Donna in Glens Falls, NY, at the Empire Theatre – June 5-7, 1922

Posted on November 24, 2024 by Don Taylor

Vaudeville
Donna Darling & Co.
Empire Theatre, Glens Falls, NY
By Don Taylor

Donna Darling & Company had finished a series of shows at several F.F. Proctor’s theatres in New York City (23rd Street, 125th Street, & 58 Street) before heading north to Glens Falls, New York, where they played at the Empire Theatre.

Ad showing Donna Darling & Company playing at the Empire Theatre, Glens Falls, NY on June 7, 1922.

Ad – Glens Falls Post-Star – June 7, 1922, Page 7

The Glens Falls Post-Star newspaper of Saturday, June 3, 1922, reported that “Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday” was another “Great Vaudeville Show.” The feature picture was Dan Scully’s Greatest Stage Success, “THE PARISH PRIEST,” starring William Desmond. Vaudeville included:

  • Hughie Flynn and Miller & Rock in “Something Irish.”
  • Donna Darling and Boys in a musical, dancing and singing skit;
  • Bell Sisters in singing and pianologue;
  • Leonard, Gardner and Green in comedy, singing and talking.

A June 7th article, on page 7, mentions that “Donna Darling and Boys head the bill,” as Donna always wanted to be the headline of the shows she starred in.

After the show, Donna left for Detroit, where her tonsils were taken out, and then she took a vacation until July.

Empire Theatre

Postcard of the Empire Theatre & Hotel Ruliff, Glens Falls, NY.

Postcard: Empire Theatre & Hotel Ruliff.

I was lucky to find a postcard of the “Hotel Ruliff and Empire Theatre, Glens Falls, NY.” Although the theatre was distant in the photo, I later learned that there was an underground passage between the hotel and the theatre[i].

The Empire Theatre opened on October 6, 1899, and closed in 1950, when it was converted to offices[ii].

Specifications for the Empire Theatre[iii]

The population of Glens Falls in 1922 was 16,638.
Seating Capacity: 1,200.
Manager: John A. Fitzgerald.

  • Stage: 70 ft wide, 34 ft Deep, 65 ft high
  • Newspapers: “Post-Star” (M) and “Times” (E).
  • Hotels: Rockwell, Ruliff, Madden, Peabody, Fitzgerald, & Globe.
  • Railroad: D&H (Delaware and Hudson Company[iv]).

Empire Theatre Today

Photo of the Empire Theatre building & Hotel Ruliff today.

The Empire Theatre & Hotel Ruliff today.

Photo of The Empire Theatre building today.

The Empire Theatre building today.

Endnotes

[i] Cinema Treasures, Empire Theatre, 11 South Street, Glans Falls, NY 12801. https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/16857
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Julius Cahn—Gus Hill Theatrical Guide and Moving Picture Supplement, 1921 Edition, Page 61, Glens Falls.
[iv] Wikipedia – Delaware and Hudson Railway.

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Photo Friday – Hinkley (later Black)

Posted on November 22, 2024 by Don Taylor

Linwood Dyer Collection – Part 041
 Hinkley Family Photographs (2024.13.43)
Portland, Maine, Newark, Ohio
By Don Taylor

This photo album is from the Linwood D Dyer Photo Collection and is in very rough condition. Because most images are glued in place, I cannot access the photo backs. The collection includes hundreds of images, documents, and genealogies of people who lived in Portland, Scarborough, South Portland, and Cape Elizabeth, Maine. My goal is to reunite the images with family members who may have never seen the pictures before. The Scarborough Historical Society holds the originals in the Linwood Dyer Photo Collection.[i]

Marion Hinkley, 1868 thru 1904.

Hinkley Family Album, Pages 8 & 9.

This 4¼ x 6½ cabinet card of a young has the studio name, “Holland Roberts, 10 Temple Place, Boston,” on the bottom in cursive and written on the back of the card; it adds the year 1887. Handwritten on the back is “Marion Hinkley, while studying in [not legible, begins with an A] Academy.” Another of the photos of this person includes “Marion 1868-.”

What I learned while researching this photo:

  • My previous research found Marion Hinkley, born in 1868 to Rufus and Frances (Prindle) Hinkley.

I am confident this is a photo of Marion after 1887. On the following two pages of the “Hinkley Family Album are six additional photos of Marion.

One photo is dated Nov 1904; another includes another young girl, “Helen,” dated 1896. There is no other identification for “Helen.”

  • Marion has a sister, Helen; however, Helen is about 17 years younger than Marion and the girl in the photo doesn’t appear to be that much younger than Marion, so I don’t believe it is her. I will keep an eye out for other photos of Helen.

I added the two best photos of Marion to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry. The other five photos I’ve added to my Flickr Photostream.

Alice Hinkley (later Black), 1889 & 1895.

Hinkley Family Album, Pages 8-10.

The following three pages of the album include seven photos of a young woman. There is no identification on the three pages about who it is. Four pictures of her in a wedding dress are dated “1895.” The following page (11) shows the house of F.M. Black, the photo of a man (unlabeled), and a young girl, Olive.

Alice Hinkley was born on 10 June 1869 in Portland, Maine. She married Frederic Morton Black on 2 July 1885 in Portland, Maine. Frederic was from Newark, Licking County, Ohio. After their marriage, they moved to Newark. She lived in Newark during the 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 Censuses. Frederick died in 1947. She appears in the 1950 US Census living with her brother, Philip, and sister, Helen, in Portland. Alice died on 17 March 1953 in Portland, Maine. A death announcement for Alice indicated she was a former resident of Hudson Ave, Newark, Ohio, and returned to her former home in Portland.

Although not identified in the album, I am sure these are photos of Alice. I added three of the images of her to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry. I uploaded the remaining to my Flicker Photostream.

Hinkley Family Album, Page 11.

The last page in this set, page 11, includes four photos.

  1. A photo of a house with two labels, “F.M. Black’s” and “Newark, Ohio, Sept 1909.”
  2. A photo of a young girl with the label “Olive.”
  3. A photo of a man in his 50s or 60s, with no label.
  4. A photo of a man and two women with a label, “Fred Eleanor.

What I learned while researching this photo:

  • My review of the 1910 US Census for Newark, Ohio, found Frederick and Alice living at 525 Hudson Ave., Newark, Ohio. Google Maps shows the same house at 525 Hudson Ave. today. Zillow indicates the house was built in 1900.
  • A 17-year-old Olive Black lived in Newark, Ohio, during the 1910 Census. However, her parents were J.A. and Ella, who lived at 321 Woods Ave.

I am confident this photo is of the Black’s home, 525 Hudson Ave. Newark, Ohio, in 1909.

Without a label or other photos of the man, I cannot hope to identify him. Also, I cannot identify “Olive,” but I hope to identify her later.

Conclusion

I would love to hear your reaction if any of these photos are of your family member. Especially if this photo is of a loved one for whom you hadn’t seen this photograph before.

Due to software limitations, the images uploaded to Ancestry or Flickr have higher quality than those linked here. Feel free to use these photos in your genealogical activities. Please cite “Photo Courtesy: Scarborough Historical Society.”

Endnotes

[i] Scarborough Historical Society Accession number: 2024.13.43.

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The California Bathing Beauties at the Pastime Theatre, Union Hill, NJ, Nov 15-17, 1920.

Posted on November 15, 2024 by Don Taylor

Donna in the News
104 Years Ago
by Don Taylor

“Donna in the News” reports newly found newspaper articles and advertisements regarding my grandmother, Madonna Montran (aka Donna Montran and Donna Darling). I am always excited when I discover a new venue for my grandmother’s exciting show business career of the 1910s and 1920s. 

This week from the Hudson Observer (Hoboken, NJ), dated November 15, 1920, I learned that Donna’s California Bathing Beauties played at the Pastime Theatre, Fourth St., Union Hill.

Ad for The California Bathing Beauties playing at the Pastime Theater in November 1920.

PASTIME THEATRE
Fourth St – Union Hill

3 Days — Only
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
The Surprise of the Season
The California Bathing Beauties
10—Beautiful Girls in Person—10
In “A Beach Promenade”
This Galaxy of Girls Played at the Broadway Theatre, New York,
for Twenty Consecutive Weeks.

Because of those newly available online articles, I was able to add another venue for Donna’s exciting vaudeville career.

New information added to her career list:

November 15-17, 1920 – Union Hill, NJ – Pastime Theatre – “A Beach Promenade.”

Endnotes

My thanks to Newspapers.com for providing access to this clipping.

Social Posting:  104 years ago, The California Bathing Beauties, which included my grandmother, “Donna Darling,” was in the news for being at the Pastime Theatre in Union Hill, NH. #Genealogy #Vaudeville #InTheNews #A-Beach-Prominade

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The Inquest of James Cooper Lamb – April 1898

Posted on November 13, 2024 by Don Taylor

I have long known the 3rd great-uncle James Cooper Lamb died on 20 April 1898, and that he was a Royal Dublin Fusilier. “Carol in Australia” was kind enough to share a newspaper clipping regarding the inquest of Sargeant Lamb. Through the clipping, I learned that he drowned. Besides learning that he was “a steady, well-conducted man,” I also learned he was a widower. I had no record of his marriage. Definitely, an area for further research.

Transcript of the newspaper clipping:

A COLOUR SERGEANT FOUND DROWNED

One the 21st inst., Dr. P. L. O’Neill, Coroner for South Kildare, held an inquest at Pollardstown, County Kildare, on the body of James C. Lamb, a Colour Sargeant of the 4th Batt. Royal Dublin Fusiliers, who was found drowned on the previous day in a stream in the vicinity which supplies the Grand Canal. [The] deceased had been missing from the 18th inst. The evidence given at the inquiry did not tend to elucidate the circumstances which led to the unfortunate man’s death, but it was made clear that there was nothing like foul play or violence connected with it. A servant in the employment of Mr. John Hooney, Pollardstown, deposed to seeing a man in uniform of a soldier walking about Mr. Hooney’s land close to the river on the previous day. His arms were held across his chest and his head down. This was about noon, and in an hour afterwards she saw him in the same position. James Murphey, on his way to the Curragh races also saw a man standing by the river, and on his return in the evening with two other men, he found the body of [the] deceased lying face downwards in the river. A Colour Sergeant named Timothy Murphy, of the same corps as deceased, deposed that Lamb had 17 years service and was a steady, well conducted man. His age was about 38, and he was a widower. Colour Sergeant Morris gave evidence to the same effect. Deceased was in his usual health and spirits on the 18th when witness last saw him. He held the position of pay sergeant of his company, and Morris by order of the adjutant checked his account and found them not alone correct, but he had a surplus of cash on hand.  Dr. Power, Kildare, proved that there were no marks of violence whatever on the body. The jury returned a verdict of death from drowning.

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Photo Friday – Hinkley, Prindle, (née Welch).

Posted on November 8, 2024 by Don Taylor

Linwood Dyer Collection – Part 040
Hinkley Family Photographs (2024.13.43)
Gorham, Portland, & Standish, Maine; New York
By Don Taylor

photo of the cover of the Hinkley Photographs Album.

This photo album is from the Linwood D Dyer Photo Collection and is in very rough condition. Because most images are glued in place, I cannot access the photo backs. My initial look suggests this photo album highlights the Hinkley family. The collection includes hundreds of images, documents, and genealogies of people who lived in Portland, Scarborough, South Portland, and Cape Elizabeth, Maine. My goal is to reunite the images with family members who may have never seen the pictures before. The Scarborough Historical Society holds the originals in the Linwood Dyer Photo Collection.[i]

Rufus Henry Hinkley (1830-1900).

Photo of Rufus H Hinkley

The second photo in the album is labeled “Rufus H Hinkley” with a comment below of “1830-1900.” (I’ll get to the first photo below.)

What I learned while researching this photo:

  • FamilySearch has a profile M63J-84P for Rufus Henry Hinkley, born on 12 October 1830 in Gorham, Maine, and died on 5 March 1900.
    • Rufus’ parents were Stephen Hinkley, Jr. (1799-1867) and Sophronia Shedd (1805-1890). He was the oldest of seven children.
      • Mary Cass Hinkley (1833-1903)
      • Susan S. Hinkley (1835-1911)
      • Stephen Hinkley III (1838-1898)
      • William H. Hinkley (1840-1842)
      • Charles K. Hinkley (1843-1924)
      • John Adams Hinkley (1848-1915)
    • Rufus married Frances Elizabeth Prindle on 5 May 1867 in Portland, Maine. They had ten children.
      • Helen Hartwell Hinkley (1855-___)
      • Marion Hinkley (1868-1935)
      • Alice Hinkley (1869-1953)
      • Margaret Prindle Hinkley (1871-1940)
      • Eleanor Tisdale Hinkley (1871-1943)
      • Rufus Henry Hinkley, Jr. (1873-___)
      • Frances Elizabeth Prindle Hinkley (1879-1972)
      • Florence Hinkley (1879-1972)
      • Philip Edward Hinkley (1881-___)
      • Helen Hartwell Hinkley (1885-___)
Photo of Rufus Henry Hinkley.

I added this photo to Rufus Henry Hinkley’s memories on FamilySearch and my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry.

The fourth page includes six photos labeled Rufus Henry Hinkley and Rufus H. Hinkley (1830-1900) and is clearly of the same man as the second page. I added these two photos to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry. The additional pictures on this page are on my Flicker Photostream.

Frances Elizabeth (Prindle) Hinkley (1843-1908).

Photo of Frances Elizabeth (Prindle) Hinkley.
Frances Elizabeth (Prindle) Hinkley (1843-1908).

The fifth and sixth pages of the album are identified as “Frances E Hinkley” and include six photos of the same woman. One image has a small “1907” on the bottom. Frances was 64 years old and must be the woman on the right of the photo. The woman on the left is unidentified.

What I learned while researching this photo:

  • ·      Frances was the wife of Rufus Henry Hinkley and was born Frances Elizabeth Prindle.
  • ·      FamilySearch has profile M63J-8HN for Frances Elizabeth Prindle Hinkley. She was born on 15 August 1843 in New York. She died on 25 December 1908 and was buried in Portland, Maine.
A second photo of Frances Elizabeth (Pringle) Hinkley.

I added two photos of her to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry. I also included both pages from the album in my Flickr Photostream.

 

Eunice (Welch) Prindle (1810-1895).

Photo of Eunice(Welch) Prindle.
Eunice (Welch) Prindle
(1810-1895).

The third page of the album consists of six photos. Four are of a woman, and two are of a man. Two of the woman’s photos are large (4 x 2.75″), and two are thumbnails (1 x 1.25″). The woman is identified as the “Mother of James Edward Prindle – Eunice W. – 1895.”

What I learned while researching this photo:

Photo of Eunice Welch Prindle
  • As I noted above, Rufus Henry Hinkley married Frances Elizabeth Prindle. Her parents were James L. and Eunice (Welch) Prindle.
  • FamilySearch has a profile LV6Y-FYM for Eunice Welch Prindle. She was born on 26 March 1810 in New York and died on 3 October 1895 in Cumberland County, Maine.
    • Eunice married James L. Prindle, and they had four children:
      • James Edward Prindle (1829-1903)
      • Edgar I Prindle (1831-___)
      • E. L. Prindle (1833-___)
      • Frances Elizabeth Prindle (1843-1908)
    • Eunice’s husband, James, died in 1851. She moved from New York to Portland, Maine, between 1855 and 1860.
    • Eunice’s parents were Elisha Welch (1772-1859) and Sarah Station (1771-1843)

I added the two larger photos to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry and to her FamilySearch profile. The two thumbnail photos are available on my Flickr Photostream.

Stephen Hinkley, (1799-1867)

Photo of Stephen Hinkley.
Stephen Hinkley, (1799-1867)

The first photo in this album is unlabeled. However, the same image appears on page three in a smaller form. That page identifies the person as Stephen and gives a death date as 1867. Rufus Henry Hinkley’s father was Stephen Hinkley, Jr. (1799-1867).

Stephen was born on 5 May 1799 in Standish, Maine, and died on 19 April 1867 in Gorham, Maine. I am confident this photo is of him.

I added this photo to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry and to his FamilySearch profile L29B-GQQ. Another (thumbnail) photo of Stephen is available on my Flickr Photostream.

 Conclusion

I would love to hear your reaction if any of these photos are of your family member. Especially if this photo is of a loved one for whom you hadn’t seen this photograph before.

Due to software limitations, the images uploaded to Ancestry and Flickr have higher quality than uploaded here. Feel free to use these photos in your genealogical activities. Please cite “Photo Courtesy: Scarborough Historical Society.”

 Endnotes

[i] Scarborough Historical Society Accession number: 2024.13.43.

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