Gardner (2), Garnett, Gass, & Giardino

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.

Marietta Rachela Giardino, circa 1936

The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Marrietta Gardner, 80 Moreland St., Roxbury, Mass #851.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

Marietta Rachela Giardino, circa 1936

• I was unsuccessful in finding a Marrietta Gardner, of the appropriate age, in any records from 1930 to 1940.
• I did find a Marietta R Giardino, a hairdresser who lived at 80 Moreland, Roxberry, in the 1936 Boston City Directory. The directory indicates that Nicola G. Deluca, Frank L Giardino, and Lilian Saia lived at the address.
• Marietta R Giardino was born on 25 April 1913 in Boston. She lived in Portland, Maine in 1932, and married Melville Benjamin Young ib 12 May 1936,
• Ancestry Trees include a 1939 photo of Marietta and her daughter. That photo appears to be of the same woman here. I am convinced this is a photo of Marietta Richela Giardino before she married Melville Young in 1936.
• I believe the surname written on the envelope was incorrect.

Family Search identifies Marietta Rachela Giardino, daughter of Frank Louis and Concettina (Maggio) Giardino as ID GSRF-LCS. There are eight family trees at Ancestry.Com that refer to Marietta.

I have uploaded two photos of Marietta to her Family Search Memories.

This photo identity was confirmed by a niece of Marietta.

Sallie Gardner, R.N., circa 1937

The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Sally Gardner, ME. Gen. Hospital #922.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• 

  Sallie Gardner, R.N., circa 1937

  The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Sallie Gardner, a student nurse at 22 Arsenal (Maine General Hospital).

• The 1938 Portland City Directory lists Sallie O Gardner, a student nurse who married Samuel J. Oppedisano.
• The Maine, U.S., Marriage Index, 1892-1996, shows Sallie and Samuel married on 25 December 1937.
• The 1940 US Census shows Samuel and the 23-year-old Sally Oppedisano living at 95b Moody Street.

Family Search identifies Sallie Gardner, daughter of Benjamin and Sarah (Osgood) Gardner, as ID L14G-GT6. I am pretty sure this is Sallie about 1937 before she married Samuel. There are nine trees at Ancestry.Com that refer to Sally Gardner, born 23 February 1917 in Calais, Washington County, Maine.

I have uploaded two photos of Sallie to her Family Search Memories. I also uploaded one additional photo of her to my Flickr photostream.

Ralph Gardner, circa 1934

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mr. Ralph Gardiner, Woodfords, Portland, #45.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

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• Woodfords is a neighborhood in Portland, Maine.
• The 1930 US Census lists 47-year-old Ralph Gardiner living at 66 Glenwood Ave with his wife Florence and son, Donald. That address is in the area that would be called Oakdale/Woodfords.
• The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Ralph S Gardner as an accountant at 45 Forest Ave. and living at 104 Coyle. Again, 104 Coyle is in the Woodfords neighborhood.
• Ralph Sidney Gardner died 30 June 1937 at the age of 55.
• Based on the photo ID number (#45), I believe this to be Ralph Gardner about 1934.

Alternative individuals?

The 1930 US Census lists a Ralph Gardiner, age 28, living with his brother-in-law Ralph Bragdon in Westbrook. This Ralph Gardiner would be too young to be the subject of this photograph.

Family Search identifies Ralph S Gardner, husband of Florence Scott, as ID LBPR-BX4. There are 24 trees at Ancestry.Com refer to Ralph Sidney Gardner (1882-1937)

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

Carol Garnett, circa 1936 (age 3 or 4)

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Carroll Garnett, 301 Cumberland Ave, Portland #326.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

Carol Garnett, circa 1936 (age 3 or 4)

• The only Carroll Garnett listed in the 1935 Portland worked at a barbershop at 1206 Forest Ave and lived at 111 Woodlawn Ave. His wife is Clarissa.
• The 1936 Portland city directory is missing the page, which would include Carroll Garnett. However, in the address to name section of the directory, at 301 Cumberland Ave. lives Mrs. Lena Frost
• The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Carroll L (and Clarissa M.) Garnett living at 17 Warren ave.
• Likewise, the 1938 Portland City Directory lists Carroll and Clarissa still at 17 Warren Ave.
• The 1940 Census finds Carroll and Clarissa Garnett living with their two children, 14-year-old Harry and seven-year-old Carol.
• This photo was taken about 1936 when Carol was about three years old. The child in the photograph appears to be about three or four years old. Consequently, I believe this to be a photo of Carol

Family Search identifies Carol Garnett, born 3 August 1932 to Carroll and Clarissa (Whitney) Garnett, as ID LRQ9-7D1. I am pretty sure this is Carol about 1936. There are seven trees at Ancestry.Com refer to Carol M. Garnett (Rutter).

I uploaded one photo of Carol to her Family Search Memories.

Betty L. Gass, circa 1937 (age 7).

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. G. E. Gass, 25 Bolton St., Portland #842.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

Betty L. Gass, circa 1937 (age 7)

• The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Garland E (and Bertha L) Gass living at 25 Bolton.
• The 1940 US Census lists Garland and Bertha Gass living at 71a Whitney Ave. Living with them is their 10-year-old daughter Betty.
• Based upon the Photo Number (#842), I estimate this photo was taken about 1937.
• Betty L. Gass was born on 19 February 1930; I believe this is a photo of her when she was about seven years old.

Sadly, one of the two negatives I have of Betty is out of focus, and the second negative is a profile.

Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Betty L Gass; however, her father is Garland E. Gass, ID: L21Q-6MH. However, Betty L. Gass is found in six public trees at Ancestry.Com

Because Betty does not have a Family Search profile, I have added her photo to Dead Fred. I also uploaded the out-of-focus photo of her to my Flickr photostream.

Conclusion

• I identified four individuals with Family Search profiles, so I posted their photos to their Family Search
• I identified one individual who did not have a profile on Family Search, so I uploaded her photo 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 particular 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.