Maine.
• The 1935 Portland City Directory indicates that Alice F. Foley is a clerk at 512 Cumberland and resides at 59 Kenwood.
• Ancestry Trees Identifies Alice Frances Foley, born 2 June 1915 in Portland, Maine, as the daughter of Frederick Joseph and Margaret Mary (Sheehan) Foley.
• Based upon the above, I identify this photo as Alice Frances Foley.

Family Search does not have profiles for Alice Frances, Frederick, or Margaret (Sheehan) Foley. Ancestry includes 10 Ancestry trees that include Alice Frances Foley.

I have uploaded two photos of Alice to Dead Fred (See https://www.deadfred.com/photos/110404.jpg and https://www.deadfred.com/photos/110403.jpg. I also added one additional photo of Alice to my Flickr photostream.

Sarah “Sally” Foley, circa 1936

The envelope these negatives were in say, “Miss Sally Foley, 44 Brackett St., Portland #784.”

Sarah “Sally” Foley, circa 1936

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1936 Portland City Directory lists Sally W. Foley as a clerk at 561 Congress residing at 44 Brackett. Also living at 44 Bracket is Morgan Foley and Coleman J. Foley, a janitor at 52 Center. Further searching for Sally did not yield any results.
• The 1930 US Census reported Coleman, Morgan, and Sarah as children of Martin and Julia Foley. Sarah was 18-years-old, born in Maine, while her parents were born in Ireland. Because Sally is often a nickname for Sarah, I’m sure this is a photo of Sarah when she was about 24 years old.
• Ancestry Trees indicate Sarah Foley, born 8 February 1912, as the daughter of Martin J. and Julia Foley.

Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Sarah Foley, born 8 February 1912; sixteen trees at Ancestry.Com refer to Sarah Foley, daughter of Martin & Julia Foley.

I have added two photos of Sarah/Sally Foley to Dead Fred. See Photos https://www.deadfred.com/photos/110405.jpg and https://www.deadfred.com/photos/110406.jpg

Photo confirmed by Sarah Foley’s daughter to be a photo of Sarah.

John Ambrose Foley, circa 1935.

This negative envelope says, “Mr. John Foley, 11 Mayo St., Portland, #340.”

John Ambrose Foley, circa 1935.

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1935 Portland City Directory lists John H. Foley, and his wife Martha, living at 11 Mayo. Note: There is another John H. Foley residing at 31 Bristol.
• The 1940 US Census enumerated John H and Martha Foley living at 11 Mayo Street. John was 63 years old, suggesting he was born about 1877. It also says he was born in New York.
• The 1930 US Census enumerated John H and Martha Foley living at 11 Mayo Street. John was 56 years old, suggesting he was born about 1874. He does have a 19-year-old son, John A. Foley, in the 1930 Census.
• Find-a-Grave identifies John Ambrose Foley, born 21 December 1910 in Portland with the parents of John Henry and Martha Foley.
• Ancestry family trees identify John Henry Foley, Born 8 January 1875 in Millbrook, New York, and married Martha Gorey on 8 August 1898. They lived on Mayo Street during the 1920, 1930, and 1940 Censuses.
• This photo is clearly not of the 60-year-old father, so it must be of the son, John Ambrose Foley, about 1935 when he was about 25 years old.

Family Search identifies John Ambrose Foley as ID LBM7-TH4; he is also found in 13 Ancestry trees.

I have uploaded two photos of John to his Family Search Memories.

Patrick Martin Foley, circa 1935 (age 4)

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Coleman Foley, 146 Neal St, Portland #804.”

Patrick Martin Foley, circa 1935 (age 4)

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1940 US Census enumerated the Coleman P, Foley household living at 146 Neal in Portland. The household consisted of himself, his wife Anne T., and four children.
  • • Margaret Age 11
    • Patrick Age 9
    • Daniel Age 6
    • John Age 4
• Based upon the photo number (#804), this photo is likely to have been taken about 1935. John hadn’t been born yet, Daniel would have been one, and Patrick would have been about 4. The child in the photo appears to be a boy about four years of age to me, so it must be Patrick. Coleman is the brother of Sarah/Sally I reviewed above. Based upon the photo numbers, this photo was probably taken a day or two after Sarah/Sally’s pictures were taken.

Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Patrick nor his parents, Coleman and Anne. Patrick Martin Foley, son of Coleman Daniel and Anne Theresa Foley, appears in one tree at Ancestry.Com. Patrick’s father, Coleman Foley, son of Martin and Julia (Graney) Foley, appears in 12 trees at Ancestry.com

I have added two photos of Patrick Martin Foley to Dead Fred.

Iris Fogg, circa 1935 (age 0)

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Ernest A Fogg, 102 Rockland Ave., Portland, #150.”

Iris Fogg, circa 1935 (age 0)

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1934 Portland City Directory lists Ernest A. and his wife Freda Fogg, living at 102 Rockland Ave. There is another Ernest A. Fogg, who is a fireman residing at 18 Cumberland ave.
• The 1940 US Census finds Ernest A. Fob and his wife Freda living at 152 Franklin St., Portland. They have five children living with them.
  • • Iris Age 5
    • Joan E. Age 4
    • Robert E. Age 3
    • David L. Age 1
    • Diane L. Age 1
• According to Ancestry Trees, Iris Fogg was born on 24 August 1934. Joan E. Fogg was born on 8 March 1936.
• Because of the number associated with this photo (#150), it was taken about 1934 or 1935, before Joan was born, so this must be a photo of Iris Fogg, probably before she was one.

Family Search identifies Iris Fogg, daughter of Ernest Almon and Freda May (Frost) Fogg, as ID G34X-8YV. Iris Fogg is also found in 7 trees on Ancestry.Com.

I have uploaded one photo of Iris to her Family Search Memories.

Conclusion

• I fully identified two individuals, so I posted their photos to Family Search
• I also identified three additional individuals, who do not appear to have Family Search profiles, so I posted those photos to Dead Fred.

Final Note

If any of these photos are of your family member, I would love to hear your reaction. Especially if this photo is of a loved one for whom you hadn’t seen this photograph before.

Endnotes

[i] The Wight Studio was in Portland, Maine. Many thanks to Ethel Wight’s family for access to and permission to use the collection of their great aunt.

[ii] These images were converted to positives using a lightbox, a Nikon camera and computer software.