Ethel Wight Collection – Part 51

Grant, Granville, Greene, Griffin, (née Benson, née Tillotson)

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.

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Earl & Erna Granville (née Tillotson), circa 1934

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mr. & Mrs. E. W. Granville, 3 Tolman Place, Portland #123.”

Why I believe this photo to be of these individuals.

• The 1933 and 1934 Portland City Directories only list one family with the surname Granville, Harvey and Alice, who lived at Cornish.
• The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Earle and Erna T Granville living at 532 Washington Ave, and the 1937 Directory lists Earl W. and Erna T residing at 256 State.
• The 1940 Census lists Earl as 37 years old (born 1902-3 in Canada). Erna was 41, born in Vermont.
• New Hampshire Marriage records indicate that Earle W. Granville and Erna T. Holden married on 5 April 1933. It was Erna’s second wedding. They were married in Portsmouth. Earl was 30, and Erna was 36. They both lived in Portland at the time.

Based upon the photo ID number (#123), the photo was probably taken about 1934, when Earle was about 31, and Erna was about 37.

Family Search identifies Earl Wilmot Granville as ID KZYF-4JX and Erna Gadriella Tillotson as ID LZGX-5K8. I am sure this photo is of them taken about 1934. Earle W Granville is found in seven Ancestry trees at Ancestry.Com. Erna Gadriella (Tillotson) (Holden) Granville is found in 29 Ancestry trees.

I have uploaded this photo of them to their Family Search Memories.

Confirmed to be Erna by a 1st cousin, 2x removed.  

Unidentified Child

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. A. C. Gray, 44 Clinton St. Portland #892.”

How I looked for this individual.

• The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Aubrey C and Iva I Gray living at 44 Clinton.
• The 1940 Portland City Directory lists Aubrey and Iva residing at Scarboro.
• Aubrey C. Gray married Iver Isabelle Perkins on 12 October 1920. Aubrey was 26, and Iver was 22 years old.
• I have been unable to find Aubrey and Iva in the 1940 Census, and I have been able to find any record that Aubrey and Iva ever had children. Twelve Ancestry Trees mention Iver (Perkins) Gray, but none of them suggest she had children.

Unidentified Child, possibly related to Aubrey C. and Iver Isabel Gray.

Frederick Griffin, circa 1936 (age 2)

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Carl Griffin, 81 Leland St., Portland #498.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

The 1934 Portland City Directory lists Carl H and Leila Griffin living at 81 Leland.

New Hampshire Marriage records indicate that Carl H Griffin married Leila Woodbury on 13 September 1933. Leila was the daughter of Walter and Bernice (Brimmer) Woodbury. Carl’s parents were Frank and Rose (Bennett) Griffin.

The 1940 US Census lists Carl living with his parents, Frank & Rose, in South Portland. His status is single. The 1940 Census lists Leila Griffin residing with her parents, Walter and Bernice Woodbury, and her six-year-old son, Frederick P. Leila’s status is divorced.

Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Frederick P Griffin, the son of Carl and Leila (Woodbury) Griffin. However, Frederick Paul Griffin is found in three trees at Ancestry.Com.

I have added his photo to Dead Fred.

Joan & James Grant, circa 1935 (ages 2 & 3)

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Helen Grant, 67 Danforth St, Portland #438.”

Why I believe this to be these individuals.

The 1934 Portland City Directory lists Andrew J and Helen J Grant living at 67 Danforth.

The 1940 Census lists Helen and Andrew Grant living with Helen’s parents, Patrick and Mary Geary. With them are their three children, James, Joan, and 4-year-old William.

Based upon the photo ID number (#438), the photo was probably taken about 1935 when James was three and Joan was 2.

Family Search does not appear to have a profile for either child. James does not appear to be in any Ancestry Trees; however, Joan Helen Grant is found in 12 Ancestry trees.

I have added his/her photo to Dead Fred.

Beatrice Greene (née Benson) circa 1936

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Ralph Greene, 137 Neal St., Portland #585.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1936 Portland City Directory lists Ralph E Greene and his wife Beatrice E Greene living at 137 Neal Street.
• The 1940 US Census reports Ralph E Green and his 47-year-old wife, Beatrice B, living on Neal Street.
• Based upon the photo ID number (#585), this photo was taken about 1936 when Beatrice was about 44 years old.

Family Search identifies Beatrice Earle Benson as ID MCXB-CC2. I am sure this is her about 1936. Beatrice B. Benson is found in 22 Ancestry trees.

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

Confirmed to be Beatrice by a great-grandchild of Beatrice. 

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Conclusion

• I fully identified two individuals and was able to post their photos to Family Search I also identified three additional individuals who do not have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded images of them to Dead Fred.
• I failed to identify one individual at all.

For all of 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.

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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.