Googins (5), (nee Barker)
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.
Jessie Ellen Googins, circa 1936
The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Jessia Googins Wescott St., Portland #469.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
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Jessie Ellen Googins, circa 1936
The 1937 Portland City directory lists Jessie E Googins, an operator at 188 Middle, residing at 18 Wescott. Also living at 18 Wescott is Phoebe A Googins, the widow of Howard T Googins.
- Maine Birth records include Jessie Ellen Googins, born 3 August 1915, the daughter of Howard T and Phebe A (Barker) Googins.
This photo is of Jessie about 1936 when she was about 21 years old.
Family Search identifies Jessie Ellen Googins as ID: KH44-SFS. Jessie Ellen Googins is found in 11 Ancestry trees.
I have uploaded this photo of Jessie to her Family Search Memories. I also uploaded two additional pictures of Jessie to my Flickr photostream.
Confirmed to be Jessie by a two family members.
Jessie Ellen Googins, circa 1935
The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Jessia Googins, 18 Wescott St, Portland #240.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
-
Jessie Ellen Googins, circa 1935
This photo is clearly the same person as above (#469), just a little earlier (based on the photo ID numbers), probably 1935.
- This is a photo of Jessie about 1935 when she was about 20 years old.
Family Search identifies Jessie Ellen Googins as ID: KH44-SFS. Jessie Ellen Googins is found in 11 Ancestry trees.
I have uploaded this photo of Jessie to her Family Search Memories. I also uploaded one additional photo of Jessie to my Flickr photostream.
Confirmed to be Jessie by two family members.
Muriel Estelle Googins, circa 1937
The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Muriel Googins, 18 Wescott St, Portland #899.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
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Muriel Estelle Googins, circa 1937
This photo is of another of the Googins daughters. It has the same surname, same address, just a bit younger individual. The 1930 Census confirms Muriel E. Googins as the 10-year-old daughter of Howard S and Phebe A Googins (see above).
- Maine birth records identify Muriel Estelle Googins, born 12 March 1920 to Howard T and Phebe (Barker) Googins.
This is a photo of Muriel about 1937 when she was about 17 years old.
Family Search identifies Muriel Estelle Googins as ID: GWYB-432. Nine Ancestry trees include Muriel Estelle Googins.
I have uploaded two photos of Muriel to her Family Search Memories.
Confirmed to be Muriel by her daughter.
Donald Freeman Googins, circa 1936 (Age 3)
The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. F. J. Googins, 527 Brighton Ave, Portland #336.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
-
Donald Freeman Googins, circa 1936 (Age 3)
The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Freeman J and Carola F Googins living at 527 Brighton Ave.
- The 1940 Census lists Freeman and Carola Googins living in Westbrook with their six-year-old son, Donald F. Googins. Also in the household are two daughters, Gloria & Glenna, both five years old.
- Donald Freeman Googins was born 16 April 1933 to Freeman Jesse and Carola (Hobson) Googins.
I am sure this is Donald about 1935 when he was about 2.
Family Search identifies Donald F Googins as ID: LTH2-J13; he is also found in 8 Ancestry trees.
I have uploaded one photo of Donald to his Family Search Memories. I also uploaded one additional photo of Donald to my Flickr photostream.
Phoebe Adelaide Googins (née Barker), circa 1934
The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Howard Googins, 18 Westcott St, Portland #114.”
Phoebe Adelaide Googins (née Barker), circa 1934
After reviewing three other packets of the Googins family of 18 Wescott street, I am confident this is Phebe Adelaide (Barker) Googins (See above). Her husband, Howard Tyler Googins, died on 25 September 1934.
This is a photo of Phoebe Adelaide (Barker) Googins about 1934, when she was about 41 years old, probably shortly after her husband died.
Family Search identifies Phoebe A Barker as ID: G98D-K9Z; Additionally,
Phoebe Adelaide Barker appears in 38 Ancestry trees.
I have uploaded two photos of Phoebe to her Family Search Memories.
Confirmed to be Phoebe by a family member.
Conclusion
The Googins family of 18 Wescott was happy with the photos taken at the Ethel Wight studio in Portland, Maine, as three of the four family members had their photos taken there.
I was able to identify the photos in all five photo packages and post their pictures to Family Search Memories. Additionally, I had four additional images of the family members that I could post 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.
(For all of the Ethel Wight Collection analysis, please see here.)
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.
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Thank you for these photos. I had not seen the one of my grandmother, Phoebe Googins. My mother Muriel, and Aunt Jessie are also lovely in theses photos.