Linwood Dyer Collection – Part 012
By Don Taylor

This week, for Photo Friday, I identified five people in photos from the Linwood Dyer Collection. This collection includes hundreds of photos, documents, and genealogies of people who lived in Scarborough, Biddeford, South Portland, and Cape Elizabeth, Maine. I analyze the images to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image. The originals in this collection are held by the Scarborough Historical Society.

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Calista (Milliken) and Phyllis Morse, August 1909.

The photo identifying information includes:

• The photographer was Brandt Studio, Biddeford, ME
• Handwritten on the back in pen is “Phyllis age 5 mos. Aug 7, 1909.”
• In another hand, written in pencil is “Kitty Morse.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• If Phyllis was age 5 months on August 7, she would have been born on March 7, 1909.
• A quick search at Family Search found Phyllis Frances Morse, born 7 March 1909 in Biddeford, Maine. She was the 5^th child of Frank Edward and Calista (Milliken) Morse.

I am confident the child in this photo is Phyllis Frances Morse, taken in Biddeford when Phyllis was 5 months old. “Kitty” is sometimes a nickname for Calista, so I believe Phyllis’ mother, Calista is the adult in this photo. I uploaded the photo to Family Search and tagged both Calista and Phyllis.

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Katherine Evelyn Morse, Sept. 1903 (age 5 months)

The photo identifying information includes:

• The photographic studio was “Philbrick – Biddeford, ME.”
• Handwritten on the back is “Catherine Evelyn Morse – Age 5 Mos – Sept 23, 1903.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• Katherine Evelyn Morse was born on 22 April 1903 in Saco, Maine. She was the fourth child of Frank Edward and Calista (Milliken) Morse.

I am confident this photo is of Katherine, taken in September 1903. I uploaded this photo of her to her Family Search Memories.

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Ruth Edna Morse – August 1898 (Age 5 mos.)

The photo identifying information includes:

• The photographer was Philbrick, Biddeford, ME
• Written on the back is “Ruth Edna Morse – Age 5 Mos. Aug 28/98.”
• “To Aunt Laura.”

Why I believe this photo to be of Ruth Edna Morse.

• Family Search quickly found Ruth E Morse living in Saco, Maine. Her parents were Frank Edward and Calista (Milliken) Morse. Ruth was born on 28 March 1898, which corroborates the August 28, 1898, date.

Frank Morse had a sister, Laura Georgieanna (Morse) Milliken. (Calista did not have a sibling named Laura.)

I am confident this photo is of Ruth Edna Morse taken in August 1898. I uploaded it to her Family Search Memories.

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George Bird Talbot, circa 1895.

The photo identifying information includes:

• The photographer is Conly, 465 Washington St. Boston.
• Handwritten on the back it says, “George Talbot – son of Emma Morse Talbot.

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• My search of Family Search for a George Talbot whose mother was Emma Morse found two results that are likely the same person.
  • Walter George Talbot was born on 17 Oct 1889 to Erastus and Emma (Morse) Talbot.
  • George Bird Talbot was born on 17 Oct 1889 to Erastus and Emma (Morse) Talbot.
• Emma Boyden Morse is a sister of Frank Edward Morse whose photos I’ve found previously so having a photo of her child in the same collection is likely.
• A review of Ancestry trees for George Bird Talbot found 8 public trees, none indicate that George Bird had a twin.
• A review of Ancestry trees for Walter George Talbot found none born on 17 Oct 1889. So, I believe the Family Search entry for Walter is in error.

I am quite certain this photo is of George Bird Talbot (1889-1973) taken when he was about six years old (c. 1895). I uploaded this photo to his Family Search Memories.

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George Bird Talbot, c. 1907.

The photo identifying information includes:

• The photographer is “Philbrick [Studio], Biddeford, ME.”
• Handwritten on the back is “George Talbot (Norwood, Mass).”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• Family Search identifies George Bird Talbot, born 17 Oct 1889 in Massachusetts. He appears in the 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 Censuses living in Norwood, Mass.
• The young man in the photo appears to be about 18 years old, suggesting the photo was taken about 1907. According to Biddeford History, Newland Philbrick operated a photographic studio in Biddeford in 1907.

I am quite sure this photo is of George Bird Talbot, circa 1907. I uploaded this photo to his Family Search Memories.

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Conclusion

I identified all six individuals. All have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their images to their Family Search Memories. Due to software limitations, the images uploaded to Family Search have higher quality than the images here.

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