Photo Friday – Potter, Schell, Small, Smith & Stanford

Linwood Dyer Collection – Part 032
By Don Taylor

I examined the people in five photos from the Linwood Dyer Collection this week for Photo Friday. This collection includes hundreds of photos, documents, and genealogies of people who lived in Scarborough, South Portland, and Cape Elizabeth, Maine. I like analyzing the images and trying to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the picture. The Scarborough Historical Society holds the originals in the Linwood Dyer Photo Collection.

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Grace Potter (later Small), circa 1900.

The photo identifying information:

• Handwritten on the back is “Grace Potter – Small.”

What I learned while researching this photo:

• My Linwood Dyer Collection Tree included Grace F. C. Potter (1878-___), who married Richard D. Small (1872-1937).
• Grace married Richard on 20 Nov 1901 in Boston.[i]
• I learned from other Ancestry Public Trees that she lived in Portland, Maine, during the 1910, 1920, & 1940 censuses.
• The Portland Press Herald indicates she died on 16 Oct 1962.[ii]

I added this photo to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry.

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Richard Dresser Small, 1873.

The photo identifying information:

• Handwritten on the back: “Richard Dresser Small, 16 mos.”

What I learned while researching this photo:

• My Linwood Dyer Collection Tree included Richard Dresser Small (1872-1937), who married Grace F. C. Potter (1878-1962) (See above).
• Maine Birth Records indicate Richard was born on 15 March 1872 in Portland, Maine, to John C. and Mary S. Small.
• Ancestry Public Trees suggest his father was John Chase Small (1842-1923), and his mother was Mary Schuyler Dresser (1847-___). His siblings included:
  • Sally Burnside Small (1871-1910)
  • Carrie E Small (1873-___).
  • Annie A Small (1876-___).
  • John Chase Small, Jr. (1878-___).
  • Gracie E. Small (1879-___).

I added this photo to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry.

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George Stanford, circa 1905.

This photo is in the style of being in the early 1900s. Handwritten on the back is “Gw Stanford.”

I already had George W Stafford in my Linwood Dyer Family Tree based upon the Sanford Family Bible. I feel confident this is a photo of George about 1905.

I added this photo to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry.

Carl & Karen (Davis) Schell, 16 Jul 1983.

The photo identifying information includes:

• Handwritten on the back is “Carl & Karen Schell, Wilkes-Barre, PA, July 16, 1983, (Pami Schell flower girl).

What I learned while researching this photo:

Thanks to Newspapers.com, I learned that The Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA), dated Wednesday, August 10, 1983, Page 2D, announced the marriage between Karen Dorothy Davis and Carl Peter Schell. Pamela Schell, the niece of the groom, was the flower girl. I also learned the following:

• Karen is the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. David E. Davis, 64 Fort St., Forty Fort, PA.
• Karen has a sister, Donna Davis, who was the maid of honor.
• Karen has a sister-in-law, Michelle Davis.
• Karen graduated from Wyoming Valley West High School & Allentown Hospital School of Nursing.
• Carl is the son of Mr. & Mrs. Francis J Schell, 46 Conant St., Acton, MA.
• Carl has a sister, Barbara Schell, who was a bridesmaid.
• Carl has a niece, Pamela Schell, who was the flower girl.
• Carl graduated from Acton-Boxborough High School & Fitchburg State College.
• The couple will reside in Worcester, MA, after their wedding trip.

I added this photo to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry.

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William B. Smith, Jr., circa 1935.

The photo identifying information includes:

• Photographer: Warren Hay Vantine, Boston, Mass.
• Handwritten on the front cover is “Cousin Evelyn.”
• Handwritten on the back is “William B Smith, Jr., 43 Ratchford St., Quincy, Mass – rec’d July 18, 1935.

What I learned while researching this photo:

• The 1940 US Census lists William Smith living at 43 Ratchford Street. Living with him are his wife, Florence, a daughter, Dorothy, and two sons, William Jr., & Robert. In 1940, Robert was 21 years old, and about 16 in 1935.
• Ancestry Family Trees suggest this is William Burke Smith, Jr., born 22 Apr 1918 in Presque Isle, Aroostook, Maine.

I added this photo to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry.

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Conclusion

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 Ancestry, Dead Fred, or Flickr have higher quality than those linked here. Feel free to use these photos in your genealogical activities. Please cite “Photo Courtesy: Scarborough Historical Society.”

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 Endnotes

[i] Massachusetts, U.S., Marriage Records, 1840-1915 – Grace F Potter.
[ii] Newspapers.com – Portland Press Herald – Oct 18, 1962, Page 2.