Bertha HATLEE

Bertha Margaret Hatlee

UPDATE - This photo has been claimed by a daughter of Bertha, and is being sent home to Bertha herself!  That's a first for me. This snapshot of Bertha Hatlee was located at an antique shop in Glens Falls, New York.  Since it is an unmatted snapshot, there is no photographer's stamp, so no clues about location, but other photos in the same box were from local area towns.

However, we can make an educated guess on the time period, the age, and therefore the year of birth of the subject. The clothing and hairstyle would point to around 1952-1954. Bertha appears to be between 18 and 20 or so.  Best guess on year of birth is 1930-1935.

This may have been a yearbook photo, or taken by a newspaper to announce an engagement. She appears to be wearing an engagement ring or wedding band on her left hand.

The 1940 Census finds a Bertha Hatlee, age 6, born around 1932, living with her family in Clifton Park, New York (a mere 40 miles from where the photo was found.) The household consists of parents William E. (63), Bertha M. (50), children Elmer E. (29), Bertha (8) and a mother in law Mary B. Sweet (72).

Ballston Spa Journal, July 24, 1952

Further research at Ancestry.com reveals that Bertha's father was William Edmund Hatlee (1875-1942) and mother was Bertha M. Sweet (1890-1968). She was later married to Richard Albert Smith, Jr., and according to this insert in the Ballston Spa Journal (at right), the wedding was set for August 3, 1952.

The 1960 edition of the Ballston Spa City Directory shows that Richard and Bertha were living in that town. Richard was employed as a teller at the Adirondack Trust Bank.