Cabinet photograph of a young man identified on reverse as Fred Colley. There's an inscription on the reverse that is a bit confusing, as you can see for yourself, below. It appears that the photograph was a gift from Vannie Ogier to Fred Collen. However, I'm hoping the name at the top, Fred Colley, correctly identifies this young man.
From online research, hopefully correct, and hopefully with the correct Fred Colley:
Fred L. Colley was born about 1861 in Maine, the son of Lemine Colley and his wife Josephine (Wormwood) Colley. I found Lemine sometimes referenced as Lomine and as Lemuel.
I believe Fred's paternal grandparents were William Colley and Mary Polly (Kidder or Ridden) Colley, born in Gray, Maine, and Albion, Maine, respectively, thanks to an excellent website, Early Families of Albion, Maine.
There was a William Colley, age 81, living with Lemine and family at Belfast, Maine, at the time of the 1870 Census. Had he lived to the enumeration of the 1880 Census, his relationship to Lemine as head of the household would have been explained.
Just to throw a monkey wrench, I also found a record where a William Colley married a Lydia Noyes in 1810. Lydia was born in Cumberland, Maine, in 1787, the daughter of Samuel and Lydia Elizabeth Noyes.
If you have information as to the parents of Lemine Colley, I would appreciate hearing from you.
Fred's maternal grandparents were John and Phylena (Witham) Wormwood, both born in York County, Maine, in Alfred and Sanford respectively.
It's always interesting to speculate on how a couple met. Lemine of Belfast and Josephine of Sanford married in Portland on 19 July 1850.
On 15 October 1901 at Arlington, Massachusetts, Fred Colley married Kate P. Welch, who was born at Belfast, Maine, about 1871, the daughter of Mathew and Martha "Mattie" (Perkins) Welch of Belfast.
Kate's paternal grandparents were Peter and Annie Welch, each born in Ireland. Her maternal grandparents were Josiah and Ruth W. (Leach) Perkins, born in Penobscot and Bucksport, Maine, respectively.
Fred, Kate and Fred's sister Nellie were living in Arlington, Massachusetts at the time of the 1910 Census. In the 1920 Census, Fred and Kate were living in Boston, Massachusetts, where Fred was working as a manufacturer of metal signs and Kate was working in a law office.
Nellie was no longer living with them; she was back in Belfast, Maine, for the 1920 and 1930 Censuses.
I don't know if Fred and Kate had any children.
If you have any corrections, additions or insights regarding the information presented here, or if you have another candidate for the fellow in the photograph, please leave a comment or contact me directly. Thanks!
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