Lymburner, Lynch, McCall, McDonald, & (née Teel)
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] My goal is to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image.
Ethel Chase MacCall, circa 1934.
The envelope this negative was in says, “Ethel Chase MacCall, New York City #143.”
I could not find this individual; however, I found the following information:
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Ethel Chase MacCall, circa 1934.
The Biddeford Daily Journal, September 28, 1929, Page 2, Column 5 – “OLD ORCHARD” reported that “Mrs. Ethel Chase MacCall has returned to New York after spending the summer at Chases Mills and Old Orchard.”
- The 1931 Manhattan, New York, City Directory lists Ethel McCall and Edward McCall living at 446 W 49th.
- The 1940 US Census lists Edward McCall and his 47-year-old wife, Ethel, living at 1822 Davidson Ave in the Bronx. Both Edward and Ethel were born in New York.
- This Edward McCall appears to have married Ethel Francis Kuska (née Benicker) on 28 Sept 1925. There doesn’t seem to be any “Case” in this Ethel McCall.
In further searching, I could not find any Ethel Chase who married a MacCall (Or McCall).
I uploaded a second photo of her to Dead Fred and a third photo to my Flickr photostream.
Florence McDonald, circa 1934
This negative envelope says, “Miss Florence Mac Donald, 101 North St., #328 – DSCN4010P.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
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Florence McDonald, circa 1934
The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Florence E McDonald, a stenographer at 22 Monument Squire, room 608, and residing at 101 North. Also at 101 North Street are Jacob M Ross, John J. McDonald, and Abraham L. Venner.
- The 1940 US Census lists 25-year-old Florence E McDonald living with her parents, John J. and Edna McDonald, at 101 North Street. Florence was born in Maine.
- Maine Birth Records indicate Florence E MacDonald (McDonald) was born 28 April 1914 in Portland, Maine, the 2nd child of John J and Edna (Mullin) McDonald.
- In the 1931 Portland High School Yearbook, a photo of Florence McDonald appears to be of the same young woman.
I’m confident this is a photo of Florence about 1934 when she was about 20 years old.
Florence E McDonald appears in two Ancestry public trees. Family Search has profile G7XG-J4L for Florence McDonald. I uploaded one photo of Florence to her Family Search Memories.
Eileen Lymburner (Née Teed) and son, Ralph Lymburner, circa 1936
This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Eileen Lymburner, 174 ½ Clark St, #725.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
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Eileen Lymburner (Née Teed) and son, Ralph Lymburner, circa 1936
The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Rexford P. and Eileen B. Lymburner living at 549 Cumberland Av, apt 4.
- The 1940 US Census lists Rexford & Arleen Lymburner living at 134 Clark Street. They have two children, Ralph, age 5, and Philip, age 2.
- US Public Records indicate that Ralph William Lymburner was born on 25 January 1935.
The photo was taken about 1936 before Philip was born. So, the child in this photo must be Ralph when he was about one year old. I am confident these photos include Eileen Verone (Teed) Lymburner with her son, Ralph, circa 1936.
Ralph Lymburner, circa 1936
Eileen Verona Teed, born 1 May 1913 in Portland, Maine, appears in seven Ancestry public trees. None of them mention Ralph. Family Search has profile LYKH-763 for Eileen Verone Teed. I have uploaded a photo of her with her son, Ralph, to her Family Search Memories.
I did not find Ralph Lymburner in any Ancestry Public Trees; however, I did find him with Family Search profile GDF6-CKW. I uploaded a photo of him to his Family Search Memories.
Unknown Child (possibly Edward Nicholson) circa 1935.
This negative envelope says, “Mrs. J Mac Donald, 107 Brackett St. #458.”
My discoveries regarding this photo.
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Unknown Child (possibly Edward Nicholson) circa 1935
The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Thomas J and Laura McDonald living at 107 Brackett.
- The 1938 Portland City Directory lists Laura J McDonald, the widow of Thomas J, living at 107 Brackett.
- The 1930 US Census lists 42-year-old, Canadian-born Laura J Mc Donald and her husband Thomas J McDonald living at 105 Brackett. With them are a daughter and three sons, Marion, T Edward, James P, and George F.
- The 1940 US Census lists Laura J McDonald, son, Thomas E., and six-year-old “lodger” Edward Nicholson” living at 8 Bradford. The 1939 Portland City Directory confirms that Laura McDonald at 8 Bradford is the widow of Thomas J. McDonald. 8 Bradford is located in Cape Elizabeth, not Portland.
Laura J. McDonald appears to be Laura J. Egan. I can’t understand how a six-year-old could be a lodger at Mrs. McDonald’s place. My review of several Ancestry Trees failed to find an Edward Nicholson in trees that included Thomas or Laura (Egan) McDonald. I suspect this is a photo of Edward Nicholson about 1936 when he was one year old. However, I cannot place him or confirm his identity. As such, I cannot identify the child in this photo.
A family member of Laura J. (Egan) McDonald can possibly identify the child in this photo. She appears in 13 public Ancestry trees.
George Thomas Lynch, circa 1934 (age 11)
Why I believe this to be the individual.
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George Thomas Lynch, circa 1934 (age 11)
The 1938 Portland City Directory lists Margaret H Lynch, the widow of George T, living at 31 Taylor.
- The 1930 US Census lists George T and his wife Margaret Lynch living at 339 Danforth. Living with them is six-year-old Thomas Lynch.
Ancestry has one public tree that refers to George Lynch, the son of George T. and Margaret J Lynch. Family Search has profile LT13-DP6 for George Thomas Lynch II. I uploaded a photo of him to his Family Search Memories.
Conclusion
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- I fully identified four of the six They have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their images to their Family Search Memories
- I only have her name for one individual, so I posted her image to Dead Fred.
- One individual’s name is unknown. His photo is only uploaded here.
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. (Exception if the photo is only uploaded 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.