Photo Friday – Clifford, Johnson, et al.

Ethel Wight Collection – Part 149
By Don Taylor

This week, for Photo Friday, I worked to 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.

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Gerald, Harrison, & Howard Clifford, circa 1934

The envelope this negative was in says, “Dr. Clifford’s Children, Falmouth Fireside #186.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• There is only one entry in the 1934 Portland City Directory for individuals with the Clifford surname living in Falmouth Foreside – Gerald P (Flora M), dentist, 211 State, home at Falmouth Foreside.
• The 1940 US Census indicates that Gerald and Flora Clifford had three sons, Gerald P. Jr. (age 22), Harrison C. (age 19), and Howard (age 17).

Ancestry Trees suggest the three boys are

• Gerald Packard Clifford, Jr. (1917-1993)
• Harrison Graham Clifford (1920-1984)
• Howard Knight Clifford (1921-2006)

This photo, taken in 1934, shows the boys aged about 16, 13, and 11 respectively.[iii]

Ancestry has 14 public trees that refer to Gerald Packard Clifford, Jr., 18 public trees for Harrison Graham Clifford, and seven public trees for Howard Knight Clifford.
Family Search has profile LYGC-NN3 for Gerald, LYVV-4ZK for Harrison, and LYGC-TZ1 for Howard.

I uploaded this photo of the three boys to their Family Search Memories. I also uploaded two additional photos of them to my Flickr Photostream – Photo 1 – Photo 2.

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Flora Mae Clifford (née Harrison), circa 1935.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Gerald Clifford, Falmouth Foreside #638.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• There is only one entry in the 1934 Portland City Directory for individuals with the Clifford surname living in Falmouth Foreside – Gerald P (Flora M), dentist, 211 State, home at Falmouth Foreside.
• The 1940 US Census indicates that Flora Clifford was 50 years old and born in Minnesota.
• Ancestry Trees suggest that Flora Mae Harrison was born in 1888, married Gerald Packard Clifford in 1916, and lived in Falmouth, Maine, in 1940.

I am confident this photo is of Flora Mae Clifford (née Harrison) taken in 1935.

Ancestry has 17 public trees that refer to Flora Mae Harrison (1888-1969). Family Search has profile MCKX-Z4N for Flora. I uploaded a photo of Flora to her Family Search Memories. I also uploaded an additional photo of her to my Flickr Photostream.

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William C Johnson, circa 1935.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Grace Johnson, So. Windham, ME #864.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1940 US Census lists Grace B. Johnson, age 31, living in Windham, Cumberland County, Maine. She lives with her husband, Elmer, two daughters (ages 11 & 3), and a son William C, age 5.
• Ancestry Trees suggest that Grace’s maiden name was Jordan.

I am confident this photo is of William C. Johnson, circa 1935.

I have not found William in Ancestry trees. However, his mother, Grace B. Johnson (née Jordan), is found in 7 Ancestry public trees. Family Search does not appear to have a profile for William either. I uploaded this photo of William photo to Dead Fred.

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Unknown Man (possibly Goodridge), circa 1934.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. R. N. Goodridge, No. Windham, ME #57.”

What I discovered when researching this individual

• I have been unable to find anyone with the surname Goodridge in the 1934 Windham Directory.

Alternate Individuals.

In Westbrook, Joshua H. and Florence L. Goodridge lived at 89 Spring, Westbrook.

I have not identified 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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Unknown Child (probably Harris) circa 1934.

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. W. F. Harris, RFD Yarmouth #314.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1931 Yarmouth City Directory lists Walter F. (& Martha N.) as a farmer on North Road, RFD 1.
• The 1930 US Census lists Walter T. and Matha Harris living on North Road, Yarmouth. Thirty-five-year-old Walter was born in Maine, and 35-year-old Matha in Texas.
• I have not found Walter and Martha in the 1940 US Census, Ancestry Trees, or FamilySearch.

I have not identified 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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Conclusion

• I identified five of the seven 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 was unable to identify the individuals in two photos. I only uploaded those photos here.

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, except for the two photos only uploaded 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.

[iii] Gerald is the oldest and is clearly on the right. I’m not confident which of the other two boys is Harrison and which is Howard.