Ethel Wight Collection – Part 146
Photo Friday
By Don Taylor
With the review of Miss Helen Zenila, I will have completed the initial photo packages from the Ethel Wight Studio. I now will review “errant” photo packages and many reproduction packs. There are still about 53 photo-negative envelopes (244 items) to review, so I should complete this project in about ten weeks (about Thanksgiving).
This week, I identified the people in five more envelopes from the Ethel Wight Studio Collection[i]. The envelopes often contain the name of the person who paid for the photos, not necessarily of the individual portrayed in the image. Because of that, I try 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.
Helen Zemla, 26 Chenery St., circa 1934.
The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Helen Zemla, 26 Cheney St. #180.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
The 1930 US Census lists Helen Zemla, the 30-year-old daughter of Caroline Zemla, living at 26 Chenery in Portland.
The 1934 Portland City Directory lists Helen L. Zemla as a bookkeeper at 327 Forest Ave, residing at 26 Chenery. Anna C. Zemlia, the widow of Richard J., also lives at 26 Chenery, as does Richard M.
This photo of Helen L. Zemla was taken about 1934. She was born on 26 April 1899 in Portland, Maine, and is the daughter of Richard and Anna Caroline (Johnson) Zemla.
Ancestry has 12 public trees that refer to Helen L Zemla; Family Search has profile G76M-ZBC for her.
I have uploaded this photo of Helen to her Family Search Memories. I also uploaded two additional pictures of her to my Flickr Photostream (Photo 1, Photo 2).
Ann Hasseltine (later Judson), photo of a painting.
This negative envelope says, “Ann Hasseltine – 1943 – Notify Miss Helen Duffill, 51 Stratford Road, Melrose, Mass.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
- The website VanceChristie.com has this exact same photo (although flipped horizontally) of Ann Hasseltine Judson.
- Wikipedia has an article about Ann. She was born on 22 December 1789 in Bradford, Massachusetts. Her father was John Hasseltine. She married Adoniram Judson in 1812. She and her husbane were the first Baptist missionaries in Burma (now Myanmar). Ann died on 24 October 1826 in Burma.
This is a photo of an early 19th-century painting of Ann Hassletine.
Ancestry has 164 public trees that refer to Ann Nancy Hasseltine (1789-1826). Family Search has profile KZDF-28F for Ann Hasseltine. I have uploaded a photo of Ann to her Family Search Memories.
Phyllis Ann Bronnum, circa 1935 (age 7)
This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Viggo Bronnum, 14 University – Salmonhurst, Victoria County, New Brunswick #749.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
- The 1935 Portland City Directory indicates that William N. Evans lived at 14 University in 1935, and the 1936 directory shows that Milton S. Libby lived there in 1936. So, the connection does not appear to be with 14 University Street.
- Canadian Voter Lists indicate that Mr. & Mrs. Viggo Bronnum lived in Salmonhurst, RR 1, in 1957.
- Find a Grave indicates that Viggo Christian Bronnum was born on 16 Aug 1898 in Victoria County, New Brunswick. His wife was Ethel Christine (Oquist). They had a daughter, Lena Aleitha Bronnum, born in 1922 and died in 1929 from acute appendicitis.
- Family Search indicates that Viggo Bronnum had two daughters. Tena Leitha (1922-1929) and Phyllis Anne Bronnum (1928-2007).
This photo was taken about 1935. Tena/Lena had passed, but Phyllis Ann was about seven, so I believe this photo is of her.
Ancestry has two public trees that refer to Phyllis Ann Bronnum (1928-2007). Family Search has profile GC68-BZN for Phyllis Anne. I have uploaded this photo of Phyllis to her Family Search Memories.
Confirmed to be Phyllis Ann Bronnum by a grand-niece.
Vivian Lydia Cole (née Ewens), circa 1934.
This negative envelope says, “Mrs. J. P. Cole, Island Pond, Vt #436.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
- Wikipedia tells me that Island Pond, Vermont, is in the center of the town of Brighton.
- The 1940 US Census enumerated Jape Coley [Cole] as a 48-year-old living with his wife, Vivian L. Coley [Cole].
- Vermont Marriage records indicate Vivian Lydia Ewens married Jabz Perly Cole on 16 September 1925 in Brighton, Essex County, Vermont. Her parents were George and Maud (Peavey) Ewens. Vivian was born about 1902.
I am quite sure this photo is of Vivian, taken about 1934 when she was about 32
Ancestry has 30 public trees that refer to Vivian Lydia Ewens. Family Search has profile LR8L-J9P for Vivian. I have uploaded this photo of Vivian to her Family Search Memories.
Rev. Victor Scalise,
Rev. Alexander Henderson, &
Walter E. Clement, all of Lowell, Mass.
This photo is from the Ethel Wight Studio, Portland, Maine.
This negative envelope says, “Rev Victor Scalise, Rev. Alexander Henderson, Walter E Clement, Calvery New Fellowship of Lowell, Mass.”
Why I believe this to be these individuals.
Victor Scalise
Rev. Alexander Henderson, & Walter E. Clement.
- World War II Draft Cards include Victor Frank Scalise, a Calvary Baptist Church pastor. Victor was born on 19 Feb 1897 in Italy.
- Ancestry Family Trees suggest this is Fictor Frank Scalise, born 19 Feb 1897 in Marcellinara, Italy.
Confirmed to be Victor (on the left) by a grandchild.
Alexander Henderson
- The 1934 Lowell Massachusetts City Directory lists Alexander Henderson and his wife Betsey, living at 39 Dover. He was a pastor at Calvary Baptist church.
- The 1930 US Census lists Alexander Henderson and his wife Betsy, living at 39 Dover. Alexander is 39 years old and was born in Scotland.
Walter E Clement
- The 1940 US Census lists Walter E. Clement and his wife Hazel, living at 2 Harding Street in Lowell, MA. Walter is 50 years old.
- Ancestry Trees suggests this is Walter Everett Clement, born 26 June 1889 in Lowell, MA.
I am sure this photo is of Victor, Alexander, and Walter. Because this photo appears to be a reproduction and not one taken at the Ethel Wight Study, I cannot be sure of the date. Also, the picture does not include the order of the three men. Hopefully, family members will help with the order of the men and possibly the date.
Ancestry has 15 public trees that refer to Victor Frank Scalise.
Ancestry has 28 public trees that refer to Walter Everett Clement.
Ancestry has 53 public trees that refer to Alexander Henderson.
Because I haven’t determined which person is which in the photos, I have only uploaded one photo to Dead Fred. I also uploaded three additional photos of the three to my Flickr Photostream (Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3).
Conclusion
- I identified all seven individuals. Four have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their images to their Family Search Memories. I could name the three individuals in one photo but could not determine which man was which, so I uploaded a photo of them to Dead Fred and three more to my Flickr Photostream.
I would 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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