Ethel Wight Collection – Part 138
Photo Friday
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. 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.

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Eleanor Sturgis, 1934

The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Eleanor Sturgis, 3 Cumberland Ave #218.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1934 Portland High School Yearbook has a photo of Eleanor Frances Sturgis that is clearly of the same young woman wearing the same dress.
• The 1930 US Census lists Eleanor F Sturgis, age 13, living with her parents, George S and Margaret H Sturgis.

I am confident this photo is of Eleanor Frances Sturgis (1916-2014), the daughter of George F & Margaret McHardy (Hudson) Sturgis, taken in 1934 as part of her school photos.

Ancestry has 16 public trees that refer to Eleanor. Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Eleanor, the daughter of George Sturgis. I uploaded a photo of Eleanor Frances Sturgis to Dead Fred. I have also uploaded three additional photos of her to my Flickr photostream.

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Jessie Stover of Pownal – 1934

This negative envelope says, “Miss Jessie Stover, 30 Caldwell St #118.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1934 Portland City Directory lists Jessie E Stover, a nurse working and residing at 30 Caldwell.
• The 1930 US Census lists the 20-year-old Jessie E Stover as a Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary student nurse. Jessie and her parents were all born in Maine.
• Ancestry Public Trees suggest this is Jessie Elizabeth Stover, daughter of Oliver Otis and Vashti Elizabeth (Gosnell) Stover. Jessie appears to be in the 1930 US Census twice, once at the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary in Portland and again with her parents in Pownal.

I am confident this 1934 photo is of Jessie Stover.

Ancestry has 16 public trees that refer to Jessie Elizabeth Stover, born on 24 Sep 1909 in Pownal, Cumberland County, Maine, and Family Search has profile G688-V1F for Jessie. I uploaded a photo of Jessie to her Family Search Memories. I also uploaded five additional photos of Jessie to my Flickr Photostream.

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George Sturgis, 1934.

This negative envelope says, “Mr. Geo Sturgis, #6 Morning St #13.”

What I learned while researching George Sturgis.

• The 1933 Portland City directory lists three people named George Sturgis.
  • George B (and Alice T) living at 103 Beacon.
  • George F (and Margaret H) living at 6 Cumberland.
  • George W (and Ida T) living at 288 State, apt 7.
• The 1934 and 1935 Portland City Directories list George F and George W living at the same addresses as they did in 1933. George B is no longer listed.
• The 1935 Portland City Directory lists
  • George F and Margaret H, living at 6 Cumberland
  • George W, living at 288 State, apt 7 with his wife Ida T. The addresses section of the directory does not list 6 Morning.
• The 1930 US Census lists three people named George Sturgis living in Portland.
  • George S Sturgis, age 46, wife, Margaret, living at 6 Cumberland.
  • George W Sturgis, age 65, wife Ida T, living at 485 Cumberland.
  • Georgie A Sturgis, age 60 (a female), living at 285 Woodfords
• The individual in the photo appears to be in his 50s, so it can’t be George W leaving George B and George F as potential candidates.
• My review of Google Maps suggests 6 Morning Street would be a side entrance into the house at 64 Eastern Promenade. A review of individuals who lived at 64 Eastern Promenade during the 1930s revealed no potential candidates.

I have been unable to determine the man’s identity in this photo. Based upon the photo negative envelope, I believe his name is George Sturgis, who was probably in his 50s during 1934.

I have uploaded a photo of George to Dead Fred. I have one more photo (a profile) available in the collection I can share with family members.

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Mark Slotsky – Circa 1934.

This negative envelope says, “Mr. Mark Slotsky, 83½ Oxford St #302.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1930 US Census lists 24-year-old Mark Slotsky living at 83½ Oxford St. He is the son of Reuben and Fannie Slotsky.

I am sure this photo is of Mark Slotsky, about 1934, when he was about 28.

Ancestry has three public trees that refer to Mark Slotsky (1905-1979). Family Search has profile GZBY-4W4 for Mark. I have uploaded a photo of Mark to his Family Search Memories.

Confirmed to be Mark Slotsky by a nephew.

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Alden Nathanael Street, circa 1935 (age 8)

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. N. Strut, 117 Montrose Ave #313.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1934 Portland City Directory lists Nathaniel and Margaret Street living at 117 Montrose Av.
• The 1940 US Census lists Nathaniel and Margaret Street living In Falmouth; however, it indicates they lived in Portland in 1935. Living with them is his 12-year-old son Alden and three daughters.
• In Maine, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1787-1991, Nathanael Street reports his son, Alden Nathanael, was born 30 Dec 1927.

I believe this photo is of Alden Nathanael Street, taken about 1935 when Alden was about eight years old.

I have not found Alden in Ancestry trees. However, I have found his father, Nathanial Street, in 27 public Ancestry trees. Likewise, Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Alden Nathanael Street either. As such, I uploaded his photo to Dead Fred.

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Conclusion

I identified all five individuals. Two have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their images to their Family Search Memories. Two others did not have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their photos to Dead Fred. Finally, I could not identify one individual other than the name on the envelope. I also 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.

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Endnotes

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[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.