Ethel Wight Collection – Part 22

Berry, Brandt, Brewer, Brewster(2), & Bridges (2)

Photo Friday
Ethel Wight Collection
By Don Taylor

This week for Photo Friday, I identify the people in five more envelopes from the Ethel Wight Studio Collection[i]. The envelopes contain the names who paid for the photos, not necessarily of the individual portrayed in the image. As such, it is important to analyze the pictures and information to identify the individual therein.[ii] Ultimately, my goal is to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image.

Warren D. Brewster (1932-2020), circa 1937 (Age 4)

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Harry Brewster, 138 Highland St, Portland #1053.”

Warren D. Brewster

The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Harry L Brewster, employed at 70 Free, residing at 138 Highland. Also at the same address is Harry V Brewster, a carpenter, and his wife Wilda M.

The 1940 US Census enumerated Harry V. Brewster, still at 138 Highland St., with his wife Wilda M., 21-year-old son Gerald S., and 7-year-old Warren D. Brewster. I am confident this is Warren about 1937, at approximately four years old.

Further research discovered that Warren D. Brewster, son of Harry Vane Brewster and Wilda Lachance, died on 14 January 2020. I created a Family Search profile for him, GCWF-7YW. Warren is also identified in three Ancestry Trees. Of the two photos I have of Warren, one was severely out of focus, so I only uploaded one image to Family Search.

George Berry, Lorraine R. Bridges, & Joan M.  Bridges, circa 1937 (Ages 10, 6, & 3)

The envelope the negative of this photo was in says, “Mrs. Geo Bridges, 297 Brackett St. Portland #717.”

George Berry, Lorraine Bridges, and Joan Bridges, circa 1937.

The 1938 Portland City Directory lists George M. Bridges, Jr. and his wife Emily M. living at 301 Bracket.

The 1940 US Census shows George M. Bridges still living at 301 Brackett. Living with him are his wife, Emily M., his stepson George E. Berry (age 14), his daughter Lorraine R. Bridges (age 10), daughter Joan M. Bridges (age 6), and two other daughters too young (4 and <1) to be in this photo. Based upon the photo ID, this photo was probably taken about 1937, when Joan was three, Lorraine was six, and George was ten.

Family Search did not have a profile for these children, so I have added the photo to Dead Fred.[iii] George M. Bridges, married to Joan (Small) Berry Bridges, appears in over a dozen Ancestry Trees.

Albert & Florence (McFarland) Brewer, circa 1938.

The envelope the negative of this photo was in says, “Mr. & Mrs. A. E. Brewer, 39 Rosedale St., Portland, #1004.”

Albert & Florence Brewer, circa 1938

The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Albert E. and Florence H. Brewer living at 39 Rosedale.

Albert E. Brewer and Florence H. McFarland married on 25 December 1921.

Albert was born in 1895, and Florence was born in 1900. This photo was taken about 1938 when Albert was about 43, and Florence was about 38.

In Family Search, Albert Edward Brewer is ID L1Q9-TQS, and his wife, Florence H. McFarland is ID LKLR-KNS. I have uploaded a photo of them to their Family Search profiles. The couple also appears in two Ancestry family trees.

Hilda Brandt (1916-1989), circa 1937

The envelope the negative of this photo was in says, “Miss Hilda Brandt – St. Barnabus Hospital, Hospital #1012.”

Hilda Brandt, circa 1937

The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Hilda Brandt as a student nurse at 231 Woodford (St. Barnabas Hospital) and residing at 24 Norwood. The 1941 Portland City Directory lists A. Hilda Brant, a nurse who married ard J. Burke.

Alma Hilda Brant, the daughter of Carl August and Elizabeth (Schneider) Brandt, born 15 October 1916, married Edward Austin Burke in 1940.

Based upon other photos of Hilda (yearbook and wedding announcement), I am confident these photos are of Miss. A. Hilda Brandt (1916-1989) circa 1937.

Hilda has profile LR1Q-LBP on Family Search. I uploaded two photos of Hilda to her Family Search Profile. I also uploaded two additional pictures of Alma to my Flickr Photostream. Alma Hilda Brandt, the wife of Edward Austin Burke, appears in 10 Ancestry Trees.

Confirmed to be Alma “Hilda” Brant by a great niece.

Bishop Benjamin Brewster (1860-1941), Christmas 1940.

The envelope the negative of this photo was in says, “Copy of Bishop Brewster – 1944.”

Bishop Benjamin Brewster, Christmas 1940

The bottom of this photo says, “Christmas, 1940 – Faithfully Yours, Benjamin Brewster.”

I thought it was odd that Ethel Wight would be copying a 1940 photo of Bishop Brewster in 1944. That is until I found out that Bishop Benjamin Brewster, Episcopal Bishop of Maine, died in 1941.

Benjamin Brewster has an article about him on Wikipedia. Family Search lists his profile as KH9T-CXK. I uploaded one photo of Bishop Brewster there.

Conclusion

I had:

• • • Five successful identifications (including a Mr. & Mrs.) where I could post photos to Family Search.
    • One identification of three individuals, which I posted to Dead Fred.

Final Note

If any of these photos are of your family member, I would love to hear your reaction. Especially if this photo is of a loved one for whom you hadn’t seen this photograph before.

Endnotes

[i] The Wight Studio was in Portland, Maine. Many thanks to Ethel Wight’s family for access to and permission to use the collection of their great aunt.

[ii] These images were converted to positives using a lightbox, a Nikon camera and computer software.

[iii] A second photo of the Bridges children was out of focus and not uploaded but is available if requested. Reference photo: Mrs. Geo Bridges, 297 Brackett St. Portland #717 – DSCN2769PL.jpg.