Keddy, Kennedy, Kenney, & Kimball

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.]

Dorothy Mary Keddy, circa 1937

This negative envelope says, “Miss Dorothy Keddy, 106 Pine #1018.”

Miss Dorothy Kiddy, Circa 1937

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Dorothy M Keddy, a clerk at 117 Middle, residing at 106 Pine.
• The 1940 US Census lists 28-year-old Dorothy M Keddy and her mother, Margaret M, living at 230 Bracket.
• Ancestry Family Trees suggests Dorothy Mary Keddy, daughter of Simeon Orrin and Margaret May (Hyson), was born on 10 August 1911 in Bethel, Oxford County, Maine.

This photo is of Dorothy Mary Keddy about 1937.

Ancestry has 23 public trees that refer to Dorothy Mary Keddy. Family Search has profile LKD9-G5V for her. I uploaded two photos of Dorothy to her Family Search Memories.

Confirmed to be Dorothy Mary Keddy by a close relative.

Richard Vaughn Kennedy, circa 1937

This negative envelope says, “Mr. Richard V. Kennedy, 56 Sherman St, #1067.”

Mr. Richard V. Kennedy, Circa 1937

• The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Richard Kennedy as a clerk residing at 56 Sherman St. Another Richard Kennedy lives at 38 Chamberlain ave.
• The 1940 Portland City Directory and US Census records list 23-year-old Richard V Kennedy living at 776 Congress, apt 6. He lived with his mother, Pauline O Kennedy, and siblings Clarence and Marjorie. The other Richard Kennedy died.
• Ancestry Family Trees identify Richard Vaughan Kennedy, born 6 August 1916 in Boston, MA. As the oldest of three children of Clarence (and Pauline Durloo) Kennedy.
• Photos of Richard Vaughan Kennedy on Ancestry confirm this photo is of Richard.

Ancestry has 14 public trees that refer to Richard Vaughn Kennedy. Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Richard Vaughn Kennedy. So, I have added this photo of him to Dead Fred and a different picture of him to my Flickr Photostream. 

Eleanor Jane Kennedy, circa 1937

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Jack Kennedy, 100 Presumpscott St. – #793.”

Eleanor Jane Kennedy, Circa 1937

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Herbert J Kennedy living at 100 Presumpscott St. (Also Edward A Schumacher.)
• The 1940 US Census found 49-year-old Herbert J Kennedy and his wife Thelma, living with his two daughters, Eleanor J (age 7) and Caroline J. (age 4).
• Based upon the photo package number, 793, the photo was probably taken about 1937 when Eleanor was about 4 or 5.

Neither Ancestry nor FamilySearch have public trees that refer to Eleanor Jane Kennedy, daughter of Herbert and Thelma Kennedy. So, I have added her photo to Dead Fred. 

Paul, Florence Caroline, and Jacqueline Kimball, circa 1935.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Lawrence Kimball, 67 Virginia St #511.”

Paul, Florence, and Jacqueline Kimball, circa 1935.

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1936 Portland City Directory lists Lawrence H Kimball, and his wife Florence I, living at 67 Virginia.
• The 1940 Census lists Lawrence and Florence Kimball living at 111 Virginia. With them are their four children, Paul (age 17), Caroline (Age 15), Jacqueline (age 9), and Lawrence Jr.(age 4).

This photo was taken about 1935 when Paul was 12, Caroline was 10, and Jacqueline was 4.

• Ancestry has seven public trees that refer to Paul True Kimball, born 6 May 1922 in Maine.
• Ancestry has five public trees that refer to Florence Caroline Kimball, born 6 August 1924.
• Family Search has profile GS8B-QLJ for Paul Kimball and profile GS8B-QLP for Florence Caroline Kimball.

So, I  have uploaded a photo of them to their Family Search Memories.

Ruth Audrey Kenney, circa 1937

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Lewis Kenney, 40 Emerson St. #987.”

Ruth Audrey Kenney, circa 1937

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1940 US Census lists Lewis Kenney living at 40 Emerson Street in Portland. Living with him are his wife, Mattie, and his seven-year-old daughter, Ruth A.

Based on the photo ID number, it was taken about 1937, when Ruth was about four years old.

Ancestry has three public trees that refer to Ruth Killinger, the daughter of Lewis & Mattie Kenney, who was born in 1932. Family Search has profile LBFR-CL3 for Ruth Audrey Kenney. I uploaded a photo of her to her Family Search Memories.

Conclusion

• I fully identified all seven individuals in the packages. Four of them have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their images to their Family Search Memories
• For the two individuals that did not have FamilySearch profiles but did appear in Ancestry trees, I posted their images to Dead Fred.

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.

Due to software limitations, the images uploaded to Family Search, Dead Fred, and Flickr have a higher image quality than the images linked here.

For all postings of the Ethel Wight Collection, 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.