Fitzgerald, Flagg, Flaherty (2), & Fleming(?)

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 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.

Olive Gertrude Flagg, circa 1936

The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Gertrude Flagg, 73 Melbourne St, Portland – #644.”

Olive Gertrude Flagg, circa 1936

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1940 Portland City Directory indicates that Olive G. Flagg lived at 73 Melbourne.
• The 1940 U.S. Census enumerated Olive G. Flagg as a 55-year-old single school teacher.
• The 1920 U.S. Census enumerated the 43-year-old school teacher living with her mother Lenora Flagg at 73 Melbourne.
• I am sure this is Olive about 1936, when she was about 60 years old.

Family Search identifies Olive Gertrude Flagg, born 18 June 1876, as ID LHVN-C6P.

Olive does not seem to appear in any ancestry trees.

I have uploaded one photo of Olive to her Family Search Memories.

Hilda Cecile Fitzgerald (later Thibeault), circa 1935

This negative envelope says, “Miss Hilda Fitzgerald, 66 Brown St, Portland #581.”

Hilda Cecile Fitzgerald (later Thibeault), circa 1935

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• • The 1935 Portland High School yearbook shows the same photo associated with Hilda Cecile Fitzgerald.
  • The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Hilda Fitzgerald living at 44 Brown. At the same address is Lottie Fitzgerald.
  • Hilda C Fitzgerald married Adrian R Thibeault in Portland on 29 June 1937.
  • S. World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, include a card for Adrian Robert Thibeault, born 28 July 1916, whose next of kin was Hilda Cecile Thibeault. They lived in New York in 1940. The Massachusetts Death Index indicates Adrian died on 11 November 1983.

I have been unsuccessful in finding Hilda in the 1920 or 1930 Census records. Also, I have been unsuccessful in finding Hilda (or Adrian) in the Family Search Family Tree. Likewise, I have been unsuccessful in finding Hilda in Ancestry family trees.

I have added two photos of her to Dead Fred.

I also uploaded one additional photo of Hilda Cecile Fitzgerald to my Flickr photostream.

Mary Patricia Flaherty, circa 1935

This negative envelope says, “Miss Patricia Flaherty – State St. Hospital – #653.”

Mary Patricia Flaherty, circa 1935

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1933 Portland City Directory lists Patricia M. Flaherty as a student nurse at 109 Emery, residing in the same place.
• The 1938 Portland City Directory lists Patricia M. Flaherty as a nurse at 15 Mellen, residing at the same location. The 1943 Directory indicates she was still a nurse at15 Mellen. The ’43 directory also shows that 15 Mellen Street housed Russell-Altenburg Co dental supplies.
• A fifteen-year-old Mary P Flaherty lives with her parents Edward A. and Mary A. Flaherty on Sheridan during the 1930 Census.
• Further research in Ancestry Family Trees discovered Mary Patricia Flaherty, born 1 March 1915. She was a Nurse living in Boston in 1940 and lived with her parents, Edward Augustus and Mary Agnes (Lee) Flaherty, in Portland during the 1930 census. A further look at her in Ancestry Trees yielded a photo of Mary Patricia. That photo looks very much like the same person just a few years older.
• I am confident that this is a photo of Mary Patricia Flaherty (later Feeney) about 1936.

Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Mary Patricia Flaherty; however, her father, Edward Augustus Flaherty, is GS1Y-997, and her mother, Mary Agnes Lee, is ID  GS1Y-ZL8. Seventeen Ancestry Trees refer to Mary Patricia Flaherty, later Feeney.

I have uploaded two photos of Mary Patricia to Dead Fred.

Stephen J. Flaherty, circa 1935.

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mr. Stephen Flaherty, 24 High St, Portland #664.”

Stephen J. Flaherty, circa 1935.

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• • The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Stephen J and Pearl E Flaherty living at 24 High Street.
  • The 1940 U.S. Census lists Stephen J and Pearl E Flaherty living at 21 Grand Street in Portland. Stephen is 52 years old. Stephen was born in Maine.
  • New Hampshire Marriage records indicate Stephen J. Flaherty and Pearl E Caiazzo married on 25 October 1928 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. His parents were John J and Mary (Foley) Flaherty. It was the second marriage for both of them. Pearl’s father’s name was Asa L. Smith
  • Maine Birth records indicate Stephen J. Flaherty was born on 26 December 1885.
  • I am sure this is Stephen J. Flaherty about 1935 when he was about 50 years old.

Family Search identifies Stephen J. Flaherty, born 26 December 1884 as ID GMT8-5VH.

Eighteen Ancestry trees refer to Stephen J. Flaherty.

I have uploaded one photo of Stephen to his Family Search Memories.

Unknown Child, possibly related to Mrs. George W. (Catherine E.) Fleming née Cockburn, circa 1936.

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Geo W Flemming, 50 Bradley St, Portland # 1060 – DSCN3293PR.”

Unknown Child, possibly related to Mrs. George W. (Catherine E.) Fleming née Cockburn, circa 1936.

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• • The 1936 Portland City Directory lists George W. and Catherine E Fleming living at 50 Bradley St.
  • In 1930, there was a 33-year-old George W Fleming lodging at 37 Casco Street. He was a salesman in the radio industry. George was born in Massachusetts.
  • The 1932 Portland City directory indicated that George W Fleming was a salesman at 195 Forest Avenue. The various city directories suggest George and Catherine lived in Portland from 1932 until 1935.
  • George and Catherine E. Cockburn married on 6 June 1931 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. George was 34, and Catherine was 27. George was born in Manchester, and Catherine was born in Clinton, Mass. George’s parents were William K and Alice (Wiggins) Flemming. Catherine’s parents were William and Jessie (Spence) Cockburn.
  • The 1940 Census appears to find George W. Fleming, married, as a lodger in Augusta, Kennebec County, Maine. George’s wife and daughter do not appear on the page.
  • William Cockburn’s Naturalization Record indicates that Catherine E. Fleming was born in Clinton, Mass, on 13 July 1902 and resided in Bridgton, Maine, in 1937. Also living in Bridgton was her brother David H. Cockburn.
  • The 1940 Census enumerated Catherine Fleming living in Naples, Cumberland County, Maine. She was a teacher lodging with George and May Russell. No children were enumerated at that address.
  • I am very confident that Mrs. Geo. W. Flemming of 50 Bradley Street is Catherine Cockburn, daughter of William and Jessie (Spence) Cockburn. However, I can find no birth record for a child of George W. and Catherine E (Cockburn) Fleming. The child may be a niece or other close relative. Alternately, she could be their child who died young, but again, I can find no record of such a child.

In either event, without determining a name or relationship for the child, I am unable to post the photo to Family Search or Dead Fred. Besides this image, I also uploaded this image to my Flickr Photostream.

Conclusion

• I fully identified two individuals whose photos I posted to Family Search
• I identified two individuals without Family Search profiles, so I posted those photos to Dead Fred.
• I failed to identify one child’s photo; consequently, I only posted her photo here and to my Flickr Photostream.

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.