Chosen Families Project #25: Florence Louise Heald Family Photographs - RETURNED

3 Generations: Mary Ella “Nannie” Davis, Annie (Davis) Heald, and Florence Louise Heald, 1942

Florence Louise (Heald) Aines

Florence Louise Heald

Hello everyone!

Welcome back to the Chosen Families Project. It’s been a while since I have posted here but I have some exciting updates in my life! I just finished up my certificate program at Boston University, as well as started working full time since graduation, both of which have taken up a lot of my time.

Additionally, I had the honor of attending the Ramapo Investigative Genetic Genealogy Conference (RIGG), where I got to meet some of the pioneers of the field, including Barbara Rae-Venter, Margaret Press, and Cece Moore.

This story is based from a collection of about a dozen photographs I recovered off eBay a few years ago. Thankfully, someone had noted the identities of all the individuals, including the frequent mention of the name Florence Louise Heald on the back of the photographs, which had allowed me to quickly identify a relative to contact and be able to return the collection to them. These photographs range from the 1925-1948, documenting casual events to college graduations, to family gatherings.

Here is the story of Florence Louise Heald and her family documented through this collection of photographs:

Florence Louise Heald was born on 6 Nov 1924 Arlington, Massachusetts to parents Benjamin Huntress Heald (b. 9 Feb 1874 in Lincoln, Maine) and Annie May Davis (b. 19 Jan 1896 in Rockport, Massachusetts). She was likely named after her mother’s sister Florence (b. 1899).

Benjamin and Annie likely got married on 17 Jan 1923 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as Benjamin had attended Harvard in 1896. Tragedy had struck the family soon, however, when Benjamin Heald passed away suddenly on 8 July 1925 at the age of 51. Florence was only a few months old at the time.

His obituary published in The Bangor Daily News on 9 July 1925 reads:

The earliest photograph of Florence was taken that same year with her maternal grandmother, Mary Ella “Nannie” (Collins) Davis (b. 1863 in Richmond, Maine) by their shared home on 30 School St. in Rockport, Essex, Massachusetts. In 1930, Florence resided at this address with her mother Annie, with her aunt Florence,with her husband Theodore Longwood, and her children. In 1934, there was a photograph of Florence and her mother Annie. Another photograph, taken in the summer of 1934, when Florence was 9 ½ years old, showcases Florence and her mother Annie, with her aunt Florence and one of cousins Murial Longwood, the daughter of Florence. In 1940, Florence and her mother Annie had resided at this same address with her grandmother Ella, who was 77 years old.

Florence and her grandmother Mary Ella
”Nannie” (Collins) Davis

Summer of 1934

Florence and her mother, 1934

In her teenage years, Florence was the valedictorian of Gloucester High School. She would then attend Middlebury College in the mid-1940s located in Middlebury, Vermont, where she graduated in 1945. There were many photographs dated from her time at college, including her friends, neighbors, and graduation ceremony. At the college she would meet her husband Ronald O. Aines (b.22 Apr 1918), whom she engaged too in November of 1949, and soon married on 12 Aug 1950 in Rockport, Massachusetts.

Newspaper accounts from the Burlington Daily News,Rutland Daily Herald, recall the engagement and marriage ceremony of the couple.

Her friend Kippy leading college graduation in 1948

Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Grove, neighbors at Middlebury, “Kippy” Katherine Knapp, Ron, Louise, and Annie, 1945

Frank and Gene, “2 of Louise’s Beans”

Florence and boyfriend at Middlebury (Jack or Frank)

Ruth Norton on left, Louise and her wearing drindle skirts, 1943

Nov, 7 1949

Aug 15, 1950

Aug 14, 1950

Nov 5 1949

Aug 15, 1950

In 1954, the couple had resided in Amherst, Massachusetts together. Throughout Florence’s life, she would reside in Burlington, Vermont, Woodstock, Vermont, New Brunswick, New Jersey, Springfield, Virginia, and Northbrook, Illinois amongst other places. Florence’s mother Annie had passed away on the 13 May 1985 in Illinois. Florence’s husband Ronald passed away on the 15 Jan 2011. Florence would pass away on the 31 March 2016 peacefully in Colorado.

Her obituary reads:

F. Louise (Heald) Aines, 91, was born November 6, 1924, in Arlington, Mass., the only child of Annie May (Davis) Heald and Benjamin Huntress Heald. She died peacefully in Colorado on March 31, 2016 at the age of 91.

She is survived by her daughter, Marcia A. Garrett (widow); her son, Marshall Heald Aines and his wife, Kristin (Stater) Aines; and four grandsons, who were her greatest joy, Benjamin J. Garrett, 28, Timothy J. Garrett, 28, Matthew Heald Aines, 24, and Joshua Edward Aines, 21.

She grew up in Rockport, Mass., and graduated valedictorian from Gloucester High School. Next she graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont, where she met her husband, Ronald O. Aines (April 22, 1928 to January 15, 2011). They were married for 60 years. Throughout her life she was a talented musician and a soprano soloist at each church they attended. Other places she has called home are Woodstock, Vt.; New Brunswick, N.J.; Springfield, Va.; and Northbrook, Ill., where she was revered as an excellent music teacher in their elementary schools for 21 years. She was a devout Christian, and a wonderful woman who loved her family, had many friends, and enjoyed traveling the world with her husband. She was dearly loved, and will be sorely missed.

A memorial service will be held at the Rockport Baptist Church in early August. Date to be arranged. Her ashes will be interred in the Rockport Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Baptist Church.

The rest of the photographs include Florence, her mother, grandmother, and other individuals. below. Two of the photographs are of Richard Baum, who was noted “ Laura sister to F Louise mother 1st grandson” although at this time I have not been able to locate them.

There entire collection of photographs, including scans of the back, are included in the gallery below:

I hope you have enjoyed their story! I am excited to note that the physical copies have been returned to a relative, as well as the digital copies to another relative.

If you have any questions or comments you can contact me at thechosenfamiliesproject@gmail.com. I will be releasing a podcast episode shortly, and will notify you when that is released.

Remember that you are loved and always welcome here! Take care!