Faces from the Past – Hodgkins, Howatt, Hurd, Johnson, & Sullivan

SHS Photo Collection – Part 003
By Don Taylor

The Scarborough Historical Society has a large collection of photos featuring various individuals. Today, I look at five photos from that collection.

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Frank Hodgkins, circa 1889-1895.

Photographer: Colpitts & Co., Photographic Art Studio, 514 Congress Street, Portland, ME.
Inscription: Handwritten on back, “Frank Hodgkins”
Description: Formal cabinet card portrait of a young man, identified as Frank Hodgkins. He is posed in three-quarter view, facing slightly right. He wears a dark suit coat, a matching vest, a white shirt, and a large textured cravat typical of late-1880s to early-1890s men’s fashion. The “Copyrighted 1889” notice on the back dates the photo after that date.

Research:

• The photographic style and the man’s clothing suggest the photo was most likely taken in the early 1890s. Also, Portland City Directories suggest Colpitts & Co., operated at 514 Congress St. until 1898.
• Ancestry Family Trees suggests three candidates for Frank Hodgkins:
  • • Frank Owen Hodgkins, b. 18 Feb 1874, Damariscotta, Maine, d. 11 Jun 1927, Portland, ME. Although married in Boston, He appears as a nurse at Maine General Hospital in the 1895 Portland City Directory.
  • • Frank Dewey Hodgkins, b. 1870 in New York. Born Frank Henry Dewey, he changed his name to Frank Dewey Hodgkins when he was adopted in 1878. He married Fannie Isabella Osborne in Portland, ME, on 11 April 1896.
  • • Capt. Franklin Milon “Frank” Hodgkins, b. 12 Feb 1863, d. 13 Mar 1917 in Harpswell, ME. He married Elizabeth “Lizzie” Mariah Dyer on 21 Dec 1887 and lived in Portland during the 1910 Census.

I believe this photo could be of any of the three individuals listed here, but most likely is either Frank Owen or Frank Dewey, who both appear in Portland in 1895-96. As such, I’m posting this photo to Dead Fred.

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Niels Johnson, SHS Class 1938.

Photographer: Unknown.
Inscription: Handwritten on back “Niles Johnson ‘38”.
Description: Apparent high school graduation photo of a young man.
Research:

• The 1938 Four Corners (Scarborough High School yearbook) shows the same photo of Niels Sofus Johnson, Jr. “Junior.” He was born February 12, 1922. His hobbies were stamps and astronomy.

I added this photo to SHS Photos – 2025 on Ancestry.com.

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Helene May Howatt, SHS Class of 1938

Inscription: Handwritten on back “Helene Howatt ‘38”.
Description: Apparent high school graduation photo of a young woman.

Research:

• The 1938 Four Corners (Scarborough High School yearbook) shows the same photo of Helene Mae Howatt, born November 6, 1919. She was known as “Howie,” and her hobby was horses.
• Ancestry Family Trees identify Helene Mae Howatt, born 6 Nov 1919 in Bangor, Maine to William Melville and Ethel Lewis (Clifford) Howatt. Helene lived in Scarborough during the 1930, (1935), & 1940 Censuses. She married Raymond C. Field in 1946 and lived in Scarborough during the 1950 Census.

I added this photo to SHS Photos – 2025 on Ancestry.com.

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Unidentified Union Officer inscribed “Van L. Hurd” or “Wm L. Hurd,” ca. 1863–1865

Inscription: Handwritten at bottom, “Yours Truly, Van L. Hurd” or possibly “Wm L. Hurd”
Description: Carte de visite photo of a Union Army officer, common during the 1860s. His double-breasted frock coat with officer’s shoulder straps and a sheathed officer’s sword identifies him as an officer.
Research:

• My review of the Maine Bugle, January 1894, found Corp. Samuel Hurd as the only Hurd in that book still living. (A Josiah E Herd was killed at Petersburg.)
• The National Park Service, Soldier list has
  • William Hurd – A Private with the 15^th Regiment, Maine Infantry.Martin Van Buran Hurd – A Private with the 6^th Regiment, Maine Infantry.
  • Sumner L Hurd – A Corporal with the 22^nd Regiment, Maine Infantry.

Because I found no apparent matches in Maine, I’m only including this photo here.

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Robert Leland Sullivan, 1930

Photographer: Roger Paul Jordan (193 Middle St., Portland, Maine, c. 1930)
Inscription: Inside – “Robert Sullivan” also, beneath photo, signature “Roger Paul Jordan, ’30.”
Description: Studio portrait of an infant likely 6 to 9 months old.
Research:

• The 1930 Census lists a five-month-old child, Robert Sullivan, living with his parents, Charles J and Caroline Sullivan, at 119 Morning St., Portland, Maine. Charles was born around 1896 in Massachusetts, and Caroline was born around 1908 in Maine.
• The Portland Press Herald, Nov 24, 1929, Page 28, reports that Charles and Caroline (Babb) Sullivan of Morning Street named their son, Robert Leland Sullivan.
• U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2020 lists Robert Leland Sullivan, born 9 Nov 1929, enlisted in the Navy in 1948 and spent 22 years in the service. He died on 10 Feb 2009.
• The 1940 Census finds Robert living with his parents in Lexington, Mass. along with a six-year-old sister, Ann Sullivan.  Further research failed to find a family tree that includes Robert.
• The 1950 Census lists Robert with his parents in Lexington. He is a radio in the Ship industry.
• Ancestry Family Trees suggest that Robert’s mother is Caroline Adelaide Babb (1908-1998) and his father is Charles J Sullivan (1896-1969)

I added this photo to SHS Photos – 2025 on Ancestry.com

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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. Ultimately, my goal is to reunite the pictures with family members who may have never seen the image.