Crandon, Crawford, Creamer, Croft, & Crosman

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] Ultimately, my goal is to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image.

Dorothy Creamer, Nurse, circa 1937

This negative envelope says, “Miss Dorothy Creamer, State St Hospital, Portland #863.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Dorothy Creamer as a student nurse at 62 State and residing at 52 State.
• The 1940 US Federal Census reports 23-year-old Dorothy Creamer as a Registered Nurse lodging at 145 Spring Street.
• The 1930 US Federal Census reports 13-year-old Dorothy L Creamer living with her parents, Milton J. and Hattie E. Creamer, in Waldoboro, Lincoln County, Maine. Additionally, the census reports Dorothy A Creamer as the 13-year-old niece of Everett P. and Myrtle Creamer living in Embden, Somerset County, Maine.
• Dorothy L Creamer married Merrill S. Harrington on 28 February 1942. Dorothy A. Creamer of Calais, ME, married Earl F. Gaddis on 21 November 1936.
• So this photo must be of Dorothy Creamer, daughter of Milton J. and Hattie E. Creamer and later wife of Merrill S. Harrington about 1937 when she graduated from nursing school.

Alternatives

I do not believe this is Dorothy Creamer, daughter of Everet and Myrtle Cream, because she married Earl Gaddis in 1936 and appears with him in the 1940 Census.

Disposition

Family Search identifies Dorothy L. Creamer, the daughter of Milton James and Hattie Elsie (Rines) Creamer, as ID L2FJ-5YB. I uploaded this photo to her Family Search Memories. Eight trees at Ancestry.Com mention Dorothy Creamer.

Charles J. Crandon, ca. 1937

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mr. Chas Crandon, 35 Pennell  Ave, Portland #573.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1936 Portland City Directory lists Charles J. Crandon (and his wife Nina E.) living at 35 Pennell Ave.
• The 1938 Portland City Directory lists Charles and Nina living at 25 Cypress.
• The 1940 US Census enumerated the 35-year-old Charles, still living with his wife, Nina, at 25 Cypress.
• Charles J. Crandon, the spouse of Nina Leola Elwell, was born on 28 May 1904.
• This photo was taken about 1937 when Charles was about 33 years old.

Family Search identifies Charles J. Crandon, husband of Nina Leola Elwell, and who lived in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, in 1940 as id LT32-VF6. Seventeen trees at Ancestry.Com mention Charles J. Crandon.

I have uploaded two photos of Charles to his Family Search Memories.

W. J. (William Joseph) Croft, circa 1937

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mr. W. J. Croft, 150 Park St, Portland #203.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1935 Portland City Directory indicates that Mary A Kyle married William J. Croft.
• The 1936 Portland City Directory reports William Croft, an account investigator at 515 Congress and residing at 150 Park. It is odd, but not unheard of, that he is listed, but his wife is not.
• In the 1940 Census, William J. Croft and his wife Mary lived in Baltimore, Maryland.
• William J. Croft, born in England, lived in Baltimore, but died in Portland, Maine, on 23 August 1956. His high requiem mass was held in Portland, and he was buried in Calvary Cemetery in South Portland.[iii]
• William Joseph Croft, who died on 23 August 1956, was born on 31 December 1904. This photo was taken about 1937 when William Joseph Croft was about 33 years old.

Alternative Individuals

There was a William Croft, born about 1889 in Canada and immigrated to the US in 1904. In 1910 he was a private in the US Army stationed at Fort McKinley. I do not believe this is the same William Croft as the man in the photo looks younger than 50, and there are no other references to that William Croft in the Portland, Maine, area.

Disposition

Family Search does not appear to have a profile for William Joseph Croft, born 31 December 1904 and the husband of Mary Ann Kraft. However, two trees at Ancestry.Com refer to him.

I have included W. J. Croft’s photo here and also uploaded it to Dead Fred.

Genevieve Crosman, circa 1934

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Chas. Crosman, 459 St. John St., Portland, ME #379.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• 

  Genevieve Crosman, circa 1934

  The 1934 Portland City Directory lists Charles S Crosman, a clerk at 516 Congress, living with his wife, Bernice, at 459 St. John.

• The 1940 US Census shows Charles S Crossman and his wife, Bernice, living at 51 Roberts Street. With them is their six-year-old daughter Genevieve L Crossman.
• Further research found that Genevieve Lillas Crosman was born on 8 October 1933 to Charles Staples and Bernice M (White) Crosman.

Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Genevieve Lillas Crosman; however, her parents are identified – Charles S Crossman as id L17D-8T3 and Bernice M White as GSQP-PLS.  One tree at Ancestry.Com refers to Genevieve Crosman.

I have uploaded one photo of Genevieve Crosman to Dead Fred.

Elizabeth J. Crawford, circa 1937 (age 8)

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. J. C. Crawford, 128 Glenwood Ave, Portland #102.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1936 Portland City Directory lists John C Crawford, a Manager at 615 Forest Ave, and his wife, Gladys E, living at 128 Glenwood Ave.
• The 1930 US Census lists John C Crawford, his wife Gladys E, and their daughter Elizabeth J. Crawford.
• Further research found that Elizabeth J. Crawford, daughter of John Caleb and Gladys E (Legrow) Crawford, was born on 3 July 1929.

Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Elizabeth J. Crawford. There are nine trees at Ancestry.Com that refer to Elizabeth J. Crawford, the daughter of John C and Gladys E (Legrow) Crawford.

I estimate this photo was taken about 1937 when Elizabeth was about eight years old. I have added her picture to Dead Fred.

Conclusion

• • I identified two individuals with Family Search profiles that I uploaded photos to their “Memories.”
  • I also identified three individuals that did not 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.

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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.

[iii] The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Maryland) 26 Aug 1956, Page 37.