Photo Friday – White, Whitehead, & Whittemore

Posted on September 16, 2022 by Don Taylor

Ethel Wight Collection – Part 98

By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.This week, for Photo Friday, I identify the people in five more envelopes from the Ethel Wight Studio Collection[i]. The envelopes contain the names who paid for the photos, not necessarily of the individual portrayed in the image. As such, it is vital to analyze the pictures and information to identify the individual therein.[ii] Ultimately, my goal is to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image.

 Laura White, circa 1935

The envelope this negative was in says, “Laura White, 218 Park Ave #735.”

What I found – Surname:

  • Laura White, circa 1935

    The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Laura M White, the wife of Elmer M White, living at 96 Cumberland Ave.

  • The 1933 Portland City Directory lists Mrs. Laura White as a waitress residing at 19 Parris.
  • The 1932 Portland City Directory lists Mrs. Laura White, the wife of Frank White, residing at 101 Danforth, Apt 5. It also lists Laura as the wife of Elmer, living at 185 Cumberland.
  • The 1931 Portland City Directory lists Laura E White, the wife of Frank A White, residing at 11 Casco.
  • The 1930 Portland City Directory lists Laura, wife of Frank, living at 336 Brackett.

Address:

  • The 1935 Portland City Directory indicates that 218 Park Ave was “The Albert Apartments.” There were 12 individuals listed. None named Laura nor non with the White surname.
  • The 1936 Portland City Directory available at Ancestry is missing pages 1201, 1202, and 1203, which would show the residents at 218 Park Ave.
  • The 1937 Portland City Directory lists no one with the name Laura nor the surname White living at 218 Park Ave.

I failed to connect the Laura White in this photo to the address cited. Thus, I can’t determine which of the several Laura Whites who lived in Portland, Maine, during the 1930s this is a photo of. So, I uploaded her photo to Dead Fred. 

Mrs. Charlotte White, daughter of Mrs. Alice J Lamar

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Charlotte White, 278 Veranda St (Mrs. Lamar’s Daughter) #99.”

What I found in my searches for this individual.

Lamar Search

  • Mrs. Charlotte White, daughter of Mrs. Alice J Lamar

    The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Mrs. Alice J Lamar living at 278 Veranda.

  • The 1927 Portland City Directory lists Arthur Lamare and his wife Alice J Lamare living at 278 Veranda.
  • The 1924 Portland City Directory lists Arthur Lamar and his wife, Alice J Lamar, living at 278 Veranda. He was a theatrical manager and Alice was an actress.
  • The 1 May 1928 issue of The Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, FL) reported that “Theater Man Dies – Portland, Maine, April 30,— (ap)—Arthur Lamar, 62, theatrical promoter and business manager for prominent stage artists, and manager of the original Peck’s Bad Boy company, died here Saturday [28 April].
  • The 1930 US Census lists Alice J Lamar and her sister, Charlotte M Lawton, living at 278 Veranda Street Alice is 60 and Charlotte was 54. Both were widows who were born in Massachusetts, while their parents were born in Maine. Alice was a theatrical actress.
  • No Lamar’s are listed in the 1923 Portland Directory.
White – Charlotte, wife of Philip P White.
  • Charlotte M White appears in the 1940 US Census. She is the 59-year-old wife of Philip P White. She is the apparent mother of Donald White (Age 26) [Born c. 1914]. They live at 36 Pleasant. They have another son, Clifford, who doesn’t live in the household. All three were born in Maine and lived in Portland in 1935.
  • Ancestry Trees suggest that Philip Prescott White was born on 5 March 1881 in Portland. He married Charlotte May Murch (1881-1957). They had several children, including Donald and Clifford. Charlotte’s parents were Francis H and Effie M (Cotton) Murch.
White – Charlotte, wife of Harvey A White.
  • Alternately, Charlotte White, the 40-year-old wife of Harvey A White (age 39), appears with her two sons, Robert (14) & Kenneth (11). All were born in Maine.
  • Ancestry Trees suggest that Harvey Allen White married Charlotte Mary Webber in 1936. Charlotte Mary Webber’s parents were Charles and Hannah (Sweeney) Webber.
Lawton – Charlotte, sister of Alice J.
  • The 1927 Portland City Directory indicates that Mrs. Charlotte Lawton moved to Jacksonville. The 1926 Directory is not available. The 1925 Directory does not include a Charlotte.

I have not determined which Charlotte White this is in either Ancestry trees or Family Search. I uploaded her photo to Dead Fred.

Allen White, circa 1934 (age 2)

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Wm White, Son Allan, 81 Morning St. #12.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

  • Allen White, circa 1934 (age 2)

    The 1932 Portland City Directory lists William C and Ruth E White living at 81 Morning. William is president at 18½ Custom House wharf.

  • The 1935 Portland City Directory lists William C and Ruth E White in New London, Connecticut.
  • The 1940 US Census lists William C. and Ruth E White living at Groton, New London, Connecticut. He is a Government worker; living with them is a daughter, Althea (see Ethel Wight Collection – Part 97), and an 8-year-old son, Allen C White.
  • This photo was taken about 1934 when Allen was about two years old.

I am pretty sure this is Allen C. White, son of William C and Ruth E White, about 1934.

I have not found Allen on Family Search or Ancestry Public Trees. However, his parents are in seven Ancestry Public Trees. I uploaded his photo to Dead Fred.

Edward Whittemore, circa 1934 (Age 1).

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. J. C. Whittemore, 32 Fellows St. #149.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

  • Edward Whittemore, circa 1934 (Age 1).

    The 1935 Portland City Directory lists John C and Elizabeth P Whittemore living at 32 Fellows.

  • The 1940 Census lists John C Whittemore, his wife Elizabeth, and five children. Two daughters and three sons. Edward is six years old and would have been about one when this photo was taken in 1934.

I am confident this photo of Edward Payson Whittemore, born on 26 May 1933, was taken about 1934.

Ancestry has nine public trees that refer to Edward Payson Whittemore. Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Edward, so I uploaded his photo to Dead Fred. 

Confirmed to be Edward by a niece.

Mrs. Whitehead’s Grandchildren

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Whitehead’s Grandchildren, Whitney Ave, #510.”

What I looked at:

  • The 1934 Portland City Directory lists Charles W Whitehead & wife Florence M, living at 183 Dartmouth.
  • The 935 Portland City Directory lists Charles & Florence with no change, but a new entry Lorimer E (Harriet E) Whitehead, lived at 89 Newton.
  • The 1936 Portland City Directory list Charles & Florence without change, but Lorimer & Harriet are now at rear 905a Forest Ave.
  • In 1937 Lorimer & Harriet lived at 361 Woodford. Reviewing various Ancestry Family trees suggested that Lorimer was born in 1898 and Harriet was born in 1903. Both would be too young to have had adult grandchildren in 1935.
  • I was unable to associate any Whiteheads with Whitney Ave. Thus unable to identify any of the seven females in this photo.

I have only uploaded the photo of them to my Flickr photostream.

 Conclusion

This is possibly the worst day of identifying photos I’ve encountered. I uploaded four pictures to Dead Fred. Eight unidentified individuals and no uploads to FamilySearch made a bad day.

If these photos are of your family member, I would love to hear your reaction. 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 Family Search, Dead Fred, and Flickr have a higher image quality than the images linked here.

 

For all postings of the Ethel Wight Collection, please see here.

Endnotes

[i] The Wight Studio was in Portland, Maine. Many thanks to Ethel Wight’s family for access to and permission to use the collection of their great aunt.

[ii] These images were converted to positives using a lightbox, a Nikon camera and computer software.

Posted in Ethel Wight Studio, Faces from the Past | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Photo Friday – Watson, Welch, West, & White.

Posted on September 9, 2022 by Don Taylor

Ethel Wight Collection – Part 97

By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.This week, for Photo Friday, I identify the people in five more envelopes from the Ethel Wight Studio Collection[i]. The envelopes contain the names who paid for the photos, not necessarily of the individual portrayed in the image. As such, it is vital to analyze the pictures and information to identify the individual therein.[ii] Ultimately, my goal is to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image.

Myrtle Watson, circa 1935

This negative envelope says, “Miss Myrtle Watson, 74 Winslow St. #405.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

  • Miss Myrtle Watson, Circa 1935

    The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Myrtle L Watson as a clerk at 477 Congress, Room 1109, and residing at 74 Winslow.

  • The 1939 and 1940 Portland City Directories list Myrtle residing at 72 Park Ave. The 1941 Directory lists 72 Park Ave as the Berkeley Apartments. Living there were Napoleon Roy, Samuel Lelansky, and Abraham Bernstein.
  • The 1941 Portland City Directory lists Myrtle living at 47 Revere. Also living at 47 Revere St is Mrs. Mattie A Watson.
  • The 1930 US Census lists Mattie A Watson living with her 22-year-old daughter Myrtle.
  • Maine, U.S., Marriage Index indicates that Myrtle L Watson married John E Neilson on 17 September 1941.
  • Ancestry Trees suggest this is Myrtle Louise Watson, born 28 January 1907. This photo was taken about 1935 when she was about 27 years old.

I am confident this is Myrtle Louise Watson, born 28 January 1907, daughter of Horace Vernon and Martha (Faulkner) Watson, and wife of John Edward Nielson.

Ancestry has 12 public trees that refer to Myrtle Louise Watson. Family Search has profile  LBP4-NQN for Myrtle L Watson. I have uploaded two photos of her to her Family Search Memories. 

Unknown – Surname probably Welch

This negative envelope says, “Mrs. Carl Welch, 28 High St. Portland – #944”

 

What I discovered while researching,

  • Young Girl, circa 1935, probably related to Carl Welch.

    The 1935 Portland City Directory lists William H Welch (and others) living at 28 High Street with his wife, Anna. He was an agent at 142 High, Room 423.

  • The 1940 US Census lists William Welch, a 32-year-old time clerk with the WPA. He, his wife Ann, and two daughters, Carol and Joan, live with him at the rear of 29 High Street.

    Young Woman, circa 1935, probably related to Carl Welch.

  • Young Woman, circa 1935, probably related to Carl Welch.
  • Find-a-Grave indicates that William Henry Welch was born on 26 September 1907 and married Anna M. Jacobs in 1933. His parents were William Henry Welch (1864-1918) and Maude M. Savage (1872-1937).
  • I found no children or siblings of William named Carl.

Alternate Individuals.

Older man, circa 1935, probably related to Carl Welch.

There was a 31-year-old Carl Truman Welch, married to 27-year-old Marguerite (Pretty), who lived in Mexico, Oxford County, Maine, during the 1940 Census. He lived in Mexico Town in 1935, also. A review of his Ancestry family trees indicated no connection to Portland, Maine. Carl Truman Welch’s parents were George Milton and Elizabeth (Booker) Welch. He had no siblings named William.

Woman, circa 1935, probably related to Carl Welch

There was a 28-year-old Carl Welch, the single son of R. L. and Hattie Welch, who lived in Sanford, York County, Maine, during the 1940 Census.

There was a 27-year-old Carl Welch, the single son of Harold & Ethel Welch, who lived in Sherman, Aroostook County, Maine, in 1940.

I have not identified the individual in these photos, so I’ve only uploaded them to my Flickr photostream.

Esther West, Student, Class of 1939.

The envelope this negative was in says, “Esther West – Dec 1938.”

What I learned about this individual.

  • Esther West, Student, Class of 1939.

    Gorham High School Photo from 1939 Yearbook.

    The 1939 Gorham High School yearbook shows a photo of Esther West, that is the same young woman in the Ethel Wight Collection.

  • I have failed to find her in any other records.

Probable Identification?

There is an Esther West, who, during the 1940 Census, lived with her parents, Oliver and Ida West, in Wells, York County, Maine. (Wells is about 35 miles south of Gorham.) This Esther was 21 years old and born in Maine. She lived in the same house in 1935. She also appears to have lived in Wells during the 1920 and 1930 Censuses. Absent any connection to Gorham, I cannot ascribe this Esther West to my photo.

Another photo package is labeled Oliver West, RFD Wells. That suggests that Oliver West and his family used the Ethel Wight Studio, which makes it very likely that Esther West is the daughter of Oliver & Ida West of Wells, Maine.

I found Esther Emily West in five Ancestry trees (2 private); possibly one of those researchers can confirm this Esther is the same person that graduated from Gorham High School However, without positive identification, I could only upload her photo to Dead Fred[iii].

Probably Oliver West of Wells, Maine, 1945.

The negative envelope says, “Oliver West – Oct 1945.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

  • (Probably) Oliver West of Wells, Maine, 1945, with team of horses pulling a plow.

    This image is a reproduction for Oliver West. Research for Esther West suggested that her father is Oliver West of Wells, Maine. Another photo package included photos for Oliver West of Wells, Maine. As I believe these photos are all related.

  • The 1940 Census indicates Oliver West of Wells was a 56-year-old farmer.

Consequently, I believe this photo is likely of Oliver West of Wells, York County, Maine, plowing his field with two white horses; however, it might show Dewey Crepean, his hired man. Because of the distance from the subject, I have only uploaded this photo here.

This package has four additional photos of trees and trees reflected in the water. No animals or people that I have available. If someone is interested in them, I can send copies.

Althea Grace White, circa 1934.

This negative envelope says, “Miss Althea White, 81 Morning St. #61.”

Why I believe this to be the individual.

  • Althea

    1934, 1935, and 1936 Portland City Directories list Mrs. Jennie Goldstein living at 81 Morning Street.

  • The 1930 US Census lists Althea G White, born c. 1919, living with her parents, William C and Ruth E (Wood) White, at 81 Eastern Promenade.
  • The 1934 Portland City Directory lists William C & Ruth E White relocated to New London, Connecticut.
  • Althea Grace White, the daughter of William and Ruth (Wood) White, was born on 3 September 1918 in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine.

I am confident this photo was of her in 1934. She was probably dressed for a party around St. Patrick’s Day based on the clothing, hat, and shoes.

Ancestry has four public trees that refer to Althea Grace White. Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Althea; however, her parents are listed as IDs LTFK-SDQ and
9VJB-S6Q. I have uploaded one photo of her to Dead Fred. I also uploaded two additional pictures of Althea to my Flickr Photostream.

Conclusion

  • There were eight individuals in five photo negative packets this week.
  • I fully identified four of them sufficiently to find them in Ancestry Family Trees.
  • One of those four had family Search profiles, so I uploaded the photos to their Family Search Memories. Two of them did not have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their pictures to Dead Fred. One was too distant to identify, so I only uploaded it to this blog page.
  • Finally, I failed to identify four individuals; however, I believe they are somehow related to a Carl Welch.

If any of these photos are of your family member, I would love to hear your reaction. 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 Family Search, Dead Fred, and Flickr have a higher image quality than the images linked here.

For all postings of the Ethel Wight Collection, please see here.

Endnotes

[i] The Wight Studio was in Portland, Maine. Many thanks to Ethel Wight’s family for access to and permission to use the collection of their great aunt.

[ii] These images were converted to positives using a lightbox, a Nikon camera and computer software.

[iii] I have four more photos of Esther West I can provide family members if fully identified.

Posted in Ethel Wight Studio, Faces from the Past | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Donna Darling Collection – Part 92

Posted on September 8, 2022 by Don Taylor

Treasure Chest Thursday
By Don Taylor

I’m looking at a clipping from the Donna Darling Collection for this week’s Treasure Chest Tuesday.

Donna Darling Clipping

The clipping shows the venue but not the date or the location.

Key Features of Ad:

  1. The Venue: The Majestic Theater.
  2. The show is the “Donna Darling Revue with Sammy Clark,” so we know it is 1926 or 1927.
  3. The movie playing is “Camille of the Barbary Coast.”
  4. Coming soon is “Orpheum Syncopation;” it starts Sunday.

Analysis

Clipping from The Gazette (Cedar Rapids. Iowa) – January 7, 1927, Page 6.

  1. Although there are many Majestic Theaters, there were only a handful of theaters under the “Direction of Alexander Frank.”
        • The Isis in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
        • The Orpheum in Des Moines, Iowa.[i]
        • The Plaza in Waterloo, Iowa.
        • The Majestic in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Thanks to Newspapers.Com, a search for “Majestic and Donna” in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1926 or 1927 quickly yielded a display ad with all of the same information shown in Donna’s clipping.

Thanks to the January 1927 issues of Variety, I had already known Donna played:

  • Dec 9-11, 1926 – Clinton, IA – Orpheum
  • Jan 2-5, 1927 – Des Moine, IA – Orpheum
  • Jan 6-8, 1927 – Cedar Rapids, IA – Majestic
  • Jan 13-15, 1927 – Davenport, IA – Capitol
  • Jan 16-19, 1927 – Clinton, IA – Orpheum
  • Jan 24-26 – Kitchener, Ont. – Capitol
  • Jan 27-29 – Brantford, Ont. – Temple

So, this ad confirms the show.

Conclusion

January 6-8, 1927 – Cedar Rapids, Iowa – Majestic Theater – Donna Darling Revue with Sammy Clark – DDC-92.

Endnotes

[i] See Donna Darling Collection – Part 68

Posted in Treasure Chest, Donna Darling Revue | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Manning Deep Dive – Part  3

Posted on September 4, 2022 by Don Taylor

The Mannin/Manning Families in Carter County, Kentucky – 1870 Census 

One Name-One Place Study
Mannin(g)-Carter County, KY
Brown-Mannin(g) Line
Census Sunday
By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.In Part 1 of this “ Manning Deep Dive” into my great-grandmother’s ancestors, I created a Kentucky Research Toolkit and verified what I think I know.

In Part 2 of my look at the Mannin(g)s of Carter County, I found five Mannin families of interest during the 1880 Census.

In Part 3, I’m looking at Mannin(g) families during the 1870 Census in Carter County, Kentucky.

1870 Census – Carter County – Mannin(g)

Carter County was created in 1838.

My third great-grandfather was enumerated as Enock Mannon rather than Enoch Mannin. So, I need to expand my research of the Mannin(g)s to include all of the alternate spellings – Mannan, Mannen, Mannin, Mannon, and Manning.

There were 6 Mannin families, which included 38 entries. They are as follows:

Family 1 – Precinct 4, Post Office: Grayson, Page 10 – Mannon – Lines 34-39

Mannon Family Age Relationship
Enock (Enoch) 48 Head
Manuroa (Minerva) 48 Known Wife
Meridith 19 Known Son
Mary 16 Known Daughter
Gazzeller (Gresella) 13 Known Daughter
Prudence 10 Known Daughter

Other Children:

    • Charlie died in 1850.
    • John William’s location in 1870 is unknown.
    • Isaac’s location in 1870 is unknown.
    • Nancy married Jessie Monroe Barnett in 1867.
    • Sarah Jane married Joseph Hatfield Bryant in 1869.

Enoch and Minerva are my 3rd great-grandparents—John William is my 2nd great-grandfather. 

Family 2 – Precinct 4, Post Office: Grayson, Page 11 – Tubil Mannan – Lines 1 to 9.

Mannan Family Age Relationship
Tubal 39 Head
Elizabeth 36 Known wife*
Mary 16 Inferred daughter
Martha 14 Inferred daughter
John 12 Known son
Vallandingham 8 Known son
James 6 Known son
Sarah 2 Known daughter

*  “Known” Relationships are based upon 1880 Census relationships.

Tubal was my 4th great uncle. He is the brother of Enoch Mannin.

Family 3 – Precinct 4, Post Office: Grayson, Page 14 – Martha Mannon – Lines 9-13

Mannon Family Age Relationship
Martha (née McGlothin) 33 Head
Artemisia (Artisma) 8 Apparent Daughter
Martin 7 Apparent Son
Lewis 4 Apparent Son
Rachel 2 Apparent Daughter

Martha’s husband, John, died on 20 June 1870. John is my 4th great uncle (brother of Enoch).

Family 4 – Precinct 4, Post Office: Grayson, Page 14 – James Mannon – Lines 14-19

Mannon Family Age Relationship
James 32 Head
Clarinda 28 Apparent wife
Rose 6 Apparent daughter
Elmus 4 Apparent son
Josephine 3 Apparent daughter
Lina 9/12 Apparent daughter

James Mannon (Mannin) is (probably) my half 1st cousin 5x removed. I believe his father is Tubal Mannin (b. 1800) and his grandmother Catherine Barnett (1782-1840). It appears that Catherine Barnett married two brothers, Meredith and John Bosel Mannin, Sr. (See follow-up below.)

Family 5 – Precinct 4, Post Office: Grayson, Page 14 – Meridith Mannon – Lines 20 to 24.

Mannon Family Age Relationship
Meridith 68 Head
Rhoda 14 Apparent granddaughter
Reuben 12 Apparent grandson
Elvina 10 Apparent granddaughter

This family entry is particularly confusing to me. I believe this is my 4th great-grandfather Meridith Mannin. Meridith’s wife, Rachel, died on 7 May 1870, so his being sans wife fits. The three children are the proper ages to be Meridith’s grandchildren.

Meredith & Rachel had 12 children. Their son, Rueben Calloway (1831-1859), died in 1870. In the 1870 Census, Precinct 3, Page 1, 67-year-old Meridith lives in the same household with Jane Richardson, her apparent husband, James, and three children, Rachel, James, and William. Also in the same family are 15-year-old Rubin and 13-year-old Evaline Tapp.

In Precinct 4, Page 14 is Meridith Mannin with 14-year-old Rhoda, 12-year-old Reubin, and ten-year-old Evaline. James and Sarah Richardson live next door with their three children, Rachel, James, & Willie. I have no doubt this is the same household enumerated twice – one with the surname Mannon and one with the surname Tapp for Meridith’s grandchildren, Rhoda, Reuben, and Evaline.

It isn’t clear to me who the mother of Reuben’s three children was. My records suggest Evaline Tapp was their mother. However, Reuben also (probably) had a wife named Sarah Shuts and may have had another wife, Louisa. See the follow-up below.

Family 6 – Precinct 4, Post Office: Grayson, Page 14 – James Mannon – Lines 14-19

Mannen Family Age Relationship
Thomas 43 Head
Rachel 31 Known wife*
Merideth 16
Sarah 13
John 11 Known son*
Samuel 9 Known son*
Mary 7 Known daughter*
Zackaria 5 Known son*

*  “Known” Relationships are based upon 1880 Census relationships.

Thomas is my 4th great uncle. He is the brother of Enoch Mannin.

Not found during the 1870 Census in Carter County.

During the 1880 Census, William C. and Martha E. Manning lived in Carter County. During the 1870 Census, they are found, with their son Alvin, in Callensville(?), Pendleton County, Kentucky, about 100 miles west of Grayson.

During the 1880 Census, Merideth A. Mannin was enumerated in Carter County. He would have been about 14 during the 1870 Census. I have not found him in any of the other Mannin families in Carter County.

My relationships with William C Mannin and Merideth A Mannin are unknown.

Further Research

    1. In Part 4, I’ll look at Mannan/Mannen/Mannin(g)s in the 1860 Census in Carter County, Kentucky.
    2. In Part 5, I’ll look at Mannan/Mannen/Mannin(g)s in the 1850 Census in Carter County
    3. It appears that Catherine Barnett married two brothers, Meredith and John Bosel Mannin, Sr. In Part 6, I research that connection closer.
    4. It appears that Reuben Calloway Mannin was married twice and had three children. Marriage information for him and Sarah Shuts, Evaline Tapp, and Louisa (LNU) isn’t clear. Also, the ages and surnames of the three children aren’t apparent either. Who is the mother of Reuben’s three children, Rhoda, Reuben, and Evaline? In Part 7, I’ll try to clarify these relationships and surnames.

 

Posted in Censuses | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Donna 100 Years ago – Palace Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Posted on September 4, 2022 by Don Taylor

September 4-9, 1922
By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.“Donna 100 years ago” reviews my grandmother’s vaudeville life. Madonna Montran, aka “Donna Montran” & “Donna Darling,” had an exciting career during the 1920s. A definite headliner, she crisscrossed the country with her many shows.

The Cincinnati Enquirer · 3 Sep 1922 – Page 61.

Donna performed in the Keith Vaudeville Circuit. She had just finished a week in Louisville, Kentucky, and arrived in Cincinnati, Ohio, to play six days at the Palace Theater from the 4th to the 9th.

The Cincinnati Enquirer Friday, September 1st, 1922, issue, Page 5, in their “Cincinnati Theaters and Parks” feature, included three paragraphs about what would be showing at the Palace Theatre. The article included, “Donna Darling of musical comedy fame, assisted by Murray Walker and Jack Finney, in a Melange of song and dance, styled “As You Like It;” The Sunday paper also promoted the show with “Donna Darling in ‘As You Like It,’ a musical playlet in which the former musical comedy favorite is assisted with Murray Walker and Jack Finney.” There was also an ad on the same page that listed seven vaudeville shows and one photoplay starting Monday. The playbill included:

The Cincinnati Post 4 Sep 1922. Page 6?

    • Burke Morgan & DeForest Wooley
    • Burke, Larry & Clifford
    • Donna Darling
    • Naie & Rizzo
    • Harry Bussey
    • Nadje & Co.
    • Don Lanning
    • Photoplay: “The Top of New York” with May McAvoy

Donna always wanted to be the headliner, and sure enough, the Monday paper put her as the first show in subsequent advertisements. The Tuesday paper wrote that the show was “worthy of headline honors.”

One hundred years ago, Donna played in the vaudeville act “As You Like It” at the Palace Theater in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Palace Theater

Palace Theatre, 1924.

The Palace Theater opened on December 6th, 1919, as a B. F. Keith vaudeville house, across the street from the world-famous Cincinnatian Hotel. By the time Donna played there in 1922, the theatre was a mixed theater playing vaudeville and photoplays. An eight-piece orchestra, led by William Heege provided music during the silent films and as needed for the vaudeville shows. The theater converted to all movies in 1928. It was renamed the RKO Palace Theater. It was renamed TKO International 70 in 1964 and closed in 1976. It reopened as the International Music House in 1978. It closed again in 1982 when it was demolished.

Specifications for the Palace Theatre[i]

  • Seating Capacity: 2,619.
  • Stage Dimensions: 70’ wide x 60’ high and 35’ deep.

Today, the location includes the high-rise office, “Center at 600 Vine”[ii],[iii].

Endnotes

[i]  The Julius Cahn-Gus Hill Theatrical Guide and Moving Picture Directory, Volume XX (1921), Page 74 – Palace Theatre. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924063709764&view=1up&seq=118&q1=Cincinnati%20Palace

[ii] Cinema Treasures – International Music House – https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/1048

[iii] Google – https://www.google.com/search?q=16+Sixth+Street+E%2C+Cincinnati%2C+OH+45202

Posted in 100 Years ago, As You Like It | Tagged , , | Leave a comment