Ethel Wight Collection – Part 91
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 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.
Miss Goldie Modes, circa 1935.
The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Goldia Modes, 197 Franklin St #759.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
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Miss Goldie Modes, circa 1935.
The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Goldie I Modes residing at 197 Franklin. Also living at 197 Franklin were Harry S Modes and Hyman T (and wife Alice) Modes.
- The 1910 Census lists Hyman and Alice Modes. Living with them is their 11-year-old daughter, Goldie, and their 15-year-old son, Harry, all residing at 197 Franklin.
I believe this photo is of Goldie I Modes, born 23 April 1908 in Russia, the daughter of Hyman and Alice (Antin) Modes, about 1935, before she married Myer Pachowsky in 1936.
Ancestry has ten public trees that refer to Goldie I Modes. Family Search has profile G8WT-WTD for Goldie Modes. I have uploaded two photos of her to her Family Search Memories.
Margaret C Moody, Nurse, circa 1935.
This negative envelope says, “Miss Margaret Moody, St. Barnabas Hospital #574.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
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Margaret C Moody, Nurse, circa 1935.
The 1933 and 1934 Portland City Directories list Margaret C Moody as a Student Nurse.
- The 1936 Portland City Directory lists Margaret C Moody as a Graduate Nurse.
- I have not found Nurse Margaret Moody in records after 1936.
Suspected Identification:
There is a Margaret Clara Moody, born in Monroe, Waldo County, Maine, on 16 Oct 1913 to Harold E and Lucy M Moody. She married Donald A Pratt on 14 November 1936 in Falmouth, ME. Her marriage would answer why she doesn’t appear in any later City Directories. However, I have been unable to find any references to this Margaret being a nurse. I suspect this is Margaret Clara Moody but can’t prove it. Hopefully, a family member will be able to identify her and let me know.
Ancestry has 26 public trees that refer to Margaret Clara Moody. Because of this, I uploaded her photo to Dead Fred.
Confirmed to be Margaret Moody by a nephew. Margaret first married to Donald Pratt, later married to James Babine. She died on December 2, 1993 in Zephyrhills, Florida.
Alton Moody, circa 1934.
This negative envelope says, “Mr. Alton Moody, 471 Auburn St #221.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
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Alton Moody, circa 1934.
The 1930 US Census lists Alten E Moody living at 471 Auburn St in Portland. He is living with his parents, Aquila A and Lucinda A Moody.
- Maine Birth Records identify Alton Elwood Mood, born 5 Jan 1911, in Portland as the son of Aquila E and Lucinda A Moody.
This photo is of Alton Moody, born 5 January 1911.
Ancestry has 18 public trees that refer to Alton Elwood Moody. Family Search has profile 9JDP-YYK for Alton. I have uploaded two photos of him to his Family Search Memories.
Stewart & Irving Modes, circa 1935 (ages 6 and 3).
This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Jos. Modes, 119 Grant St. #407.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
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and 3).
The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Joseph L and Rose H Modes living at 119 Grant.
- The 1940 US Census lists Joseph and Rose Modes living at 724 Linwood Ave. Besides a 13-year-old daughter (Sonia), they have two sons, Stuart and Irving, ages 11 and 8.
I am confident this photo is of Stuart and Irving about 1935 when they were six and three years old.
Neither Stuart nor Irving appear to be in Ancestry public trees. However, his father, Joseph L Modes, is found in 11 public trees. Family Search does not have a profile for Stuart; however, Irving has profile GDTP-S36. I have uploaded a photo of the two of them to Irving’s Family Search Memories. I also uploaded a second photo of the boys to my Flickr Photostream.
Arthur & Lewis Montpelier, circa 1936 (ages 5 & 3).
This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Camile Montepiler, 23 Anderson St #845.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
- The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Euseb and Marie L Montpelier living at 23 Anderson. Also at that address is Yvonne F Montpelier, a music teacher.
- The 1930 US Census lists Engel Montpellier living with his wife, Mary L, daughter Yvonne, and 24-year-old son Camille.
- The 1940 US Census finds 33-year-old Camille, his wife Alice, and three sons, Arthur G (age 9), Lewis C (age7), and Peter C (age 1), living in Norway, Oxford County, Maine. All (except Peter) lived in Portland in 1935.
- The BIRLS Death File indicates that Lewis was born on 6 March 1933.
This photo was taken about 1936 when Arther was five and Lewis about three.
Lewis C Montpelier (1933-1999) is found in 4 Ancestry public trees. Arthur does not appear in any public trees. Lewis is ID GMRX-JV9 on FamilySearch. Arthur does not appear to have a FamilySearch profile. I posted this photo of the two boys to Lewis’ Family Search Memories.
Conclusion
- I fully identified Six of the seven individuals in these photos. Four appear in Ancestry trees, so I’ll contact some of their potential family. Two of them do not appear in Ancestry trees, but their father does. I will contact their possible family also.
- Four individuals have FamilySearch profiles, so I uploaded their photos there. Two did not have photos, but their sibling did have a family search profile.
- One person I was uncertain about them, although I do have the person’s name. Because of the uncertainty, I uploaded her image to Dead Fred.
- One individual did not have a Family Search profile and did not appear in any Ancestry trees. I uploaded those photos here and to my Flickr Photostream.
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.
Due to software limitations, the images uploaded to Family Search, Dead Fred, and Flickr have a higher image quality than the images linked here.
For all postings of the Ethel Wight Collection, please see here.
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.