Five Bragdon Photos

Linwood Dyer Collection – Part 009
Photo Friday
By Don Taylor

This week for Photo Friday, I’m looking at five photos with identifying comments indicating Bragdon. The 1920 US Census indicates there were 27 people with the surname in Cumberland County, so I hope this group will be easy to identify. They come from Linwood Dyer Collection, which includes hundreds of photos, documents, and genealogies of people who lived in Scarborough, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, and Westbrook. My desire is to analyze the images and reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image. The originals in this collection are held by the Scarborough Historical Society.

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Elsie Louise Bragdon, 1919.

The photo identifying information includes:

• On the back, “Elsie Bragdon, Westbrook High School, 1919.
• The Photographer is Fenley (Studio), Portland, Maine.

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1920 US Census lists the Minnie E Bragdon family living at 319 Warren Ave in Westbrook[i]. The family includes:
  • Minnie Bragdon, Head, Widow, Age 50.
  • • Ralph M Bragdon, Son, Age 22.
  • • Harold L Bragdon, Son, Age 19
  • • Elsie L Bragdon, Daughter, Age 18
  • • Evelyn A Bragdon, Daughter, Age 14
  • • Philip O Bragdon, Son, Age 8
  • • Marr Charles A Bragdon, Father, Age 82
  • And two boarders, Walter H Miller, Age 22, and Ralph E Miller, Age 21.

I am confident this is the high school graduation photo of Elsie Louise Bragdon taken in 1919.

Ancestry has 29 public trees that refer to Elsie Louise Bragdon, daughter of George and Minnie (Marr) Bragdon. Family Search has profile 9F3M-HNW for Elsie Louise Bragdon (1901-1976).

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Evelyn Ardelia Bragdon, circa 1923

The photo identifying information includes:

• On the back, handwritten it says Evelyn Ardelia Bragdon
• The photographer was The Marshall Studio, Westbrook, ME.

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The FamilySearch Profile, LYRK-419, has this photo. The photo there is a little askew, but the same.

I am confident this photo is of Evelyn Ardelia Bragdon taken about 1923 in Westbrook, Maine.

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Elsie & Evelyn Bragdon, circa 1910

The photo identifying information includes:

• On the back is written “Evelyn Bragdon – Elsie Bragdon | of Westbrook.
• The photographer is Stone Studio – Boston & Portland, ME.

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1920 US Census lists
  • Elsie L Bragdon, Daughter, Age 18
• Evelyn A Bragdon, Daughter, Age 14

The younger of the two girls, Evelyn, appears to be about 4 years old, suggesting the photo was taken circa 1910.

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Harold Bragdon, circa 1918.

The photo identifying information includes:

• Handwritten on the back, “Harold Bragdon.”
• The photographer is Fenley Studio, Portland, Maine.

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1920 US Census lists the Minnie E Bragdon family living at 319 Warren Ave in Westbrook[ii]. The family includes:
  • Minnie Bragdon, Head, Widow, Age 50.
• Harold L Bragdon, Son, Age 19

I am confident this photo is of Harold Bragdon, son of George and Minnie (Marr) Bragdon, circa 1918.

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Philip Osgood Bragdon, circa 1929.

The photo identifying information includes:

• Handwritten note on Back: Philip Osgood Bragdon | Westbrook High School | Class of 1929.
• Handwritten note below photo: Best Wishes P. O. B.
• The photographer is The Albert Studio, 463 Congress St. Portland, ME.

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1920 US Census lists the Minnie E Bragdon family living at 319 Warren Ave in Westbrook[iii]. The family includes:
  • Minnie Bragdon, Head, Widow, Age 50.
  • Philip O Bragdon, Son, Age 8

I am confident this photo is of Philip Osgood Bragdon, son of George and Minnie (Marr) Bragdon, circa 1929.

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Conclusion

I identified all four of the individuals in this photo group. All are from the same family and were taken between 1910 and 1929.

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.

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Endnotes

1. [i] Family Search – 1920 US Census – Elsie L Bragdon – https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFZN-FY5.
2. [ii] Family Search – 1920 US Census – Harold L Bragdon – https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFZN-FYP.
3. [iii] Family Search – 1920 US Census – Philip O Elsie L Bragdon – https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFZN-FYP.