Don’s Genealogy News includes genealogical activities I’m involved with as well as genealogical items that I’ve found interesting and would like to share with my genealaogical friends. I hope you find them interesting.Â
Scarborough Historical Society
One second after midnight on January 1st, copyrighted works from 1925 will enter the US public domain. One of my favorite Scarborough history books, Grandfather Tales of Scarborough by Augustus F. Moulton, comes out of copyright. I have already digitized it and expect to upload it in the first few days of 2021 to Internet Archives and Digital Maine with links to it from the Scarborough Historical Society webpage.Â
Scarborough Public Library
Ancestry has extended Library Edition access to Ancestry from home through your local library until March 31st. If you find the cost of an Ancestry subscription prohibitive and US records fit your needs, this is excellent news. To access the Library Edition of Ancestry, go to your public library’s research page, then select “Ancestry Library Edition” (In Scarborough, go to https://www.scarboroughlibrary.org/research.) But the process should work with most libraries in Maine.
Greater Portland Chapter of the Maine Genealogical Society
The GPC-MGS will meet via Zoom at 1 PM on January 2nd, 2021. Members of the chapter should have received the Zoom link. If you did not, please contact me via the comment form below.
Blogs
Fred Moss has an excellent post on the Records Advocate “Closing Death Records is Just Dead Wrong!” Some states have used the “legislative fix” to close death records doesn’t stop identity theft and creates other problems. A good read.
Conferences
New England Regional Genealogical Conference (NERGC) will be virtual this year and will be in April and May 2021. For the latest info, see their E-Zine at https://nergc.org/e-zines/
Services
American Ancestors announced that Volumes 64 through 68, for the years 2016 through 2020, were added to The Mayflower Descendant database. As I learned from Family Search’s “Family Search’s Famous Relatives,” I have several potential Mayflower passenger ancestors. It looks like I might have lots more fun. If you find you have Mayflower Descendants, you might find an American Ancestors (NEHGS) membership worthwhile.
James Cooper Lamb was the brother of my wife’s 2nd great-grandmother, Margaret Mary Lamb (1860-1929). I researched him primarily to seek additional information regarding his mother Isabella (Atkinson) Lamb who appears to have vanished from the records about 1864. I may, or may not, have found her in am 1898 record.
3rd Great-grandparents: Edward Lamb (c. 1831-1893) & Isabella Atkinson (1834-___).
3rd Great-uncle: James Cooper Lamb (1862-1898).
James Cooper Lamb (1862-1898).
Birth
James Cooper Lamb was baptized on 18 May 1862, He was nine years old during the 1871 Census, taken on 2 April) so I presumed he was born between 2 April 1862 and 17 May 1862.
James had a difficult childhood. His mother appears to have vanished from the records after the birth of his younger brother, Edward, in 1864. The 1871 Census shows the family has been broken up and nine-year-old James is living with his grandparents.
Adulthood
Photo courtesy of the New York Public Library, from their British Cigarette Cards collection.
The 1881 Census finds 19-year-old James working as a servant in the household of John Lancaster.
James may have become ill and entered the City Road Workhouse in London on 5 August 1886. He was transferred to the Highgate Workhouse the next day and was discharged from Highgate on 4 September 1886.[1]
James’ father, Edward Lamb, died November 1st. 1893. Edward’s estate was probated and James received the effects. James was a sergeant in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
Death
James died on 20 April 1898. His estate was also probated. The Isabella Lamb (a widow) was the administrator. It isn’t clear if this is Isabella, James’ widow, or Isabella, the widow of Edward Lamb. If the latter, that would prove James’ mother, Isabella, was living in 1898.
Source Title: 1871 England Census (April 2)
Repository: Ancestry
Citation: 1871 England Census (April 2) (National Archives of the UK), Ancestry, John Atkerson – Soulby, Westmorland, England. The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1871 England Census; Class: RG10; Piece: 5271; Folio: 88; Page: 7; GSU roll: 847454.
Source Title: 1881 England Census (April 3)
Repository: Ancestry
Citation: 1881 England Census (April 3) (National Archives of the UK), Ancestry, James Lamb – Age 19 – Culgaith, Cumberland, England. Class: RG11; Piece: 5143; Folio: 60; Page: 14; GSU roll: 1342241.
Source Title: England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995
Repository: Ancestry
Citation: England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995, Ancestry, James Cooper Lamb – 20 Apr 1898. https://search.ancestry.com/collections/1904/records/571734/.
Source Title: England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957
Repository: Family Search
Citation: England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957, Family Search, LAMB, Edward of Sanford. Citing this Record. “England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7X3N-7DT2 : 27 August 2019), James Cooper Lamb in entry for Edward Lamb, 10 Jul 1894; citing Probate, Westmorland, England, United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, Great Britain.
Source Title: England Births and Christenings, 1538-Â1975
Repository: Family Search
Citation: England Births and Christenings, 1538-Â1975, Family Search, James Cooper Lamb – Warcop, Westmorland, England. “England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NR9L-K8X : 11 February 2018, James Cooper Lamb, 18 May 1862); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 97,420. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NR9L-K8X.
Source Title: Letters
Repository: Personal Files
Citation: Letters, Letter – Betty Darling Kemon to Jerome Howell 30 Dec 1978.
Source Title: London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764-1930
Repository: Ancestry
Citation: London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764-1930 (London Metropolitan Archives), Ancestry, Lamb, James born 1862 – Page 284. London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: HOBG/542/13.
Source Title: London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764-1930
Repository: Ancestry
Citation: London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764-1930 (London Metropolitan Archives), Ancestry, Lamb, James born 1862 – Page 285 . London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: HOBG/542/13
City Road Workhouse (St Luke´s and Other Workhouses) Register, 1885-1886.
EEndnotes
[1] I am not positive this event related to James Cooper Lamb, the son of Edward and Isabella Lamb, however, I have accepted it tentatively and have entered it here.
This week for Photo Friday, I look at identifying five 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 positively identify the photographs.[ii]
Nina Lucile Bibber – Photo ca. 1936
The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Nina Bibber – 56 Paris St. Portland #776.”
There was a Nina L. Bibber, daughter of Waitstill D. and May S. Bibber during the 1930 Census living in Harpswell, Cumberland County, Maine. Nina was 9 years old during the 1930 Census.
Nina L. Bibber married Harold Valentine Smith on 29 September 1936. She appears to have married him a second time on 24 August 1940.
As such, I am confident this is Nina Lucile Bibber, daughter of Waitstell Douglass and Sarah Mae (Brown) Bibber. She was born 9 April 1919 in Harpswell and died 12 April 1994 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Nina has a profile on FamilySearch, G4HH-R38. I have uploaded her two photos there.
Eva Billings – Nurse – Photo ca. 1937
The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Eva Billings, St Barnabus Hospital, Portland #542.”
The 1935 and 1937 Portland City Directories list Eva Billings as a student nurse at 321 Woodford and residing at 20 Norfolk.
The 1938 Portland City Directory lists Eva Billings as a nurse at 19 Dow, apt 5 and residing at the same place.
She is not listed in the 1939 or 1940 Portland City Directories.
I have been unsuccessful in identifying Eva Billings as related to other individuals. It appears she came to Portland to become a nurse, worked shortly, and left Portland.
The envelope this negative is in says, “Mrs. Bixby’s Baby – Feb 1943.”
The child in the photo appears to be four or five years of age.
A search of Bixby families in the 1940 Census with a child 1 to 3 years of age yielded one living in Portland. Donna Bixby, daughter of John and Harriet Bixby. They lived at 93 Oxford Street during 1940.
Donna Bixby has a profile on Family Search, GS1V-SCB and has two photos posted there. The photos on FS seem consistent to me to be the same person as in these photos. I contacted the individual who contributed the two photos to Family Search (James Shine) and he concurred it to be Donna Bixby. I have posted additional photos of Donna to my Flickr page.
Harold Blaisdell – Photo ca. 1934
The envelope this negative was in says, “Mr. Harold Blaisdell – 145 A Spring St, Portland #244.”
The 1934 Portland City directory has Harold F and his wife Barbara B. Blaisdell living at 145a Spring. The 1935 city directory has them at 542½ Congress Street, apt 20 in the 1935 directory. The 1936 Directory doesn’t list Harold, but the 1937 directory puts him back to Spring Street, with a different wife, this time he and Dora I. Blaisdell are listed living at 152 Spring, Apt 11. Again, Harold doesn’t appear in the 1938 Directory, however he and Dora are at 32 University during the 1939. Finally, He and Dora appear in the 1940 Directory at 17 Tyng.
Harold and Barbara Dyer were married on 24 September 1930.
Harold and Dora I. Taylor were married on 25 June 1934.
The 1930 Census finds Harold as a 24-year-old lodger in the household of Peter Dyer. In the same household is Barbara Dyer, a 23 year-old daughter of Peter.
It appears that this is Harold Franklin Blaisdell (5 Jul 1905-1 Feb 1992) and with a Family Search ID of LRRG-7R3. I have uploaded two photos of Harold to Family Search.
Elizabeth Blake – Nurse – Photo ca. 1938
The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Elizabeth Blake – Me Gen Hospital #967.”
The 1936 Portland City directory lists Elizabeth Blake as a student nurse at 22 Arsenal, residing at 22 Arsenal. She should not be confused with Mrs. Elizabeth T Blake, the wife of Freeman H. Blake. She is also listed in the 1937 and 1938 Portland directories. She is not listed in the 1939 or 1940 city directories.
The 1940 Census indicates there were 13 Elizabeth Blakes in Maine.
Elizabeth H Blake – 17 year-old daughter of William E. and Annie M. Blake.
Elizabeth Blake – 40 year-old wife of Freeman Blake.
Elizabeth Blake (nee Browne?) 43 year-old divorcee and daughter of Emma F. Browne.
Elizabeth Blake – 86 year old widow living in Westbrook.
Elizabeth Blake – 24 year-old daughter of Arthur & Huldah Blake. She had completed 4 years of high school, but was not working. Possibly her but unlikely.
Elizabeth Blake, 16 year-old daughter of Thomas C Bake.
Mary Elizabeth Blake – 18 year-old daughter of Carlton and Helen Blake.
Elizabeth F Blake – 24 year-old wife of Ernest G. Blake.
Elizabeth Blake – 43 year-old wife of Leslie Blake.
Elizabeth Blake – 17 year-old daughter of Ethel Blake.
Elizabeth Blake – 22 year-old wife of Albert L. Blake.
Elizabeth Blake – 16 year-old daughter of Verna S. Blake.
Elizabeth Blake – Baby daughter of Ernest & Barbara Blake.
Looking Nationally, the 1940 Census indicates there was
Elizabeth Blake, a 28-year-old Registered Nurse in the Brookville Hospital and Nurses Home in Brookville, Pennsylvania. Alternately, there was a 31-year-old Registered Nurse living with her mother, Mary L. Blake, in Brookville and working at Brookville Hospital. I suspect this is the same person and was enumerated twice, once with the hospital and once in her mother’s home.
So, I have two potential Elizabeth Blakes this could be, however, neither is a strong enough match for me to accept an identity match.
Conclusion
I had:
Three successful identifications where I could post to Family Search.
One partial identification posted to Dead Fred.
One inconclusive identification (two potential candidates).
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 to invert the image.
It is easy to forget that words often have different meanings in the US than they do in the UK. For example, being “stuck in the bog” could mean being stuck in the bathroom in England, while in the US, it would definitely mean being stuck in a wet spongy ground (a swampy place). So, when I learned James Lamb spent time in the workhouse, I had an American vision of a workhouse in my mind, not the English version. To me, a “workhouse” usually meant the place where a criminal spent time “at labor” for a crime.  Occasionally, a workhouse might also be a place where the destitute poor would live, and hopefully, work their way out of poverty.
I learned that James Lamb was admitted to the “City Road” workhouse on 5 August 1886.[i] He was then transferred to Highgate workhouse in Holborn, Middlesex, England, on 6 August and was discharged on 4 September 1886.[ii] It sounded like a 30-day sentence to me. Consequently, I wondered what the 24-year-old did to end up in the workhouse.
After further research, I learned that Highgate was an infirmary where the poor would receive medical treatment.[iii] In 1881, James was a servant and would have little support if he was sick. A such, he could have been ill and went to Highgate for care. So, I guess James may not have done anything wrong other than being poor and sick.  If this were the case, he didn’t enlist in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers until 1886. (See: Family Oral History & James Cooper Lamb).
On a final note, I’m not convinced that this 24-year-old James Lamb is my 24-year-old James Cooper Lamb. I have tentatively ascribed this event (time at Highgate) to my wife’s 4th great-uncle, James Cooper Lamb (1862-1898) but I’m ready to remove it if I find anything to conflict with it.
Endnotes:
[i] London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764-1930 (London Metropolitan Archives), Ancestry, Lamb, James born 1862 – Page 284. London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: HOBG/542/13.
[ii] London, England, Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1764-1930 (London Metropolitan Archives), Ancestry, Lamb, James born 1862 – Page 285. London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: HOBG/542/13 City Road Workhouse (St Luke´s and Other Workhouses) Register, 1885-1886.
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. As such, it is important to analyze the photo and information to positively identify the photographs.[ii]
Phyllis E Berry (1908-2003)
The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Phyllis Berry – 174 Edwards St, Portland #526.’
Phyllis E Berry appears as a bookkeeper at 22 Monument Square, Room 692 and residing at 174 Edwards. Also residing at 174 Edwards was Edward C and Alice M Berry. Edward is a member of the City Council city hall Room 35 and treasurer at 22 Monument Square, room 602. Finally, he was v-p at 193 Middle Room 6.
No doubt, Phyllis was the daughter of Edward and Alice. Phyllis was born 13 April 1908, married Donald Hamilton in 1939 and died 9 Jan 2003. This photo would be of Phyllis about 1935, or when she was about 27 years old.
Phyllis Elizabeth Berry has a profile on Family Search, LR1D-MS1. I have uploaded a copy of the image to that profile.
Mrs. Edith M. Berry (1876-
The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs Edith Berry – 6 Grant St. Portland #158.”
The Federal records provide for several candidates for “Edith Berry” in Portland, Maine.
Edith M. Berry, Age 20 in 1940 Census (Born c. 1920 in Maine). She was married and living with her husband Lester in Westbrook. Too young to be the Edith Berry of the photograph.
Edith M. Berry, Age 35 in 1940 (born c. 1905 in Maine). She was married To Roy A. Berry and lived at 36 Federal Street.
Edith Berry, Age 28 in 1930 (born c. 1902 in New Hampshire). She was married and living with her husband Alton Berry. The woman in the photograph appears to be much older than 35, so I’m sure this is not the Edith Berry in the photograph.
Edith Berry, Age 54 in 1930 (born c. 1876 in Maine). She was a widow, the sister of Walter H. Pierce and the daughter of Mary Pierce. She was living at 63 Lawrence Street. Her son, Hiram S. Berry was living with her on High Street during the 1940 Census. So, I’m fairly convinced that the Edith Berry in the photo.
Edith does not appear in the 1934 or 1935 Portland City Directories. However,
In 1936 she lived at 89 Adams.
From 1937 through 1940 she lived at 225 High.
I would be a lot more comfortable if I could prove Edith, the widow of Hiram, did live at 6 Grant. In the meantime, I have tentatively ascribed this as Edith, widow of Hiram, daughter of Mary Pierce as the individual in the posting.
I will query various tree owners if they can identify this individual after this blog posts.
Arline Bennett (?)
The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Arline Bennett – Children’s Hospital #311.”
The photo is estimated to have been taken between 1935 and 1938.
Arline V Bennett married Percy A. White on 10 Sept 1925. It can’t be her. (She wouldn’t be a “Miss” in 1835.)
There was an Arline Bennett who was born in Eastport, on 8 April 1902. She was the daughter of Chas. H. & Jennie (Ramsdell) Bennett. In 1910, Arlene was living with her parents in Pembroke, Washington County, Maine. In 1920, she is still living with her parents in Washington County.
The 1930 Census reports an Arline C. Bennett, wife of Joseph C. Bennett. It can’t be her.
Arlene V. Bennett, bork ca. 1918, was living with her parents Loring W. and Ivie L. Bennett in Hope, Knox County, Maine during the 1930 Census.
Ancestry provides the ability to search for a person with keyword searches. Looking for an Arlene Bennett, born 1898-1918 who was a nurse yielded several potential candidates.
Arline L. Bennett, born in New Jersey about 1908, the daughter of George C. and Lilly M. Bennett was a trained nurse in a private hospital living in Park Ridge, Bergen County, New Jersey in 1930.
I suspect this is the correct Arline, for the photo, but I can find nothing about this Arline being in Maine nor can I find any evidence that the other Arline Bennett’s ever became nurses. There needs to be more research on this photo and the various candidates.
I will query various tree owners if they can identify this individual after this blog posts.
Daughter of Herbert A & Helen (Nedeau) Bennett circa 1935.
The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs Herbert Bennett – 447 Cumberland Ave, Portland #368.”
The 1935 Portland City Directory shows Herbert A & Helen E Bennett living at 447 Cumberland Ave.
The 1940 Census shows Herbert A & Helen E living with their six-year-old daughter, in Portland. Herbert was 32, Helen was 28.
I’m quite certain this is their daughter about 1935.
I will contact individuals with this individual in their public trees on Ancestry when this article posts.
Clifford G. Bernard (1916-___)
The envelope this negative was in says, “Mr Clifford Bernard – 63 Carlton St, Portland #711.”
The 1935 and 1936 Portland City Directories show Clifford Bernard residing at 63 Carleton.. Also at that address is Melbourne G and Ellen M, Bernard. Melbourne is a barber employed at 319 Cumberland Ave.
The 1920 Census indicates that the Bernards came to the United States in 1916, shortly after Clifford’s birth in Canada.
This Individual has a profile on FamilySearch, ID GMQG-XT5. I have uploaded this image there.
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.
Don’s Genealogy News includes genealogical activities I’m involved with as well as genealogical items that I’ve found interesting and would like to share with my genealaogical friends. I hope you find them interesting.Â
