Russell Erwin Kees (1927–2016)

Posted on July 24, 2026 by Don Taylor

Ancestor Sketch
Family line: Brown-Montran
By Don Taylor

Identity Question

Photo of Russell Erwin Kees
Russell Erwin Kees
Probably c. 1948

How did Russell Erwin Kees — born Russell Erwin Clark Amsterdam to Madonna Mae Montran and Samson Clark Amsterdam, and later known by an unofficial surname taken from his mother’s partner (a coincidental namesake) — build a life across Panama, Michigan, Illinois, Kwajalein, and Arizona, and what really explains the death certificate’s claim of “Secret Service”?

Vital Facts

Birth nameRussell Erwin Clark Amsterdam
BirthAugust 29, 1927, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan — first child of Samson Clark Amsterdam and Madonna Mae Montran
DeathMarch 16, 2016, Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona (age 88)
BurialNational Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, Phoenix — Section H3, Row B, Site 39
Cause of deathMetastatic prostate cancer, Stage IV; contributing: severe COPD, hypertension, ischemic cardiomyopathy
OccupationElectrician, Detroit (per 1950 census), before Korean War service; required a Top Secret Crypto clearance for a later job, complicated by his unofficial name change to Kees — likely the real source of the death certificate’s unsupported “Secret Service” entry; spent many later years on Kwajalein Island in community theater and, per family recollection, radar/systems technician work
Military serviceKorean War, c. 1951 (not WWII) — recalled a strafing attack on his jeep during service
EducationGraduated from Southwestern High School, Detroit, January 1945; noted as an excellent roller skater
Marriages(1) Delphine Ann Sieradski, 1954, Detroit — divorced quickly, no children; (2) Jacqueline R. Wigfield, August 1, 1958, Cook County, IL — divorced c. 1964, no children; (3) June Elsie Callaway, March 22, 1965, Peoria, IL — divorced 1968, one daughter
Child[living daughter], born 1965; two grandchildren
InterestsTheater (starred in many Kwajalein community productions); accomplished pianist (“Flight of the Bumble Bee”; recorded himself playing “Beautiful Mother of Mine,” written by his mother in 1923); avid golfer, winning age-group tournaments in his 70s
Residence at death2050 W Dunlap Ave, B162, Phoenix, AZ 85021
InformantMargaret Joan Glidden, Executrix

Migration & Residence Timeline

• 1927 — Born in Detroit, Michigan, as Russell Erwin Clark Amsterdam.

• 1927–1930 — Traveled with show-business parents; Sammy and Madonna went to the Panama Canal Zone for vaudeville work after the Depression-era circuit collapsed. Departed Balboa, Panama, March 27, 1930, arriving in New York, April 8, 1930.

• 1932 — Parents divorced; Sammy settled in New York, Madonna and Russell in Chicago.

• c. 1936 — Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

• 1937 — Madonna became involved with Russell Harrison Kees; family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan; Russell (the son) and his half-sister adopted the Kees surname informally.

• 1940 — Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan (1421 Fair Street), per 1940 census.

• c. 1942 — Moved to Detroit following the death of Harvey Knight (Madonna’s stepfather).

• c. 1944 — Moved in with grandmother Ida Mae (Barber) Knight in Detroit.

• 1945 — Graduated Southwestern High School, Detroit (commencement January 1945).

• 1950 — Detroit (1456 Lawndale), working as an electrician, per 1950 census.

Photo of Russell Kees in army uniform
Russell Kees c. 1952
Source: Don Taylor

• c. 1951 — Korean War military service.

• 1953 — After grandmother Ida’s death, decided to “go out west” to find his natural father, whom he hadn’t seen since age five; lost touch with the family for roughly 50 years.

• Later years — Kwajalein Island, Marshall Islands, active in community theater.

• 2002 — Located by Don via Classmates.com after ~50 years out of contact; reunited with his sister, an event filmed by “60 Minutes II.”

• By March 2016 — Phoenix, Arizona (2050 W Dunlap Ave, B162), where he died.

Family Connections

Russell was the son of Madonna Montran (stage name Donna Darling; also recorded as Donna Knight and Donna Kees) and Samson “Sammy” Amsterdam, born Russell Erwin Clark Amsterdam. Madonna’s mother, Ida Mae Barber, had married Harvey Knight, which accounts for the “Donna Knight” name on Russell’s death certificate and birth record — a stepfather’s surname, not a further marriage of Madonna’s own; this is the only known record where Madonna is referred to by that name.

Photo of Sylvia and Russell Kees, circa 1937
Sylvia and Russell Kees, circa 1937

Sammy and Madonna divorced in 1932; Russell remained with his mother in Chicago. Madonna later had a daughter with Richard Brown — making Russell her half-brother, five years her senior and protective of her growing up.

Madonna never formally married Russell Harrison Kees, her partner from about 1937 (a coincidental namesake, not related to how her son Russell came to share the first name). Neither Russell nor his half-sister were ever legally adopted by him, though both used the Kees surname informally.

In 1950, the half-sister married Paul Larson; this marriage was later annulled and expunged from all records once it emerged that Larson had never divorced his existing wife. She continued using the surname Larson until marrying Edgar Matson in 1961 — her son (the author) likewise used the surname Larson from his earliest memory until 1962.

My mom and Russell’s first meeting in 50 years
was filmed by a crew from “60 Minutes II”

Russell married three times — Delphine Ann Sieradski (1954, quickly divorced), Jacqueline R. Wigfield (1958, divorced c. 1964), and June Elsie Callaway (1965, divorced 1968) — with a daughter from the Callaway marriage. After decades out of contact, Don located Russell in 2002 through a Classmates.com outreach campaign to his 1944–45 Southwestern High School classmates, leading to a filmed reunion with his sister that drew the attention of “60 Minutes II.”

Research Notes

The unofficial and never-legalized Kees name change reportedly caused Russell difficulty in the 1950s when he sought a Top Secret Crypto security clearance for his job — this is very likely the true story behind the death certificate’s unsupported “Secret Service” occupation entry, which was probably an informant’s garbling of a security-cleared technical position rather than actual Secret Service employment.

The death certificate’s parentage fields reflect the surnames in use at different points in Madonna’s life rather than a single consistent identity, which is a useful caution for anyone else researching this line by name alone: a search for “Kees” in 1940 or 1950 census records turns up the household, while earlier records may show “Amsterdam.”

Sources

  • Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records. Certificate of Death for Russell E. Kees, State File No. 102-2016-012134, registered March 22, 2016, issued June 27, 2016.
  • Michigan Birth Certificate, State File No. 121-582-0201178.
  • 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan; Enumeration District 86-156.
  • 1950 U.S. Federal Census, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan; Enumeration District 85-2017.
  • Michigan Death Certificates, Ida Mae Knight, Detroit Vital Records, Local File No. 13031.
  • New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925–1957; Year: 1930 (arrival from Balboa, Panama).
  • Cook County, Illinois Marriage Index, 1930–1960.
  • Find A Grave Memorial #161134930 — Russell Erwin Kees.
  • Family Tree Maker “Smart Story” compilation, Brown-Montran_2026.pdf (personal files).
  • Don Taylor, Don Taylor Genealogy, “In Memoriam – Russell Erwin Kees (1927–2016),” posted June 26, 2016, dontaylorgenealogy.com/2016/06/in-memoriam-russell-erwin-kees-1927-2016.
Posted in Ancestor Sketch, Brown-Montran | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

LDC Stills, Part 3: More Faces of 1930s Hollywood

Posted on July 21, 2026 by Don Taylor

By Don Taylor

This week I continue working through the box of 1930s movie stills from the Linwood Dyer Collection. All five of today’s photographs carry printed studio captions identifying the film and its stars, which makes tracking down the cast and their life stories a bit easier than usual. four are Paramount Pictures releases, one is a Trafalgar Films production released through United Artists, and all appear to be original vintage press photos rather than later reproductions.

Movie: Love from a Stranger (1937)

[Photo — left to right: a man, and three women, dressed for the outdoors, gathered in an elegant drawing room]
Still from “Love from a Stranger,” featuring (left to right) Basil Rathbone, Jean Cadell or Binnie Hale, Binnie Hale or Jean Cadell, and Ann Harding

This photo carries the printed credit “Trafalgar Films present ANN HARDING with Basil Rathbone in ‘Love from a Stranger,’ A Max Schach Production, Released Thru United Artists.” The 1937 British thriller, based on an Agatha Christie short story by way of a Frank Vosper stage play, follows Carol Howard (Ann Harding), a working girl who wins a lottery and marries a charming stranger, Gerald Lovell (Basil Rathbone), who turns out to be a serial killer targeting wealthy wives. Four figures appear in this still: Rathbone as Gerald on the left, two women to the left, most likely Carol’s Aunt Lou (Jean Cadell) and her friend Kate (Binnie Hale), though which is which isn’t certain from this angle; Ann Harding as Carol on the right, styled in a satin dress holding a small clutch.

Basil Rathbone (1892–1967)

  • Born Philip St. John Basil Rathbone on June 13, 1892, in Johannesburg, South Africa, and raised in Derbyshire, England.
  • Called up into the British Army in 1915 as a private with the London Scottish Regiment; commissioned as a lieutenant in the Liverpool Scottish (2/10th Battalion, King’s Liverpool Regiment), where he served as an intelligence officer and rose to captain. He was awarded the Military Cross for bravery in World War I.
  • Married actress Ethel Marion Foreman in 1914; divorced in 1926. Married writer Ouida Bergère later that same year.
  • Best remembered for playing Sherlock Holmes in fourteen films between 1939 and 1946.
  • Died July 21, 1967.

Ann Harding (1902–1981)

  • Born Dorothy Walton Gatley on August 7, 1902, at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.
  • Married actor Harry Bannister on October 22, 1926; divorced in 1932.
  • Married symphony conductor Werner Janssen on January 13, 1937; divorced in 1962.
  • Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for Holiday (1930).
  • Died September 1, 1981, in Sherman Oaks, California, at age 79.

Binnie Hale (1899–1984)

  • Born Beatrice Mary Hale-Monro on May 22, 1899, in Liverpool, England.
  • One of the most successful London musical theatre stars of the 1920s and 1930s, best remembered for No, No, Nanette (1925) and Mr. Cinders (1929).
  • Married actor Jack Raine in 1924; the couple had a daughter, Patricia, in 1930; they divorced in 1935.
  • Died January 10, 1984.

Jean Cadell (1884–1967)

  • Born Jean Dunlop Cadell on September 13, 1884, in Edinburgh, Scotland.
  • A prolific Scottish character actress on stage and screen for over five decades.
  • Died September 29, 1967.

Movie: My American Wife (1936)

Photo — a weathered older man in a plaid shirt greeting two women outdoors among desert cacti
Still from “My American Wife,” featuring Fred Stone, Ann Sothern, and Billie Burke

The printed caption reads “Francis Lederer and Ann Sothern in ‘My American Wife’ with Fred Stone, Billie Burke, Ernest Cossart, Grant Mitchell. A Paramount Picture.” Released August 7, 1936, the comedy follows Count Ferdinand von und zu Reidenach, who arrives in the fictional Smelter City, Arizona, with his new American bride, Mary Cantillon. This still captures Mary’s grandfather Lafe Cantillon (Fred Stone), the grizzled Arizona rancher who founded the town and disapproves of the match, greeting Mary (Ann Sothern) and her socially ambitious mother (Billie Burke), who is thrilled her daughter is now a countess.

Fred Stone (1873–1959)

  • Born August 19, 1873, in Valmont, Colorado.
  • Began performing in circuses and minstrel shows before becoming a vaudeville and Broadway star, notably as the Scarecrow opposite David C. Montgomery in The Wizard of Oz stage musical, a partnership that lasted 22 years until Montgomery’s death in 1917.
  • Married Allene Crater, whom he met while she was in the Oz cast; their daughters Dorothy, Paula, and Carol also appeared on stage and screen.
  • Died March 6, 1959.

Ann Sothern (1909–2001)

  • Born Harriette Arlene Lake on January 22, 1909, in Valley City, North Dakota.
  • Married actor and bandleader Roger Pryor in September 1936; the divorce was finalized in May 1943.
  • Married actor Robert Sterling less than a week later; the couple had a daughter, Patricia “Tisha” Sterling, before divorcing in 1949.
  • Died March 15, 2001, of heart failure at her home in Ketchum, Idaho.

Billie Burke (1884–1970)

  • Born Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke on August 7, 1884.
  • Married Broadway producer Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. in 1914; the couple had a daughter, Patricia, in 1916. The marriage lasted until Ziegfeld’s death on July 22, 1932.
  • Best remembered today as Glinda the Good Witch of the North in The Wizard of Oz (1939); nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Merrily We Live (1938).
  • Died May 14, 1970.

Movie: Swing High, Swing Low (1937)

Photo — a woman in a polka-dot dress and sailor cap in conversation with a man, in an office setting with birdcages
Still from “Swing High, Swing Low,” featuring Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray

The printed caption reads “Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray in ‘Swing High, Swing Low’ with Charles Butterworth, Jean Dixon, Dorothy Lamour and Harvey Stephens. A Paramount Picture.” Released in 1937 and directed by Mitchell Leisen, the romantic drama is the second of three film versions of the Broadway play Burlesque, following Maggie King (Lombard), a manicurist who falls for trumpet-playing soldier Skid Johnson (MacMurray) and follows him into a turbulent show-business romance.

Carole Lombard (1908–1942)

  • Born Jane Alice Peters on October 6, 1908, in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
  • Married actor William Powell in 1931; divorced in 1933.
  • Married actor Clark Gable in 1939, after meeting him in 1932 on the set of No Man of Her Own.
  • Died January 16, 1942, at age 33, in the crash of TWA Flight 3 on Mount Potosi, Nevada, while returning home from a World War II war bond tour.

Fred MacMurray (1908–1991)

  • Born August 30, 1908, in Kankakee, Illinois.
  • Married Lillian “Lily” Lamont on June 20, 1936; the couple adopted two children. Following her death, he married actress June Haver.
  • Attempted to enlist during World War II but was rejected on medical grounds; instead sold war bonds and served as an air-raid warden in his Brentwood neighborhood.
  • Died November 5, 1991, of pneumonia in Santa Monica, California.

Movie: Blonde Trouble (1937)

Photo — a young woman in a plaid dress and bow-trimmed hat greeted by an ol
Still from “Blonde Trouble,” featuring Eleanore Whitney and Barlowe Borland

The printed caption reads “‘Blonde Trouble’ with Eleanore Whitney, Johnny Downs, Lynne Overman, Terry Walker, Benny Baker, William Demarest, John Patterson, El Brendel, Barlowe Borland. A Paramount Picture.” The 1937 musical comedy, based on the 1929 stage musical June Moon, follows aspiring songwriter Fred Stevens as he travels to New York and falls for dentist’s-office employee Edna Baker, only to be led astray by a gold-digging social climber. The bald character actor greeting a traveling Edna in this still appears to be Barlowe Borland, who played the supporting role of Goebel.

Eleanore Whitney (1917–1983)

  • Born April 12, 1917, in Cleveland, Ohio.
  • A tap dancer discovered by Bill Robinson, she toured vaudeville with Rae Samuels before working alongside Rudy Vallée and Jack Benny.
  • Married attorney Frederick Backer in 1939, after which she left acting and moved with him to New York; he later became a New York Supreme Court judge.
  • Died November 1, 1983.

Barlowe Borland (1877–1948)

  • Born Frank Barlowe Borland on August 6, 1877, in Greenock, Scotland.
  • A character actor best known for playing waiters, butlers, judges, and other supporting roles, including in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) and A Tale of Two Cities (1935).
  • Married actress Francesca Redding.
  • Died August 31, 1948, in Woodland Hills, California, following complications from ulcer surgery.

Movie: Valiant Is the Word for Carrie (1936)

[]

Photo — five figures gathered in an elegantly furnished parlor: a standing couple at left and three seated figures to the right
Still from “Valiant Is the Word for Carrie,” featuring (left to right) John Howard, Arline Judge, Gladys George, Dudley Digges, and Isabel Jewell

The printed caption reads “‘Valiant Is the Word for Carrie’ with Gladys George, Arline Judge, John Howard, Dudley Digges, Harry Carey and Isabel Jewell. A Paramount Picture.” Released in 1936 and based on Barry Benefield’s novel, the drama follows Carrie Snyder (Gladys George), a prostitute driven from a small Southern town after befriending the young son of a dying woman. The role earned George her only Academy Award nomination. Although the studio caption lists all six of the film’s principal players, only five appear in this particular still: John Howard and Arline Judge stand at left as the grown Paul and Lady; Gladys George, in the jeweled velvet gown, is seated at center as Carrie; Dudley Digges, the publisher, sits beside her; and Isabel Jewell, as Lili, is seated at far right in a fur-trimmed coat. Harry Carey, who plays Carrie’s lawyer friend, does not appear in this shot.

Gladys George (1904–1954)

  • Born September 13, 1904, in Patten, Maine, to British parents.
  • Married four times: actor Ben Erway (1922–1930); paper manufacturer Edward Fowler; actor Leonard Penn (married 1935); and Kenneth Bradley, a hotel bellboy twenty years her junior.
  • Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for Valiant Is the Word for Carrie (1936).
  • Died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1954 in Los Angeles, at age 50.

Arline Judge (1912–1974)

  • Born February 21, 1912.
  • Married seven times, including to director Wesley Ruggles (1931–1937) and to Dan Topping (married within hours of divorcing Ruggles), with whom she had a son, Dan Topping Jr. Topping later co-owned the New York Yankees.
  • Died February 7, 1974, in her West Hollywood apartment, at age 61.

John Howard (1913–1995)

  • Born John Richard Cox Jr. on April 14, 1913, in Cleveland, Ohio; a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of what is now Case Western Reserve University.
  • Best remembered for playing Bulldog Drummond in seven Paramount films and for roles in Lost Horizon (1937) and The Philadelphia Story (1940).
  • Served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army during World War II.
  • Married actress Eva Ralf in 1954, a union that lasted until his death and produced four children.
  • Died February 19, 1995.

Dudley Digges (1879–1947)

  • Born John Dudley Digges on June 9, 1879, in Ranelagh, Dublin, Ireland.
  • Trained and began his acting career in Ireland before spending the bulk of his 43-year career on the American stage and in over 50 films.
  • Married Irish actress Maire Quinn on August 27, 1907; they remained married until her death in August 1947.
  • Died of a stroke just two months later, on October 24, 1947, in his Manhattan apartment.

Harry Carey (1878–1947)

  • Born Henry DeWitt Carey II on January 16, 1878, in the Bronx, New York.
  • Married actress Olive Fuller Golden in 1920; they remained together until his death and had two children, Harry Carey Jr. and Ella “Cappy” Carey.
  • Died September 21, 1947.

Isabel Jewell (1907–1972)

  • Born July 19, 1907, in Shoshoni, Wyoming.
  • Married Lovell “Cowboy” Underwood at age nineteen; later married radio personality Owen “Walter” Crump in 1936; married actor Paul Marion (then a private in the U.S. Army) in 1941, separating in 1943 and divorcing in 1944.
  • Known for roles in A Tale of Two Cities (1935), Lost Horizon (1937), and Gone with the Wind (1939).
  • Died April 5, 1972.

Conclusion

From a British murder-mystery drawing room to an Arizona ranch, a Panama waterfront office, a bustling train station, and a genteel Southern parlor, these five stills capture the range of Paramount’s and Trafalgar’s output in the mid-1930s — and the tangled, often turbulent lives of the performers who filled the frame. The original vintage prints featured above are available for purchase — $25 each, or all five for $100. If you’re interested in adding a piece of Hollywood history to your own collection, feel free to reach out. Stay tuned for Part 3 as I continue working through more stills from the period. Stay tuned for Part 4 as I continue working through the rest of the box.

Sources

Disclosure: This post was written and researched by the author, with research assistance from Claude.ai.

Posted in Vintage Photos, Linwood Dyer Collection, Uncategorized, Photo Collections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Charles B Hazelton (1890-1951)

Posted on July 18, 2026 by Don Taylor

Welch-Harris Project
Welch-Hazelton Line — Ancestor #10
By Don Taylor

Charles Bernard Hazelton was born on 13 December 1890 in Biddeford, York County, Maine.[1] He was the son of Thomas Hazelton and Margaret Clare. The family surname appears in early records as Hazeltine — the spelling used in the 1900 census and on Charles’s WWI draft registration — before gradually standardizing to Hazelton in later documents. Both spellings will be encountered by researchers working this family line.[2]

Origins and Family

Charles grew up in a large household. The 1900 census records the family at 306 Main Street, Biddeford, under the Hazeltine spelling.[3] At that time, his father Thomas, age 39, was working as a mule spinner in a cotton mill, and his mother Margaret, age 38, was employed as a weaver — a common arrangement in mill towns where the entire family contributed to household income. Charles was one of eleven children born to Thomas and Margaret. Ten of his siblings are named in family records — Mary, Rose, Harry, Grace M., Patrick John, Thomas F., Winnifred Celia, and Madeline Ruth — while two additional siblings appear in the records without given names and remain unidentified.[4]

By 1910, the family had moved a short distance to 18 Center Street, where the census records them.[5] Charles, then nineteen, was already employed as a printer in a newspaper office — a trade that stood apart from the mill work of his parents and suggests either formal training or a deliberate step toward a different kind of livelihood.

Marriage

On 27 November 1913, Charles Bernard Hazelton married Jessie Louise Sands in Biddeford, Maine.[6] He was twenty-two. The ceremony was performed by Timothy P. Linehan, a clergyman of Biddeford. At the time of the marriage, Charles was working as a foreman at the Record office in Biddeford, a step up from his earlier position as a printer.[7] A future sketch will be devoted to Jessie Louise Sands and her family.

Early Adulthood and Working Life

40 Vernon Street today – Google Maps

Charles’s working life in the years following his marriage was varied, reflecting both the changing economy of the Saco-Biddeford area and the disruptions of the First World War era. Vital records place him at 40 Vernon Street, Saco, by late 1916.[8] In November of that year, his son George Leland was born there.[8]

His WWI draft registration, dated 5 June 1917, was completed in Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania — though his stated residence was still 40 Vernon Street, Saco.[1] Why Charles was in the Pennsylvania state capital that day is not clear; he may have been traveling for work. The registration card describes him as medium height, medium build, with gray eyes and brown hair. He reported no physical disability and was not bald, and he was ultimately not a veteran.[1,9]

By 1920, the family had settled at 78 Pleasant Street, Saco, and Charles was working as a fireman at a cotton mill.[5] The following year, the birth record of his daughter Margaret Louise lists him as a piper at Laconia Mills — that is, a worker responsible for maintaining the piping systems within the mill — with the family then residing at 23 Storer Street, Saco.[10]

The Middle Years: Saco

23 Storer St. Today – Google Maps

Charles and his family remained rooted in Saco through the 1920s and 1930s. The 1930 census records the family renting at 23 Storer Street for $22.50 a month — a modest sum even for the era. The household had a radio, a detail the census recorded as a measure of domestic modernity. At this point Charles was employed as a lineman for Cumberland County Power & Light, working 54 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, with an annual income reported as $2,250.[9] City directories confirm 23 Storer Street as the family address through at least 1937.[11]

By 1940, the family had moved to 29 School Street, Saco. The census records Charles’s education as completing the 8th grade — consistent with a man who left school young to enter the workforce.[12]

Later Life

76 Summer Street Today – Google Maps

The 1950 census, taken on 16 April, records Charles at 76 Summer Street, Saco, employed as a steam fitter for the W.L.W. Machine Company, having worked 40 hours the previous week.[13] The enumerator recorded his given name in an abbreviated form — almost certainly “Chals” for Charles — which can cause confusion when searching for the record by name.[13]

By the time of his death, Charles was living with his daughter, Janet Fenderson, in Saco.[14]

Death and Burial

Charles B. Hazelton died on the morning of Sunday, 2 December 1951, in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, at the age of 60. His death was believed to be the result of a heart attack.[14]

Marker: Charles B Hazelton & Jessie Sands Hazelton
Photo by David Pridham | Courtesy Find a Grave

His funeral was held on 4 December 1951 at 2:00 p.m. at the Dennett and Craig Funeral Home, 365 Main Street, Saco. The service was officiated by the Reverend Leon Chaloux, curate at Most Holy Trinity Church, Saco.[15] He was buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Saco, Maine.[16]

Surviving him were two sons, Paul Hazelton and George L. Hazelton, and two daughters, Janet Fenderson and Margaret Welch, along with seven grandchildren.[14] His obituary also named four surviving sisters and three surviving brothers; identifying them individually remains a subject for further research.

A Note on the Name

Charles’s surname appears in the records as Hazeltine, Hazelton, and occasionally Hazleton. His WWI draft registration gives the full name Charles Bernard Hazeltine, and later records consistently drop the terminal e from the surname. The 1900 and 1910 censuses use Hazeltine (the 1910 enumerator rendered it Hiselton). By the time of his 1913 marriage, Hazelton was in common use, and it is the spelling used in his obituary and on his Find a Grave memorial.[2,16] Researchers should search under all three variants.

Children of Charles B. Hazelton and Jessie Louise Sands

NameBornDiedMarried
Janet Clare Hazelton13 Aug 1914, Biddeford, ME2002—
George Leland Hazelton7 Nov 1916, Saco, ME10 Apr 1983, Saco, ME—
Paul HazeltonJul 1919, Maine1996—
Margaret Louise Hazelton10 Nov 1921, Biddeford, ME14 Sep 2000, Saco, MERobert Anthony Welch, 16 May 1942, Biddeford, ME

[17]

Open Research Questions

  • Jessie Louise Sands: her own parentage and family history have not yet been compiled into a full sketch.
  • Two siblings of Charles appear in family records without given names; their identities remain to be confirmed.
  • The reason for Charles’s WWI draft registration in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has not been established.
  • Thomas Hazelton and Margaret Clare: their places of origin, any immigration record, and their marriage record have not yet been documented.
  • Laconia Mills: further research into the mill’s employment records may yield additional details of Charles’s work there.
  • The identities of Charles’s four surviving sisters and three surviving brothers named in his obituary remain to be individually confirmed.
Disclaimer: The research presented in this post represents my current findings and conclusions based on the sources cited. Claude.ai was used as a research and drafting aid, and Grammarly for editorial review and copyediting. Where evidence is incomplete, I have drawn careful inferences and have endeavored to distinguish clearly between documented fact and reasoned interpretation. Genealogical research is an ongoing process; new records may alter, refine, or overturn conclusions presented here.
All source citations are provided for transparency and verification. Cited records belong to their respective repositories and institutions. The narrative text, analysis, and editorial conclusions are my own work and are protected under copyright.
If you have additional information, corrections, or family connections relevant to this post, I welcome your contact through the blog. Genealogy is a collaborative pursuit, and I am always grateful for the contributions of fellow researchers and family members.
— Don Taylor, DonTaylorGenealogy.com

Endnotes

  • [1] U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918, Ancestry.com, entry for Charles Bernard Hazeltine; Registration State: Maine; Registration County: York County. This record also provides the physical description cited in the text.
  • [2] Spelling variants documented across: the 1900 U.S. Census (Hazeltine); the 1910 U.S. Census (rendered Hiselton by the enumerator); the WWI draft registration (Hazeltine); the 1913 Maine marriage record (Hazeltine); the 1916 Maine birth record (Hazleton); the 1930 U.S. Census (Hazeltine); the 1950 U.S. Census (Hazelton); and his 1951 obituaries (Hazelton).
  • [3] 1900 U.S. Census, York County, Maine, City of Biddeford, Ward 6, Enumeration District 228, Sheet 4B, Lines 87–96, Hazeltine household, 306 Main Street.
  • [4] Ten siblings of Charles are named across family sources: Mary, Rose, Harry, Grace M., Patrick John, Thomas F., Winnifred Celia, and Madeline Ruth; two additional siblings appear without given names and remain unidentified.
  • [5] 1910 U.S. Census, York County, Maine, Biddeford, Enumeration District 233, Sheet 12A, Lines 28–37, Thomas Hiselton household, 18 Center Street. Also: 1920 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com, Charles B. Hazelton, Saco, York, Maine, 78 Pleasant Street.
  • [6] Maine, U.S., Marriage Records, 1713–1922, Ancestry.com, Charles Bernard Hazeltine and Jessie Louise Sands, 27 November 1913; Maine State Archives, 1908–1922 Vital Records, Roll Number 26. Also: Maine, Marriage Index, 1892–1966, 1977–1996, Charles B. Hazeltine and Jessie L. Sands, 27 November 1913.
  • [7] Biddeford-Saco Journal (Biddeford, ME), 20 November 1913, page 8, “Charles Hazelton — Marriage Intention,” Newspapers.com. This notice identifies Charles as foreman at the Record office.
  • [8] Maine, U.S., Birth Records, 1715–1922, Ancestry.com, George Leland Hazleton, born 7 November 1916; residence given as 40 Vernon Street, Saco. Maine State Archives, 1908–1922 Vital Records, Roll Number 26. Physician recorded as D. G. Dolloff, M.D., Biddeford.
  • [9] 1930 U.S. Census, York County, Maine, Saco, Charles B. Hazeltine household, 23 Storer Street. Occupation: lineman, Cumberland County Power & Light. Reported income: $2,250. Charles reported as not a veteran.
  • [10] Maine, U.S., Birth Records, 1715–1922, Ancestry.com, Margaret Louisa Hazelton, born 10 November 1921 in Biddeford; father’s occupation recorded as “Piper in Laconia Mills,” residence 23 Storer Street, Saco. Maine State Archives, 1908–1922 Vital Records, Roll Number 26. Physician: David E. Dolloff, M.D.
  • [11] U.S. City Directories, 1822–1995, Saco, 1934, page 316, Hazelton; Saco, 1937, page 315, Hazelton. Ancestry.com.
  • [12] 1940 U.S. Census, York County, Maine, Saco, B. Charles Hazelton household, 29 School Street. Education recorded as 8th grade.
  • [13] 1950 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com, Maine, York, Saco — Charles Hazelton, Head, 76 Summer Street; Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2022. The name as written by the enumerator appears to read “Chals,” an abbreviation for Charles.
  • [14] Portland Press Herald (Portland, ME), 3 December 1951, page 2, “Charles B. Hazelton.” https://www.newspapers.com/image/848432656/. Also: Biddeford-Saco Journal (Biddeford, ME), 31 December 1951, Deaths — “Heart Attack Fatal to C. B. Hazelton.” https://www.newspapers.com/image/864944111/.
  • [15] Biddeford-Saco Journal (Biddeford, ME), 5 December 1951, page 2, “Charles B. Hazelton.” https://www.newspapers.com/image/864944224/.
  • [16] Find a Grave, memorial for Charles B. Hazelton (1890–1951), Laurel Hill Cemetery, Saco, Maine. Also: U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007, Charles B. Hazelton (1890–1951); Social Security Number 007-01-7620; Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.
  • [17] U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007, Margaret Louise Hazelton (1921–2000); Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Also: Maine, Vital Records, 1670–1921, FamilySearch, birth of Robert Welch, 12 December 1920, Biddeford, Maine (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24J-6CW8); and U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007, Robert Anthony Welch (1920–2007).
Posted in Ancestor Sketch, Maine History, Welch-Harris Project, Ancestor Features | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Faces from the Past — Howell

Posted on July 15, 2026 by Don Taylor

Howell-Darling Line, Part 002
By Don Taylor

This installment of “Faces from the Past” continues with two photographs from my wife’s Howell family line. (Three additional images in this batch show people who are still living, so I’m setting those aside for now.)

Howell Family Event

Description: A large, multi-generational family portrait taken indoors, likely to mark a special occasion. The group is arranged in layers against a neutral wall, with a set of closed double doors in the background.

Howell Family Event (date unknown)

There are no notes or imprints on the back of the photo. Based on the fashions, hairstyles, eyeglasses, and photo quality, Gemini.ai estimates the photo was taken between 1976 and 1981.

Identification: My wife is fairly confident that the man in the second row, far right (#25), is her uncle Frank. She suspects the woman with the flowers in the middle (#22) may be her grandmother, Mary Lillian (Hobbs) Howell.

Line drawing with individuals number in the photo.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12-Mary (Howell) Wright?, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22-Mary (Hobbs) Howell?, 23, 24, 25-Frank Armstrong Howell (?), 26, 27, 28, 29.

Research: Mary (Hobbs) Howell (1885–1963) died in 1963 — which conflicts with the estimated 1976–1981 date range. If she is indeed in the photo, the dating estimate is off; further research is needed to resolve the discrepancy.

If any of the unidentified individuals in this photo look familiar to you, I’d love to hear from you. Even a small detail can help fill out the family record.

Sara & Bookie — J.D. Howell’s Wife and Daughter

Description: A 3½” x 5″ photo of two smiling women standing together beneath a large, mature tree on a sunny day. Handwritten on the back: “Sara & Bookie — J D Howell’s wife and daughter.” A Kodak print imprint on the photo reads “Aug 77.”

Research: My wife’s uncle, James Dallas Howell, Jr., was married to Sara, and the couple had a daughter known as “Bookie.” I located Sara’s obituary — she lived to be 101. Sadly, “Bookie” died in 2014 at just 57.

Identification: In 1977, Sara would have been about 61 and “Bookie” about 20 — consistent with the apparent ages of the two women in the photo.

  • Sara McCarley (Nance) Howell (1916–2017) — FamilySearch ID: GZQ9-N6Y.
  • Sara “Bookie” Lee Howell (1957–2014) — no FamilySearch profile on record.

Conclusion

My continuing goal is to share these family images with the families and communities to whom they belong — ensuring they are preserved, understood, and passed down for future generations.

Endnotes

[i] All photos courtesy of the author’s personal collection.

Disclaimer: This article was researched and written by the author. ChatGPT was used to enhance the faded group photo and to create the line drawing. Claude.ai was used as a research and drafting aid, and Grammarly for editorial review and copyediting.
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Faces from the Past — Darling, Howell, Huber, & McAllister

Posted on July 11, 2026 by Don Taylor

Howell-Darling Line, Part 001
By Don Taylor

This installment of Faces from the Past turns to my own family’s photograph collection — five images from my wife’s Howell and Darling lines. Together they span more than half a century, from a 1909 photo of her great-grandfather to a 1964 snapshot of her parents’ home in Bridgton. Each image here is analyzed for what it can tell us: date, process, inscription, and the corroborating evidence that supports (or challenges) each identification. These photographs are being incorporated into my family trees on Ancestry as part of that ongoing work.

Rufus Harry Darling (1857–1917) — 1909

Man in dark suit and bowler hat standing outdoors on a dirt road, 1909.
Rufus Harry Darling (1857–1917), photographed July 20, 1909. Inscribed “To Elizabeth from Daddy.”

Photo: 1909    Process/Type: Professional mounted photo

Description: A 1¾” x 3¾” full-length photo of a man standing on a grassy lawn with trees in the background. Handwritten beneath the photo is “To Elizabeth from Daddy — July 20, 1909.” Embossed beneath the photo is a swastika.

Research

This photo predates the Nazi Party’s adoption of the swastika by more than a decade. In 1909, the symbol most likely referred to good luck, or was simply a decorative design element common on card stock of the period.

Identification: The family has long identified this photo as my wife’s great-grandfather, Rufus Harry Darling. In 1909 he would have been 52 years old. The “Elizabeth” named in the inscription is certainly his daughter, Elizabeth Grace Darling, who would have been about 3 years old at the time.

Elizabeth (McAllister) Lane (1881–1944), c. 1934

Photo: circa 1934    Process/Type: Snapshot

Black and white group portrait of ten family members seated and standing, 1930s
Aunt Lizzie” — Elizabeth (McAllister) Lane (1881–1944), seated at center, with family members, circa 1934.

Inscription: On the back is written, “Center: Elizabeth Lane, (Aunt Lizzie), about 1934 — Katherine’s mother.”

Description: A family snapshot including ten people. Four figures in the back row are cropped off at the head; the remaining six include three men and three women.

Research

In 1934, “Aunt Lizzie” would have been about 53. Her husband, Harold Lane, was 54 and living, as were her three children: James (24), Frank (21), and Katherine (19). The young man seated in front might be one of her sons, James or Frank.

Identification: Based on the inscription and the apparent age of the woman seated at center, I am confident this is my wife’s second great-aunt, Elizabeth (McAllister) Lane (1881–1944), circa 1934. One of the two visible men may be her husband, Harold Lane (1880–1939).

Florence Wilma (Huber) Darling (1908–1934), c. 1924–1929

Portrait of three young woman with bobbed hair, 1920s; photo enhanced digitally.
Florence Wilma Huber, later Darling (1908–1934), (center) circa 1924–1929.

Photo: circa 1924–1929    Process/Type: Snapshot

Inscription: On the back, “Florence Huber, center, & friends.”

Description: Three young women stand side by side outdoors, smiling at the camera. The composition is a casual, full-body group portrait with a relaxed, cheerful mood.

Research

The drop-waist silhouettes, mid-calf hemlines, and voluminous bobbed hairstyles are hallmarks of 1920s women’s fashion. Florence appears to be at least 16 in this photo, placing it no earlier than 1924. She married Robert Harry Darling around 1929, which suggests the photo predates that marriage.

Identification: Florence Wilma Huber, later Darling, circa 1924–1929.

Clarence “Pete” Fletcher Howell, c. 1954

Photo: 3½” x 3½” snapshot

Man in vest and tie smoking a pipe, seated on a couch reading papers, 1950s.
Clarence “Pete” Fletcher Howell, Syracuse, New York, circa 1954.

Inscription: On the back, in handwriting: “Clarence ‘Pete’ Howell, Syracuse, NY est 1954.”

Description: A man with a pipe, seated on a couch, looking over some papers.

Research: This photo is a good reminder that a printed date along the edge of a snapshot marks when the photo was printed (or reprinted), not necessarily when it was taken. Although this print is dated May 1969, Shirley identified the photo as having been taken in Syracuse around 1954. Pete and his wife Shirley moved to Syracuse in April 1954, and moved again to Cortland, NY, by 1960. Personal knowledge and other photos confirm that Pete was a regular pipe smoker.

Identification: Clarence “Pete” Howell, c. 1954.

“Pete” & Shirley Howell’s House, between 1961 & 1964

Photo: Snapshot

Two-story shingled house with covered porch, two people standing at the entrance, 1960s.
Pete and Shirley Howell’s home in Bridgton, Maine, between 1961 and 1964.

Inscription: Printed date on the front reads “June 64.”

Description: A house with two people standing on the front porch.

Research: Personal knowledge holds that this is the Howell home in Bridgton, Maine. Maine Registry of Deeds records indicate that Pete and Shirley purchased the Bridgton house in 1961; this print is dated June 1964.

Identification: The Howell home in Bridgton, Maine, between October 1961 and June 1964. Pete and Shirley appear to be the two figures standing on the porch.

Conclusion

If any of the individuals shown but not identified here are familiar to you, I would be pleased to hear from you. Even a small detail may help restore a name or a story.

My continuing goal is to share family images with the families and communities to whom they belong — ensuring they are preserved, understood, and shared for future generations.

ENDNOTES

[i] All photos courtesy of the author’s personal collection.

Disclaimer: This article was researched and written by the author. Claude.ai was used as a research and drafting aid, and Grammarly for editorial review and copyediting.

Posted in Photo Identification, Darling-Huber, Howell-Hobbs, Faces from the Past | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment