Ethel Wight Collection – Part 124
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 typically contain the name of the person 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.
Nurse Catherine Reilly, circa 1924.
The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Catherine Reilly, Queens Hospital #276.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
- 1933, 1934, and 1935 Portland City Directories list Catherine Reilly as a student nurse at 218 State (Queen’s Hospital) and residing at 681 Congress.
- The 1936 Portland City Directory available at Ancestry is missing pages 716 thru 719, which would include Reilly.
- Ancestry Family Trees suggest that Catherine Frances Reilly was born on 5 May 1913 in Bangor, Maine. Ancestry Trees indicate that she was a nurse at Queen’s Hospital in 1934 and 1936. They also show she married Maurice Alva Moriarty in 1937.
This photo was taken of Catherine Frances Reilly (1913-1988) in 1934 as a student nurse at Queen’s Hospital in Portland, Maine.
Alternate Individuals.
The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Catherine E Reilly residing at 29 School. Also at 29 School is James J Reilly. The 1937 directory only lists Catherine E Reilly.
Determination
Ancestry has 14 public trees that refer to Catherine Frances Reilly. Family Search has profile GMQJ-59G for Catherine Reilly (1913-1988). I have uploaded a photo of Catherine to her Family Search Memories.
Confirmed to be Catherine Reilly by a niece. She was also in the military as a nurse.
Madge Rhoads, circa 1935.
This negative envelope says, “Miss Madge Rhoads, 124 Bradley St #903.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
- The 1930 US Census lists Michial and Camelia Rhodes living at 124 Bradley St in Portland, Maine.
- The 1936 Deering High School yearbook shows Madge D. Rhodes in the same dress as in this photo.
This photo is of Madge D Rhoads, daughter of Michial and Camilia Rhoads, circa 1935.
Ancestry has five public trees that refer to Madge Dunn Rhodes (1918-2012). Family Search has profile G9WF-R26 for Madge Dunn Rhoads. I have uploaded a photo of Madge to her Family Search Memories.
Phyllis Rhodes, circa 1935.
This negative envelope says, “Miss Phyllis Rhodes, 30A Preble St #583.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
- The 1935 Portland City Directory lists John A and Lillian I Rhodes living at 30a Preble, apt 26.
- The 1930 US Census lists John, Lillian, and their seven children, including 12-year-old Phyllis living at 703 Stevens Ave. Phillis was born in Massachusetts; her father was born in Canada, and her mother in New York.
I am sure this is a photo of Phyllis A Rhodes (b. Aug 1917) about 1935 when she was about 18 years old.
Ancestry has 11 public trees that refer to Phyllis A Rhodes. Family Search has profile LX4M-X73 for Phyllis A Rhodes (1917-___). I have uploaded a photo of Phyllis to her Family Search Memories. I also added a second photo of her to my Flickr Photostream.
Gordon Renell, circa 1936.
This negative envelope says, “Mr. Gordon Renell, 105 Illsley St #1079.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
- The 1939 Portland City Directory lists Gordon E Renell living at 105 Illsley in Portland. Also at 105 Isley are Barbara Renell, a teacher; George A C, a driver, and Mrs. Carlene Renell, a bookkeeper.
- The 1940 US Census lists Donald G Renell living at 105 Illsley with his mother, Carlene, sister Barbara, and grandmother Nellie Coombs. Donald and Barbara were born in Maine, and his mother and grandmother were born in New Hampshire. The family lived in the same house as they did in 1935.
- The 1936 Portland High School yearbook shows a photo of Gordon Ellsworth Rennell, which is clearly of the same young make taken on the same day.
I am confident this is a photo of Gordon Ellsworth Renell/Rennell taken about 1936. Gotfon was born on 25 Nov 1917 in Portland, Maine to George and Harriet Carlene (Coombs) Renell.
Ancestry has 27 public trees that refer to Gordon Ellsworth Renell. Family Search has profile L1KW-DQC for Gordon. I uploaded a photo of Gordon to his Family Search Memories.
Robert Ralph Reynolds, circa 1934 (age 2)
This negative envelope says, “Mrs. R. P.. Reynolds, 25 Washington Ave #427.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
- A search for R. P. Reynolds failed to return any candidates.
- The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Charles H Ready and Mrs. Isabelle M Jackson living at 25 Washington Ave. The 1934 Portland City Directory lists Charles H Ready residing at 25 Washington.
- The 1930 US Census listed Charles Ready as living at 25 Washington. With him is a wife, Delia, two sons, and a 16-year-old daughter Mary. Mary was born in Maine.
- Ancestry Trees indicate that Mary was married to Ralph Plaisted Reynolds.
- The 1940 US Census indicates that Mary Reynolds was divorced and living with her parents, Charles and Delia Ready, at 25 Washington. Also with them is Mary’s son, Robert R. Reynolds. Robert is six years old and was born in Maine.
- Mary Ready also married Earl James Maguire in 1949.
- Find-a-Grave indicates that Robert Ralph Reynolds, the son of Ralph P Reynolds and Mary E Maguire, was born on 12 April 1933 and died on 17 Dec 2016.
I am sure this photo is of Robert Ralph Reynolds, circa 1934, when he was about two years old.
Ancestry has two public trees that refer to Robert Reynolds (1933-2016). Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Robert. I uploaded a photo of Robert photo to Dead Fred.
Conclusion
- I identified all five individuals. Four have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their images to their Family Search Memories. One did not have a Family Search profile, so I uploaded his photo to Dead Fred.
I will love to hear your reaction if any of these photos are of your family member. 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 higher quality than those 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.
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