Ancestry indicates that Sutherland surname is a Scottish regional name from the Old Norse suðr ‘south’ + land ‘land.’ Sutherland lays south of Scandinavia and the Norse colonies in the Orkney and Shetland Islands. Forebears add that it comes from the province of Moray.
Today, the most significant number of people with the Sutherland surname live in the United States with over 40,000. As you might expect, it has the highest frequency in Scotland, where one in 462 people have the surname.
In the United States, the most significant number of people with the Sutherland surname live in California, with over 4,000 people. The highest frequency for the surname is Wyoming, where one in 3,823 have the surname.
Direct Sutherland Ancestors
I have not had a chance to do in-depth research of my Sutherland ancestors, so all of my estimated ancestors are notional. However, it appears that I have seven known Sutherland ancestors in two separate paths.
3rd Great-Grandmother: Tamise (Possibly Tammy or Fanny) Sutherland (1796-1864)
6th Great-Grandfather: Col. David Sutherland (1711-1794)
7th Great-Grandfather: William Sutherland (1690-1772)
(* Note: William J Sutherland and Hannah Sutherland married. It is unclear what their relationship may have been before their marriage.)
Interestingly enough, Tamise Sutherland, wife of Joel Cruff Taft, is my next planned research subject in my Roberts Research.
Historical
1840 – Tamise (Sutherland) Taft is my only known Sutherland ancestor that was living in 1840. She had already married Joel Cruff Taft. They lived in Broome County, New York, at the time. In 1840, 29% of the Sutherlands (or 96 households) in the United States lived in New York; however, none of the Sutherlands appear to have lived in Broome County.
Direct Sutherland Descendants
Genealogy
My records have identified 287 direct descendants of William Sutherland (1715-1768) and 289 for William Sutherland (1690-1772), most of whom are duplicated. These include 27 Barnes, 21 Roberts, 17 Ransford, 15 Taft, and many more surnames. I only have eight descendants of the Sutherlands with the Sutherland surname, indicating I have much more research to do on my Sutherland cousins.
Other Sutherlands
Festival TV Monte-Carlo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Of course, there are many famous Sutherlands. Donald Sutherland and his son Kiefer are probably the most famous. However, Elizabeth Sutherland, 24th Countess of Sutherland, also comes to mind. Again, I have much more research to do on my Sutherland cousins. I would love to learn that Donald, one of my favorite actors, is related.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Welch-Harris Project
Welch-Harris-Harmon-Swain Line
By Don Taylor
Mildred R. Swain was born, married, raised four children, and died in the Greater Portland, Maine, area.
Welch/Harris – Ancestor #15
List of Greats
1st Great-grandmother: Mildred R. Swain (1899-1984)
2nd Great-grandfather: Milton N Swain (1867-____)
Mildred R. Swain Harmon (1899-1984)
Birth
Mildred R. Swain was born on 18 March 1899 in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine. Dr. N. M. Marshall was the attending physician. She was the third child of Milton N and Emma L. (Bunker) Swain.
Childhood
1900 Census
The 1900 U.S. Census found the Milton N. Swain household living at 326 Ocean Street, Portland (Ward 9), Maine. Thirty-two-year-old Milton was an insurance clerk and owned his home free. His wife, Emma, age 33, had had three children, but one had died by then. Milton and Emma had been married for nine years, so it appears that the one child was born and died between 1891 and 1900. Emma’s nineteen-year-old sister, Rossie Bunker, is living with the family, who is working as a dressmaker.
Household Role Sex Age Birthplace & Date
Milton N Swain Head M 32 Maine Aug 1867
Emma L Swain Wife F 34 Maine July 1866
Ruby L Swain Daughter F 4 Maine Nov. 1895
Mildred R Swain Daughter F 1 Maine Mar 1899
Rossie Bunker S-in-law F 19 Maine Feb 1881
1910 Census
Between 1900 and 1910, the Swain family moved from Portland to a farm on Brook Street in Westbrook, Ward 5, Cumberland County, Maine. The 1910 U.S. Census reported forty-two-year-old Milton was a stenographer at an insurance office. He owned his farm free. His wife, Emma, age 43, had had three living children, with little Esther born about 1905.
Fourteen-year-old Ruby and 11-year-old Mildred were attending school. Five-year-old Esther hadn’t started school yet.
Marriage
Mildred Swain and Lawrence[1] Louis Harmon took out a marriage license on 19 September 1917 and were married on 1 October 1917 in Westbrook. John A. Ford, a clergyman in Gorham, performed the ceremony.
Mildred and Lawrence located to Portland and lived at 7 Grace Street when Lawrence entered the military service on 28 August 1918. He served until 5 December 1918, when he was honorably discharged. After his service, they began their family. They had four (known) children
Alton Swain Born 11 May 1919
Ruth Marie Born 19 July 1922
Louise Lucille Born 2 January 1928
Vyra A Born circa 1932
1919 – Lawrence and Mildred lived at 62 Mobil Street, Westbrook, when Alton was born on 11 May 1919.
1920s
I have been unsuccessful in finding Mildred and Lawrence in the 1920 Census.
I did find Laurence and Mildred living in Westbrook in 1922. Laurance was working as an auto mechanic at 684 Congress in Portland. On 19 July 1922, their second child Ruth Marie was born. Also, on 2 January 1928, their third child Louise Lucille was born.
1930s
The 1930 Gorham City directory indicates Laurance ad Mildred lived on Home Bar Mills Road, near the Scarborough Line in Gorham.
The 1930 Census finds Mildred and Lawrence’s home in Gorham valued at $2,500; the Harmons own their home. Alton and Ruth are attending school, and Louine is too young for school yet.
Their fourth child, Vyra, was probably born in 1932.
The 1940 Census indicates that in 1935 they lived in the same house as they did in 1940.
1940s
The 1940 Census shows the Harmon family living on County Road in Gorham. It indicates that Mildred had one year of high school (previously). The household consisted of Laurence, Mildred, and their four children. Alton was working as a farmhand, and the three younger children were attending school.
Mildred’s husband, Laurance Louis Harmon, died on 4 April 1941.
Death
Marker – HARMON, Laurance L (1897-1941) & Mildred S. (1899-1984)
Mildred R. (Swain) Harmon died in December 1984. She is buried in the South Gorham Cemetery.
Events by Location
Mildred R. (Swain) Harmon lived her entire life in the greater Portland, Maine area, all within about 10 miles.
Maine, Cumberland, Gorham 1930-1940, Burial
Maine, Cumberland, Portland Birth, 1900 | 1918
Maine, Cumberland, Westbrook 1910, Marriage | 1919-1922
Further Actions / Follow-up
Census – Locate Mildred and Lawrence in the 1920 Census.
Education, Maine, Westbrook – Mildred attended School in Westbrook in 1910. Her schooling included one year of high school.
Education, Maine, Gorham – Look for school records for Alton & Ruth attending school in Gorham (1930 & 1940).
Education, Maine, Gorham – Look for school records for Vyra attending school in Gorham (1940)
News – Research Mildred Swain in Cumberland County, 1899-1917.
News – Research Mildred Harmon in Cumberland County, 1917-1985.
Probate – Look for Probate of Laurance’s will circa 1941-1942.
Probate – Look for Probate of Mildred’s property circa 1984-1985.
Property – Look for Real Estate Records for Lawrence Harmon (1920 Westbrook, 1930 & 1940 Gorham).
Religion – Mildred and Lawrence were married in a ceremony performed by John A. Ford, a clergyman in Gorham. What church was Rev. Ford the minister for, and are there any church records from this period.
Vital Records – Look for death record/obituary for Mildred R. Harmon.
Vital Records – Look for a birth record for Vyra.
Sources
“United States Census, 1900,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMLF-W7C : accessed 30 July 2021), Milton N Swain, Portland city Ward 9, Cumberland, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 77, sheet 6A, family 124, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,591.
“United States Census, 1910,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MR33-MP7 : accessed 30 July 2021), Milton N Swain, Westbrook Ward 5, Cumberland, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district (E.D.) ED 115, sheet 8A, family 163, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 540; FHL microfilm 1,374,553.
“United States Census, 1930,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XM8L-7KP : accessed 19 December 2020), Laurence Harman, Gorham, Cumberland, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district (E.D.) ED 17, sheet 7A, line 2, family 105, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 830; FHL microfilm 2,340,565.
“United States Census, 1940,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMMW-WMH : 28 February 2020), Vyra A Harmon in the household of Lawrence Harmon, Gorham Town, Cumberland, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district (E.D.) 3-27, sheet 6A, line 37, family 92, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 – 2007, R.G. 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1474.
Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/127906355/mildred-harmon : accessed 30 July 2021), memorial page for Mildred Harmon (1899–1984), Find a Grave Memorial ID 127906355, citing South Gorham Cemetery, Gorham, Cumberland County, Maine, USA; Maintained by Maine 101 (contributor 47130320).
Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24N-7HYM : 2 March 2021), MM9.1.1/Q24N-7HYM: Birth 11 May 1919; multiple sources, Maine; FHL microfilm 10,133.
“Maine, Marriage Index, 1892-1966, 1977-1996,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KCN2-TRK : 27 November 2014), Laurence Harmon and Mildred R Swan, 1 October 1917; citing Marriage, Maine, United States, State Archives, Augusta.
“Maine, State Archive Collections, 1718-1957,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KG9Q-67X : 11 March 2018), Laurance Or Lawrence Louis Harmon, 28 August 1918; citing Military Service, United States, State Archives, Augusta.
Portland Press Herald (Maine) 27 May 1998, obit for ALTON S. HARMON CONSTRUCTION WORKER, WWII VETERAN, GenealogyBank.com (https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/obituaries/obit/0F9C33C5B8BC7A98 : accessed 19 December 2020)
“United States Social Security Death Index,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JBKZ-3ZD : 7 January 2021), Mildred Harmon, Dec 1984; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Ancestry, Westbrook, ME – 1930 – Gorham Directory – Page 241 – Harmon.
Endnotes
[1] Laurence, Laurance, and Lawrence, are all spellings for Laurance. It is my practice to typically use the spelling used in the particular document that I am citing from. “Laurance” is the spelling used on his grave marker. As such, that is the spelling I prefer using.
“Donna 100 years ago” is my reporting of events relating to my grandmother, Madonna Montran (aka Donna Montran and Donna Darling) 100 years ago. Hers was the exciting world of 1920s vaudeville. She crisscrossed the country several times with her many shows.
In the 10 August 1921 edition, the New York Clipper, Page 15, top of column 3, gave a short and straightforward mention of Donna.
Donna Montran in the vaudeville act, “As You Like It,” by Hockey and Green, opens at Asbury Park this week; direction of Lee Stewart.
The first mention of “As You Like It” I have found was when she played at the State Theatre in Beacon, New York, from 30 June to 2 July.
Ashbury Park is a small coastal town on the Jersey shore, about 25 miles, as the crow flies, south of New York City (about 50 miles driving). At the time, there were five theaters, Lyric, St. James, Reade’s Savoy, Shubert, and Reade’s Rialto. The “Asbury Park Press was the newspaper at the time.
A review of the Asbury Park Press, August 1921[i], failed to yield any results for “Montran,” “As You Like It,” “Stewart,” or “Hockey.” The Lyric Theater mentioned they had “2 Other Big Acts – 7 acts in all.” The other theaters (Realto, Main Street, Saint James, and Savoy) all seem to have mentioned all of the shows at those theaters. Consequently, I suspect she was one of the unmentioned shows at the Lyric.
One hundred years ago, Donna played in her vaudeville act, “As you Like It” in Asbury Park, New Jersey, probably at the Lyric Theatre.
Future Actions
Learn more about Hockey & Green, the writers of “As You Like It.”
Maine’s early history is the story of Europeans coming to the new land to start anew. My understanding has always included the fundamental knowledge that the people settled along the rivers. Indeed, Scarborough and the entire Maine coast contains stories of the various plantations, proprietors, and pioneers. With my volunteer work at the Scarborough Historical Society, I’ve grown to know many of the stories of Scarborough, but I know little about any other places along the Maine coast. Consequently, I was excited to see Pioneers on Maine Rivers as a book to straighten out some confusing stories and provide the basics of many other colonization stories of Maine.
Summary of content
After the dedication and introduction, the author includes several background facts, such as the “Maine Visiting Lists before 1630,” “Proprietary Division,” and “The First Plantations. Then the book takes each river where settlements were established and works north from the Piscataqua River to the Machias River. Most of the settlement writeups include their history and quick identification of the early pioneers.
Analysis and evaluation of the book
To understand the accuracy and what the book can add to my knowledge and understanding, I immediately jumped to the “Scarborough River.” I had heard of the first settlers at Blue Point, Henry Watts and Richard Foxwell. I knew the first pioneers included Hilkiah Bailey and George Dearing, but I didn’t realize that Dearing’s widow married Jonas Bailey. A short subsection about “Stratton’s Islands” included dates of various individuals establishing settlements.
The next chapter in the book is the “Nonesuch River.” Surprisingly, this chapter included a few paragraphs regarding the Alger settlement at Dunstan (where I live on land that was once the Alger property). After the four pages of history about the settlements is a set of short paragraphs about the Pioneers. For example:
BAILEY, HILKIAH, employe or tenant of Richard Foxwell at Blue Point 1640; last mentioned, 1645.
The following chapter, SPURWINK RIVER[i], includes information about Richmond Island and Cape Elizabeth. Again, the Pioneers are listed, which includes Andrew Alger and Jonas Baily.
There are several appendixes, including on on Planters and another on Patents. However, “Appendix C” intrigued me. It is “Ancient Maps of Maine.” It provides a shortlist of maps that I will definitely seek to find copies of. I love maps. There is an index; the index does not include the individuals listed in the Pioneer sections, but otherwise, it is excellent.
Conclusion
I found the book helpful, and I am delighted to have it in my collection. Whenever I want to know the early history of Maine’s many river settlements, this will be my “go-to” book for gaining basic knowledge of Maine’s 17th-century settlements.[ii]
Spencer, Wilbur Daniel. 1995. Pioneers on Maine rivers: with lists to 1651 compiled from the original sources. Baltimore: Reprinted for Clearfield Co., Inc., by Genealogical Pub. Co., Inc.
Pioneers on Maine Rivers
Publication Date: 1930
Reprint Date: 1995
Pages: 414 pp.
This book is available at the Portland Public Library[iii], the University of Southern Maine Library[iv], and directly from the publisher.
[i] The Spurwink River provides some of the border between Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth. Today, Higgins Beach is on the western bank of the Spurwink River. Across the river, the eastern bank, is primarily farmland. Also see the area at the mouth of the Spurwink River (43°34’17.1″N 70°16’42.4″W) on Google Maps
[ii] I need to reread the chapter on the Saco River. It’s 20+ pages contained so much information my head is spinning.
Ancestry indicates that Sutherland surname is a Scottish regional name from the Old Norse suðr ‘south’ + land ‘land.’ Sutherland lays south of Scandinavia and the Norse colonies in the Orkney and Shetland Islands. Forebears add that it comes from the province of Moray.
This week for Photo Friday, I identify the people in five more envelopes from the Ethel Wight Studio Collection
