Ethel Wight Collection – Part 55

Hannigan, Hansen/Hanson, Harding, Hare, & Harkins

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.

Geraldine M. Hare, circa 1935.

This negative envelope says, “Miss Geraline Hare, Childrens Hosp, #379.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• 

  Geraldine M. Hare, circa 1935

  The 1930 US Census reports Geroline (Geraline) Hare as the 18-year-old daughter of Arthur and Clara Hare living in Monticello, Aroostook County, Maine.

• There are no Hare’s listed in the 1934, 1935, 1936, or 1937 Portland City Directories.
• The 1940 US Census reports Geraldean M Hare as the 28-year-old daughter of Arthur and W Clara S Hare. Geraldean is a private Nurse.

Based upon the photo ID Number (#379), this photo was taken about 1935. I am sure this is Geraldine M. Hare about 1935 when she graduated from nursing school at the Children’s Hospital at 68 High in Portland, ME.

Family Search identifies Geraldine Hare, daughter of Arthur W.and Clara (Sharp) Hare, as ID GQD3-HNT.

Nine Ancestry trees refer to Geraldine May Hare.

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

Austin Harding, circa 1937.

.This negative envelope says, “Mrs. A. A. Harding, 30 Grafton St. #997.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• 

  Austin Harding, circa 1937

  The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Alfred A and Gladys B Harding living at 30 Grafton.

• The 1940 US Census finds Alfred and Gladys Harding living in Malden, Middlesex County, They lived in Portland, Maine, in 1935. With them is their eight-year-old son, Austin Harding.

I am sure this is a photo of Austin Harding about 1937 when he was about five years old.

Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Austin, son of Alfred and Gladys Harding, nor do Ancestry Trees. However, 10 Ancestry trees refer to Austin’s father, Alfred Austin Harding.

I have added Austin’s photo to Dead Fred. 

Confirmed to be a photo of Austin Harding by a direct descendant. 

John Harkins, circa 1936.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Ethel Harkins, 150 Grafton St #825.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• 

  John Harkins, circa 1936

  The 1936 Portland City Directory lists Walter P and Ethel M Harkins living at 150 Grafton.

• The 1940 US Census lists Walter P and Ethyel M Harkings living at 27 Tying in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine. Living with them are six children, Lillian (16), Walter P (16), George (14), Frances (11), John (8), Constance (6), and Richard (2).
• This photo is of a boy, taken about 1936 when George was ten and John was 4. The child in the picture appears to me to be closer to 4 or 5 than 10, so I believe it to be John.

This photo may be of George, but I believe it is John.

John Harkins, son of Walter P and Ethyel M (Trask) Harkins, is found in eight Ancestry trees.  Family Search does not appear to have a profile for John.

I have added John’s photo to Dead Fred. 

Unknown Hansen/Hanson child, about 1936
Update: Confirmed to be Harry A Hansen.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Harry Hanson, 129 Oxford St. #605.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• 

  Unknown (but probably either Harry A or Milliard Hansen/Hanson), about 1936

  The 1936 Portland City Directory indicates that 129 Oxford Street was at the corner with Wilmot Street; residents included the Oxford Barber Shop, Charles A. Staples, and Mrs. Delia Joyce. There are the following Harry Hanson/Hansen in the 1936 Directory:

  • Harry E – Floorman 883 Cong h 881 do apt 2
  • Harry F – Carp emp 11 St. James, r 12 Exeter*
  • Harry G (Mildred E) – Drugs 345 Cong h 31 Concord*
  • Harry G jr – clerk 345 Cong r 31 Concord*
  • Harry H (Carrie C) – VP 161 Middle h 66 Sherman*
  • Harry J (Grace E) – roadman 184 Read h 137 do
• The 1937 Portland City Directory lists the following Hanson/Hansen:
  • Items above marked with an asterisk (*) above were repeated in the 1937 directory.
  • Harry J (Grace E 187 Read h 141 do.
• All of the Harry Hanson/Hansen’s listed in the 1935 Portland City Directory are repeated in the 1936 Directory.
• The 1940 US Census indicates:
  • Harry G and Mildred E Hansen live at the same address with their 12-year-old son James and ten-year-old son Milliard.
  • Harry H and Carrie Hanson are in their 70s and have no children living with them.
  • Harry J and Grace Hanson lived in East Providence, Rhode Island, with their nine-year-old son, Harry A Hansen. However, they were living in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, in Harry A. was born in New Jersey, and his parents were born in New York. His parents were born about 1893 and 1897.

I believe this to be a photo of Harry A Hansen, son of Harry J. and Grace E. Hanson, about 1937 before they moved to Rhode Island. However, this could easily be Milliard Hanson, son of Harry G. and Mildred E. Hanson.

Harry A Hansen does not appear in any trees at Ancestry; however, Harry John Hansen, husband of Grace E Gauthier, appears in seven family trees.

Harry G Hansen was born in Maine in about 1891, and his wife Mildred was also born in Maine about 1891. Their son, Millard, was born about 1930 (age 0 during the 1930 Census). There appear to be no trees showing Millard; however, there are 21 Ancestry trees which include Harry Gilbert Hanson, with wife Mildred Edna Cushing, and father of Charles Christian Hanson.

There appear to be no Family Search Trees that include Milliard Hanson.

I have added his photo to my Flickr photostream.

Confirmed to be Harry A Hansen by a cousin.

Margaret & Anna Hannigan, circa 1937

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. John Hannigan, 106 Clark St. #928.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• 

  Margaret & Anna Hannigan, circa 1937

  The 1936 Portland City Directory lists John T Hannigan living at 106 Clark.

• The 1937 Portland City Directory lists John T and Anna E Hannigan living at 3 Dermot Court.
• The 1940 Census lists John T Hannigan, living at 20 Edwards Street. John is 34, divorced, and loving with his two daughters, Margaret A (age 9) and Anna M (age 7). Living with him is 29 year old Anna Dolley, a housekeeper. Both daughters were born in Maine, and John was born in Canada.
• On 5 September 1937, Ann Elizabeth Hannigan (Née Elliott) of Portland married Lawrence Nelson Dolly, of Falmouth, in Conway, New Hampshire. It was the second marriage for both of them.

Margaret & Anna Hannigan, circa 1937

This photo appears to be of two girls, about three and six when John and Anna separated in 1937. As such, I am confident these are Margaret and Anna Hannigan about 1937.

Neither Margaret nor Anna appear to have profiles on Family Search, and neither seem to be in Ancestry Family Trees.  John Thomas Hannigan, born 20 August 1906 in New Brunswick, Canada, is identified in ten Ancestry trees and is likely the father of Margaret and Anna.

I have uploaded two photos of Margaret and Anna Hannigan to Dead Fred. (In one image, Margaret is slightly out of focus, in the other, Anna is slightly out of focus.

 Conclusion

• I identified one individual with a Family Search profile, so I uploaded two of her photos there.
• I identified four individuals that do not appear to have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded those photos to Dead Fred.
• I could not differentiate two people sufficiently to determine which was in one of the photos. I am confident of the individual’s name, but not which of two children with the same name and the same name for his parents, this individual is. Consequently, I posted that photo to Dead Fred.

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.

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.