Faces from the Past – Aceto, Bliss, Bourgeois & McNally

SHS Photo Collection – Part 006
By Don Taylor

The Scarborough Historical Society has a large collection of photos featuring various individuals. Today, I look at four photos from the Linwood Dyer Photo Collection.

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Jean P McNally, Deering HS, 1956

Photographer: Vantines, Boston.
Inscription: Signed Love Jeanie McNally ’56.
Description: Apparent high school graduate photo of a young woman. A tag on the inside cover reads “Class of 1956.”
Research:

• The 1956 Deering High School yearbook, page 36,  shows the same photo of Jean P. McNally “Jeanie”. Among her favorite things were Summers at Pine Point and dancing.
• The 1950 US Census enumerated 12-year-old Jean P McNally, living with her parents, Frederick J and Marion E McNally.
• Ancestry Family Trees indicate that Jean died on 19 Nov 2018.

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

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Joan Aceto, Deering HS Class of 1956.

Photographer: Vantines’ Boston – Portland
Inscription: Signed, Joan.
Description: Graduation photo of a young woman with a tag saying “Class of 1956.
Research:

• The 1956 Deering High School yearbook, page 22,  shows the same photo of Joan Tereasa Aceto “Jo.” Her favorite things included camp at O.O.B.
• The 1950 US Census enumerated 11-year-old Joan Aceto, living with her parents, Samuel A & Edith E Aceto at 62 Read Street, Portland, ME.

I present this photo here.

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Judith Bliss, Portland HS Class of 1962.

Photographer: Vantines’ Boston – Portland.
Inscription: “Giggles” Judy.
Description: High school photo of a young woman; a tag on the photo says “Class of 1962.”
Research:

• The 1962 Portland High School yearbook, page 41,  shows the same photo of Judith Bliss. Page 57 informs us that Judith A. Bliss with involved with Hi-Lights and Red Cross. She was a Majorette and a Library aid.
• The 1950 US Census enumerated Judith living with her mother Anna M. Bliss (29, Canada) and her grandmother, Annabelle Johnson (52 Canada) at 106 Park Street, Portland.
• The 1964 Portland City Directory indicates that Judith Bliss married Richard L Charette.

I present this photo here.

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Anne Carolyn Bourgeois, St. Joseph’s Academy, Class of 1965.

Photographer: Vantines’ Boston – Portland.
Inscription: Anne Carolyn Bourgeois.
Description: High school photo of a young woman, tag indicates “Class 65.”
Research:

• The Portland Even Express, dated 26 June 1969, page 18, reported that Miss Anne Carolyn Bourgeois, St. John Street, announced engagement to David Allen Silvius, High Street. She is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Bourgeois, Millinocket. She graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy, Class of 1965. A July wedding was planned.
• The 1950 US Census enumerated the two-year-old Ann living with her parents, Clarence and Madeline Bourgeois in Millinocket.

I present this photo here.

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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.