Photo Friday – Libby, Plummer, Roberts

Linwood Dyer Collection – Part 054
 Hod, Wright, JPD, Liz, Others Album (2024.13.50)
Portland, Scarborough, Maine
By Don Taylor

The Linwood D. Dyer Photo Collection is a remarkable historical archive, encompassing hundreds of carefully preserved images, documents, and genealogical records that paint a vivid portrait of life in Scarborough and its surrounding communities. Among its treasures lies this particular photo album, its spine bearing the intriguing notation “HOD WRIGHT JPD LIZ OTHERS” – a cryptic reference to the faces and stories contained within. While many photographs in the album contain detailed labels illuminating their subjects’ identities, others remain mysterious, their subjects waiting to be recognized and named. As a historian and curator, I have embarked on a meaningful mission to connect these historical photographs with descendants of the people they depict, offering families the profound experience of discovering previously unseen images of their ancestors. The original materials, including this album (Accession number: 2024.13.43), are carefully preserved at the Scarborough Historical Society, serving as part of the broader Linwood Dyer Photo Collection’s enduring legacy.


Addie Libby, circa 1882.

Photo of Addie Libby, circa 1882.
Addie Libby, circa 1882.

This photo from page 15 is labeled Addie Libby[i]. No photographer was identified for the photograph. The page includes a note, “children of Eben Libby’s broth.”

Addie Leona Libby (1862-1886) is the daughter of Samuel Libby (1835-1902). Samuel’s brother was Ebenezer Scott Libby (1848-___). The woman in the photo appears to be about 20 years old, thus dating the photo to about 1882.

I am confident this photo is of Addie Libby, so I added it to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry and her profile at FamilySearch (KG49-6GJ).


Annie Libby, circa 1886.

Photo of Annie Libby, circa 1886.
Annie Libby, circa 1886.

On page 14 of the album, this cabinet card is of a young woman named Annie Libby.[ii] 

The photographer was C.W. Hearn, Portland, Maine. The back is blank, and there is no address for the studio. Hearn Studio operated in Portland on Congress Street from 1881 to 1889, dating the photo to 1885 ± 4 years.

Annie Libby, the daughter of Samuel and Lucy Ann (Hunnewell) Libby, was born in 1870. She appears to be about 16 in this photo, suggesting the photo was taken about 1886.

I am confident his photo is of Annie, so I added it to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry and her profile at FamilySearch (KDS3-9VW).


Ella Libby, circa 1882

Photo of Ella Libby, circa 1882.
Ella Libby, circa 1882

From page 14 of the album, this cabinet card of a young woman is labeled Ella Libby.[iii] 

The photographer was Lamson, Portland, Maine. The back is blank, and there is no address for the studio. Lamson Studio operated in Portland from 1871 through 1902. Ella was born in 1864 and appears to be about 18 to me, suggesting the photo is circa 1882.

I am confident his photo is of Ella, so I added it to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry and her profile at FamilySearch (KCWL-CD7).


Forest Libby, circa 1889

Photo of Forest Libby, circa 1889.
Forest Libby, circa 1889

This cabinet card of a young man is labeled “Forest Libby” with an added note, “[child] of Eben Libby’s broth.”[iv]  The photographer was Lamson, 5 Temple St., Portland, Me.  Lamson Studio operated in Portland from 1879 through 1902. Forest was born in 1864 and appears to be about 25 to me, suggesting the photo is circa 1889 in keeping with the photographer being at that location.

I added this photo of Forest to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry and his profile at FamilySearch (LZZM-VKX).


Sarah Elizabeth Plummer (later Wright), circa 1887.

photo of Sarah Elizabeth Plummer (later Wright), circa 1887.
Sarah Elizabeth Plummer (later Wright), circa 1887.

This cabinet card of a young woman is labeled “Aunt Liz Plummer Wright.[v] The photographer was Lamson, Portland, Maine. The back has the Lamson logo but no location. Lamson Studio operated in Portland from 1871 through 1902.

From previous research, I learned that Sarah Elizabeth (aka Lizzie) Plummer (1871-1943) married Albert E Wright on 3 June 1896 in Scarboro, ME. She appears to be about 16 in this photo, suggesting the photo was taken about 1887.

I am confident this photo is of Liz, so I added it to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry and her profile on FamilySearch (LT4J-QK3).


Sarah Elizabeth Plummer (later Wright), circa 1879.

Photo of Liz Plummer as a child, circa 1897.
Liz Plummer as a child, circa 1897.

Two cabinet cards on page 11 of the album show a girl labeled “Aunt Liz Plummer Wright[vi], who appears to be about eight years old. The photographer was J.M. Peck, 518 Congress Street, Portland, Me. J.M. Peck operated at 518 Congress Street from about 1875 to 1886.

Sarah Elizabeth (Liz) was born in 1871. She would have been eight in 1879, fitting J.M. Peck’s time at 518 Congress.

I also added these two photos to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry and one of them to her FamilySearch profile (LT4J-QK3).


Blanche Plummer Roberts, circa 1887.

Photo of Blanch Roberts as a young child, circa 1887.
Blanch Roberts, circa 1887.

This cabinet card of a young girl, about 5 years old, is labeled “Blanche Roberts.”[vii]

The photographer was H. M. Smith, 478 Congress St., Portland, Me. The back is blank. H.M. Smith operated at 478 Congress from 1893 to 1898. Blanche was born in 1892, suggesting H. M. Smith took the photo about 1887.

I added this photo to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry and her profile at FamilySearch (L2L3-XRR).


Conclusion

Family photographs hold an extraordinary power to connect us across generations, offering glimpses into the lives, personalities, and experiences of those who came before us. The discovery of an unseen photograph of a beloved ancestor can be a profoundly moving experience that collapses the distance of time and allows us to see our family members as they once were, perhaps in the full bloom of youth or childhood. If any of these images have helped you recognize an ancestor, I would be deeply grateful to hear your story and learn how these photographs have enriched your understanding of your family’s history.

For those interested in accessing the highest quality versions of these historical photographs for genealogical research, please note that the full-resolution images are available through Ancestry and Family Search platforms due to technical constraints. These photographs are shared freely for your family history research and documentation, with the simple request that you acknowledge their source with the citation: “Photo Courtesy: Scarborough Historical Society.” By sharing and properly attributing these images, you help maintain the vital connection between these historical materials and their custodians, ensuring that future generations can continue to discover and learn from these precious visual records of our shared past.


Endnotes

[i] The original of this photo is held by the Scarborough Historical Society, Linwood D Dyer Photo Collection, “HOD WRIGHT JPD LIZ OTHERS” album. 2024.13.50, page 15.

[ii] The original of this photo is held by the Scarborough Historical Society, Linwood D Dyer Photo Collection, “HOD WRIGHT JPD LIZ OTHERS” album. 2024.13.50, page 14.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] The original of this photo is held by the Scarborough Historical Society, Linwood D Dyer Photo Collection, “HOD WRIGHT JPD LIZ OTHERS” album. 2024.13.50, page 15.

[v] The original of this photo is held by the Scarborough Historical Society, Linwood D Dyer Photo Collection, “HOD WRIGHT JPD LIZ OTHERS” album. 2024.13.50, page 12.

[vi] The original of this photo is held by the Scarborough Historical Society, Linwood D Dyer Photo Collection, “HOD WRIGHT JPD LIZ OTHERS” album. 2024.13.50, page 11.

[vii] The original of this photo is held by the Scarborough Historical Society, Linwood D Dyer Photo Collection, “HOD WRIGHT JPD LIZ OTHERS” album. 2024.13.50, page 3.


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