Ethel Wight Collection – Part 38

[Chaffey], Cummings, Curran, Currie (2), & Curry

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 the individual portrayed in the image. As such, it is vital 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.

Florence Margaret Curran, 1936

This negative envelope says, “Miss Florence Curran, 41 Park St, Portland #1080.”

Miss Florence Curran, 41 Park St, Portland, circa 1936

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• This photo was used in the 1936 Portland High School Yearbook as the photo for Florence Margaret Curran “Floss.”
• Maine Birth Records indicates that Florence Margaret Curran was born 29 July 1917, the daughter of William and Ruth Curran.

Family Search identifies Florence Curran, the daughter of William Francis and Ruth Annie (Blanchard) Curran, as ID LY9Q-WMX. Florence Margaret Curran Michaud is also found in 14 trees at Ancestry.Com.

I have uploaded two photos of Florence to her Family Search Memories. I also uploaded one additional photo to my Flickr photostream.

Frances L. Currie, circa 1935 (age 9)

This negative envelope says, “Miss Frances Currie, 323 Spring St, Portland #255.”

Miss Frances Currie, Circa 1935

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1934 Portland City Directory lists Frank E and Alice Currie living at 323 Spring.
• The 1940 US Census lists Frank E and Alyce B Currie living in Gorham with their 15-year old daughter Frances L Currie.
• This photo was taken about 1935 when Frances was about nine years old.

Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Frances Currie, the daughter of Frank and Alice Currie. However, Frances L. Currie is found in six trees at Ancestry.Com.

I have added her photo to Dead Fred.

Mary Edith Currie, circa 1934 (Age 17)

This negative envelope says, “Miss Mary Currie, 128 Brentwood St, Portland #199.”

iss-Mary-Currie-128-Brentwood-St-Portland-199-

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1934 Portland City Directory lists James E and Alice M, living at 128 Brentwood.
• The 1940 US Census enumerated James E and Alice Curie living at 55 Whitney Ave, in Portland. With them is their 23-year-old daughter Mary, who was born in New Hampshire.
• Based upon the negative number, this photo was taken in 1934 or 1935. So, I’m sure this is a photo of Mary Currie about 1934 when she was about 17 years old.

Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Mary Edith Currie.  Mary Edith Currie, the daughter of James E. and Alice M. (Clemons) Currie, does appear in 17 Ancestry trees.

I have added a different photo of her photo to Dead Fred.

I also uploaded two additional photos to my Flickr photostream.

Ralph Curry, circa 1935 (age 24)

This negative envelope says, “Mr. Ralph Curry, 19 Sherman St, Portland #320.”

Mr. Ralph Curry, circa 1935

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1934 Portland City Directory listed J. Ralph (and Leda) Curry living at 19 Sherman.
• The 1938 Portland City Directory listed Ralph J. (and Leda) Curry living at 163 Frances.
• The 1940 US Census enumerated the 29-year-old Ralph and his wife Leda living at 1542 Congress Street. Ralph was born in Massachusetts.

James Ralph Curry, born in Massachusetts and married to Marie Leda Gallant,  appears in 25 family trees at Ancestry. Ralph James Curry, born 18 January 1911 in Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, is LYD7-L4R on Family Search.

I have uploaded two photos of Ralph Curry to his Family Search Memories.

Ethel Gilbert (Chaffey) Cummings, circa 1936

The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs . F. E. Cummings, 49 Concord St, Portland #781.”

rs . F. E. Cummings, 49 Concord St, Portland #781 – DSCN3081PR

Why I believe this to be the individual.

• The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Francis E. Cummings living at 49 Concord with his wife, Ethel G. Cummings.
• The 1940 US Census enumerated the 59-year-old Ethel G Cummings living with her husband at 49 Concord Street, in Portland, ME.
• Ethel Gilbert Chaffey was born on 9 June 1881 and married Major Francis E. Cummings on 19 September 1910.
• This photo was probably taken about 1936 or 1937 when Ethel was about 55 years old.

Family Search identifies Ethel Gilbert Chaffey, born 9 June 1881, as ID LBVR-T7C. Ethel Gilbert Chaffey also appears in 17 trees at Ancestry.Com

I have uploaded two photos of Ethel to her Family Search Memories.

Conclusion

• I fully identified three individuals and was able to post their photos to Family Search
• I identified two individuals that didn’t have Family Search profiles, so I posted those photos 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 from negatives to positive images using a lightbox, a Nikon camera and computer software.