Ethel Wight Collection – Part 64

Huston, Hutchins, Hybers, Hysom, & née Winslow

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.

Shirley & Harriett Hutchins, circa 1935

The envelope this negative was in says, “Misses Harriett & Shirley Hutchinson, 6 Wescott St #828.”

Shirley & Harriett Hutchins, circa 1935

Why I believe this to be these individuals.

• In my initial search, I could not find any Hutchinsons living on Wescott Street. I then searched for 6 Wescott without a surname and found Harold I Hutchins and his wife Addie S living at 6 Wescott in the 1937 and 1938 Portland City Directories.
• The 1940 US Census lists Harold T and his wife Addis Hutchins living at 6 Wescott. His two daughters, Harriett C (age 19) and Shirley L (age 17), live with them. Shirley was born in New Hampshire, but the others were all born in Maine.
• Social Security Applications and Claims indicate that Harriett Charlotte Dusky (née Hutchins) was born 30 Sep 1920 in Vinalhaven, Maine. Her parents are Harold I and Addie S (Linneken) Hutchins.
• Ancestry Family Trees indicate that Harriett’s sister, Shirley Louise Hutchins, was born on 6 June 1922. A high school photo of Shirley confirms she is the girl on the left in this photo.

Based upon the Photo ID number (828), this photo was likely taken about 1935, when Harriett was about 15, and Shirley was about 13.

Harriett Charlotte Hutchins is referred to in 33 public Trees; Shirley Louse Hutchins is referred to in 15 public trees. Family Search has a profile for Hattie Charlotte Hutchins (born 3 October 1920) of LTG1-93V, and her sister, Shirley Louise Hutchins, is identified as LTTL-5G6. I  have uploaded a photo of Hattie and Shirley to their Family Search Memories. 

Confirmed to be Shirley & Harriett by a grandchild.

Howard and Dorothy Hutchins (née Winslow), circa 1936

This negative envelope says, “Mr. Howard Hutchins, 408 ½ Congress St #1030.”

Howard and Dorothy Hutchins (née Winslow), circa 1936

Why I believe this to be these individuals.

• The 1937 Portland doesn’t list Howard Hutchins and indicates that Eugene F Blake lived at 408½ Congress.
• The 1936 Portland City Directory available on Ancestry is missing page 459; that page should have Howard Hutchins. The Directory is also missing page 990, which should have who was living at 408½ Congress Street.
• The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Howard L (and Dorothy) Hutchins living at 408½ Congress.
• The 1940 US Census lists Howard and Dorothy living on Cobb avenue. Howard is 25 years old, and Dorothy is 23.
• Ancestry Family Trees indicate Howard Leroy Hutchins was born on 3 Aug 1912, and Dorothy Rose Winslow was born on 12 October 1916. The couple was married on 15 Jul 1934.

I am confident this is a photo of Howard and Dorothy about 1936 when Leroy was 24 years old, and Dorothy was 20.

Ancestry has 29 public trees that refer to Howard Leroy Hutchins, and Dorothy Rose Winslow is identified in 15 Ancestry Public Trees.  Family Search has a profile for Howard L Hutchins of LTTL-LMN, and his wife Dorothy is GZZT-JZK. I have uploaded two photos of them to their Family Search Memories.

Cpl Leon Huston, Fort McKinley, ME, circa 1937

This negative envelope says, “Mr. Leon Huston, Fort McKinley, ME –  Co. M #1092.”

Cpl Leon Huston, Fort McKinley, ME, circa 1937

What I think I know:

• The rank insignia for this person is Corporal.
• The patch on his sleeve is from the 9^th Infantry Division. The 9^th Infantry Division was a Regular Army Inactive unit with personnel at the Army Base, Boston, Mass.
• The envelope the negatives were in suggest he was with Company M.

Are there alternative individuals?

There was a Leon Leroy Huston, born 15 Dec 1897 in Portland, Cumberland County, and graduated from Lisbon Falls High School. In 1922 he married Pearl Snow at Lewiston. By 1927 the couple had moved to Academy, New York, where he lived until after 1940. He did serve during WWI, but I can find no evidence of service in the 1930s. Additionally, photos on Ancestry for this individual do not appear to be the same individual as this photo.

A look at the Department of Veterans Affairs, BIRLS DeathFile results for Leon Huston indicated four people named Leon Huston served in the military.

• Leon F Huston, born 30 Sep 1919, Served in the US Army from 1944 to 1946.
• Leon C Huston, Born 19 Oct 1918, served in the US Army from1941 to 1945.
• Born 9 Feb 1926, Leon Dean Huston served in the US Navy from 1944 to 1946.
• Born 15 Dec 1897, Leon Leroy Huston served in the US Army from 1918 to 1919.

Although I may think that Leon Leroy Huston is the Leon Huston in this photo, I can’t confirm that, and the images of Leon I’ve seen suggest they are two different people.

Ancestry has 71 public trees that refer to Leon Leroy Huston. Hopefully, one of his family members can confirm that this is their Leon. I have added a photo of him to Dead Fred and uploaded two additional images to my Flickr photostream. 

Harold H. Hybers, circa 1936

This negative envelope says, “ Mr. Harold Hybers, 109 Gilman St. #708.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• 

  Harold H. Hybers, circa 1936

  The 1936 Portland City Directory lists Harold H Hybers living at 109 Gilman. Also at 109 Gilman are Charles L Hybers and Frederick J Hybers.

• The 1940 US Census lists 26-year-old Harold H Hybers, the son of John C Hybers, living at 434 Congress Street.
• Maine Birth Records indicate that Harold H Hybers was born 26 Mar 1914 to John C and Fannie H Hybers.

This photo was probably taken about 1935 when Harold was 21 years old.

Ancestry has 26 public trees that refer to Harold H Hybers. Family Search has a profile for Harold as well. So, I uploaded two photos of him to profile L1N7-GMS‘s Family Search Memories.

Marilyn Hysom, circa 1936 (age 2)

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Derrell Hysome, 24 East Kidder St #728.”

Marilyn Hysom, circa 1936 (age 2)

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1938 Portland City Directory lists Derrell A. Hysom and his wife Delia, living at 24 Kidder east. Also at that address was Mary L Hysom.
• The 1940 US Census lists 39-year-old Darrell and 34-year-old Della Hysom living at 23B Sherwood. Living with them is their five-year-old daughter Marilyn. Darrell’s mother, Mary L, and his brother-in-law Ralph H. Hoffses were also in the household.
• Ancestry Trees indicate that Marilyn A Hysom was born 5 October 1934 in Portland, Maine.

This photo was probably taken about 1936 when Marilyn was about two years old. I am sure it is a photo of her.

Ancestry has 39 public trees that refer to Marilyn Hysom. Family Search has a profile L6L6-595 for Marylin Hysom. I have uploaded a photo of her to her Family Search Memories. 

Confirmed to be Marilyn Hysom by a close family member.

Conclusion

• I identified six individuals that have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their images to their Family Search Memories
• One individual I believe I have identified but am not 100% certain. Consequently, I posted his image 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.