Donna Darling Collection – Part 71

Posted on September 3, 2020 by Don Taylor

Stratton Theatre – 14 April 1922.

Treasure Chest Thursday
Vaudeville
Donna Darling
As You Like It

By Don Taylor

For this week’s Treasure Chest Tuesday, I’m looking at two clippings from the Donna Darling Collection relating to the Stratton Theatre.


THEATRES

| WN DAILY TIMES-PRESS, FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 19 |

Stratton Offers Big Program

The acts at the Stratton are all wonderful. To pick the headline act would be quite a task but after one looks at beautiful Donna Darling and her dancing boys he will begin to sit up and take real notice. Her presentation is a miniature musical comedy which might be styled “An Act a Minute.” Murray Walker in his imitation of Pat Rooney was very good. Jack Finney the other boy with Miss Darling proved himself a dancing demon. The Rising Generation might be classed as one of the best child acts on the American stage today. Credit for this splendid offering goes to Miss Maude Daniels who has arranged this very pretty offering and the training of the children. James (Fat) Thompson and Al Petrie appear in a comedy barrage entitled “The Comoufleures.” James Valdare comes along with something new in the line of comedy cycling. Piasno and Bingham in “At the Barber Pole” have a very novelty skit which proves to be a choice bit of amusement. A big time act, “Yachting,” presented by Tom Brown, with Harry Voltaire and Arline Lloyd. This act might be styled as a musical cruise with oceans of melody. Sheehan and Richards present a |

Very bright offering of chatter and song that pleases all.

The big feature photoplay is Pola Negri in “The Last Payment.” The scenes are thrilling and the production as a whole, is massive and superb. Tomorrow’s big feature will be Bebe Daniels in “One Wild Week.”

The second clipping is a reminder to me to double-check and triple-check scans before I return material to its source. In this case the very left edge of the scan was cut off which resulted in losing the first letter (or two) of each line. It is one of the items I wish I could get back and rescan.

 

Seven New Acts at the Stratton

Opening today with an all new Keith Program of seven sterling vaudeville acts the Stratton Theatre will present for the last half of the week and attraction for the local theatergoers that will outdo anything ever before attempted. James Valdare in a comedy cycling novelty, who has just toured Europe with Harry Lander’s famous troupe, opens the program with a whirl of daring deeds on a bicycle. Sheehan and Richards then follow in a bright and snappy offering of chatter and song. The Rising Generation, a sensational juvenile attraction which presents nine of the most talented children on the American Stage. Pisano and Bingham in a choice bit of amusement entitled “At the Barber Pole” Mr. Pisano as an Italian, and Mr. Bingham as an Irishman, and the dialogue of the two is productive of much fun. Miss Donna Darling, musical comedy favorite, and winner of the Madison Square Garden beauty contest assisted by Murray Walker and Jack Finney, her dancing boys, presents an unusually interesting  revue entitles “As You Like It.” James Thompson and Company in a screamingly funny ??ckface comedy brimming over with >>n, will add to your amusement. Tom Brown, of the famous Brown Brown Brothers, send the feature act to close the ???. It is Harry Voltaire and company in “Yachting,” described as a musical cruise with oceans of melody. The act embraces five saxophones a….

Key features:

  • The venue is the Stratton Theatre.
  • The date is the 2nd half of the week that includes April 14th (Apr 13-15)
  • The show is “As You Like It” staring Donna Darling and Murray Walker and Jack Finney.
  • Also on bill
    • James (Fat) Thompson & Al Petrie in “The Comoufleures”
    • James Valdare in a bicycle show
    • Piasno & Bingham in “At the Barber Pole”
    • Rising Generation. (A children’s act)
    • Sheehan & Richards
    • Tom Brown, with Harry Voltaire & Arline Lloyd in “Yachting”
    • Photoplay: Poli Negri in “The Last Payment”
  • Coming attractions include:
    • Bebe Daniels in “One Wild Week.”

Analysis

This first article has a banner that has a paper name and date of “wn Daily Times-Press dated Friday, April 14, 19.”  No year and no city. The good news is that Cinema Treasures indicates there were only two theaters with the name “Stratton” and one of them was in Middletown, New York.[i] Next, the clipping mentions that the photoplay showing was Pola Negri in “The Last Payment.” That movie was released in Germany in 1919.[ii] However, a review of newspaper mentions of the movie indicated that it didn’t come to the United States until the fall of 1921 and was playing through the Spring of 1922.  Additionally, in 1922, April 14th was a Friday, proving the show was in 1922.  The second half of the week would have been April 13, 14, & 15.

Conclusion

I added the following:

April 13-15, 1922 – Middletown, New York – Stratton Theatre – Donna Darling “As You Like It,” with Murray Walker and Jack Finney. – DDC-71.

Sources

[i] Internet: Cinema Treasures – Search for theaters named Stratton in the United States. https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/united-states?q=Stratton&status=all accessed 25 July 2020.

[ii] Internet: IMDB – The Last Payment (1919) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0342674/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 – Accessed 25 July 2020.

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Surname Saturday – White

Posted on August 29, 2020 by Don Taylor

Darling – White
By Don Taylor

Surname Origin – White

Simply, the surname “White” typically comes from a nickname, “the white,” signifying a person with white hair or pale complexion. Typically, it comes from English, Scottish, and Irish ancestors.[i]

Geographical

There are currently about a million people who bear the White surname. That is about 800 thousand in the United States, with about 150 thousand in England. Australia and Canada each have over 50,000 “Whites.”[ii]

In the United States, Texas, California, and Georgia all have move than 50,000 “Whites”.[iii]

Direct White Ancestors

    • 6th Great-Grandmother: Mehitable White (1689-1730)?
    • 7th Great-Grandfather: Thomas White (1665-1743)??
    • 8th Great-Grandfather: Joseph White (1636-1706)???
    • 9th Great-Grandfather: Thomas White (1599-1679)????

(Note: I have not personally researched any of these potential ancestors. I use the “?” above to indicate my confidence in the relationship.)

Certainly, our Whites came to America during the “Great Migration of Puritans from England to New England” (1620–1643). I need to research the individuals to feel right adding historical context to their lives.

Mehitable White Descendants

Mehitable White married Benjamin Darling in 1708.  My records have identified 393 direct-line descendants of Mehitable (and Benjamin).[iv] Fourteen of these descendants I have written about at least sixteen times previously.

  1.  Abner Darling(1747-c.1795)
  2.  Abner Darling (b. 1780-1839)
    – – – – –Abstract & Will of Abner Darling (1780-1839)
    – – – – -48-i – Andrew W. Darling(1805-1864) – Rufus’ Oldest Brother
    – – – – -48-ii – Abner C. Darling(1805-1864) – Rufus’ 2nd Oldest Brother
    – – – – -48-iii – Deidamia Darling (1813-?) – Rufus’ Oldest Sister
    – – – – -48-iv – Rufus Holton Darling – See #24 Above
    – – – – -48-v – Henry W. Darling (1818-1857) – Rufus’ 3nd Oldest Brother
    – – – – -48-vi – ?Sally Ann Darling (c. 1820-) – Rufus’ 2nd Oldest Sister
    – – – – -48-vii – ?Hannah Darling (c. 1825-) – Rufus’ Youngest Sister
    – – – – -48-viii – Franklin C. Darling (c. 1827-) – Rufus’ Youngest Brother
  3.  Rufus Holton Darling (1816-1857)
  4.  Rufus Harry Darling(1857-1917)
    – – – – – Rufus Harry Darling in the News
  5.  Robert Harry Darling(1907-1969)
    100 Years Ago – Robert Harry Darling – (1907-1969)
    – – – – – 6B – Robert’s Sister – Elizabeth Grace Darling – (1906-1987)

Mehitable is currently number 16 in my “To be Researched” plan in the Darling Line Research. However, her son, Ebenezer Darling (1718-1790) is only number five in my Hopefully, I will get to researching him later this year. Certainly, the White ancestors will prove interesting to research. I can’t wait to get to researching them.

AncestryDNA® Thrulines has identified two 7th cousins, one 6th cousin, and a 4th cousin for further investigation.

Endnotes:

[i] Internet:  Ancestry – “White Family History” https://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=White.

[ii] Internet: Forebears – “White Surname Definition” https://forebears.io/surnames/white.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Internet: Don Taylor Genealogy – “Darling: The Ancestors of the Darling & Huber Family Line” http://dontaylorgenealogy.com/blog-page_3/.

Posted in Surname Saturday, Darling-Huber | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Donna Darling Collection – Part 70

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Don Taylor

Two Strand Theaters

Treasure Chest Thursday
Vaudeville
“As You Like It”
“Bathing Beauty Revue”

By Don Taylor

For this week’s Treasure Chest Tuesday, I’m looking at three images from the Donna Darling Collection that relate to the Strand Theater.

MISS DONNA DARLING

Who with her Dancing Boys will be at the Strand first half next week in a dance revue entitled “As You Like It”.

Key features:

  • The venue is the Strand. No Location is provided.
  • Date is not provided.
  • The show is “As You Like It.”

Analysis

Although the cropped image doesn’t include any other clues, the original torn out image mentions “William de Mille” and “__ter the Show” is playing somewhere.  “After the Show” was released in October 1921.[i] So, it appears that the date for the show is probably October or November 1921.

Donna’s “As you Like It” show began in June 1921 and ran until October 1922. Donna played the Strand theater in Ithaca, New York and played the Strand theater in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, in February 1922. This clipping could be from either of those shows, but it is more likely from an earlier show at a here-to-for unknown Strand theater she played in late 1921.

Conclusion

Circa Oct-Nov 1921 – Strand Theater – (Unknown Location) Donna Darling “As You Like It.” DDC-70.

Second Strand Clipping

Mabel Talliaferro at Strand

The most notable engagement of the present season at the Strand is announced by the management for the first half of this week, in presentation of that charming artist of stage and screen, Mabel Talliaferro, who is appearing in person in “Connie,” a playlet of comedy and romance with Daniel Moyles and Edmund Soraghan. Miss Talliaferro has been secured for a limited engagement in vaudeville and has been brought out of New York city for one week, split between the Strand and Proctor’s Grand Theatre, Albany, and will be a headliner at both theatres. Other big-time stars will be secured and as the big-time acts will not take a booking of less than a week, they will be divided between the Strand and Proctor’s Grand in Albany, which theatre has a ninety-nine cent admission.

Another engagement for the first half of next week at the Strand is Donna Montran and her Bathing Beauties in “A Beach Promenade” which is a headliner. This act carries a beautiful setting, stunning costumes, and ten of “California’s selected peaches.”

Other acts on the bill are Fred and Tommy Hayden;”  “The American Englishman,” and Wolfred and Stephens, who are billed as “The Boys That Are Different.” “The Ghost in the Garret,” which is Dorothy Gish’s latest starring vehicle, will be screened. The latest Pathe News completes the bill.

Key features:

  • The venue is the Strand (somewhere near Albany, New York).
  • The date is not provided.
  • The show is “A Beach Promenade.”

Analysis

The Strand Theatre in Albany opened November 19, 1920. “It was billed as “New York State’s Most Beautiful Theatre.”[ii] “The Ghost in the Garret” was released in February 1921.[iii]

Donna’s “A Beach Promenade” show began in July 1920 and ran until March 1921. Donna played at the Clinton Theatre in Albany during September 22-25. So, this appears to be a new venue for this show. HOWEVER –

Strand Ad Clipping

Strand Theatre

Largest and Best Theatre Orchestra in Town  |  Consistently the Best Show in Town.

“When Better Shows Come to Amsterdam, The Strand will Present Them.”  |  Tonight, Tomorrow & Wednesday

Engagement Extraordinary  |  Mabel Taliaferro (herself)  |  Famous Star of Stage and Screen, in  |  “Connie”  | A One Act Playlet of Comedy and Romance.

Fred & Tommy Hayden – The American Englishmen.

Wolfred & Stephens – The Boys That Are Different.

Engagement De Luxe  |  Donna Montran and her  |  California Bathing Beauties  | With Ten of California’s Selected Peaches.

Photoplay—Paramount Presents  |  Dorothy Gish  |  Premier Comedienne of the Screen, in  |  “The Ghost in the Garret.”

Key features:

  • The venue is the Strand, Amsterdam, New York.
  • Date is not provided.
  • The show is “California Bathing Beauties.”

Analysis

This advertisement clipping and the previous “article” were physically on the same page of my grandmother’s scrapbook. They also had the exact same acts, so, my initial thought was they were of the same show. Then I realized that one was for the Strand in Albany and the other was for the Strand in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is a small town about 35 miles northwest of Albany. A review of Amsterdam theatres indicated that “The Lyceum Theatre was operating prior to 1914. By 1931, it had been renamed Strand Theatre and was operated by the Schine Circuit.”[iv] So the question arises, when did the Lyceum change its name to Strand? Anyway, I was really confused.

In 1921, the Amsterdam Theatre, managed by Ed. Clapp was the only theater in Amsterdam, New York, listed in Julius Cahn-Gus Hill theatrical guide.[v]

Research at FultonHistory.Com led to the exact ad and article (from above). It ran on page 6 of the January 31, 1921 issue of the Amsterdam Evening Recorder confirming the date and location of the show.

Conclusion

January 31 – February 2, 1921 – Strand Theater (Amsterdam, NY) – Donna Montran and her “California Bathing Beauties.” DDC-70. (New Venue)

Endnotes & Sources

[i] IMBD After the Show (1921) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0011912/.

[ii] Cinema Treasures – Strand Theatre, 110 N. Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12207 https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/44094.

[iii] IMDB The Ghost in the Garret (1921) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0012214/.

[iv] Cinema Treasures – Strand Theatre, 133 E. Maine Street, Amsterdam, NY 12010. https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/37477.

[v] (1921). The Julius Cahn-Gus Hill theatrical guide and moving picture directory. New York, N.Y.: Julius Cahn-Gus Hill. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924063709764&view=1up&seq=7

 

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John Parsons (Jr. & Sr.) in the Sandisfield Town Records

Posted on August 24, 2020 by Don Taylor

Amanuensis[i] Monday
Brown-Sanford-Parsons
By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.Microfilm, 1728095, microfilmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah at the Town Hall, Sandisfield, Massachusetts provide a treasure of information regarding the various families of Sandisfield. Image 377, (Page 335) provides two entries regarding my Parsons ancestors. Although Family Search provides a great index to the pages, they don’t really come to life until you can look at entries directly and see the patterns of these people’s lives.

Highways, Births, Deaths, Marriages, Town Records, Miscellaneous Records of Sandisfield, Berkshire, Massachusetts[ii]

PAGE 335 – MANLEY – CRANE – SPELMAN – PARSONS – PARSONS – SMITH – KILBORN  – GRANGER – PRATT

[John Parsons, Jr.]

Samuel son to John Parsons Junior & Mary his wife was born 5 April 1789
Polly Daughter to Do [iii] was born 17 January 1792. Orrin son to Do was born 6 March
1794 John son to Do was born 5 May 1796 Charles son to Do was born 1 Dec 1799
PARSONS

PAGE 335 – MANLEY – CRANE – SPELMAN – PARSONS – PARSONS – SMITH – KILBORN  – GRANGER – PRATT

[Lt. John Parsons, Sr.]

Mary Daughter to Lt John Parsons & Hannah his wife was born 28 September 1761.
Hannah Daughter to Lt. John Parsons & Hannah his wife was born 5 May 1763.
John son to Do was born 18 November 1764 Ashbel born  to Do was born 19 April 1766.
Boney Daughter to Do was born 18 Aug 1867 Timothy son to Do was born 1 September 1769.
Frederick son to Do was born 1st May 1771 (Frederick Died 23 August 1777. Simeon son to Do
was born 26 April 1773 Martha Daughter to Do was born 29 Mar 1775 | Hannah wife
to Lt John Parsons Died 26 May 1777 Mercy Daughter to Lt. John Parson & Mary his wife was
born 24 October 1778 Gibson son to Do was born 26 March 1782 Joseph son to Do was born
23 April 1784 | Joseph died 17 September 1786 Frederick son to Do was born 22 July 1786
Sally, Daughter to Do was born 21 August 1788 Sally died 20 January 1793

PARSONS – Lt. John Parsons died March AD 1821 age 84.

Conclusion

These entries provide for the clear understanding of the two John Parsons families,

Children of John Parsons, Jr & Mary his wife

  • Samuel          son                 born 5 April 1789
  • Polly               daughter     born 17 January 1792
  • Orrin               son                born 6 March 1794
  • John               son                 born 5 May 1796
  • Charles          son                born 1 Dec 1799

Children of Lt. John Parsons & Hannah, his wife.

  • Mary               daughter        born 28 September 1761.
  • Hannah          daughter        born 5 May 1763.
  • John               son                     born 18 November 1764
  • Ashbel            son                    born 19 April 1766.
  • Boney             daughter        born 18 Aug 1867
  • Timothy          son                 born 1 September 1769.
  • Frederick       son                  born 1st May 1771               Died 23 August 1777.
  • Simeon           son                  born 26 April 1773
  • Martha           daughter        born 29 Mar 1775

                                    Hannah died 26 May 1777

Children of Lt. John Parsons and Mary, his wife.

  • Mercy             Daughter       born 24 October 1778
  • Gibson           son                   born 26 March 1782
  • Joseph           son                   born 23 April 1784               Died 17 September 1786
  • Frederick       son                 born 22 July 1786
  • Sally               Daughter       born 21 August 1788           Died 20 January 1793

Endnotes

[i] John Newmark started the “Amanuensis Monday” category in 2009 on his Blog,  Transylvanian Dutch  and many bloggers have followed suit using the tag. Google provides the following meaning for amanuensis: “A literary or artistic assistant, in particular one who takes dictation or copies manuscripts.”

[ii] “Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001,” FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29L-DWB6 : 18 February 2020), citing Birth, Sandisfield, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 004267208.

[iii] “Do” is used throughout the original document to signify “Ditto,” In this case “John Parsons Junior and Mary his wife.”

 

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Five Photos – Eight People

Posted on August 21, 2020 by Don Taylor

Photo Friday
By Don Taylor

Very good week for my Photo Identification Project. Five photos, eight people, and all but one identified, and I have her (very common) name.

Rose Anne McLaughlin – Johnson children – Walter Blaisdell – Moody B. Lovell – Edward Rand Sherman

Edward Rand Sherman

The back of the photo says, “Edward Rand Sherman – xmas 1901.”  The photo is by “Jackson Studio, 548½ Congress St, Portland, ME.”

A FamilySearch search quickly found Edward R. Sherman, born 12 February 1899, who lived in Portland, Ward 7, Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, with his parents, John Curtis and Margaret Eva Lena (Taylor) Sherman. At Christmas 1901, Edward would have been nearly 3-years-old, which fits this individual.

There does not appear to be any alternative individuals that fit the criteria of this photo.

Family Search ID: LVDB-R1Y.

Moody B. Lovell

The back of the photo says, “Mr. Moody B. Lovell – Coaticooke, PQ, Canada – Died Jan 1902 @ 14 Carlton St. Portland.”  The photo is by “Montminy & Cie, Quebec.”

Mr. Moody B. Lovell – Coaticooke, PQ, Canada – Died Jan 1902 @ 14 Carlton St. Portland

There was a Moody B Lovell, born 1854 and died 29 January 1902 in Portland, Maine. His parents were Henry and Artemisia (Merriman) Lovell.

There does not appear to be any alternative individuals that fit the criteria of this photo.

Family Search ID: LVBM-ZDK.

This photo was confirmed to be Moody B Lovell by a great-grandson. Moody was a member of the Quebec Legislature. He died at his sister’s home in Portland, ME, at the age of 49. 

Walter Blaisdell

The back of the photo says, “Walter Blaisdell – No. Berwick, Maine.”  There is no studio identified.

There was a Walter Blaisdell who was born 5 November 1890 in Chelsea, MA, but lived in North Berwick during the 1910, 1920 and 1930 Censuses. He married Nelda Naismith on 1 September 1925. It appears that this photo is of that Walter Blaisdell.

There was another Walter Blaisdell who was born 11 May 1879 in New Hampshire and lived in Berwick in 1920. However, all of his information appears that he lived in Berwick and not North Berwick.

Family Search ID: L289-371.

William, Lottie, Lillie, and Carrie Johnson

The back of the photo says, “Wm Huntington, Age 17 – Lottie May, Age 15, – Lillie Richardson, Age 10 – Carrie Ella, Age 12 – June 1900.” Although there is a photographer’s name on the print, I can’t make the name out, however, with close examination I could tell the location was “Augusta, ME.”

Even though I didn’t have a surname for this family group, I was pretty sure I’d be able to identify who they are. A look at FamilySearch was not successful for me. However, Ancestry.Com provides more sophisticated search capabilities. There, I quickly found William H Johnson, son of Richard and Carrie Johnson. William had three sisters, Lottie M., Carrie E., and Lillie R. They Lived in Hollowell, Kennebec County, Maine, which adjoins Augusta. No doubt this is them.

Family Search ID: G71F-1TQ – William Huntington Johnson.
Family Search ID: G71N-WWX – Lottie M. Johnson.
Family Search ID: 9V8Q-MCJ – Carrie E. Johnson.
Family Search ID: G71N-9FJ – Lillie Richardson Johnson.

Rose Anne McLaughlin

The back of the photo says, “Rose Anne McLaughlin.”  The photo is a cabinet card by “H.M. Smith Studio, 478 Congress St., Portland, ME.”

There are at least seven individuals that this photo could be an image of.

Anne 1840 – There was an Anne McLaughlin, born in Ireland in 1840, and lived in Portland, in 1860 with the Henry Illsley family as a servant.

Rosa 1844 – There was a Rosa McLaughlin, born about 1844, and the apparent wife of James McLaughlin who lived in Portland during 1870.

Annie 1850 – There was an Annie McLaughlin who lived in the John McLaughlin in Portland in 1870.

Anna 1854 – There was an Anna McLaughlin, born in Ireland in 1854. In 1880 she was a servant living with the Anna F Jones family in Portland, Maine.

Annie 1863 – There was an Annie McLaughlin, born in Ireland, 1863. In 1880 she was living in Portland, Maine, as a servant in the household of Clarence Cheeney.

Annie 1866 – There was an Annie McLaughlin, apparent daughter of Margaret McLaughlin, living in Portland during 1870.

Annie 1871 – There was an Annie McLaughlin, born in Maine in 1871 and lived in Portland with her parents, William and Jane McLaughlin in 1880.

Because the date is unknow and could have been taken any time between 1870 and 1910, I am unable to determine which of the many individuals this may be.

Final Note

If you are related to any of these individuals, or can help identify Rose Anne McLaughlin, I’d love to hear from you.

– – – – –Disclaimer – – – – –

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