Comparing a Photo of the Gleeson House Against the Fire Insurance Map

Here is a photo of the John Gleeson and Margaret Tierney family at their home in Portland, Oregon. They lived in Portland from about 1901 to 1920 when Margaret died. According to records, they lived first at 486 Burnside.[1] Later, they lived at 410 Ross Street.[2] 

The photo is undated. In the photo is John and Margaret with four daughters or perhaps a few granddaughters. In 1910, the following were living in the household of John and Margaret, living at 410 Ross.

• Elizabeth, daughter, 34
• Helena, daughter, 32
• William, son, 30
• Margaret, daughter, 28
• Frank, son, 26[3]

These daughters were single. John and Margaret had two daughters who were married. Mary Martha lived in Los Angeles and Anna lived in Anaconda, Montana.

By 1912, two of Anna’s daughters, Loretto and Ethel, lived with John and Margaret after Anna died. They, too, were living at 410 Ross.[4] The dark-haired girls could be Loretto and Ethel. Another of the girls was likely Margaret, as she lived with her parents and taught school at Shaver School.[5]

Sanborn Map
Since I have a photo of the house, I thought I would check the Sanborn fire insurance maps to see if the outline of the house fits the outline of the house on the map.

For the house on Burnside, here is the map.[6]

The shape of this house, if it is 486 Burnside, doesn’t match the shape of the house in the photo, plus it is constructed of masonry.

For the house on Ross, here is the map.[7]

This house outline more closely matches the house in the photo, and the family lived here longer than on Burnside.

Here is another photo of the family taken at the side of the house and we can see the bay window to the right of the group. This is the house at 410 Ross.

The back of the photo identifies the people, from left to right: Ethel Sullivan, Helen Gleeson, Margaret Gleeson, Margaret T. Gleeson, John Gleeson, and Loretto Sullivan. It is claimed to have been taken in 1910 but since the two Sullivan girls are there, it is likely 1912 or later.

Unfortunately, neither address have houses when looking at Google Street View. The areas are now made up of commercial buildings.

#52Ancestors: Favorite Photo

This is my ninth year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/) at Generations Cafe. I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or My Trails into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

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[1] Multnomah County, Oregon, voting record, 1908, Precinct 116, John Gleeson, 486 Burnside, imaged at "Oregon, Multnomah County, Voting Registration Records, 1908-1958," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSN4-S9M4-K : 4 Feb 2026), IGN 103207943, image 6173 of 6592; citing Voting Registration Records, 1908-1920, Multnomah County Archives, Portland.

[2] Multnomah County, Oregon, voting record, 1910, Precinct 116, John Gleeson, 410 Ross, imaged at "Oregon, Multnomah County, Voting Registration Records, 1908-1958," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSN4-39XB-M : 4 Feb 2026), IGN 103207952, image 3372 of 6998; citing Voting Registration Records, 1908-1920, Multnomah County Archives, Portland.

[3] 1910 U.S. census, Multnomah Co, Oregon, Portland, ED 214, sht 6a-b, dwelling 125, family 144, John Gleeson.

[4] RL Polk Co, Portland, Oregon City Directory, 1912, p 1432, Loretta M. Sullivan and Ethel E. Sullivan, imaged, "U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2469/images/15757151 : accessed 4 Feb 2026).

[5] "Teachers Assigned for Coming Year" The Morning Oregonian, 1 Jul 1913, p 11.

[6] Insurance Maps of Portland Oregon Volume 1(Sanborn Map Company, 1909), image no. 287, area 309, showing Ross St, imaged,  Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4294pm.g4294pm_g07439190801/?sp=5&st=image : accessed 4 Feb 2026), image 5 of 97.

[7]  Insurance Maps of Portland Oregon (Sanborn Map Company, 1909), image no. 287, area 309, showing Ross St, imaged,  Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4294pm.g4294pm_g07439190903/?sp=91&st=image : accessed 4 Feb 2026), image 91 of 119. 

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