Connecting Coffin, Johnson, Skillin & Trufant to the Past
LDC Photos – Part 066
By Don Taylor
In the pages of a beautifully preserved 19th-century photo album, the young graduates of Deering High School in Portland, Maine, step forward from history. Through the Linwood D. Dyer Photo Collection—specifically, the Willis Skillin Graduation Album—we encounter striking cabinet card portraits of students from the 1890s. These aren’t just old photographs; they’re visual bridges to ancestors long passed, many of whom are being recognized again after more than a century.
In this fourth installment of “Uncovering the Faces of Deering High,” I highlight students with the surnames Coffin, Johnson, Skillin, and Trufant, along with several unidentified individuals. My goal remains the same: to identify these faces, share their stories, and return their images—virtually or physically—to their families.
Susan “Susie” G. Coffin, 1893
Description
- Image Type: Cabinet Card – 6½” x 4¼.”
- Description: This photo is of a young woman, likely between 18 and 25 years old.
- Photographers’ Imprint: Longfellow Gallery, 655 Congress St., Portland, ME.
Identifying Information
- Marks/Writing/Notes: Susie G Coffin, Class of ’93, is handwritten on the back of the photo.
Analysis:
- Photographer: Longfellow Gallery operated at that address from 1892 to 1910.
- Clothing/style time frame: She wears a high-necked dress with a ruffled collar and puffed sleeves typical of the 1890s to early 1900s.
Research:
While researching this photo, I learned:
- The 1900 Census lists Henry C and Alice M Coffin, whose daughter, Susie G Coffin, was born in February 1877. They lived at 12 Highland Street in Portland, less than a mile from Old Deering High School.
Identification: Absent any other Susan Coffins in the Portland area at that time, I am sure this is Susan G Coffin (1877-1963), daughter of Henry C and Alice M (Gegenheimer) Coffin
I added this photo to my LDC – Willis Skillin Graduation Photo Album family tree at Ancestry.
Lucy Emma Johnson, 1894.
(w/o enhancement)
Description
- Image Type: Cabinet Card – 6½” x 4¼.”
- Description: A studio portrait of a young woman in her late teens or early 20s.
- Photographers’ Imprint: Longfellow Gallery, 655 Congress St., Portland, ME.
Identifying Information
- Marks/Writing/Notes: “Lucy E Johnson, DHS ’94 is handwritten on the back.
Analysis:
- Photographer: Longfellow Gallery operated at that address from 1892 to 1910
- Clothing/style time frame: high-necked blouse consistent about 1900.
- This photo has visible wear and damage.
Research:
(Photo enhanced by ChatGPT)
The Portland Daily Press, dated Jun 19, 1894, mentions that Lucy Emma Johnson was to provide an essay, “Sculptors of Our Future,” at the Senior Graduation.
Maine Marriage Records record Lucy Emma Johnson, daughter of George W and Emma (Mann) Johnson, married Guy W Davis on 28 February 1899 in Deering.
Ancestry Family Trees suggest this is Lucy Emma Johnson (1876-1922), daughter of George Woodbury and Emma L. (Mann) Johnson. They lived in Deering during the 1880 US Census.
Action:
I added this photo to my LDC – Willis Skillin Graduation Photo Album family tree at Ancestry.
Willis Burton Skillin, c. 1890.
Description
- Image Type: Cabinet Card – 6½” x 4¼.”
- Description: This appears to be a photograph of a young man in his early teens, likely around 12 to 14.
- Photographers’ Imprint: J.M. Peck – 12 Monument Square, Portland, ME.
Identifying Information
- Marks/Writing/Notes: Written in the album above the photo is “Willis B Skillin.”
Analysis:
- Photographer: J.M. Peck operated at that address from 1889-1891, dating the photograph to about 1890.
- Willis Skillin would have been 12 or 13 in 1890, which fits the likely age of the boy in the photo.
Action:
I previously shared this photo on my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry.
Probably Willis Burton Skillin, 1894.
Description
- Image Type: Cabinet Card – 6½” x 4¼.”
- Description: This photo shows a young man in his late teens or early twenties.
- Photographers’ Imprint: J.M. Peck – 12 Monument Square, Portland, ME.
Identifying Information
- Marks/Writing/Notes: Handwritten in the album above the photo is “Willis Skillin.”
- Other Information:
Analysis:
- Photographer: J.M. Peck operated at that address from 1889 to 1891. M.D. Hanson took over at that address and may have used the same cabinet card stock until it was gone.
- Clothing/style time frame: His dark suit has pinstripes, and his tie has a distinctive checkered pattern typical in the 1890s.
Research:
The Portland Daily Press, dated Jun 19, 1894, mentions that Willis Skillin was one of five students who performed music, “Left Thoughts from Shakespeare,” at the 1894 Deering High School Senior Graduation.
The 1900 US Census lists Willis B Skillin living with his parents, Lewis and Hattie Skillin, at 1532 Congress Street, about 1.4 miles from Old Deering High School.
I reviewed this photo last fall in Part 34 of the Linwood Dyer Collection, “Skillin (née Trickey) & Stone.” That photo was labeled “Eu Jean B Skillin.” I identified him as Eugene Bradford Skillin, son of Lewis and Harriet (Trickey) Skillin. Eugene (1874-1943). In my research, I learned that Eugene had a brother, Willis Burton Skillin (1877-1880). I now think this photo is of Willis and not Eugene for a couple reasons.
- This album is titled “Willis Skillin Graduation” and is more likely to identify Willis Skillin correctly.
- The Skillin, Libby, Trickey photo album’s photo of the same young man has a slip of paper noting the person’s name. This may have been misassigned or may have been identified many years later. However, the Skillin, Libby, Trickey album includes another photo identified as a similar-looking boy, which includes Eugene’s birthdate.
Because of the conflicting identification between the two photo albums, I am not confident which person, Eugene or Willis, this is a photo of.
Actions:
I updated Eugene B Skillin’s FamilySearch profile, L2YL-RWC, to include the following description: “The Skillin, Libby, Trickey photo album identifies this photo as Eugene Skillin, the Willis Skillin Graduation Photo Album identifies this photo as Willis Skillin. It is unclear which brother this is a photo of.”
I updated my blog post. “Skillin (née Trickey) & Stone” with the same note/description.
I deleted this photo from my Eugene B Skillin’s profile in my Linwood Dyer Collection tree on Ancestry.
Because of these conflicts, I am only including this photo here.
“Gertie” (Probably Gertrude Lenore Trufant) c. 1894
Description
- Image Type: Cabinet Card – 6½” x 4¼.”
- Description: This photograph depicts a young woman, likely in her late teens to early twenties. A decorative pin reading “Gertie” suggests her likely name (or nickname).
- Photographers’ Imprint: A.C. Lewis, 518 Congress St., Portland, ME.
Identifying Information
- Marks/Writing/Notes: No identifying information.
- Other Information: Most of the photos in the album are of students at Deering High School (Deering, Maine) during 1893 & 1894.
Analysis:
- Photographer: A.C. Lewis Photography operated at that address from 1892 to 1908/09.
- Clothing/style time frame: Her Bodice with puffed sleeves was fashionable from 1893 to 1897.
- Props/Background: A decorative pin reading “Gertie” suggests her likely name (or nickname).
Research:
- The Portland Daily Press, dated June 9, 1894, mentions that Gertrude Lanore Trufant was playing “The Ocean” as part of the 1894 Senior Graduation.
- The 1880 Census lists Gertrude L Trufant, the 4-year-old daughter of Issiah and Susan Trufant, living in Deering.
Action:
I am not confident in this identification, so I uploaded this photo of “Gertie” to Dead Fred.
Unidentified – Probably a Deering HS student, circa 1893.
[2025.02.22, page 15b]
Description
Image Type: Vignette-style photograph on Cabinet Card stock- 6½” x 4¼.”
Description: The teenage boy is wearing a dark suit with wide lapels and a wide tie.
Photographers’ Imprint: Longfellow Gallery, 655 Congress St., Portland, ME.
Identifying Information
Marks/Writing/Notes: None
Other Information: This photo is in an album that contains many images of Deering High School (Portland, Maine) from the early 1890s.
Analysis:
- Photographer: Longfellow Gallery operated at that address from 1892 to 1910
- Clothing/style time frame: Approximately 1885-1905.
Identification: Unidentified student, probably a Deering High School student from about 1893.
I have not identified the individual in this photo; I uploaded this photo to my Flickr Photostream.
Unidentified – Probably a Deering HS student, circa 1893.
Description
- Image Type: Vignette-style photograph on Cabinet Card stock- 6½” x 4¼.”
- Description: The teenage boy is wearing a dark suit with wide lapels and a wide tie.
- Photographers’ Imprint: Longfellow Gallery, 655 Congress St., Portland, ME.
Identifying Information
- Marks/Writing/Notes: None
- Other Information: This photo is in an album that contains many images of Deering High School (Portland, Maine) from the early 1890s.
Analysis:
- Photographer: Longfellow Gallery operated at that address from 1892 to 1910
- Clothing/style time frame: Approximately 1885-1905.
Identification: Unidentified student, probably a Deering High School student from about 1893.
I have not identified the individual in this photo; I uploaded this photo to my Flickr Photostream.
Unidentified Girl, c. 1890.
Description
- Image Type: Cabinet Card – 6½” x 4¼.”
- Description: This photograph depicts a young girl, likely a preteen.
- Photographers’ Imprint: J.M. Peck, 12 Monument Square, Portland, ME.
Identifying Information
- Marks/Writing/Notes: No identifying information.
- Other Information: This photo is next to a picture of Willis Skillin in the photo album.
Analysis:
- Photographer: J.M. Peck operated at that address from 1889-1891, dating the photograph to about 1890.
Research:
- With a name or other identifying information, I could not further research this photo. As such, I uploaded this photo to my Flickr Photostream.
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. The Scarborough Historical Society holds the originals in the Linwood Dyer Photo Collection.[i]Please cite “Photo Courtesy: Scarborough Historical Society.”
Disclosure: This post was developed with the aid of ChatGPT and Grammarly for editing.
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