In “Searching for Mary Washburn’s Parents,” I concluded the neither Cyrus Washburn’s daughter, Maria, nor James E. Washburn’s daughter, Mary, could be the Mary Washburn, who married Albion Blanchard.
Mary had one of the roughest lives of anyone I’ve ever researched. In 1868, when she was only 34 years old, her husband and only daughter, Sarah, died, and she became destitute. Left with a 10-year-old and a 2-year-old, the widow became wholly supported by the town. In the five years she had left, she lived in the Almshouse in Yarmouth and boarded with A. M. Libby in Windham for a short time. Finally, in 1873 her oldest son, 15-year-old Charles, joined her in Saco before her death.
The point of all this is that there was no family that could or would take her in; thus, she remained destitute and supported “wholly by the town.” With no family able or willing to take her and the kids in, it is possible that she had no family. That might explain why she didn’t appear in any census records for Cumberland during the 1850 Census. Her son, Frederick, died in 1917. His death record indicates that his mother, Mary, was born in Cumberland. Not finding her in the 1850 Census, I wondered if she may be in the 1840 Census.
Using the criteria of the last name of “Washburn” and residing in “Cumberland County” during the 1840 Census, there were six results.
James E. Washburn – Determined not to be Mary’s father previously.
Cyrus Washburn –Determined not to be Mary’s father previously.
Otis Washburn – Determined not to be Mary’s father previously.
Marshall Washburn – Had no females living in his household under 20.
Charles Washburn –Had no females living in his household under 10.
Isaac C. Washburn – Had three males and four females living in his household. He was likely the one male between 20 and 30. The two other males were 15 to 20, and of the females, two were from 20 to 30, one was 10 to 15, but one was under 5. I thought, “Maybe.” But, further research was necessary.
Isaac C Washburn in the 1840 Census.
Sadly, further research suggests that Isaac C. Washburn isn’t Mary’s father either.
Isaac married Cynthia W. Stevens in 1837, a few years after Mary was born. Additionally, the female under five years of age is likely Cynthia, a 10-year-old (apparent) daughter in the 1850 Census. So. I’m confident that Isaac is not Mary’s parent either.
Conclusion
I think I’ve encountered a brick wall with Mary, at least as far as my online research is concerned. I think maybe a deep dive into town records might yield some additional information. Possibly, some newspaper will have an article that will tell me more.
This week, for Photo Friday, I identify more negatives from the Ethel Wight Studio Collection[i]. The names on the envelope are of the individual who paid for the photos, not necessarily of the individual portrayed in the image. It is vital to analyze the photo and information to identify the subjects of the photographs accurately.[ii]
Carol L. Dow, circa 1937
This photo is photo #751 of the Ethel Wight Studio (Portland, Maine) Collection. The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Harry S. Dow, 11 Alba St, Portland #751.”
Carol Dow circa 1937
The 1937 Portland City Directory, page 303, lists Harry S. Dow and his wife Beatrice living at 11 Alba.
The 1940 Census lists Harry S. Dow and his wife Beatrice J. living at 11 Alba with his daughter Carol L. Dow. Carol is six years old.
Family Search identifies Carol Dow, the daughter of Harry S. and Beatrice Louise (Jackson) Dow, as ID G2M8-78J. I posted this photo of Carol to Family Search.
Anna Toomey Duddy (1910-1976) circa 1936
This is photo #219 of the Ethel Wight Studio (Portland, Maine) Collection. The envelope this negative was in says, Miss Ann Duddy – 184 Congress St, Portland #219.”
Anna Toomey Duddy circa 1936
Portland City Directory of 1937 lists Ann T. Duddy as having married Patrick J. Lowery. The Maine Marriage Index shows Annie married Patrick on 13 April 1936.
The Portland City Directory of 1935 shows Ann T. Duddy living at 184 Congress Street.
Family Search has Anna Toomey Duddy, born 6 September 1910 and married to Patrick J. Lowery as ID LRMS-WF3. I added two photos of Anna to her Family Search profile.
Eleanor Dresser (1914-1987) circa 1936
This is photo #772 of the Ethel Wight Studio (Portland, Maine) Collection. The envelope this negative was in says, Miss Eleanor Dresser – State St. Hospital #772.” The envelope also says to “mail proof to [? Sterp ?] Falls.”
Eleanor Dresser circa 1936
The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Eleanor Dressor as a Student Nurse at 62 State and residing at 52 State.
The 1936 Standish High School Yearbook lists an Elynor Dresser, Class of 1932, attending training at the State St Hospital.
Standish is in Cumberland County, Maine. Steep Falls is a census-designated place in the town of Standish. So, the proof was to be mailed to Steep Falls.
The 1930 Census finds Eleanor C. Dresser, the sixteen-year-old daughter of Elmer F and Alice C. Dresser, living in Standish.
Several Ancestry Family Trees indicate that Eleanor was born 21 January 1914 in Standish. None of them include a death date.
After further research, I found that Eleanor married Norman Pierce Edgecomb. Eleanor died in 1987. Her memorial on Find a Grave had several errors. The birth date was 1884 and her death date was 1968, although the markers clearly indicate birth in 1914 and death in 1987. I have requested a correction of the Find-a-Grave memorial. The memorial indicates her parents as Elmer and Alice (Cousins) Dresser (which is correct), so I’m confident this is likely the right person.
On Family Search, I created Eleanor, the daughter of Elmer and Alice Dresser, and found she was already created as Norman P. Edgecomb’s wife with the ID of LK6F-VP6. She had no parents identified, so my creation and the existing entry merged. I have uploaded three photos of Eleanor to her Family Search Profile.
Alternative Individuals.
Do not confuse this person with Eleanor Dresser, the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. George Dresser of East Weymouth, MA.
Ocy L. Downs (1905-1999) circa 1937
This is photo #643 of the Ethel Wight Studio (Portland, Maine) Collection. The negative’s envelope says, “Miss Ocy Downes – 655 Congress St, Portland #643.”
Miss Ocy Downes and an unknown woman, circa 1937
The 1936 Portland City Directory lists Ocy L Downs (piano) at 655 Congress, Rm 511.
The 1940 Census record has 34-year-old, Canadian born, Ocy L Downes working as a music teacher.
Ocy Lorintha Downs was born on 27 August 1905 and died on 5 February 1999.
In 1937, Ocy performed solo on board the H. M. S. Queen Mary.[iii] I wonder if this photo was taken in conjunction with performances there.
She became a very accomplished musician. Today, the Portland Conservatory of Music hosts the “Ocy Downs Piano Competition.”
I have been unable to find a youthful photo of Ocy and can’t tell for sure which of the two women is Ocy, as both women appear to be in their late 20s or early 30s.
Family Search has a profile for Ocy Lorintha Downs (1905-1999) as ID LHW6-KSJ. I have uploaded two photos of Ocy and another woman to her profile on Family Search. I also mention that I don’t know which woman is Ocy nor who the other woman is.
Because of the connection to the Portland Conservatory of Music, I have messaged them via Facebook Messenger.
Child of Horace and Christine Drown – circa 1934.
This is photo #131 of the Ethel Wight Studio (Portland, Maine) Collection. The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Horace Drown – 9 Deane St, Portland #131.”
Child of Horace & Christine Drowne, circa 1934
The 1937 Portland City Directory lists Horace W. Drown and his wife Christine living at 9 Deane.
The 1940 Census shows Horace and his wife still living at 9 Deane. With him is their seven-year-old son, Robert, and three-year-old daughter, Martha. This photo was taken about 1934 or 1935, so Martha would not have been born yet, and Robert would have been about 1 or 2 and is likely this child.
I am confident this is Robert about 1934.
Robert does not have a profile on Family Search. I have posted his picture to my Flickr site.
Conclusion
I had:
Three successful identifications where I could post to Family Search.
One 50-50 identification (Individual identified as one of two people) and uploaded to Family Search.
One possible identification – I contacted other researchers for confirmation.
Final Note
If any of these photos are of a family member, I would love to hear your reaction.
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] Biddeford Daily Journal, July 23, 1937, Page 9, Column 3, ALFRED, ninth paragraph. Via NewspaperArchive.com
As I embark on learning more about the life of Mary (Washburn) Blanchard, I start with what I know. Mary married Albion Blanchard on 2 February 1857 in Windham, Cumberland County, Maine. The 1860 Census reported her as 25 years old, suggesting a birth year of 1834 or 1835. The Blanchard’s were living in Cumberland, Cumberland County, Maine, then. I have been unable to determine her parents.
Based upon the 1850 Census, some researchers have suggested her parents were James and Martha (Briggs) Washburn and lived in Minot, Cumberland County, Maine. It seems possible except for two items. First, the age is a bit off. That girl is only 11, instead of 15. Second, she appears in the same family during the 1860 Census when my Mary Washburn was married and enumerated with her husband, Albion, in Cumberland.
So, my question is, what other Washburns were in Cumberland County during the 1850s and could my Mary be one of them.
1850 Census
A review of the 1850 Census found 30 Results in 7 groups.
Cyrus Washburn household with an apparent wife and five children.[i]Â Â Â Â Â Â Nancy (wife), Cyrus (18), Elizabeth (24), Maria (16), Samuel (12), and Abba (age 9).
James E. Washburn household with wife, four apparent children, and apparently his parents. The children were Mary (11), Martha (9), Nancy (7), and Elisabeth (age 1).
Otis Washburn household with apparent wife Rachel and six children – Lorenzo (21), Emily (19), Ebenezer (16), Caroline (14), Sidney (12), and Matilda (age 7).
Charles Washburn with apparent wife Elizabeth and two children. The children were Maria (1) and Charles (2).
Sylvia Washburn, apparent mother-in-law living with George Warren.
Elizabeth Washburn, an apparent lodger in Dorothy Clark’s home in Portland.
George Washburn, an apparent lodger in Francis Blake’s home in Harrison.
Mary, age 11, in James Washburn’s household and Maria, age 16, in Cyrus Washburn’s home are the only candidates I see in the 1850 Census that could be Mary Washburn, the wife of Albion Blanchard living in Cumberland County in 1850.
Note: Androscoggin County was created in 1854 from towns originally in Cumberland County, Lincoln County, Kennebec County, and Oxford County. So, although they were in Cumberland County in 1850, they were in Androscoggin County after 1854 without moving. [ii]
In the 1860 Census, Cyrus is still with Nancy, Samuel, and Abby. Maria is not in the household.
Again, in the 1860 Census, James’s household includes his apparent wife, Martha, and children, including 21-year-old Mary.
It appears that Otis may have passed because Lorenzo is living in Falmouth with his apparent sisters Caroline and Matilda.
From this, I’m reasonably sure that Mary S. (Washburn) Blanchard is not James and Martha (Briggs) Washburn. Instead, I suspect Mary S. (Washburn) Blanchard is the daughter of Cyrus and Nancy Washburn. With that theory in hand, I need to find evidence supporting the theory and determine Mary’s parents.
Next, I’ll look at Cyrus Washburn and his apparent family of 1850 and follow Cyrus and his children in hopes of finding his daughter, Maria, is my Mary, the wife of Albion Blanchard.
UPDATE
I took a closer look at Cyrus Washburn and his daughter, Maria. Marie Married Noble Munroe in 1856 and was in Auburn during the 1860 Census, so this Maria cannot be my Mary Washburn, married to Albion Blanchard in 1860.
Endnotes
[i] The 1850 Census did not provide relationships between people in a household, so any relationships cited are apparent and speculative if based upon the 1850 Census only.
[ii] Wikipedia: “Androscoggin County, Maine” accessed 23 January 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androscoggin_County,_Maine
I uploaded a transcript of information about the new road to be built between the Saco Line to James Parker’s in 1823.
I uploaded a transcript for an Election Warrant on October 21, 1820, to select electors for President, Vice-president, and elector for the Second Eastern District.
I uploaded a transcript of the Scarborough Auditor’s Report (1865-1866), where the auditor talks bout deficiencies in the process used for vouchers.
Digital Maine
Because it was a Centennial activity, I also uploaded the 1820 Election Warrant to Digital Maine.
Greater Portland Chapter of the Maine Genealogical Society
The next Chapter meeting will be via Zoom on 6 February at 1:00 PM. Please email to request the connection link and passcode.
Conferences
If you haven't registered for RootsTech - February 25 to 27 - yet, I highly recommend doing so. The registration is FREE. https://www.rootstech.org/. They have also linked with Family Search to provide "Relatives at Root Tech," where you can learn of other people who are attending RootsTech. I've registered for Connect and have learned there will be at least 76 relatives at RootsTech. By the way, there are over 139,000 people registered for RootsTech. It is going to be Genealogical Fun.
New England Regional Genealogical Conference (NERGC) - Virtual conference - April and May 2021. E-Zine at https://nergc.org/e-zines/
This week for Photo Friday, I look at identifying more negatives from the Ethel Wight Studio Collection[i]. The names on the envelope are of the individual who paid for the photos, not necessarily of the individual portrayed in the image. As such, it is important to analyze the photo and information to identify the photograph subject positively.[ii]
Daisy Doreen (Trenholm) Doughty (1908-2000)
The envelope the negative is in says, “Miss Daisy Doughty – 214 High St, Portland #270.”
The 1935 Portland City Directory indicates Daisy Doughty is the wife of Albert Doughty. She is employed in Westbrook and resides at 214 High.
On 24 June 1933, Albert B. Doughty, residing in Gray, ME, married Daisy D. Trenholm, also living in Gray, ME.
The 1940 Census shows Albert and Daily living in Lynn, Essex County, Mass. It also indicates both lived in Gray, Maine, in 1935. Daisy was 32 years old in 1940.[iii]
Family Search shows Daisy Doreen Trenholm, wife of Albert William Doughty and daughter of Chester Orlando and Sephronia (Wilkins) Trenholm, as ID LB8T-GLB.
The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Delphine Dosti – Eye & Ear Infirmary.”
The 1935 Portland City Directory shows Delphine Dostie as a student nurse at 79 Bramhall and residing at 804 Congress. Clearly, Ethel misspelled the surname. The online version (Ancestry) of the 1936 Portland City Directory is missing pages 294 and 295, where the Dostie surname would appear.
Delphine Dostie appears in the 1930 Census, age 14, living with her parents, Joseph H and Marie E Dostie, in Fairfield, Somerset County, Maine.[iv]
Family Search shows Delphine Dostie, daughter of Joseph Henry Dostie and Marie Elizabeth Landry, as ID GQZS-2Z3. I have uploaded two photos of her to her Family Search ID.
Pauline Agnes Dorler (1910-1990)
The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Pauline Dorler – 82 Myrtle St, Portland #506.”
The Portland City Directory for 1935 lists Pauline A Dorler as a clerk who married Archie McLeod.
Ancestry Family Trees indicate that Pauline Agnes Dorler married Archibald N. McLeod on 10 Nov 1934 in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine.
Family Search shows Pauline A. Dorler, the daughter of John Joseph Dorler and Bridget Agnes Kelley, as Family Search ID: LFN8-HRR. I saved three photos of Pauline to her Family Search ID.
Able Seaman H. Dove of the HMS Dundee.
The envelope this negative was in says, “Mr. H. Dove – H. M. S. S. “Dundee” #483.”
The HMS Dundee was a British Navy Sloop that entered service in 1933 and was sunk by a German submarine in September 1940.[v]
The good news is H. Dove was not listed as being aboard the HMS Dundee when it was sunk.[vi]
However, I have been unable to find a crew list that might provide Dove’s first name. I think H. Dove’s rank was Able Seaman, but I’m not sure. (Anyone know Royal Navy Markings?)
I uploaded the photo of (Seaman) H. Dove to Dead Fred.
Maria Ann (Theriault) Doucet (1890-___)
The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. Marie Doucet – 13 Grant St., Portland #391.”
The 1934 Portland City Directory lists Mrs. Marie A. Doucet working as a waitress and living at 13 Grant, Apt 4.[vii]
Marie Anne (Theriault) Doucet was 47 years old when she applied for US Citizenship. She was born on 5 Feb 1890, in Grand-Anse, New Brunswick. Her husband was Joseph Luke Doucet.[viii] The photo was taken about 1936 when she was about 46 years old.
Marie Anne (Theriault) Doucet is listed in Family Search as ID: KG6V-NTV. I have uploaded three photos of her.
Conclusion
I had a good week with:
Four successful identifications I could post to Family Search.
One partial identification posted to Dead Fred.
Final Note
If any of these photos are of a family member, I would love to hear your reaction.
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.
[viii] National Archives at Boston; Waltham, Massachusetts; Record Group Title:Â Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685-2009; Record Group Number:Â RG 21; NAI Number:Â 594499; NAI Title:Â Naturalization Records, Maine, 1790-1945 – https://search.ancestry.com/collections/2899/records/1109505/
I think I’ve encountered a brick wall with Mary, at least as far as my online research is concerned. I think maybe a deep dive into town records might yield some additional information. Possibly, some newspaper will have an article that will tell me more.
