Welcome to Don Taylor Genealogy.
Latest Posts:
- Donna, Sammy & Hal — Worcester, Massachusetts (July 1927)
In July 1927, my grandmother Donna Darling brought her own touring company — with Sammy Clark and Hal Dixon — to the Palace Theatre in Worcester, Massachusetts, sharing the bill with C. B. Maddock’s “Tramp, Tramp, Tramp.” Three consecutive days of Worcester Evening Gazette coverage document the engagement, which slots into a documented one-week New England swing between stops in Springfield and New Bedford.
Continue reading - Donna & Sammy — Worcester, Massachusetts (Dec. 1928)In December 1928, my grandmother Donna Darling and her stage partner Sammy Clark appeared in Paul Specht’s “Syncopation” revue at the Plymouth Theatre in Worcester, Massachusetts, sharing the bill with Dolores Del Rio’s “Ramona.” Four consecutive issues of the Worcester Evening Gazette followed the engagement from its Monday opening to its Saturday close, offering an unusually complete week-by-week record of the act. Continue reading
- Faces from the Past – Eddy, Pélissier, WWI Memorial, & Oak Hill StudentsFour newly digitized photographs from the Scarborough Historical Society reveal new research on the Eddy sisters, Gabrielle Pélissier, the Scarborough WWI Memorial, and a class of Oak Hill School students — can you help identify the rest? Continue reading
- Bandana Club Clam Bake at Eagle’s Nest, Pine Point — Help Us Name These MenA rare panoramic photograph of the Bandana Club’s annual clam bake at “Eagle’s Nest,” Pine Point — over sixty men strong, with a hand-typed key naming two dozen of them. Many names are still missing, and most of the crowd remains unidentified. Can you help? Continue reading
- John Michael Gleason’s Birthdate: Untangling Nine Conflicting SourcesJohn Michael Gleason has nine different birthdates across the records — from 1850 to 1854. Here’s how weighing census math against an exact death date narrowed the field to one preferred date, with a likely alternate held in reserve. Continue reading
Presentations
- February 2020 -Scarborough Public Library Genealogy Group (SPL-GG) Meeting 22 Feb 2020.
- January 2020 – I developed a 35-45 minute talk/presentation about “Periodicals, Websites, and Listservs” in Genealogy.” The presentation was given at the Scarborough Public Library Genealogy Group (SPL-GG) on 27 January 2020. A PDF of the slide deck was uploaded to the SPL-GG’s Facebook Page.
- November 2019 – I developed a 35-45 minute talk about “Citations and Footnotes in Genealogy.” The presentation was given at the Scarborough Public Library Genealogy Group (SPL-GG) on 25 November 2019. The slide deck was uploaded to the FaceBook SPL-GG group page.
- In March 2018, I developed a 20-30 minute talk about my favorite websites. I presented it on March 26th to the Scarborough Public Library Genealogy Group. I also presented it to the South Portland Library Genealogy Group on April 18th, 2018. At both talks, I provided a handout of the websites I talked about. I have uploaded a copy of that handout, “Don’s Favorite Websites,” HERE.
- “Genealogical Organization” was developed in January 2018. Provides introductory-level information regarding how to organize your genealogical information, including computer software, online trees, and paper documentation.
Genealogical Support
I am happy to assist people with Scarborough, Maine, ancestors using the resources at the Scarborough Historical Society. I volunteer there most Tuesdays from 9 AM to Noon.
This website is about:
- The family history of my ancestors—Roberts and Browns.
- The family history of my wife’s ancestors — Howell and Darling
- My grandmother’s incredible vaudeville career during the 1910s and 20s.
- DNA testing helped me determine my paternal ancestry. Because of that and other experiences with DNA testing, I have become knowledgeable in genetic genealogy. I write about my Genetic Genealogy activities and experiences here.
- I also write about other topics, including reviews and ancestor sketches for friends and extended family.
Other activities
- I volunteer at the Scarborough (Maine) Historical Society and am on its Board of Directors.
Contact
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