Don’s Genealogy News – December 29, 2020.

Don’s Genealogy News includes genealogical activities I’m involved with as well as genealogical items that I’ve found interesting and would like to share with my genealaogical friends. I hope you find them interesting.

Scarborough Historical Society

One second after midnight on January 1st, copyrighted works from 1925 will enter the US public domain. One of my favorite Scarborough history books, Grandfather Tales of Scarborough by Augustus F. Moulton, comes out of copyright. I have already digitized it and expect to upload it in the first few days of 2021 to Internet Archives and Digital Maine with links to it from the Scarborough Historical Society webpage.

Scarborough Public Library

Ancestry has extended Library Edition access to Ancestry from home through your local library until March 31st. If you find the cost of an Ancestry subscription prohibitive and US records fit your needs, this is excellent news. To access the Library Edition of Ancestry, go to your public library’s research page, then select “Ancestry Library Edition” (In Scarborough, go to https://www.scarboroughlibrary.org/research.) But the process should work with most libraries in Maine.

Greater Portland Chapter of the Maine Genealogical Society

The GPC-MGS will meet via Zoom at 1 PM on January 2nd, 2021. Members of the chapter should have received the Zoom link. If you did not, please contact me via the comment form below.

Blogs

Fred Moss has an excellent post on the Records Advocate “Closing Death Records is Just Dead Wrong!” Some states have used the “legislative fix” to close death records doesn’t stop identity theft and creates other problems. A good read.

Conferences

New England Regional Genealogical Conference (NERGC) will be virtual this year and will be in April and May 2021. For the latest info, see their E-Zine at https://nergc.org/e-zines/

Services

American Ancestors announced that Volumes 64 through 68, for the years 2016 through 2020, were added to The Mayflower Descendant database. As I learned from Family Search’s “Family Search’s Famous Relatives,” I have several potential Mayflower passenger ancestors. It looks like I might have lots more fun. If you find you have Mayflower Descendants, you might find an American Ancestors (NEHGS) membership worthwhile.

Chin-Chin in the News – 16 November 1919 – Trinidad, CO – Unknown Theatre

Vaudeville/Chin-Chin

My grandmother was a vaudeville star and I am following her career, trying to learn of her many performances. In October 1919, she joined the cast of the Charles Dillingham production of “Chin-Chin” “Chin-Chin” played in the US and Canada until June 1920. I monitor several newspaper services watching for new venues that the show played while she was a cast member.

I recently received a notification from the folks at Elephind that they had added the “Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection to their searchable items. As such, I ran a quick search and had two new findings. The first entry is from the Denver Jewish News dated 5 November 1919. It was an ad for Chin Chin playing at the Broadway Theatre in Denver, a venue I had learned about previously.

The second article found was from the Walsenburg World dated 20 November 1919, Page 5, Column 3, Para 12, which read:

Walsenburg World – Nov 20, 1919 – Page 5, Column 3, Paragraph 12.

“Mr. and Mrs. George Blickhahn, Mr. and Mrs. James Flynn, Mrs. B. Gardner, Aldolph Unfug, Miss Clara Kincaid of La Veta, and Lois Sporleder all spent Sunday in Trinidad seeing ‘Chin Chin.’”

The previous Sunday would have been November 16, 1919. Trinidad is a small town about 40 miles southeast of Walsenburg and about 11 miles north of the New Mexico border.

It appears that the show may have been at West’s Theatre, however, I’ll need to confirm that with additional research. The show played in Denver from the 9^th to the 15^th, went south to Trinidad for the 16^th then returned back north to Pueblo on the 18^th and Colorado Springs on the 19^th.

New Venue Added:

Nov 16, 1919 – Trinidad, Colorado – (Probably) West’s Theatre.

Chester Parsons in the News – Lawsuit Settled & Real Estate for Sale

In the News
By Don Taylor

In the News” is my reporting of discovered newspaper articles and advertising regarding ancestors I am researching. Chester Parsons is a fourth great-grandfather of mine. The information found in newspapers often raises more questions and more research areas, but invariably provide fresh texture to understanding the life of an ancestor.

Chester Parsons’ Lawsuit

This week from The Statemen, (Marshall, Michigan) dated 11 December 1885, Column 4, Paragraph 4.

Circuit court convened Monday afternoon and up to date the following cases have been disposed of: … Chester Parsons vs. Eva E. Jewett, settled; ….

So, we don’t know what their beef was, that will take further research with the circuit court, but it might be interesting to learn.

Chester Parsons’ Real Estate Sale

This week from The Daily Chronicle, (Marshall, Michigan) dated 11 December 1885, Column 4, top item.

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE—State of Michigan, County of Washtenaw—as.

In the matter of the estate of Chester Parsons deceased.

Notice is hereby given, that in pursuance of an order granted to the undersigned administrator of the estate of said Chester Parsons by the Hon. Judge of Probate for the County of Washtenaw, on the twenty eighth day of January A. D. 1888, there will be sold at public vendue to the highest bidder, at the front door of the store building on the premises below described in the city of Marshall, in the county of Calhoun; in said State, on Wednesday the 21^st day of March A. D. 1888, at two o’clock in the afternoon of that day (subject to all encumbrances by mortgage or otherwise existing at the time on the death of said deceased the following described Real Estate, towit:

All that certain piece or parcel of land situated in the city of Marshall, in Calhoun county and State of Michigan, known and described as follows towit: Commencing at a point seventy (70) feet and three inches east from the south west corner of block thirteen (13) according to the recorded plot of said city, running thence north one hundred and twenty two (122) feet to an alley thence west along the north line of State Street to the place of beginning.

Dated, Ann Arbor, January 28, 1888
COMSTOCK F. HILL
Administrator

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map of Marshall, Michigan, Block 13, showing the property described above.

Chester Parsons died in 1887, so his property going into probate sale in 1888 makes complete sense. From this article, I learned that besides the farm out on Clinton Road, Chester owned property in nearby Marshall. Looking at the Sanborn Fire Map from the year indicates that he owned a restaurant.

Today, the (apparent) location is “The Mole Hole” a unique gifts shop.

Follow-up

Who was Eva E. Jewett and what was the lawsuit that Chester and Eva settled?

What was Chester Parsons’ interest in the property in Marshall?

Hiram Vincent in the News

In the News
Howell, Vincent (Vinson)
By Don Taylor

“In the News” is my reporting of newly discovered newspaper articles regarding the ancestors I am researching. The information found in newspapers often raises more questions and more research areas, but invariably suggests new avenues for research plus providing texture to the life of an ancestor.

Hiram Vincent Appointed Guardian

Hiram Vincent is my wife’s 3^rd great-uncle. He is the son Berkett Vincent (c. 1776 – c. 1845) and the brother of John Vincent (1817-bef. 1870), my wife’s 2^nd great-grandfather. This set of four articles show Hiram being appointed and maintaining his guardianship for two of his sons.

Article

From the Bolivar Bulletin (Bolivar, TN) dated Friday, 6 March 1874.

“Synopsis County Court, March Term | 1874.”
Guardians Appointed.

Hiram Vinson Guardian of his children.

It seems strange to me that Hiram would be granted guardianship of HIS children. I wonder if it was a legal thing or if there is more to the story. Certainly, the County Court Records should talk about what may have occurred.

Two years later, the following ran in:

The Bolivar Bulletin (Bolivar, TN) dated Thursday, 13 April 1876.

Guardians Appointed.

Hiram Vinson for J H and T A Vinson.

“J H Vinson” and “T A Vinson” must be Hiram’s two sons, Joseph Hiram Vincent and Thomas Anthony Vincent. In 1876, Joseph, the older of the two, would have been 15 years old and Thomas, 13. Yes, they are minor children, but I would not expect that a formal guardianship by their father would be required. There must be something else causing this. Court records should tell the story.

Two years after that, the following ran in:

The Bolivar Bulletin (Bolivar, TN) dated Thursday, 11 April 1878.

County Court
Synopsis of Proceedings April Term 1878

Hiram Vinson renewed his bond as guardian of his children.

Finally, two years later the following ran:

The Bolivar Bulletin (Bolivar, TN) dated Thursday, 15 April 1880.

Venire July Circuit Court

Hiram Vincent renewed bond as guardian J H and T A Vincent.

Once again, the articles highlight that the surname Vinson and Vincent are used interchangeably. As a note, I use Vincent when speaking of the family line and use Vincent when talking about an individual. I use Vinson when a particular document uses the name. In 1880, the two boys would have been 19 and 17 respectively.

Follow-up:

Determine why Hiram needed to be granted guardianship of his children in 1874. (Get copies of the court documents.)

Endnotes

All “In the New” entries used in this posting came from Newspapers.Com, their Tennessee Newspapers collection.

Donna in the News – Scenic Theatre – Whittier, CA – 30 June 1924

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

From The Whittier News, (Whittier, California) newspaper dated 30 June 1924.

The Whittier News – 28 June 1924

Rare Beauty?

Advertisement for “Donna Darling & Company” headlining at the Scenic Theatre on 30 June 1924.

“Headlining is that rare beauty of the stage world, Miss Donna Darling, the young lady who recently took the beauty prize at the Hippodrome in New York. The lady is appearing in a charming little song and dance revue called ‘As You Like It’, and it is said that the singer wears a wonderfully exquisite gown, containing some 20,000+ pearls. In her support will be Jack Lewis, a comedian and pianist of note. Miss Darling’s clothes are particularly charming creations. She wears a colonial costume of gold cloth in which she sings some old favorites. The settings for this act are gorgeous and most expensive.”

Because of the newly available online article & advertising, I was able to add another venue for Donna’s “As You Like It” tour.

June 30, 1924 – Whittier, CA – Scenic Theatre – Donna Darling and Company presenting “As You Like It.”

Sources

The_Whittier_News_Sat__Jun_28__1924, Page 2, Column 4, “Things Theatrical” via Newspapers.Com.
The_Whittier_News_Mon__Jun_30__1924_, Page 15, Column 1, “Scenic Theatre” via Newspapers.Com.