Ethel Wight Collection – Part 126
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.
Donald Robinson, circa 1934.
The envelope this negative was in says, “Mr. Donald Robinson, 5 Waymouth St., #408.”
Donald Robinson,
Why I believe this to be the individual.
- The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Donald A Robinson living at 5 Weymouth.
- The 1930 US Census lists Charles A Robinson, the family’s head, living at 5 Waymouth. Living with him is his wife (Emily), two daughters (Mildred & Flora), and son, Donald A, who is 15 years old.
- Ancestry Family Trees Suggest this is Donald Archibald Robinson, born 11 June 1914.
Alternate Individuals.
Do not confuse with Donald F Robinson, who lived at 36 Chapel in South Portland in 1935.
Conclusion.
I am convinced this photo is of Donald Archibald Robinson, son of Charles and Emily (McMillan) Robinson, who was born on 11 June 1914 and lived at 5 Waymouth, Portland, Maine, in 1934 when this photo was taken.
Ancestry has 22 public trees that refer to Donald Archibald Robinson. Family Search has profile LR1N-WJ1 for Donald Robinson. I have uploaded a photo of Donald to his Family Search Memories.
Confirmed to be Donald Robinson by a son and a granddaughter.
Richard Robbins, circa 1934 (age 1)
This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Dorothy Robbins, 177 St. John St #282.”
Richard Robbins, circa 1934
Why I believe this to be the individual.
- The 1934 Portland City Directory lists Dorothy E Robbins living at 177½ St. John. She is a clerk at 532 Congress in Portland.
- The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Mrs. Dorothy E Robbins living at 841 Broadway, South Portland. She is still a clerk at 532 Congress.
- The 1940 US Census lists 28-year-old Dorothy Robbins living with her parents, Angus and Edna McArthur. Dorothy is divorced and has a six-year-old son, Richard Robbins.
I am sure this is a photo of Richard E Robbins, born on 11 May 1933.
Ancestry has nine public trees that refer to Richard E Robbins (1933-2019). Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Richard, so I uploaded a photo of Richard to Dead Fred.
Priscilla Maye Robinson, circa 1935.
This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Flora M Robinson (Mrs. Flora Kingsbury) 140 Congress St – #835.”
Priscilla Maye Robinson, circa 1935.
Why I believe this to be the individual.
- The 1933 Portland City Directory lists Flora M Robinson working at 518 Congress and residing at 5 Weymouth. At 140 Congress lives Clarence A Nichols.
- The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Flora M Robinson working at 554 Congress and residing at 35 Ellsworth. At 140 Congress lives Mrs. Achsa Nichols.
- The 1940 US Census lists Flora M Robinson, the 28-year-old daughter of Charles (& Emily) Robinson. She has a 4-year-old daughter, Priscilla M Robinson. Flora is a Department Store Clerk. Flora and her daughter were born in Maine, while her parents were born in Canada.
I am sure this is a photo of Priscilla Maye Robinson, born 29 July 1935 to Flora M Robinson.
Ancestry has ten public trees that refer to Priscilla Robinson (1935-2017). Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Priscilla, so I uploaded a photo of her to Dead Fred.
Catherine Robbins (née Dugan), circa 1935.
Priscilla Maye Robinson, circa 1935.
This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Katherine Robbins, 1a – Elmont Place #565.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
- The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Catherine C Robbins living at 1a Elmwood Pl.
- The 1940 US Census lists Catherine Robbins, the Daughter of John (& Florence) Dugan, living at 1a Elmond. Catherine is 35 years old and was born in Maine.
- Ancestry Trees suggest this is Katherine C (Dugan) Robbins, who was born on 16 Nov 1904.
This photo appears to be of Catherine C. (Dugan) Robbins about 1935 when she was 31.
Ancestry has four public trees that refer to Katherine C Dugan (1904-1988); Family Search has profile L55F-3WT for Katherine.
I have uploaded a photo of Katherine to her Family Search Memories.
Florence Dugan (NéeWentworth), circa 1935.
Florence Dugan (NéeWentworth), circa 1935.
This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Katherine Robbins, 1a – Elmont Place #555.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
- This photo has the same name and address as #565 mentioned above. I’m sure Katherine paid for this photo the same (or the next) day. As such, I believe it to be Katherine’s mother, Florence Ethel (Wentworth) Dugan. Florence was born in April 1870 in Massachusetts. She would have been about 65 in 1935 when this photo was taken.
Ancestry has 11 public trees that refer to Florence Ethel (Wentworth) Dugan. Family Search has profile L5P5-2JX for Florence. I uploaded a photo of Florence to her Family Search Memories.
Conclusion
- I identified all five All appear in Ancestry Trees. Three have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their images to their Family Search Memories. Two did not have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their photos 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.
