Gilman (nee Miller), Gogan, Gokey, Golder, & Goldman

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.

Anna Goldman, circa 1936

This negative envelope says, “Miss Anna Goldman, 88 Vesper At, Portland #761.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• 

  Anna Goldman, circa 1936

  The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Anna Goldman as a teacher at 116 Pearl, residing at 88 Vesper.

• The 1936 Portland City Directory indicates that Anna moved to New York City.
• The 1931 Portland High School Yearbook, The Totem, includes a photo of Anna Goldman. It appears to be the same person as in this photo.
• The 1930 US Census indicates Anna Goldman, the daughter of Aaron and Rose Goldman, living at 93 Federal in Portland. Anna was 16 years old and born in Russia.

I believe this to be a photo of Anna about 1936 before she moved to New York.

Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Anna or her parents. Although identified by her married name, Anna Levine appears in three Ancestry Family Trees.

I have added her photo to Dead Fred.

Virginia Gokey, circa 1937 [??]

The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Virginia Gokey, St. Barnabus Hospital, #568.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• 

  Virginia Gokey, circa 1937

  The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Virginia Gokey, a student nurse at 231 Woodford (St. Barnabas Hospital) residing at 20 Norwood.

• Virginia Garnette Gokey was born 23 January 1915, daughter of Garnet Murray. and Bernice Katherine (Mills) Gokey.

This photo appears to be of Virginia Gokey about 1937 when she graduated from nursing school.

Family Search identifies Virginia Garnette Gokey, born 23 January 1915, as ID LKDC-5KY. Virginia is also found in 13 Ancestry trees.

I have uploaded a photo of Virginia to her Family Search Memories.

Another researcher confirmed the facts are correct, however, after checking with a few other people, the photo does not appear to be of Virginia. 

Virginia Golder, circa 1937

This negative envelope says, “Miss Virginia Golder, ME Gen Hospital #561.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• 

  Virginia Golder, circa 1937

  The 1936 Portland City Directory lists Virginia Golder, a student nurse at 22 Arsenal (Maine General Hospital).

• The 1939 Portland City Directory lists Virginia Golder as a nurse at 812 Congress.
• The 1940 US Census lists Virginia P. Sanburn, a registered nurse at Bath Memorial Hospital, living with her mother, Mary C. Golder. It mentions that in 1935, she lived in Portland.
• The 1930 US Census lists Virginia Golder, born about 1916, as the daughter of Scott M. and Mary C. Golder, living in Bath, Sagadahoc County, Maine.
• Virginia Pauline Golder was born 20 June 1915 in Bath, Maine, the 4^th child of Scott and Mary (Miller) Golder.

This is a photo of Virginia about 1937 when she graduated from Nursing School at Maine General Hospital.

Family Search identifies Virginia P. Golder, born 20 June 1915, as ID L4H8-DD8.

There are 38 trees at Ancestry.Com that refer to Virginia Pauline Golder.

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

Merrill Gogan, circa 1936 (Age 4)

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Geo Gogan, 457 Cumberland Ave, Portland #988.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• 

  Merrill Gogan, circa 1936 (Age 4)

  The 1937 and 1938 Portland City Directories list George (and Leora) Gogan as living at 45 or 60 Huntress Ave, South Portland.

• The 1936 Portland City Directory on Ancestry is missing page 378, which should contain Gogan.
• The 1940 US Census lists George and Leora Gogan living at 7 Burnwell in South Portland. With them is their 8-year-old son, Merrill, who was born in Vermont. Thirty-year-old Leora was born in Maine, and 40-year-old George was born in New Hampshire.

This photo was taken about 1936 when Merrill was about four years old.

Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Merrill Gogan, nor do Ancestry Trees. However, eleven trees on Ancestry refer to Merrill’s father, George Gogan.

I have uploaded a photo of Merrill Gogan to Dead Fred. 

Maude Gilman, nee Miller, circa 1936

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Henry Gilman, 499 Ocean Ave, Portland #545.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• 

  Maude Gilman, nee Miller, circa 1936

  The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Henry Gilman, a dentist, living with his wife, Maude M., at 499 Ocean Ave.

• The 1940 Census lists Henry Gilman and his 68-year-old wife, Maud, at 499 Ocean.
• The 1910 Census indicates Henry and Maude had been married for three years.
• This information leads to Maude Hellen Miller, born 28 August 1871 and who married Henry Gilman on 20 June 1906.

This photo set is of Maude about 1936 when she was about 65 years old.

Family Search identifies Maude H. Miller, born 28 August 1871 and married Henry Gilman in Portland in 1906, as ID M4X3-3Z9. There are four trees at Ancestry include Maude Helen Miller.

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

Conclusion

• I fully identified all five individuals. Three had Family Search profiles, so I posted their photos to Family Search Two did not appear to have Family Search Profiles, so I posted those photos to Dead Fred. There were four photos in the photo set of one individual; consequently, I posted those two additional photos to my Flickr Photostream.

For all posts regarding the Ethel Wight Collection analysis, please see here.

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.