Frank Devereaux Fenderson, Lawyer, of Parsonsfield, Maine, Circa 1899

This photograph, labelled "Frank D. Fenderson" on the reverse, was found at a local antique store a few years ago. I've been meaning to look into the history of Mr. Fenderson for some time now, but put the photo aside because the cabinet card did not include a location. And, with a photographer named "Smith," I thought it would be a much more time-consuming endeavour to come up with a location since the back of the photo is blank, except for Mr. Fenderson's name.

I needn't have worried. The cluster of initials in the middle portion of the photographer's imprint helped with studio identification. C. R. Smith was a photographer located in Sanford, Maine. I managed to find a grouping of photographs from his studio online, which carried the identical photographer's imprint. I also learned that this studio opened around 1896 and operated to about 1900.

I am fairly confident this is an image of Frank Devereaux Fenderson, a resident of Parsonsfield, Maine, who was a member of the 1st graduating class of the University of Maine Law School in 1899. This image may date to his graduation year. Fenderson was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, which means there is a wealth of information out there about his lineage. He later became Judge of Probate for the York County Maine Probate Court. Frank Fenderson died 10 January 1949 in Cornish, Maine at 70 years of age.

UPDATE August 3, 2023: Frank Fenderson's photograph has been reunited with Fenderson Farm in Parsonsfield, Maine. It's heading home!


Sources:

General Alumni Association, University of Maine, "Maine Alumnus, Volume 30, Number 4, January 1949" (1949). University of Maine Alumni Magazines. 141. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/alumni_magazines/141

"Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-65H5-C7?cc=1803978&wc=71R8-F96%3A1029440301%2C1029440701 : 20 May 2014), Vital records 1892-1907 > Farrin-Fides > image 2202 of 4102; multiple sources, Maine.

"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-63J9-QYR?cc=1325221&wc=9BQ1-6TP%3A1030551401%2C1032351301%2C1032452201 : 5 August 2014), Maine > York > ED 247 Parsonsfield town > image 4 of 23; citing NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

http://localhistorymatters.blogspot.com/2019/02/spotlight-on-frank-d-fenderson.html 

"Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGV1-7BRF : 7 August 2019), Frank D. Fenderson, 1949; Burial, Cornish, York, Maine, United States of America, Riverside Cemetery; citing record ID 183864296, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.