[Last Saturday, Randy Seaver, in his blog Genea-Musings, suggested looking at grandparent surnames and seeing how many are in the 1940 Census. He also asked if we had done a “one-name search” for any of those surnames.]
My four grandparents surnames and the number with that surname in the 1940 U.S. Census are:
Roberts – 199,363 people*
Barnes – 109,928 people
Brown – 755,566 people
Montran – 3 people
My wife’s four grandparents last names at birth, and the exact number with those last names in the 1940 U.S. census are:
Howell – 61,015 people
Hobbs – 25,280 people
Darling – 11,404 people
Huber – 22,633 people
I have performed an extensive “one name search” for Montran and have set up alerts with Newspapers.Com, Genealogy Bank, and Newspaper Archives so that I am alerted when “Montran” is mentioned. Then I include news of the Montrans in my tree and my blog.
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 of 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.
Shirley & Harriett Hutchins, circa 1935
The envelope this negative was in says, “Misses Harriett & Shirley Hutchinson, 6 Wescott St #828.”
Shirley & Harriett Hutchins, circa 1935
Why I believe this to be these individuals.
In my initial search, I could not find any Hutchinsons living on Wescott Street. I then searched for 6 Wescott without a surname and found Harold I Hutchins and his wife Addie S living at 6 Wescott in the 1937 and 1938 Portland City Directories.
The 1940 US Census lists Harold T and his wife Addis Hutchins living at 6 Wescott. His two daughters, Harriett C (age 19) and Shirley L (age 17), live with them. Shirley was born in New Hampshire, but the others were all born in Maine.
Social Security Applications and Claims indicate that Harriett Charlotte Dusky (née Hutchins) was born 30 Sep 1920 in Vinalhaven, Maine. Her parents are Harold I and Addie S (Linneken) Hutchins.
Ancestry Family Trees indicate that Harriett’s sister, Shirley Louise Hutchins, was born on 6 June 1922. A high school photo of Shirley confirms she is the girl on the left in this photo.
Based upon the Photo ID number (828), this photo was likely taken about 1935, when Harriett was about 15, and Shirley was about 13.
Harriett Charlotte Hutchins is referred to in 33 public Trees; Shirley Louse Hutchins is referred to in 15 public trees. Family Search has a profile for Hattie Charlotte Hutchins (born 3 October 1920) of LTG1-93V, and her sister, Shirley Louise Hutchins, is identified as LTTL-5G6. I have uploaded a photo of Hattie and Shirley to their Family Search Memories.
Confirmed to be Shirley & Harriett by a grandchild.
Howard and Dorothy Hutchins (née Winslow), circa 1936
This negative envelope says, “Mr. Howard Hutchins, 408 ½ Congress St #1030.”
Howard and Dorothy Hutchins (née Winslow), circa 1936
Why I believe this to be these individuals.
The 1937 Portland doesn’t list Howard Hutchins and indicates that Eugene F Blake lived at 408½ Congress.
The 1936 Portland City Directory available on Ancestry is missing page 459; that page should have Howard Hutchins. The Directory is also missing page 990, which should have who was living at 408½ Congress Street.
The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Howard L (and Dorothy) Hutchins living at 408½ Congress.
The 1940 US Census lists Howard and Dorothy living on Cobb avenue. Howard is 25 years old, and Dorothy is 23.
Ancestry Family Trees indicate Howard Leroy Hutchins was born on 3 Aug 1912, and Dorothy Rose Winslow was born on 12 October 1916. The couple was married on 15 Jul 1934.
I am confident this is a photo of Howard and Dorothy about 1936 when Leroy was 24 years old, and Dorothy was 20.
Ancestry has 29 public trees that refer to Howard Leroy Hutchins, and Dorothy Rose Winslow is identified in 15 Ancestry Public Trees. Family Search has a profile for Howard L Hutchins of LTTL-LMN, and his wife Dorothy is GZZT-JZK. I have uploaded two photos of them to their Family Search Memories.
Cpl Leon Huston, Fort McKinley, ME, circa 1937
This negative envelope says, “Mr. Leon Huston, Fort McKinley, ME – Co. M #1092.”
Cpl Leon Huston, Fort McKinley, ME, circa 1937
What I think I know:
The rank insignia for this person is Corporal.
The patch on his sleeve is from the 9th Infantry Division. The 9th Infantry Division was a Regular Army Inactive unit with personnel at the Army Base, Boston, Mass.
The envelope the negatives were in suggest he was with Company M.
Are there alternative individuals?
There was a Leon Leroy Huston, born 15 Dec 1897 in Portland, Cumberland County, and graduated from Lisbon Falls High School. In 1922 he married Pearl Snow at Lewiston. By 1927 the couple had moved to Academy, New York, where he lived until after 1940. He did serve during WWI, but I can find no evidence of service in the 1930s. Additionally, photos on Ancestry for this individual do not appear to be the same individual as this photo.
A look at the Department of Veterans Affairs, BIRLS DeathFile results for Leon Huston indicated four people named Leon Huston served in the military.
Leon F Huston, born 30 Sep 1919, Served in the US Army from 1944 to 1946.
Leon C Huston, Born 19 Oct 1918, served in the US Army from1941 to 1945.
Born 9 Feb 1926, Leon Dean Huston served in the US Navy from 1944 to 1946.
Born 15 Dec 1897, Leon Leroy Huston served in the US Army from 1918 to 1919.
Although I may think that Leon Leroy Huston is the Leon Huston in this photo, I can’t confirm that, and the images of Leon I’ve seen suggest they are two different people.
Ancestry has 71 public trees that refer to Leon Leroy Huston. Hopefully, one of his family members can confirm that this is their Leon. I have added a photo of him to Dead Fred and uploaded two additional images to my Flickr photostream.
Harold H. Hybers, circa 1936
This negative envelope says, “ Mr. Harold Hybers, 109 Gilman St. #708.”
Why I believe this to be the individual.
Harold H. Hybers, circa 1936
The 1936 Portland City Directory lists Harold H Hybers living at 109 Gilman. Also at 109 Gilman are Charles L Hybers and Frederick J Hybers.
The 1940 US Census lists 26-year-old Harold H Hybers, the son of John C Hybers, living at 434 Congress Street.
Maine Birth Records indicate that Harold H Hybers was born 26 Mar 1914 to John C and Fannie H Hybers.
This photo was probably taken about 1935 when Harold was 21 years old.
Ancestry has 26 public trees that refer to Harold H Hybers. Family Search has a profile for Harold as well. So, I uploaded two photos of him to profile L1N7-GMS‘s Family Search Memories.
Marilyn Hysom, circa 1936 (age 2)
This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Derrell Hysome, 24 East Kidder St #728.”
Marilyn Hysom, circa 1936 (age 2)
Why I believe this to be the individual.
The 1938 Portland City Directory lists Derrell A. Hysom and his wife Delia, living at 24 Kidder east. Also at that address was Mary L Hysom.
The 1940 US Census lists 39-year-old Darrell and 34-year-old Della Hysom living at 23B Sherwood. Living with them is their five-year-old daughter Marilyn. Darrell’s mother, Mary L, and his brother-in-law Ralph H. Hoffses were also in the household.
Ancestry Trees indicate that Marilyn A Hysom was born 5 October 1934 in Portland, Maine.
This photo was probably taken about 1936 when Marilyn was about two years old. I am sure it is a photo of her.
Confirmed to be Marilyn Hysom by a close family member.
Conclusion
I identified six individuals that have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their images to their Family Search Memories
One individual I believe I have identified but am not 100% certain. Consequently, I posted his image to Dead Fred.
For all of the Ethel Wight Collection analysis, please see here.
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 to positives using a lightbox, a Nikon camera and computer software.
My local Genealogy Group[i] recently met via Zoom and discussed “Gateway Ancestors” and “Immigrant Ancestors.” A Gateway Ancestor is one that you find that can be the individual that, once you have a direct connection to that person, there is an established genealogy back to royalty. For example, The Order of the Crown of Charlemagne (in the United States) has a list of Gateway Ancestors that lead to a direct lineage to Charlemagne. Although my wife has a lineage back to Charlemagne, her “Gateway Ancestor” isn’t included in their list. I don’t believe I have any royal ancestors. Certainly, nothing going back to Charlemagne.
Another site, MagnaCharta.com, provides “Gateway Ancestors” that can help you join The Baronial Order of Magna Charta and The Military Order of the Crusades. Again, I don’t have any known ancestors that connect with either organization.
Then we talked about our known “Immigrant Ancestors.” Using the sorting and selection capabilities of Family Tree Maker 19 for Mac, I quickly determined many of my immigrant ancestors.
My Most Recent Immigrant Ancestors – Sarah H (Blackhurst) Barber & Fanny (Taylor) Blackhurst.
I wrote about Sarah previously. She was born in 1847 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. In 1848, her father, Stephen Blackhurst, came to the United States. In 1850, his wife, Fanny, and daughter, Sarah, came to the United States. They originally lived in Auburn, Cayuga County, New York, and lived there for about ten years. Then the family moved to Sheridan, Calhoun County, Michigan. Stephen and Fanny lived there until their deaths, in 1869 and 1889, respectively. Sarah moved from Calhoun County to Detroit, Wayne County, about 1899 and lived there until she died in 1928.
My Earliest Known Immigrant Ancestor – Thomas Sanford (1607-1681)[ii]
Flag of New Haven Colony Courtesy Wikimedia
Thomas is my 10th great-grandfather in my Brown Line. I know very little about Thomas. However, I believe he was born in August 1607 in Essex, England. His son, Samuel Sanford, was born in 1643 in Milford, New Haven Colony (now part of Connecticut), so it is clear Thomas came to America before that. Thomas died in 1681 in Milford.
Other Early Immigrant Ancestors
My 11th great-grandfather, Frances Posey, was born in France about 1615. His daughter Anne was born in “Old Charles County” Maryland, in 1650, indicating Frances came to America before 1650.
My 9th great-grandfather, Joseph Parsons, was born in Beaminster, Dorset, England, in 1620. His son, Joseph, was born in 1647 (probably) in Massachusetts.
My 8th great-grandfather, James Blackwell, was born in 1647 in York County, Virginia Colony. I have not learned his parents’ names yet or their immigration dates.
Conclusion
So, I have 17th-century immigrants that came from England and France to the Province of Maryland, Massachusetts Bay Colony, New Haven Colony, and Virginia Colony.
With so many 17th and 18th century immigrants in my tree, I think I’ll add an “immigrant” fact to those individuals known to have immigrated. For example, a woman born outside America but had children born in America, but I don’t have a death location is likely an immigrant ancestor.
Endnotes
[i] Greater Portland Chapter of the Maine Genealogical Society (https://www.gpcmgs.org/).
[ii] I have not personally research the Sanford line after my 4th Great-grandfather, Ezra Clugston Sanford (1763-1813). Ancestors before him are tentative/speculative.
Donna joined the “Chin-Chin” show on 30 October 1919 and found no let up. Travel, show, then travel again to the next venue. It was a non-stop different town every night.
On Oct 30, 1919, Donna joined the “Chin Chin” cast. She played one night there, then traveled the 50 miles to Urbana, IL. One night there at the Illinois Theatre. Then traveled 100 miles to Bloomington, IL, and performed at the Chatterton Opera House, again for one night, November 1st, 1919. So her time with “Chin Chin” went.
Preshow Advertising
The Pantagraph (Bloomington, IL) is the first newspaper I’ve found that advertised that Chin Chin was coming to Bloomington’s Chatterton Opera House. It was a return engagement of the “Gigantic Musical Fantasy.” It was also advertised in “The Vidette,” the weekly student-published paper of the Illinois State Normal University.
Image courtesy of the Milner Library, The Vidette Digital Archive.
Also, in the Vidette was:
“Chin Chin”
Such entertainments as are presented to us by artists like Walter Wills and Roy Binder have more of the spirit of the early Italian pantomime with the addition of music and the modern ballet. Sometimes they resemble the origin of Spanish comedy which was generally in sharp outlines as of skeletons in quick movement as of marionettes. Though the comic spirit pervades every part of such works of which “Chin Chin,” coming to the Chatterton on Saturday, Nov. 1st, is a notable example they cannot be said to be strictly comedy “Chin Chin” is billed as a fantasy, but more strict definition might be applied by using the word extravaganza, which is a combination of comic incidents leavened by dancing in music with a rough and ready element of satire pervading the whole..
One article about the show provided some genealogical information regarding star Walter Wills.
Walter Wills, a nephew of the late George Wills, the well known retired musical comedy artist, is with the Chin Chin Company, which appears at the Chatterton Saturday night. The young make is well known in Bloomington and has visited his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. George Wills, at their home, 409 East Front street, on several occasions. He is the son of the late John D. Willis, of Wills, Henshaw and Tenbroeck fame. The son is an eccentric dancer and comedian and is said to possess talent equal to his father and uncle. He will be the guest of his aunt, Mrs. George Wills, on Saturday and Sunday.
Reviews
In a rare after the show review, the Pantagraph published, on the “Theaters” page, two days after the show the following
“Chin Chin” Does Well.
A large audience enjoyed an acceptable presentation of the well known musical comedy “Chin Chin” Saturday night at the Chatterton. Altho several seasons old, “Chin Chin” continues a favorite, especially with the children, and the Saturday night production was all that was expected. The piece was presented by a large company which sang acceptably the song numbers and worked industriously to put over a pleasing performance, although the comedy was not up to the standard of former companies. The saxophone sextet was an appreciated feature of the evening.
Chatterton Opera House, BLOOMINGTON, ILL – Courtesy Gerald a. DeLuc, via Cinema Treasures
The Chatterton Theatre opened on April 7, 1910; it replaced the Grand Opera House, which fire destroyed. According to the 1921 theatrical guide, H. D. Merritt managed the 1,300 capacity theatre. Other statistics for the theatre included the following:
Proscenium opening: 34×32 ft
Front to back wall: 37 ft
Between side walls: 68 ft
Between fly girders: 50 ft
To rigging loft: 60 ft
To fly gallery: 24 ft
14 Dressing rooms
Nearby info hotels included Illinois, Hills, Commercial, Metropole, Berry, Phoenix. Railroads included the “Big 4” and Lake Erie & Western, Chicago & Alton, and the Illinois Central. Newspapers: Besides the Pantagraph, for which I have found several articles, there was also the “Bulletin,” an evening paper five days a week.
In 1923, the theater was renamed the Illini Theater. It closed in 1933. The building became part of the MARC Center. By 2011, the building operated as a comedy club for a few years and closed again in July 2014. The building became the Abundant Life in Christ Church and stands today.[ii]
Endnotes
[i] The Julius Cahn-Gus Hill Theatrical Guide and Moving Picture Directory, Vol 20, 1921. Page 149.
[My grandmother was a vaudeville star and I am following her career, trying to learn of her many performances. In October 1919, she joined the cast of the Charles Dillingham production of “Chin-Chin” “Chin-Chin” played in the US and Canada until June 1920. I recently researched “Chin-Chin” playing at the Chatterton Opera House in Bloomington, IL. As I searched, I came across a small mention of the show playing somewhere I didn’t have a record for.]
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Sprimont Russell Dumontell and Ruth Paradis drove to Kankakee last Sunday and saw Chin Chin at the Majestic.
November 6th, 1919, was a Thursday, so “last Sunday” would have been 2 November. The venue fits nicely between November 1st, at the Chatterton Opera house, and Streator, at the Plumb theater. Cinema Treasures confirms that the Majestic Theater operated in Kankakee from 1915 to 1957.
New Venue Added:
Nov 2, 1919 – Kankakee, IL – Majestic Theater “Chin-Chin”
[Last Saturday, Randy Seaver, in his blog Genea-Musings, suggested looking at grandparent surnames and seeing how many are in the 1940 Census. He also asked if we had done a “one-name search” for any of those surnames.]
