Faces and Places of the Kinney Family, 1933–1939

Posted on December 14, 2025 by Don Taylor

Linwood Dyer Collection, Part 087
Eastman Negative Album #2025.02.42
By Don Taylor

As part of my ongoing work with the Linwood Dyer Collection, I recently encountered an Eastman Negative Album containing 100 original envelopes, nearly half of which held film negatives. Many of these negatives were larger than standard—measuring approximately 3½ × 4½ inches—and required special handling during digitization.

Many of the photos in this album document things like a visit to Quebec, and the backyard of a house during the winter or spring, and are not of particular interest. However, many of the negatives document friends and family of Margaret Cogswell Kinney. Margaret was born in 1911 in Portland, Maine, and died in Portland in 1995. As with all my work, my goal is to reconnect these historical photographs with descendants who may never have seen these images of their ancestors. The Scarborough Historical Society preserves the original negatives within the Linwood Dyer Photo Collection.

37 Ship Channel Rd.

Home of Philip & Marion Hinkley, 1933.

This photo envelope is labeled “37 Ship Channel RD, 1933. This 2,896 sqft home that was built in 1920 is still there.[i] The 1937 Portland City Directory,[ii] indicates that Philip E and Marion Hinkley lived at that address. Philip was Margaret Kinney’s maternal uncle, so a photo of the house makes sense.

37 Ship Channel RD, So. Portland, 1933
37 Ship Channel Rd, So Portland, 2024.

Louise Kinney.

1937 & 1938.

Envelopes 13, 23. and 25, include photos of a young woman. In one photo, Louise is sitting on a short stone wall. In Spring 1938, she is sitting on the stairs to a house, and in another 1938 photo, she is sitting in an Adirondack Chair. The “Spring 1938” photo has no name; however, the other two photos are labeled “Louise, 1937” and “Louise, 1938” respectively. Based on other images, I am sure these are all photos of Margaret’s sister, Louise Kinney. Louise would have been 23 and 24 years old in 1937 and 1938.

Louise 1937
Louise Spring 1938
Louise Summer 1938

Portland Head Light.

Spring 1938

This black-and-white photograph depicts Portland Head Light at Cape Elizabeth, Maine, viewed from the landward side. The tall, conical stone lighthouse dominates the center of the image, its whitewashed masonry rising to a dark lantern room encircled by a metal gallery. The keeper’s house stands to the left.

To the right of the tower are several low service buildings, including one fitted with a fog signal apparatus, with piping and horn visible on the roof. Patches of snow remain on the ground, suggesting the photograph was taken in late winter or early spring. A person stands near the base of the tower, providing scale and emphasizing the lighthouse’s height.

Trolley 211, Spring St.

Winter-Spring 1938-39

This black-and-white photograph shows the front end of an electric streetcar numbered 211, photographed at close range. The destination sign above the windshield reads “Spring St.”, indicating its route in Portland, Maine. Overhead trolley wires are clearly visible, confirming it as an electrically powered car.

The motorman stands at the open doorway on the right side of the image, wearing a uniform cap and coat, and looking toward the camera. The streetcar’s rounded front windows reflect bare tree branches, suggesting the photograph was taken in late winter or early spring. A metal safety gate and chain are visible at the lower front of the car.

Mildred Goudy, Portland, ME

Winter-Spring 1938-39

This photograph shows the harbor vessel Mildred Goudy afloat in Portland Harbor. The vessel has a flat-decked, rectangular hull characteristic of a lighter, a type of workboat used for cargo handling and general harbor service. The vessel’s name, Mildred Goudy – Portland, is clearly painted across the stern.

Several men are visible on deck, dressed in work clothing and caps, engaged in routine operations. A tall mast supports rigging and block-and-tackle equipment, indicating the vessel’s role in lifting or transferring heavy loads. A rowboat is tied alongside, likely used for short trips between the lighter and shore or nearby vessels.

During the 1930s, the Mildred Goudy was used to deliver supplies to some of the islands, used as a fishing boat, and as a diving platform. The May 4, 1939, Portland Evening Express[iii] included a similar photo of the ship when it was acting as a diving platform to repair a submarine water-main break.

Conclusion

These photographs provide a valuable visual record of the Margaret Kinney family of Portland and South Portland, Maine:

  • Sister: Louise C Kinney (1914–1993)
  • Uncle: Philip Edward Hinkley (1881–1962)

They also provide images of a Portland area lighthouse, a trolley car, and a “lighter” ship. All photos are from the Scarborough Historical Society,“Linwood D. Dyer Collection, Eastman Negative Album, #2025.02.42.

Connection Invitation

I would be delighted to hear from anyone who recognizes these individuals as their ancestors—especially if these represent previously unseen images of your family members. Also, if you can add any additional stories regarding the Trolley car or the Mildred Goudy, I’d love to hear your stories. You are welcome to incorporate these photographs into your own research, with proper credit given:
Photo Courtesy: Scarborough Historical Society, Linwood D. Dyer Collection.

Endnotes

[i] Zillow – 37 Ship Channel Rd, South Portland, ME 04106.
[ii] Ancestry – U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 – Portland, Maine, City Directory, 1937.
[iii] Newspapers.com – Portland Evening Express, May 4, 1939, page 1.

Posted in Photo Identification, Linwood Dyer Collection, Maine History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Taylor – Surname Saturday

Posted on December 13, 2025 by Don Taylor

From Colonial New England to Industrial-Era Michigan

Montran-Barber-Blackhurst-Taylor Line
Brown-Sanford-Parsons-Taylor Line
By Don Taylor

Name Origin[i]

Family Search and Ancestry both indicate that Taylor is an occupational name for a tailor. It comes from Anglo-Norman French Middle English taillour. It is extremely common in Britain and Ireland. 

Geographical

In the world, there are over 1.5 million people with the surname Taylor. It is most prevalent in the United States and most common in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

In the US, it is most prevalent in Texas, California, and Florida.

My Direct Taylor Ancestors

Because my biological father was a Roberts, I have no immediate Taylor Ancestors; however, my research has uncovered three likely Taylor Ancestors.[ii]

Montran Line

Brown Line

  • Great-grandfather: Arthur Durwood Brown (1869-1928)
  • 2st Great-grandmother: Marion Sanford (1846- c. 1895)
  • 3rd Great-grandmother: Mary E Parsons (1828-1888)
  • 4th Great-grandfather: Chester Parsons (1799-1887)
  • 5th Great-grandfather: John Parsons, Jr. (1764-1813)
  • 6th Great-grandfather: John Parsons (1737/38-1821)[ii]
  • 7th Great-grandfather: Timothy Parsons (1695-1772) [iii]
  • 8th Great-grandmother: Rhoda Taylor (1669-1758) [iv]
  • 9th Great-grandfather: John Taylor (1641-1704) [v]

My Taylors in History

Fanny (Taylor) Blackhurst lived through England’s industrial collapse after the Napoleonic Wars, emigrated during one of Britain’s great working-class population displacements of the 1840s, resettled along America’s key migration corridors in New York and Michigan, and spent her later life in a Union state transformed by the Civil War and railroad-driven industrial growth.

Rhoda Taylor (1669–1758) was born in Northampton, Mass., during the height of early New England settlement, spent her married life in Durham as the colonies matured through frontier warfare, including King William’s War and Queen Anne’s War, and died just as the generation that would lead into the American Revolution was coming of age.

John Taylor (1641–1704) lived his entire adult life in Northampton, England, during the formative years of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, witnessing both the steady expansion of Puritan frontier settlement and the devastation of King Philip’s War, one of the most violent conflicts of early New England history.

Locations of my Taylor Ancestors

John Taylor (1641–1704)[vi]

  • England, Northampton — Birthplace (probable immigrant)

Rhoda (Taylor) Parsons (1669–1758) [vii]

  • Connecticut Colony, Durham — Married life, death, and burial
  • Massachusetts Colony, Northampton — Birthplace

Fanny (Taylor) Blackhurst (1806–1889) [viii]

  • England — Birth country
  • England, Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull — Residence (1841)
  • England, Yorkshire, Rotherham — Marriage location
  • England, Yorkshire, Sheffield — Residence(1828)
  • United States, Michigan, Calhoun, Albion — Burial place
  • United States, New York, Calhoun, Auburn — Residence (1850, 1855)
  • United States, Michigan, Calhoun, Sheridan — Residence (1860–1880)

Sources

Endnotes

[i] Common surname origins include:

  • Occupations (such as “Taylor”
  • Physical characteristics (such as “Short”)
  • Places or landmarks (such as “Hill”)
  • Patronymics, derived from a father’s name (such as Johnson from ”son of John”).

[ii] I have not had the opportunity to personally research these individuals. As such, their names and dates are tentative and/or speculative.
[iii], [iv], [v], [vi], [vii], & [viii] Ibid.

Posted in Surname Saturday, Brown-Montran, Massachusetts Genealogy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Faces from the Past – Catlin, Hinkley, & Kinney

Posted on December 9, 2025 by Don Taylor

Linwood Dyer Collection, Part 086
Album #2025.02.42
By Don Taylor

As part of my ongoing work with the Linwood Dyer Collection, I recently encountered an Eastman Negative Album containing 100 envelopes, nearly half of which still held their film negatives. Many of these negatives were larger than standard—measuring approximately 3½ × 4½ inches—and required special handling during digitization.

The photographs in this remarkable album appear to document friends and family of either Margaret Cogswell Kinney or her sister, Louise Kinney. Margaret was born in 1911; Louise in 1914. Both sisters were born in Portland, Maine, and both later died there—Louise in 1993 and Margaret in 1995. As with all of my Photo Identification work, my goal is to reconnect these historical photographs with descendants who may never have seen these images of their ancestors. The Scarborough Historical Society preserves the original negatives within the Linwood Dyer Photo Collection.

1. Ernest Cogswell Kinney & Eleanor Tinsdale Hinkley
Wedding – June 9, 1909

Photo of Father-Ernest-C-Kinney-Eleanor-T-Hinkley-Wedding-June-9-1909

The first image in the album is labeled “Mother & Father, Wedding, June 9, 1909.” While the generic identification was initially concerning, previous research within the Linwood Dyer Collection quickly confirmed that Ernest Cogswell Kinney and Eleanor Tinsdale Hinkley were married in Portland, Maine, on that exact date. Additionally, earlier identified photographs of Ernest closely match the groom in this image.

Ernest Cogswell Kinney was born in April 1879. His bride, Eleanor Tinsdale Hinkley, was born in Portland on 6 July 1871. Together, they had two daughters, Margaret and Louise. Later envelopes in the album labeled “Louise” strongly suggest that the album originally belonged to Margaret.

2. Second Wedding View
Envelope 2 – June 9, 1909

A second, somewhat blurred photograph labeled “Mother & Father, Wedding, June 9, 1909” appears in the following envelope. This image shows Ernest in profile, gazing toward Eleanor. Due to its poor clarity, that image is not reproduced here.

Photo of Eleanor (Hinkley) Kinney, c. 1909.

3. Eleanor Tinsdale Hinkley
California – 1909

This photograph is identified as “Mother, California, 1909.” It shows a young woman standing alone against a foggy background. The image has been carefully cropped and included both here and within my Linwood Dyer Collection on Ancestry.

Photo of Louise Kinney standing, circa 1907.

4. Louise Victoria (Catlin) Kinney
1907

Identified as “Mrs. Kinney – 1907,” this outdoor portrait of an older woman clearly depicts Ernest Cogswell Kinney’s mother, Louise Victoria Catlin Kinney. She would have been approximately 66 years old at the time the photograph was taken—about two years before she died in 1909. Her husband, Ernest Lord Kinney, died in 1890, making the “Mrs. Kinney” designation entirely appropriate.

According to Find A Grave, Louise had at least three siblings: Clara, George, and Elizabeth.

Photo of Elizabeth Catlin, circa late 1900s.

5. Miss Elizabeth Catlin
Circa 1908

This undated image shows a middle-aged woman and appears to date to the same period as the other photographs in the album. Louise Victoria Catlin is known to have had a sister named Elizabeth, making it highly likely that this photograph represents Miss Elizabeth Catlin around 1908.

Photo of Ernest Kinney, probably before 1908.

6. Ernest Cogswell Kinney
Before 1908

This portrait is labeled “Ernest C. Kinney, before 1908.” Ernest was born in April 1879 and died on 13 February 1947. Records indicate he moved to Portland around 1909, suggesting this photograph was likely taken while he was still residing in New York.

Conclusion

Together, these five photographs provide a valuable visual record of the immediate ancestry of Margaret Cogswell Kinney:

  • Father: Ernest Cogswell Kinney (1879–1947)
  • Mother: Eleanor Tinsdale Hinkley (1871–1943)
  • Paternal Grandmother: Louise Victoria Catlin (1841–1909)
  • Great-Aunt: Elizabeth Wing Catlin (d. 1923)

All five images have been uploaded to my “Linwood Dyer Collection via Scarborough Historical Society” family tree on Ancestry.

Connection Invitation

I would be delighted to hear from anyone who recognizes these individuals as their ancestors—especially if these represent previously unseen images of your family members. You are welcome to incorporate these photographs into your own research, with proper credit given:
Photo Courtesy: Scarborough Historical Society.

Posted in Photo Identification, Linwood Dyer Collection, Genealogy Research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Faces and Stories from the Shirley (Darling) Howell Collection.

Posted on December 6, 2025 by Don Taylor

By Don Taylor

I recently had the opportunity to digitize hundreds of photos and documents from the Shirley Darling Howell Collection. The images were taken from the “Aunt Betty #2″ album, “Aunt Betty’s Black Album,” the “Kemon Album #1,” and two large oval convex photos, one in a frame and one unframed.

Elizabeth Grace (Darling) Gwyer Kemon, #012a

Photo of Betty Darling Gwyer
Betty (Darling) Gwyer – 1938

Elizabeth Grace “Betty” Darling was born in Pittsburgh on 22 March 1906 and spent her early childhood there before traveling with her mother to England in 1915, where they lived briefly in Sandford. She returned to Pennsylvania by late 1916 and grew up largely in the households of extended family. As a young woman, she married William Otis Gwyer in 1927, though the marriage produced no children. By the 1940s she had settled in Washington, D.C., developing a distinguished career in advertising. She married again in 1947, to Frank Howell Kemon, and became known professionally as an advertising executive and as a founder and first president of the Women’s Advertising Club of Washington. She retired in the early 1970s and later lived on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington. Betty died in Bridgton, Maine, on 10 June 1987 and was buried at Glenwood Cemetery in the District of Columbia.

Betty was often the only woman in work photos.
Photo of Betty Darling Gwyer, circa 1939.
Betty Darling Gwyer, circa 1939.

I use a hybrid Ahnentafel numbering system. I identify Elizabeth as person 012a. Her father is Rufus Harry Darling (#12) and she is the oldest child of Rufus (a) and the older sister of Robert Harry Darling (#6)

Clarence Eduard Huber, #14b

Photo of Edward standing in front of an old house in need of paint.
Clarence Huber, his farm, Saginaw, Mich., March 7, 1980,

Clarence Eduard Huber was born 24 December 1909 in Elberta, Alabama, to Swiss-American parents and was baptized there the following spring. His family moved to Saginaw County, Michigan, by 1920, where he attended school and completed the eighth grade. As a young man he worked on the family farm, later becoming employed as a core racker at the Chevrolet Grey Iron Foundry. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in December 1942, serving through the end of the Second World War and reaching the rank of private first class before his 1945 discharge. After the war, Clarence returned to Saginaw, working in lumber handling and continuing to farm. He lived most of his life on South Center Road in James Township. Never married, he spent his final years in Saginaw and died 25 June 1994 at the VA Medical Center. He was cremated and ultimately interred at Great Lakes National Cemetery.

Elizabeth (McAllister) Lane, #26b

Photo of Elizabeth McAllister Lane
Elizabeth (McAllister) Lane

Elizabeth “Lizzie” McAllister was born 21 March 1881 in Workington, Cumberland, England, the daughter of Peter McAllister and Margaret Mary Lamb. She immigrated as a young child, arriving in Philadelphia in 1886 aboard the British King with her mother and siblings. Raised in Pittsburgh, Lizzie was living on Patterson Street by 1900 and married Harold Lane in 1909 at Christ Lutheran Church in Kittanning. The couple had three children—James, Frank, and Katherine—and made their home primarily in Pittsburgh, though they spent a period in Cleveland by 1930. Family recollections describe Lizzie as intelligent, ambitious, and somewhat eccentric: she taught English at a women’s college, played the stock market, and maintained a bright, independent spirit. By the early 1940s she was living with her son Frank on Charles Street, where she died at home on 2 January 1944 from heart disease. She was buried in Southside Cemetery after services at John H. Slater & Sons Chapel.

Harold Lane – Husband of Elizabeth McAllister.

Photo of Harold Lane in his 20s.
Harold Lane

Harold Lane was born in England on 19 November 1880 and immigrated to the United States in 1901. By 1910 he was living in Pittsburgh, where he worked in the iron and steel industry—family tradition recalls that he and two brothers came specifically to work with the Bessemer furnace. In 1909 he married Elizabeth “Lizzie” McAllister in Kittanning, and together they raised three children: James, Frank, and Katherine. The family lived in Pittsburgh and later in Cleveland before returning to Pennsylvania. Harold died in Pittsburgh on 22 September 1939.

Frank C Lane, #26bb

Frank Lane standing outside.
Frank Lane, 1930s

Frank C. Lane was born 21 October 1913 in Pittsburgh to Harold Lane and Elizabeth “Lizzie” McAllister. He spent his early years in Pittsburgh and later lived in Cleveland by 1930. Exceptionally gifted academically, he completed medical training young—family recollections note that he graduated at 22 and was, for a time, Pittsburgh’s youngest practicing physician. By 1943 he was living on Charles Street in Pittsburgh and working as a physician, remembered specifically as a psychiatrist. Frank married twice: first to Jane Hamilton in 1938, with whom he had an infant who did not survive; the marriage ended in 1942. In 1943 he married Cyrilla Agnes Gensler, and they had two daughters. He later settled in Westmoreland County, where he died on 21 March 1984, likely in Ligonier or nearby Latrobe.

Katherine Elizabeth Lane, #026bc

Photo of Katherine Lane's left profile.
Katherine (Lane) Huseman

Katherine E. Lane was born 13 December 1915 in Pittsburgh, the daughter of Harold Lane and Elizabeth “Lizzie” McAllister. She spent her early childhood in Pittsburgh’s 19th Ward before moving with her family to Cleveland by 1930. As a young adult she relocated to Washington, D.C., where she spent the rest of her life. Katherine married twice: first in 1939 to Thurman Robert “Bud” Starr in California, and later in 1943 to Frank Cecil Huseman in the District of Columbia. Neither marriage produced children. Her long residence in Washington suggests a settled life in the capital, likely connected with her brother Frank’s professional ties and her extended McAllister-Lane family network. Katherine died in Washington on 19 July 1980 at the age of 64 and was buried there in Glenwood Cemetery, Section K, Lot 370, Site 6.

Katherine Lane
Katherine Lane, 1931
Katherine Lane

Conclusion.

Taken together, these photographs and life summaries illuminate several intertwined branches of the Darling, McAllister, Lane, and Huber families—individuals whose lives stretched from England and Switzerland to Pennsylvania, Michigan, Alabama, Washington, D.C., and beyond. Each person followed a distinct path, yet the collection reveals how closely their stories ultimately converged within the Shirley Darling Howell materials. From Elizabeth Grace Darling’s professional achievements in Washington, to Clarence Huber’s steadfast life in Michigan, to the McAllister-Lane family’s immigrant beginnings and later accomplishments, these profiles help place long-kept photographs back into their proper family context. As with all items in this ongoing project, identifying the individuals pictured not only preserves their memory but also strengthens the broader narrative of the families they represent.

Besides being here, the photos have been uploaded to the Darling-Huber Tree on Ancestry.

Posted in Photo Identification, Darling-Huber, Genealogy Research, Photo Collections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Third Great Uncle Henry Howell

Posted on December 5, 2025 by Don Taylor

Henry Howell (c. 1807 – aft. 1870)

Howell Line
By Don Taylor

Image of Page 14 from the Live & Travels of Peter Howell
Life & Travels of Peter Howell. Page 14

In my continuing effort to identify the parents of Peter M. Howell, I have begun examining his siblings in greater depth. In The Life and Travels of Peter Howell, Peter names two brothers—Henry and Gideon—and mentions an unnamed half-sister. Any of these individuals might hold clues to the previous generation. I am starting with the eldest brother, Henry.

On page 14 of Peter’s book, he notes staying on Henry’s land in 1830[i], providing a valuable early anchor point for Henry’s whereabouts.

Records Found for Henry Howell

My research located Henry in the 1830[ii], 1850[iii], 1860[iv], and 1870[v] U.S. Censuses. His absence from the 1840 Census remains unexplained, and locating him there is a priority for resolving questions of household composition. I also located Henry’s Virginia death certificate[vi], which confirms the general time frame for his death but offers no parental information.

FamilySearch

Because FamilySearch contains multiple Henry Howells of similar age, I reviewed each likely candidate to determine whether any researcher had identified his parents. None had. However, five FamilySearch profiles appear relevant, and I believe three of them represent the same individual.

Five FamilySearch Tree Profiles for Henry Howell

FS Profile IDBirth
Est./Claimed		Source CountKey Family MembersNotes / Identity Assessment
1. M4WZ-VQHc. 18070Wife: Permebia/Pamela MoseleyLikely Same man as #2 and #4
2. GPML-8HK18074Wife: Judith “Judy”; StepsonL R. P, GiwekkMatches #1/#4:
Susan Call misattached
3. KHHV-QFR—2Wife: Ann;
Daughter: Amanda		Unrelated (Different race and family)
4. L2PR-73Lc. 1807-18102–3Wife: Permebia Mosley;
Son: Robert Philip Howell		Matches #1 & #2; strong candidate
5. L67Q-H5V1809–181218Different spouse and childrenUnrelated

Summary: Profiles #1, #2, and #4 appear to represent the same Henry Howell (b. c. 1807), with spouses Pamela/Permebia Mosley and Judith Howell. Profiles #3 and #5 are unrelated based on race, geographic differences, and inconsistent family members.

Probable Merges

Profiles #1, #2, and #4 appear to describe the same person:

  • Profiles #1 and #4 list nearly identical wife names (Pamela / Permebia Mosley).
  • Profiles #2 and #4 associate Henry with R. P. Howell, whom records show is Robert Philip Howell, son of Permebia/Pamela.
  • Profile #2 lists Judith/Judy as Henry’s spouse, and the census shows R. P. Howell as a stepson, placing Judith clearly as Henry’s second wife.

Note: Merging online profiles on FamilySearch should be done carefully because errors are easy to introduce and difficult to undo. Different individuals with similar names, dates, or locations are often mistaken for one another, and once merged, their records, relationships, and sources become intertwined—sometimes incorrectly. I always verify identities through solid evidence before merging to avoid spreading inaccuracies throughout the shared tree and affecting the work of other researchers.

Findings from Ancestry Trees

Ancestry offered little new information. Twelve public trees list Henry as marrying Permella/Pamella Moseley, but almost all rely solely on user-copied data. Only one included an actual primary source: Henry’s death certificate, which I had found already.

One tree, however, linked Henry to:

  • Brother: Gideon C. Howell (1808–1872)
  • Wife: Permelia Moseley (1815–1870)
  • Parents: James Howell (1775–1816) and Nancy Bottom

This is worth exploring but currently unproven. Peter’s book supports that he had a brother Gideon. However, if Permelia died in 1870, yet Henry resided with Judith in 1860 and 1870, dates or relationships may be misattributed.

WikiTree

Henry Howell did not appear in WikiTree. To lay groundwork for eventual integration, I added:

  • Peter Fletcher Howell (Henry’s nephew)
  • His parents: Peter M. Howell (Henry’s brother) and Caroline M. A. Pankey

Questions Still Requiring Research

  1. Can I find Henry in the 1840 Census?
    Review Henry’s 1830 and 1850 neighbors, and look for them in the 1840 Census. Is there a likely candidate for Henry in their neighbors?
  2. Are Pamela and Permelia Mosley the same person?
    The names appear interchangeable across different researchers. I must determine whether “Permelia” represents a misreading of handwriting, a phonetic spelling, or an entirely different individual.
  3. What is Susan Calls relationship to Henry?
    The 1870 Census lists Susan Call as a “domestic servant.” I must confirm that she was living with Henry and Judith, rather than being their child, to resolve the mistaken assignment of her as a daughter.
  4. Could F. Josie Thomas be Peter’s missing sister?
    An obituary for Mrs. F. Josie Thomas names a brother Henry Howell. One researcher linked her to my Henry. This is of particular interest because Peter Howell mentions having a half-sister, which could align with Josie—if documentation supports the relationship.

Endnotes

[i] Howell, Peter, The Life and Travels of Peter Howell, Page 14.

[ii] 1830 Census, Various, 1830 Census – Virginia – Buckingham – Maysville – Page 303 – 7th from bottom – Henry Howell. “United States, Census, 1830”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5F-P5M : Thu May 09 02:13:07 UTC 2024), Entry for Henry Howell, 1830.

[iii] 1850 Census (NARA), 1850 Census – Gideon Howell – Buckingham County, Virginia. The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M432; Residence Date: 1850; Home in 1850: District 1, Buckingham, Virginia; Roll: 937; Page: 370a.

[iv]1860 Census, Various, 1860 Census – Henry Howell – (New Canton) Buckingham, Virginia. https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/2769918?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a22506e666c41524c38596c526777766354614d5431322f526b43516569635445426d395450787938714e796f3d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d.

[v] 1870 Census, Various, 1870 Census – Henry J Howell – Marshall, Buckingham, Virginia. https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/2768733?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a224a472b766a54796e4b397651655a61706a396757556c766737734a354b4763555a684b6a7247577072646f3d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d.

[vi] Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987, Family Search, Robert Philip Howell. “Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVR7-J6GH : Wed Oct 08 01:03:42 UTC 2025), Entry for Robert Philip Howell and Henry Howell, 16 Dec 1921.

Posted in Ancestor Sketch, Howell-Hobbs, Genealogy Research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment