Appleton, Armstrong, Ames, August, and a crashed car.
Photo Friday
By Don Taylor
This week for Photo Friday, I identify five more envelopes of negatives from the Ethel Wight Studio Collection[i]. The images were converted to positives using a lightbox, a Nikon camera, and Adobe Photoshop Essentials.
Gail Appleton – ca. 1937.
Miss Gail Appleton
The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Gail Appleton – State Street Hospital – #662.”
The Portland, Maine, City Directory for 1934, indicates Gail Appleton residing at 166 Kelsey, South Portland.
The Portland, Maine, City Directory for 1935 indicates Gail Appleton is a student nurse at 62 State, Residence 52 State.
The Portland, Maine, City Directory for 1937 indicates Gail Appleton is a student nurse at 62 State, Residence 52 State.
The Portland, Maine, City Directory for 1938, indicates Gail Appleton is a nurse employed at 1151 Brighton Av and a nurse at 166 Kelsey, South Portland, and is residing at 166 Kelsey, South Portland.
These types of photos were typically taken about graduation, so I place the photo as circa 1937.
From these records and the 1930 and 1940 Census records, I’m sure this is Gail Appleton, Born 22 July 1915 in Augusta, Kennebec County, Maine, to Maurice Dwinell and Annie Belle (Grady) Appleton. On Family Search, she is ID: GM5T-D6P.
Mona Armstrong
Miss Mona Armstrong
This photo is from the Ethel Wight Studio Collection. The envelope this negative was in says, “Miss Mona Armstrong – Nse. Gen Hospital.
Mona Armstrong is not listed in the 1934 Portland, Maine, City Directory.
The Portland, Maine, City Directory for 1935, indicates Mona Armstrong is a student nurse at 22 Arsenal, Residence (ditto).
The Portland, Maine, City Directory for 1936 indicates Mona Armstrong is a student nurse at 22 Arsenal, Residence (ditto).
The Portland, Maine, City Directory for 1937 indicates Mona Armstrong is a student nurse at 22 Arsenal, Residence (ditto).
The Portland, Maine, City Directory for 1938 indicates Mona Armstrong married Carl Matthews. I believe the photo to be circa 1937.
I am confident this is Mona Luella Armstrong (1914-2001), daughter of Orville George and Amber Flora (Rich) Armstrong. She married Carl Eugene Matthews on 24 January 1838. On Family Search, she is ID: G7LK-ZLL
Phillip Ames & Daughter – ca. 1934
Mr. Phil Ames & Daughter
The envelope this negative was in says, “Mr. Phil Ames – 92 Concord St. Portland – #440.”
A review of the Portland City Directories found:
- 1934 Portland, Maine, City Directory, Page 121 – Philip L (Madeline V) prop 12 Monument Square Room G, home 92 Concord.
Which confirms that Philip L lived at 92 Concord. The 1935 directory indicates that Philip and Madeline lived at 27 Crosby, suggesting the photo was taken in 1934.
The 1940 Census indicates that Philip Ames lived at 119 Leland St. with his wife Madeline; Daughter, Donna (age 7); Son, Alan (age 4); and daughter, Dian (Age 8/12). So Donna would have been 1 to 2 years old in 1934, dating the photo to ca. 1934.
No other Philip Ames lived in Portland during this time.
Philip Linwood Ames has a Family Search ID LKZT-11B
Edith August circa 1936
Miss Edith August
The envelope this negative was in says, “Mrs. E. August – 16 Salem St, Portland – #322.”
The Portland, Maine, City Directory for 1936 indicates that Adolph J. August and his wife, Edith C. lived at 16 Salem in Portland.
The 1940 Census indicates that Adolph August and his wife Edith were living at 35 Taylor Street. With them is a 9-year-old daughter, Edith, who this appears to be a photograph of.
There is not a profile for Edith August on Family Search. It appears that four trees on Ancestry include Edith in their tree. I will contact them with a link to these photos after it posts to this blog.
No People – Just a Damaged Car
The envelope this negative was in says, “B. Applebaum – 58-60 Howard Ave, Roxbury, MA – #93.”
When I first saw this envelope, I thought how odd that a Roxbury person would have their photos taken in Portland. Then I looked at the photo and realized that it was clearly a photo of a car which recently was in an accident and there were a couple of photos of probably the road where the accident occurred.
A sign on the garage where the car is at says Vesta Batteries. To the left of the Car is a sign which reads “RUSCO.” I don’t know my auto makes, so I don’t know what kind of car it is. If you know, I’d be interested in learning the make/model.
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Final Note
So, it was a good week. Five photos – five people were identified.
Endnotes
[i] The Wight Studio was in Portland, Maine. Many thanks to Ethel Wight’s family for access to and permission to use their great aunt’s collection.
My 7th great-grandfather – Grover Buel (1732-1818)
I consider free genealogy websites in three different categories. First are sites that have data that are sources for facts. The second are sites that provide links to sites that have the data. In other words, referrers to sites. Third are training and general information websites, which include Blogs. All three are essential but are used differently.
