Nida, Robillard, Sawyer, Talbot, (née Wilson).

Ethel Wight Collection – Part 150
Photo Friday
By Don Taylor

This week, for Photo Friday, I identified 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.

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Carlton, Priscilla, & Bernard Nida, 1936.

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Doris Nida, Chebeague Island #1009.”

Why I believe this to be these individuals.

• The 1940 US Census lists Doris A Nida living on Oxford Street in Portland. Doris is 30 years old, married and has three children. (Her husband does not appear on this page.)
  • Carlton, age 9.
  • Priscilla, age 8.
  • Bernard, age 6.
• The 1935 Portland City Directory indicates that Doris’s husband is Bernard R Nida and he is in the US Army.

Robert Bernard Nida (1903-1974) married Doris Amelia Doughty (1909-1997) They had three Children. I am confident this photo is of Doris’ three children taken in 1936 when they were five, four, and two respectively.

Carlton R Nida (1931-2018) is found in nine Ancestry public trees.
Priscilla E Nida (1932-2016) is found in 27 Ancestry public trees.
Bernard Edwin Nida (1933-2010) is found in 34 Ancestry public trees.

None of the children have profiles on FamilySearch so I uploaded their photograph to Dead Fred.

Confirmed to be Edwin (bottom left), Priscilla and Carleton (bottom right) by a child of one of the three.

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Unknown Child (probably Perreault), circa 1934

<<Show Envelope>>

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Doris Perreault, Ogunquit, Me, #353.”

The results of my searches.

• I was unsuccessful locating anyone with the surname Perreault living in Ogunquit in 1934 (when this photo was taken).

Even a search for any male with the Perreault surname born between 1930 and 1934 and a mother named Doris failed to have any results.

I was unable to identify the individual in this photo sufficiently to upload to either Family Search or Dead Fred, so I only include the individual’s photo here.

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Helen Talbot (née Wilson), circa 1934.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Fred C. Talbot, Woodfords R.D. #5, West Falmouth #32.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1940 US Census lists Fred C. Talbot living on Gray Road in Falmouth. With him is his 43-year-old, Maine born, wife, Helen. Their inferred residence in 1935 is also Falmouth.

I am confident this photo is of Fred C. Talbot’s wife, Helen Stanwood Wilson (1896-1980), taken about 1934, when she was about 38 years old.

Ancestry has 19 public trees that refer to Helen S Wilson (1896-1980). Family Search has profile LRYN-PLZ for Helen Stanwood Wilson. I uploaded two photos of Helen to her Family Search Memories. I also uploaded four additional photos of her to my Flickr Photostream.

Confirmed to be Helen Talbot by a grandchild.

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Eugenia, Charles, and Hall Sawyer, circa 1935.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Hall Sawyer, So. Windham #970 – DSCN5198.”

Why I believe this to be these individuals.

• The 1940 US Census lists Hall Sawyer living in Gorham with his mother Cora, wife Vena, and three children, Hall (age 12), Charles (age 9), and Eugenia (age 7).

This photo, taken in 1935, shows Hall, Charles, & Eugenia.

Hall Chester Sawyer (1927-2011) is found in 11 Ancestry public trees. Neither Charles or Eugenia appear to be in Ancestry Trees. Family Search has profile GMHX-CH4 for Hall Chester Sawyer, Jr. and profile GMHX-684 for Charles Sawyer. Family Search does not have a profile for Eugenia. I uploaded this photo including Hall to Hall’s Family Search Memories.

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Paul Robillard of Gorham, 1938 (age 17).

This negative envelope says, “Paul Robillard, So. Windham – Gorham H. S. 9 Jan 1938.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The US Census indicates there was a Paul Arthur Robillard who lived on Union Street in Gorham in 1930, 1935, and 1940. Ancestry Trees suggest he was born 6 May 1920 in Gorham, the third of five children of Frederick H and Doris A (Coleman) Robillard.
• The 1938 Gorham Directory indicates Paul was living with his father Fred. Their address was Union PO. The directory indicates Union is South Windham, Gorham side.

Although I cannot find a photo of Paul in Gorham Yearbooks, I am quite sure this photo is of him from 1938.

Ancestry has 19 public trees that refer to Paul Robillard; Family Search has profile LTH8-XZX for Paul Arthur Robillard (1920-1974).

Confirmed to be Paul Robillard by family members. Also, see Paul Robillard in the 1940 Census via Ancestry.

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Conclusion

• I identified eight of the nine individuals in these five negative envelopes. Four have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their images to their Family Search Memories. Three did not have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their photos to Dead Fred.
• I was unable to identify one individual from the photos.  

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.

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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.