Page 2

Donna appears with Arthur Daly – February 1918

The New York Clipper for February 13, 1918 reported

JEROME SONGS IN VAUDEVILLE

Montran and Daly, who are now appearing on the United time, are featuring a number of the songs from the William Jerome catalogue. The best are “The Irish Will Be There,” “When It’s Cotton Pickin’ Time In Alabam’,” “When You Were The World To Me,” and “When the Yanks Come Marching Home.” Arthur Daly, the male member of the team is the composer of the first three numbers.

The “United Time” appears to have been a vaudeville circuit that many vaudeville houses were affiliated. I can’t find out anything else about Arthur Daly and his songs don’t seem to have any information associated with them. I have not been successful in determining any specific theaters that they played at.

The association of Donna and Arthur Daly appears to have been very short lived. In January 1918, she was apparently still in Boston and appeared in the January 27^th article, “Play With Dolls To Banish Fatigue?” and by April 10^th, she was forming an act with George Kinnier for the Moss and Loew Circuits.

Update

I added the following to Donna’s experiences.

Feb 13 – Began appearing on the “United Time” with Arthur Daly in New York.

Magdalen Polk Taylor (1890-1970) – Ancestor Sketch

52 Ancestors – Week 2018-35
Bradey-Hingston Project
By Don Taylor

Bradley-Hingston 2018 – Ancestor #5

List of Grandparents

Grandmother: Magdalen Polk Taylor (1890-1970)
1^st Great-grandfather: William S. Taylor, Jr. (1859-____)
2^nd Great-grandfather: William S. Taylor, Sr.

Birth

Magdalen (Madeline in some records) Polk Taylor was born on 31 December 1890. She was the third child of William S. and Maria (Polk) Taylor. She was most likely born in New Jersey, but it is possible she was born in Pennsylvania. Her two older siblings were:

Sister: Dorothy – Born January 1888.
Brother: John – Born Jul 1889.

Childhood

Little is known about her early childhood. The 1900 Census suggests they may have had two residences, one in Philadelphia and one on the New Jersey coast, in Cape May County. She grew up in the upper middle class; her family had a housekeeper/servant throughout her childhood.

Marriage

Magdalen married Arthur Wilson Bradley on 4 April 1910 at the Church of the Transfiguration, Philadelphia, PA, in a ceremony performed by John G Hatton. She was 19-years-old; Arthur was 22.

The couple had three children:

Christian Bradley – born 20 March 1911
Miriam Bradley – born in 1912
David Tasker Polk Bradley – born 10 May 1918.

All three children were born in Philadelphia.

Adulthood

The 1910 Census finds Arthur and Magdalen living with his mother, Emily at 4073 Powelton Ave. That address does not appear to exist today. In the same household are Arthur’s brother, William, Arthur’s aunt Emma, and a 22-year-old immigrant servant girl, Mary E. Rowan.

Sometime before 1915, the couple moved across the Delaware River to Pennsauken Township, New Jersey. The couple moved back to Philadelphia before 1917 and were living on Verree Road when Arthur registered for the draft.

On 27 September 1919 eight-year-old Christian was hit by a truck while playing in the street; he died.

The 1920 Census shows the family, living on Verree Road. Residing with Arthur, Madeline, and the two children (Miriam & David) is a 17-year-old maid from Bohemia named Frances Corbel.

The 1930 Census indicates that Magdalen and Arthur in Warminster, on Davisville Road. Living with them are Mariam and David, now ages 17 and 11.

On 8 March 1937, Arthur and Magdalen divorced. Arthur remarried later that year. Magdalen never remarried.

I’ve been unsuccessful finding Magdalen in the 1940 Census. I thought she was living in the household of Herbert L Fischer. However, I now think that may be another Magdalen Bradley of the same age.

Death & Burial

Magdalen relocated to Arlington, Virginia sometime before she died on 24 November 1970. She lived at 702-N Highland Street. Interestingly enough, that address is now blurred by Google. However, Buck & Associates have a photo of the home on their website.

Magdalen was buried four days later in Plot Abington #2, Lawnview Cemetery, Rockledge, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Further Actions / Follow-up

Further research Magdalen’s life from 1937 until her death.

————– Disclaimer ————–

Sources

Bristol Daily Courier, (Bristol, PA) 09 Mar 1937, · Page 4 – Divorce – Anson W. Bradley Magdalen P. T. Bradley. Com.
“United States Census, 1900,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9NR-RYH : accessed 23 August 2018), William S Tayler Jr., Middle Township Angelsea borough, Wildwood borough, Avalon Borough, Rio Grande Village, Cape May, New Jersey, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 107, sheet 12A, family 308, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,960.
1900 Census, 1900 Census – William S Taylor, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Ward 9, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; Page: 3; Enumeration District: 0159; FHL microfilm: 1241455. https://search.ancestry.com/collections/2442/records/25439613/.
“United States Census, 1910,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2JNFF1 : accessed 12 March 2018), William R Hingston in household of Annie Hingston, Peabody, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 443, sheet 30A, family 479, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 587; FHL microfilm 1,374,600.
“United States Census, 1910,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGC6-VQ1 : accessed 30 May 2018), Emily E Bradley, Philadelphia Ward 24, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 513, sheet 6A, family 122, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1398; FHL microfilm 1,375,411. Accessed 29 May 2018
“United States Census, 1910,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGC6-VQ1 : accessed 30 May 2018), Emily E Bradley, Philadelphia Ward 24, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 513, sheet 6A, family 122, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1398; FHL microfilm 1,375,411. Accessed 29 May 2018
“United States Census, 1920,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFYR-CF8 : accessed 29 May 2018), Arthur W Bradley, Philadelphia Ward 35, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing ED 1238, sheet 1A, line 30, family 7, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1637; FHL microfilm 1,821,637. – Accessed 29 May 2018
“United States Census, 1930,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH88-RV4 : accessed 30 May 2018), Arthur W Bradley, Warminster, Bucks, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 75, sheet 10B, line 82, family 251, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2008; FHL microfilm 2,341,742. Accessed 29 May 2018
The Central News, (Perkasie, PA) 1938-02-17, Page 4 – In the Registers Office – 4th paragraph, Mrs. Magdalene Tasker Polk Bradley – Com.
Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 25 August 2018), memorial page for Magdalen T. Bradley (31 Dec 1890–24 Nov 1970), Find A Grave Memorial no. 182390190, citing Lawnview Cemetery, Rockledge, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA; Maintained by DAO (contributor 47943782).
Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013 – Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records; Reel: 242 Marriage – Arthur Wilson Bradley & Madeline Polk Taylor.

Montrans in the News – Female Help Wanted.

Beauties at City Hall, Boston, 1916, Included Donna MontranMontran Monday
By Don Taylor

My grandmother’s father was John Montran. She used the surname, as a young child and again when she began in show business. The name is uncommon and most of the Montrans I see in the newspapers are her during her vaudeville career. With a constant flow of newly digitized material, I often learn of new articles which contain the Montran name. I pay attention to the finding and try to determine it’s possible relationship to grandma Donna or her father, John Montran. Hopefully, you will find the articles interesting. This week, for Montran Monday I found the following article:

The Philadelphia Inquirer dated March 30, 1916[i]

Philadelphia Inquirer, 30 March 1916, Page 15.

Article transcription:

YOUNG LADY of pleasing personality, Free to travel to advertise magazines, big money and steady position. Inquire Miss Montran, Keystone Circulating Co. 304½ N. Broad St.

How exciting. I know very little about Donna’s life during 1916. In July 1915 she was in Boston and did her biplane stunt and in September she kissed Politicians at a Republican Banquet. It is not again until December 1916 and Donna tries out to be the Miss Boston Beauty for the Preparedness Bazaar that there are any items of her life that I know about.

When my mother was pregnant with me, she traveled from city to city selling magazine subscriptions; could she have gotten the idea of doing that from Donna’s previously working for such a company? If so, it would make sense and be a key bit of information about my mother’s selling magazine subscriptions. I researched the Keystone Circulating Company at length and found many articles about the Philadelphia based company. Only the one article ever mentions “Miss Montran.”

I track 45 different Montran individuals in my database. A look there found that Maude Minnie Winter Montran was probably living in Philadelphia in 1916. In 1910, Maude is living with a family and working as a Christian Science Nurse. By 1920, Maude had moved from Philadelphia to California. Seeing her working as a magazine circulation sales representative in 1916 in Philadelphia is more likely to me that having had Donna move from Boston in 1915 and returning to Boston in 1916.

I learned:

I don’t believe this “Miss Montran” is my Donna Montran. It is much more likely to have been Maude Minnie (Winter) Montran.

ENDNOTES

[1] Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, PA) March 30, 1916, Page 15, Column 5, FEMALE HELP WANTED, 6^th advertisement. Via Genealogy Bank https://www.genealogybank.com/nbshare/AC01130623185737193651535297167

World Beard Day

1 September 2018
by Don Taylor

Today, in recognition of World Beard Day, I’m recognizing some of my ancestral beards. I’ve had a beard most of my life. I didn’t have a beard for the first few years in the Navy, but while Admiral Zumwalt was the Chief of Naval Operations and beards were allowed, I too had one. I grew a full beard again after I got out of the service. I shaved it off for a short time while I ran for City Council in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, but promptly grew it back after I failed to win. My wife has never seen me without a beard except in photos and we’ve been together since 1991. She says shaving it off would be grounds for separation.

My Maternal Side – Mannin & Parsons

My 3^rd great-grandfather, Enoch Mannin had the most amazing chin-curtains ever. I find chin-curtains to be beards without the benefit of not shaving. Chin-curtains require daily shaving of the face. Mustache area, cheeks, and chin are all shaved daily. Only the area under the jawline is left to grow. I find shaving under the jawline and shaving the neck to be the easiest part of shaving, so leaving that natural and shaving the more difficult areas seems odd to me.

Image of Chester Parsons — Chester Parsons

My 4^th great-grandfather, Chester Parsons also had interesting chin-curtains as well. In The History of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Page 437, a drawing of Chester Parsons shows his chin-curtains were gray in the center under his chin and dark on the sides.

My Paternal Side –

Although he was clearly a working man, my 2^nd great-grandfather, Samuel Vaden Scott, had a nice, well-groomed beard (at least when the photo was taken).

Photo of William Hunter Scott — William Hunter Scott

His father, my 3^rd great-grandfather, William Hunter Scott had a full beard. The photo I have of him shows a beard much like mine was several years ago – white on the sides with salt & pepper on the chin and mustache. He had an interesting face.

Others

Although not related directly to me Henry Conn, Sr., the 3^rd great-grandfather of my nephews Mike & Luke, had wild hair, a full beard, and a twisted bar mustache. He was an Oregon pioneer.

———-

Some years ago, I worked for a military organization as a civilian. Some of the leadership there were active duty officers. When one of the majors came on board and was introduced to the employees. When he was introduced to me the first words he had for me weren’t, “Hello, nice to meet you” or anything similar. Rather his first words were, “When are you going to get a shave and a haircut?” A couple weeks later, I was in the cafeteria with a couple other bearded employees. I saw that Major A. was coming over to our table. Upon his arrival, I segued the conversation to beards. I asked the table if they knew how shaving became popular in Western Culture. When no one knew the answer, I said it came from “the Greeks, some of whom wanted to keep their boyish appearance for their men lovers.” Major A. never again suggested I shave.

Today, on World Beard Day, I remember all my ancestors who had beards.

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Double Census Enumeration – William Taylor & Family

Bradley-Hingston Project

By Don Taylor

Certainly, I’ve looked for individuals in the various census records and have been unable to find them anywhere and I believed they were missed in the Census. Also, I’ve heard that occasionally individuals are counted twice and have seen where a young man left home and was enumerated in one place while he was also enumerated with his parents. But, until now, I had never encountered a case where a family was enumerated twice.

I was surprised to see the inconsistencies between the two census entries, something that reminds me that Census records are often incorrect.

William S. Taylor, Jr. his wife Marie, and his three children, Dorothy, John, and Madeline, were enumerated in both Cape May, NJ, and in Philadelphia, PA. The Pennsylvania enumeration is odd, as the family was initially identified as “head, wife, & children” and then stricken out and had “Boarder” added instead.

Differences in the two entries for the Taylor family in 1900 Censuses.

Name	Philadelphia, PA	Cape May, NJ
Taylor, Wm S Jr	Born Dec 1856	Born Dec 1859
Taylor, Maria P	Born Dec 1865	Born Dec 1864
	Born Pennsylvania	Born Arkansas
	Parents b. TN & LA	Parents b. KY & KY
Taylor, Dorothy	(All the same)	(All the same)
Taylor, John	(All the same)	(All the same)
Taylor, Magdeline	(All the same)	(All the same)
Polk, John W.	(not listed)	Age 80
Rabey, Margarette	Born Mar 1870	Born Mar 1872
	Servant	House Keeper

Comparison of two entries

Philadelphia, ED 159, Sheet 3A, Lines 29-34	Avalon, Cape May, Ed 107, Sheet 12A, Lines 1-7

Besides the family structure, it is the servant, Margarette Rabey. Her presence in both entries proves that this is the same family.

The New Jersey entry also shows, living with the family was a “Boarder” John W. Polk, aged 80. Maria’s maiden name was Polk, so it is likely John W. Polk is related to Maria, possibly her father.

So, from the 1900 Census, there is a three-year window when William was born, a one-year window when Maria was born. The 1910 Census indicated that Magdeline’s mother, Maria, was born in Arkansas, which lends a little more credence to the Cape May entries.

It will be fun to learn definitively when William and Maria were born.