“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 see a new venue for my grandmother’s exciting show business career of the 1910s and 1920s.
This week, from several newspa pers, including the Springfield Evening Union, Springfield Morning Union, The Republican, and the Springfield Daily Republican, dated July 3rd through July 8th, I learned that Donna, Sammy, and Hal Dixon played at Poli’s Palace in Springfield, Massachusetts. I also learned that Donna may have been in a Vitagraph Studios film.[i]
The Springfield Daily Republican 3 July 1927
The former musical comedy and screen player, Donna Darling, offers her own revue with the assistance of Sammy Clark and Hal Dixon. Miss Darling describes her act as “modern vaudeville Frolics,” which is a hodge podge of comedy bits, song numbers and dances.
From the Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts) July 2, 1927, Page 6[ii]:
On Page 7, an ad for Poli’s Palace indicated the Donna Darling Review would be at the Palace on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday).
The July 4th, Springfield Union says,
“Donna Darling, former prima donna of the spectacular production “Chin Chin” and one of the Vitagraph screen stars, is now in vaudeville. Miss Darling believes in being timely and for her present sojourn in the variety field she presents a revue—The Donna Darling Revue, which is described as a dazzling fantasy. Featured in the company are Sammy Clark, a juvenile comedian of repute, and Hal Dixon, known for his excellent dancing ability.”
I find this particularly interesting. I knew Donna was in Birth of a Nation, but I didn’t know she did any films with Vitagraph. I will need to investigate their films and see if I can find Donna in any of them.
Finally, the Springfield Union, dated July 5th, provides a bit more information about the show,
“A bit of satire on European royalty is well done but the quiver dance done by Dixon is deserving of praise.” The Springfield Daily Republican said, “The Donna Darling revue is another feature of the holiday program that was well received. The Royal purple robes of the make-believe king of this offering and his red hair and gorgeous crown filled with sparkling glass jewels were sources of much laughter. Less regal but equally amusing was the eccentric dancer who clogged and spun around gayly in his silk trousers. Donna Darling was attractive in a variety of costumes and pleased the audience with a few songs.”
My thanks to Newspapers.com for providing access to these clippings.
This week, for Photo Friday, I identified the people in five photos from the Linwood Dyer Collection. This collection includes hundreds of photos, documents, and genealogies of people who lived in Scarborough, South Portland, and Cape Elizabeth, Maine. I like analyzing the images and trying to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the picture. The Scarborough Historical Society holds the originals in the Linwood Dyer Photo Collection.
Nurse Inez L. Mills of Belgrade Lakes, circa 1900.
This 5.25 by 7.125 inch cabinet card includes the following information:
Photographer: Hanson Studio – 12 Monument Sqr., Portland, ME
Handwritten on the back: “Miss Mills, nurse.”
Nurse Inez L. Mills, circa 1900.
What I learned while researching this photo:
The 1899, 1903, 1904, & 1905 Portland City Directories list Miss Inez L. Mills as a nurse at 597 Congress. The 1905 Directory indicates she moved to Eastport.
The 1920 US Census lists Miss Inez Mills as a 47-year-old registered nurse, lodging at 684 Congress.
On Wednesday, October 11, 1944, the Biddeford-Saco Journal reported, “Miss Inez Mills, World War Nurse, Dies at Beach.” Miss Mills:
She died Tuesday at a local hospital.
She was a veteran of World War I and was well known in central and southwestern Maine.
In recent years, she resided with her brother Everard H Mills, 78 Union Ave., Old Orchard Beach.
She was born at Belgrade Lakes and is the daughter of Melville and Abbie (Gordon) Mills.
Her internment was to be in the family lot at Belgrade.
Robert McArthur Leland Died at Springfield, Ills. May 16, 1898, at 22 yrs of age.
Robert McArthur Leland of Ottawa, IL, circa 1897.
What I learned while researching this photo:
The 1929 Illinois Roll of Honor lists Robert M Leland as having served in the Spanish-American War.
The Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916, lists Robert M Leland, who died 1898-05-16 in Springfield at the age of 21 years.
The Margaret Dunham Family Tree on Ancestry shows a photo of Robert McArthur Leland (1876-1898) that is a photo of the same young man, a few years younger than in this photo.
Robert McArthur Leland was born on 12 July 1876 to Sherman Edwin Leland and Euphemia Louise Foote.
I gently touched up this photo to remove some foxing and added it to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry.
John McKeen of Scarborough, ME, circa 1951
This is a photo of a boy holding a basketball and wearing a jersey saying “SGS.”
Handwritten on the back: John McKeen.
(SHS Accession #) 2023.02.54.
John McKeen of Scarborough, ME, circa 1951.
What I learned while researching this photo:
The 1950 US Census indicates the home environment of John McKeen.
Ernest H Dyer – Head – age 72
Josephine P Dyer – Wife – age 67
Howard O Dyer – Son – age 49 – an “electrical” in the iron work industry.
Thelma E McKeen – Daughter – age 40
Johan S McKeen – Granddaughter – age 14
John McKeen – Grandson – age 12.
Linwood D Dyer – Grandson – age 24 – a theatrical entertainer.
Photographer: Bryan & Howard – 338 F Main St. – Galesburg, Ill.
Handwritten on the back: To Daisy – In remembrance of joys and sorrows shared at 4923 Washington Ave. Chicago Ill, Augusta M. Larson, July – 1899
Augusta M. Larson, July 1899.
What I learned while researching this photo:
Galesburg is a city about 150 miles southwest of Chicago.
The 1900 US Census lists:
39-year-old (born Jun 1860) Gusta S Larson, Marie L Larson’s daughter, lives in Galesburg.
21-year-old (born Aug 1878) Augusta Larson, the wife of C. M. Larson, lived in nearby Walnut Grove, IL. She had been married for five years. Further research found that Augusta Chestmina Schmidt married Carl (Charles) Magnus Larson in 1895 and lived in Walnut Grove in 1900.
Neither of the Knox County Augustas appear to be candidates for this photo.
The 1900 US Census lists over 30 Augusta/Gusta Larson/Larsens living in Chicago. Many of these could be candidates.
A finding aid for the Howard Van Doren Shaw Buildings in and around Lake Forest indicates that c. 1897, the Morton D. Hull residence at 4923 S. Blackstone Ave was originally 4923 Washington Ave. The 3,300 sq ft, four-bedroom home was built in 1887. My search for people living at 4923 Washington Ave failed to yield Augusta Larson or anyone with the given name of Daisy.
I can not fully identify the individual in this photo without further identifying information. So, I uploaded it to Dead Fred.
J. A. Lord, Jr., July 1914.
The photo identifying information includes:
Handwritten on the front: J.A. Lord Jr., So. Duxbury, July 1914 [maybe L.A. Lord, Jr.].
What I learned while researching this photo:
J.A. Lord Jr. So. Duxbury – July 1914.
South Duxbury is south of Boston on the Massachusetts coast, across Cape Cod Bay from Provincetown.
My search for anyone with the surname Lord living in the South Duxbury area from 1910 to 1920 failed to yield any results with a father & a son (Sr. & Jr.).
I believe this is probably someone who lived away and was vacationing or summering in South Duxbury. Because I failed to the individual in this photo, I only included the photo here and in 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, Dead Fred, or Flickr have higher quality than those here. Feel free to use these photos in your genealogical activities. Please cite “Photo Courtesy of the Scarborough Historical Society.”
This week, for Photo Friday, I identified the ten people in five photos from the Linwood Dyer Collection. This collection includes hundreds of photos, documents, and genealogies of people who lived in Maine and New Hampshire. I analyze the images and try to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image. The originals in this collection are held by the Scarborough Historical Society, Linwood Dyer Photo Collection.
Six Westbrook girls with their bikes, circa 1936.
This photo is of six young girls with their bikes. The photographer is not indicated. Written on the back is a lot of information regarding the photo.
Dorothy Lefebvre – now Leavitt
Grace Pedneault – Curtis
Beulah Smith – Call
Harriet Cutler – Bulger
Edna Hebert – Prescott
Madeline Bartlett – Ward
Maybe 1938 – Biked to W.G.A.N. Building on Warren Ave.
I borrowed Cousin Shirley Fayes bike.
Six Westbrook girls & their bikes, circa 1935.
What I learned while researching this photo:
Maine, U.S., Marriage Index, 1892-1996, lists Dorothy A Lefebvre of Westbrook, ME, married Herbert F Leavitt of Westbrook on 17 May 1941. Ancestry Family Trees suggest she is Maria Dorothy Antoinette Lefebvre, born 22 Feb 1920 in Westbrook to Phillip and Grace (Phaneuf) Lefebvre.
Maine, U.S., Marriage Index, 1892-1996, lists Beulah Smith of Westbrook, ME, married John I Call of Rockport on 22 Aug 1942. Ancestry Family Trees suggest she is Beulah Vernon Smith, born on 21 Jan 1918 in Westbrook to Jens Hanson and Annia Matthis (Thompson) Smith.
Maine, U.S., Birth Records, 1715-1922, lists Harriet Elwell Cutler who was born to Clifford & Maude (Court?) Cutler in Westbrook, ME, on 31 Aug 1919. Family Search suggests this is Harriet Elwell Cutter [sic], daughter of Benjamin Clifford and Maud Helen (Court) Cutter. She married Chester N Bulger on 4 Feb 1943.
Maine, U.S., Birth Records, 1715-1922, lists Marie Edna Alice Hebert, born 20 Oct 1919 [sic – 23 Oct] in Westbrook, ME, to Henry and Baulie Hebert. Ancestry Family Trees indicate she married Thornton George Prescott on 19 April 1941. Her mother’s name was Basélice Legère.
Maine, U.S., Birth Records, 1715-1922, lists Emma Madeline Bartlett, born 11 Jan 1918 in Westbrook to Willis and Mary Bartlett. Family Search Family Tree suggests this is Madeline, Bartlett (1918-1992), the daughter of Willis Akers & Mary Emma (Wilkins) Bartlett. My quick look at Madeline’s records yielded no marriages.
My estimate of the girls in the photo suggests they are 13-15 years old, indicating the photo was probably taken about 1935 rather than 1938.
WGAN is a radio station in Portland, Maine. Its transmitter is located on Warren Ave.[i]
Eugenia La Folley, age 33, appears in the 1900 US Census, living at 46 Commercial Street, Rockport, Knox County, Maine. She had been married for 9 years and had 1 child, Theodore B La Folley, age 8. Her husband does not appear to be in the household.
In 1922, 54-year-old Eugenie La Folley, of Rockport married George W Hyler. Her parents were identified as Robert C Thorndike and Johanna Annis.
Ancestry Trees suggest this is Eugenia Linda (Thorndike) La Folley, daughter of Robert Corthell and Joanna Caroline (Annis) La Folley. She was born on 12 Apr 1866 in Rockport, Knox County, Maine.
This is a “Christmas Card” recognizing the 12th anniversary of his business.
Printed on the inside is:
J. S. Loud, Proprietor, Enterprise Grocery, Rochester, N.H., Dec 19, 1903.
What I learned while researching this photo:
The 1900 US Census lists John S. Loud, as a Grocer living in Rochester, Strafford County, New Hampshire. He is 43 years old, born Jan 1857. He is married to Ida M Loud.
Ancestry Family Trees suggest he was born on 22 Jan 1857, the son of John Lowd and Olive H (Atkinson) Lowd.
Ancestry Family Trees indicates he is the son of Michel P. and Jessie (Newcomb) Losier and is found in 8 public trees. He married Marion Louis Kells in 1929.
This photo is of a woman in her late 20s or early 30s with glasses with a hairstyle from the early 1900s. Likewise, the photo is mounted in a style used in the early 1900s. Handwritten on the back:
Edith H Lane, circa 1905.
Edith H Lane.
What I learned while researching this photo:
A search for Edith Lane in Maine resulted in three candidates from the 1900 US Census.
Edith H Lane was born June 1871 in Maine and living in Brownfield, Oxford County
Edith Lane Thompson was born in 1867 in Maine but living in Melrose, Mass.
Edith Lane was born in 1890 in Maine and living in Warwick, Rhode Island.
I am confident this is a photo of Edith H Lane, daughter of Simeon Pease Land and Mary A Stone. She married Frederick William Jameson in 1914.
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 Family Search have higher quality than those here. Feel free to use these photos in your genealogical activities. Please cite “Photo courtesy Scarborough Historical Society.”
Source: The Bryan Press (Bryan, Ohio), dated June 18, 1925.
This week from the Bryan Press (Bryan, Ohio), dated June 18, 1925, I learned that “Donna Darling and her Bathing Girl Revue” played at the Temple Theatre in Bryan, Ohio, on June 18th & 19th.
“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 find a new venue for my grandmother’s exciting show business career of the 1910s and 1920s.
This week, for Photo Friday, I identified twelve people from the Lefebvre family from the Linwood Dyer Collection. This collection includes hundreds of photos, documents, and genealogies of people who lived in Scarborough, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, & Westbrook, Maine. I desire to analyze the images and reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image. The originals in this collection are held by the Scarborough Historical Society, Linwood Dyer Photo Collection.
The Joseph Lefebvre Family of Westbrook, ME, 1908 or 9.
The photo identifying information includes:
Handwritten on the back:
Aunt Mary Lefebvre’s family about 1908 or 9.
La Famille de Joseph Lefebvre family.
Joe, Rose, Joseph Mina | Philippe, Eugineie, Napoleon.
There is an address label: Grace P Curtis, 28 Deer Hill Ave., Westbrook ME 04092.
The Lefebvre Family of Westbrook, ME, circa 1908.
What I learned while researching this photo:
A search of the 1900 US Census found Joseph Lefebvre (age 40) and his wife Marie (age 31) living in Stroudwater, Portland, Cumberland County, Maine.
Living with them are:
Lanara Lefebvre – his 75-year-old mother.
Joseph H Lefebvre – his 14-year-old son.
Rose F Lefebvre – his 12-year-old daughter
Mina A Lefebvre – his 10-year-old daughter.
Napoleon Lefebvre – his 9-year-old son.
Armenigille Lefebvre – his 6-year-old son.
Phillip Lefebvre – his 5-year-old son.
Eugenie Lefebvre – his 2-year-old daughter.
Armdari Lefebvre – his 1-year-old son.
The 1910 US Census lists the Joseph Lefebvre family living in Westbrook, Maine, and with him is his wife Mary.
I also note that:
Mina is named Minnie in this census.
Armenigille is named Michael in this census.
Eugenie is named Jinnie in this census
Armdari is named Harmiedes in this census.
There are three more children listed.
Lucy, age 10.
Dewey, age 7.
Charles, age 2.
This photo, taken about 1908, shows the entire family as it would be seen about 1908.
Photographer: Snapshot – Photographer Not Identified.
Handwritten on the back: Edwin Haselton
At first glance, the photo appears to be a square 3.25” photo, however, a closer look shows it was once taller and some portion of the top was cut off.
What I learned while researching this photo:
Edwin Haselton
An Ancestry Search for Edwin Haselton (Exact and Similar) in Maine resulted in six candidates.
Silas Joseph Edwin Hazelton (1862-1943) – Possible.
James Edwin Hazeltine (1846-1849) – Not a candidate.
Edwin E Haseltine (1847-1917) – Not a candidate.
Edward A Haseltine (1889-1933) – Possible.
James Edwin Haseltine (1833-1921) – Not a candidate
Warren Edwin Haseltine (1867-1955) – Possible.
An Ancestry Search for Edwin Haselton (Exact) in the USA resulted in 13 candidates.
John Edwin Hall Haselton (1930-199) Illinois & Tennessee)
Edwin Myron Haselton (1887-1948) Vermont.
Vernon Edwin Haselton (1923-2014) California.
William Edwin Haselton (1910-1996) Pennsylvania & Missouri.
Edwin Haselton (1873-___) New York (in two trees).
Charles O Edwin “Charley” Haselton (1861-____) Vermont.
Edwin Haselton (1851-___) (Loc. Unknown).
Charles Edward Haselton (1862-1934) Quebec, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York.
Edwin Haselton (1841-___) New York.
Edwin Walter Haselton (1861-1955) New Hampshire, Vermont.
Albert Edwin Haselton (1883-1951) England.
Edwin Joseph Haselton (1908-___) Loc. Unknown.
Edwin Charles Haselton 1898-1918) England, France.
There are so many possible candidates that without additional information I can’t make an identification.
I have not identified the individual in this photo sufficiently to upload to either my family tree or to Dead Fred, so I only included the individual’s photo here and to 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, Dead Fred, 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.”
