Cook, Livingston, Trott, & Tucker

Linwood Dyer Collection (Part 073)
By Don Taylor

Two of the photos, from this group are 7” x 3” and bear an imprint reading “Portland High School – ’18.” The other three are a 4½” x 3” and bear an imprint reading “Portland High School – ’19” on the cover. A all taken at Adams Studio located at 515A Congress Street in Portland. Most feature handwritten notes identifying the individual.

For the two from 1918, the Portland Evening Express, dated June 24, 1918 provided names of all 230 seniors who received diplomas from Portland High School that year.

The Portland Sunday Telegram, dated 22 June, 1919, has thumbnail photos and the name of the 243 graduates from the first class to graduate from the new Portland High School.[i]

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Graduates Featured:

Florence Neal Trott, PHS Class of 1918.

• Photo Type: Graduation portrait (3” x 7”)
• Studio: Adams Studio, 515 A Congress Street, Portland, ME
• Imprint: Portland High School – ’18.
• Inscription: “Yours in 1918, Florence N Trott.”
• Research Notes:
  • The Evening Express’s list of 1918 graduates includes Florence Neal Trott.[ii]
  • FamilySearch has profile L5ZM-5TQ for Florence Neal Trott, (1902-1991)

I posted this photo to her FamilySearch profile.

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Mary Elizabeth Cook, PHS Class of 1919.

• Photo Type: (4.5” x 3”)
• Studio: The photo holder is from Adams Studio, 515 A Congress Street, Portland, ME.
• Inscription: “The actress of P.H.S. In memories of many hours to gather in Room 111, Mary Cook ’19.”
• Research Notes:
  • Mary E. Cook appears in the second row of photos in the list of graduates in the Portland Sunday Telegram. That photo is at a different angle (face on rather than profile), but the girl in the photo appears to be wearing similar clothing.
  • There is only one Mary Cook in that graduating class.
  • FamilySearch has profile GS7V-JPV for Mary Elizabeth Cook (1901-?), the daughter of Harry C and Nellie Woodbury (Hodgdon) Cook.

I posted this photo to her FamilySearch profile.

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Eli Charles Livingston, PHS Class of 1919.

• Photo Type: (4.5” x 3”)
• Studio: The photo holder is from Adams Studio, 515 A Congress Street, Portland, ME.
• Inscription: “To the girl I always argue with, Eli C. Livingston”
• Research Notes:
  • The (Portland) Evening Press, dated June 23, 1919, page 1[iii] includes an article “BOOM PORTLAND THE KEYNOTE OF P.H.S. PROGRAM – Graduation Feature is Presentation of Memorial Picture,” mentions the seniors of the class of 1919 who were awarded Brown medals. Among the 10 recipients was Eli Charles Livingston. He is mentioned again on page 12.
  • Family Search suggests that Eli C Livingston was born on 23 July 1901 to Samuel and Etta Livingston.
  • FamilySearch’s Family tree seems to be containing an error wherein his name there is Eli Silas Livingston, but several sources indicate his name as Eli Charles Livingston as well as Eli Silas Livingston.

Because of that, I decided to post this photo to Dead Fred rather than FamilySearch.

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Ruth W Tucker, PHS Class of 1919.

• Photo Type: Graduation portrait (4.5” x 3”)
• Studio: The photo holder is from Adams Studio, 515 A Congress Street, Portland, ME.
• Imprint: Portland High School – ’19.
• Inscription: “To the girl who calls me a ‘modern sensationalist’ Sadie, Dear what are you.” Ruth
• Research Notes:
  • Page 16 of the Sunday Portland Sun Telegram.[iv] identifies four Ruths in the class:
    • Ruth E Maw – 4^th row, last person. Does not appear to be the same girl and is wearing different clothes.
    • Ruth M. Cook –  5^th next to last person. Does not appear to be the same girl and is wearing different clothes.
    • Ruth Haley – 7^th row, 1^st person, Does not appear to be the same girl and is wearing different clothes.
    • Ruth M. Brandon – 7^th row, 3^rd from right. Does not appear to be the same girl and is wearing different clothes.
  • Page 17 of the Sunday Portland Sun Telegram.[v] identifies four more Ruths in the class:
    • Ruth Boynton – 2^nd Row, 6^th from left. . Does not appear to be the same girl and is wearing different clothes.
    • Ruth Allen – 2^nd row, 8^th from left. Does not appear to be the same girl and is wearing different clothes.
    • Ruth W Tucker, 5^th row, 5^th from left. Appears to be the same person and is wearing the same style of clothes.
    • Ruth Wilson, 6^th row, 3^rd from left. Does not appear to be the same girl and is wearing different clothes.

I believe this is very likely Ruth Whitmore Tucker, born on 6 Feb 1902 in Portland, Maine, to Frank Newton and Ellen L (Whitmore) Tucker. I am reasonably confident because the hair style, facial structure, eyebrows, eyes, and mouth are consistent. However, I am not 100% confident. As such, I will posted her photo to DeadFred and will ask several Ancestry members who have Ruth in their family tree if they have a higher quality photo of Ruth for comparison.

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“K” – PHS Class of 1918.

• Photo Type: Graduation portrait (3” x 7”)
• Studio: Adams Studio, 515 A Congress Street, Portland, ME
• Imprint: Portland High School – ’18.
• Inscription: “To my friendly scrapper – ‘K.’”

There is insufficient information to have an opinion regarding the identification of the person in this photo.

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Conclusion

This project is about more than photographs—it’s about restoring connections across generations. These portraits capture moments of pride and promise, and for many families, they may be the only formal photo of a loved one at that pivotal time.

If you recognize someone in these images or they are part of your family history, I welcome your contact. I’d be happy to share the personal inscriptions found inside the folders—words written by the people themselves more than 60 years ago.

These portraits are available for personal genealogical use. Please credit – Photo courtesy Scarborough Historical Society, Scarborough, Maine.

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ENDNOTES

[i] Portland Sunday Telegram (Portland, Maine) – Sun, Jun 22, 1919, pages 16 & 17 – “First Class to Graduate from the New Portland High School | Sends Out Two Hundred Forty-Three Young Men and Women.”

[ii] Evening Express (Portland, Maine) · Mon, Jun 24, 1918 · Page 1, continued on page 6 – “Record Class Last to Graduate from Old P. H. S. Building.”

[iii] Portland Evening Express & Daily Advertiser, (Portland, ME), Page 1, “BOOM PORTLAND THE KEYNOTE OF P.H.S. PROGRAM – Graduation Feature is Presentation of Memorial Picture.”

[iv] Portland Sunday Telegram (Portland, Maine) – Sun, Jun 22, 1919, pages 16 & 17 – “First Class to Graduate from the New Portland High School | Sends Out Two Hundred Forty-Three Young Men and Women.”

[v] Portland Sunday Telegram (Portland, Maine) – Sun, Jun 22, 1919, pages 16 & 17 – “First Class to Graduate from the New Portland High School | Sends Out Two Hundred Forty-Three Young Men and Women.”