Donna at Fox Washington Theatre, Detroit, MI – Week of June 6, 1926

Posted on June 6, 2026 by Don Taylor

By Don Taylor

By the spring of 1926, my grandmother, known professionally as Donna Darling, was actively on tour from the New Jersey shore to Detroit and on into Ontario. The Fox Washington engagement falls at the center of this documented stretch.

Printed theatre advertisement for the Fox Washington Theatre, Detroit, showing the program for The Shamrock Handicap and the vaudeville bill headlined by Donna Darling's Metropolitan Five, with handwritten pencil notations reading "week June 6" and "Detroit."

Earlier that spring, she had appeared at the Broadway Theater in Long Branch, New Jersey, May 3rd, 4th, and 5th, 1926, where the act traveled under the billing “Donna Clark Revue.”[1]

Her engagements between May 5th and June 6th have not yet been documented in available sources.

The penciled inscriptions in Donna’s hand on the Fox Washington handbill – “week June 6” and “Detroit”- anchor the date of this engagement.[2]

The Engagement

The engagement ran for a standard week, beginning Sunday, June 6, 1926, and running through approximately Saturday, June 12th. One advance notice specifies “the week starting Sunday,”[3] and a Detroit Free Press review published on Wednesday, June 9th confirms the bill was then in progress.[4]

The Fox Washington operated continuous performances from noon to 11:30 P.M. — a schedule printed on every handbill and consistent with the mixed-policy film-and-vaudeville format standard at houses of this kind in the mid-1920s.[5]

The week-long engagement was the typical booking unit at a house of this size and standing. Donna’s Metropolitan Five headlined the vaudeville portion of the bill, performing alongside four other acts and beneath the featured motion picture.

Program for the Week

The following program is reconstructed from the printed handbills, advance notices, and reviews for the week of June 6, 1926.

Motion Picture

Printed theatre advertisement for the Fox Washington Theatre, Detroit, showing the program for The Shamrock Handicap and the vaudeville bill headlined by Donna Darling's Metropolitan Five. Larger and cleaner copy, without handwritten annotations.
Donna’s clipping – Fox Washington Theatre, Detroit, Michigan, week of June 6, 1926.

The Shamrock Handicap — Fox Film Corp., 1926. William Fox presents Peter B. Kyne’s racing story. Starring Janet Gaynor, Leslie Fenton, and J. Farrell McDonald.[6]

Tagline: “Over the Hurdles with Irish Luck and Love Triumphant. A Race Track Drama of Erin’s Isle and Sunny California.”

The picture had been released on May 2, 1926 — just over a month before the Detroit engagement. for the climactic race. Being a William Fox production, it was a natural fit for the Fox Washington program.

Vaudeville

  • Donna Darling’s Metropolitan Five — Novelty singing and musical act
  • The Grady Trio — Miniature Musical Comedy
  • Bryson and Tyson — “Breezy Bits” (comedy skit)
  • Pearl Brothers — “Two Good Men Gone Wrong”
  • Murray’s American Beauties — “The Acme of Intelligence” (performing dog act)

Reviews and Reception

Three newspaper items bearing on the engagement have been located: two advance descriptive notices and one formal mid-run review.

The Detroit Free Press (June 9, 1926, p. 10)[7] carried a review headlined “Shamrock Handicap Notably Good Film.” The critic called the picture “a really novel presentation of a rather old theme” and commended all three leads. Of the vaudeville program, the reviewer wrote:

“Heading the vaudeville program, Donna Darling and her Metropolitan Five offer a novelty singing and musical act that is unique. Bryson and Tyson present a clever skit, while the Pearl Brothers, gifted entertainers, show their version of ‘Two Good Men Gone Wrong.’ A feature of the bill is the performance of the American Beauty Dogs, a canine act that is remarkable as well as entertaining.”

The reviewer for The Detroit Evening Times, H.R.W.,[8] wrote that “Donna Darling and her Metropolitan Five head the vaudeville bill with a song and dance act of merit,” and praised the Grady Trio for “a novel specialty offering out of the ordinary.” Bryson and Tyson’s comedy skit and the Pearl Brothers were noted as rounding out “a well-balanced bill.”

One discrepancy appears in the Evening Times review: H.R.W. identified the dog act as “Grady’s American Beauties,” while all printed handbills and every other source attribute the canine act to Murray’s American Beauties, listed separately from the Grady Trio.[9] This appears to be a reviewer’s error. The Detroit Free Press review simply refers to them as the “American Beauty Dogs” and describes them as “remarkable as well as entertaining.”

Fox Washington Theatre Profile

The Fox Washington was a mixed-policy film-and-vaudeville house occupying a prominent position in downtown Detroit on Washington Boulevard at Clifford, at the northern edge of Grand Circus Park. With 1,862 seats and continuous programming from noon to 11:30 P.M., it operated as a popular-audience house drawing from a broad downtown clientele — office workers, shoppers, and the many guests of the adjacent Statler Hotel, which had opened next door in 1915.

The theatre was part of William Fox’s national chain. From 1915 onward, it showed Fox Film Corp. productions exclusively, pairing them with a live vaudeville supporting bill, which was a format typical of the era’s mixed-policy houses. At the time of Donna Darling’s engagement in June 1926, the Fox Washington was the primary Fox outlet in Detroit and one of the major booking stops on the regional vaudeville circuit.[10]

History of the Theatre

The theatre was built by William Fox and opened on July 21, 1913, under the name Washington Theatre. It was designed by architect Arland W. Johnson in a red-bricked Renaissance Revival style and stood at 1505–1513 Washington Boulevard, on the northwest corner of Clifford. Johnson had designed the Broadway Theatre — later the Broadway Strand — around the same time.

Washington Boulevard in 1913 was largely undeveloped, with modest residential and commercial structures. Grand Circus Park itself had little presence as an entertainment district at that point. The Washington Theatre was among the earliest houses to establish the boulevard as a destination, predating the great wave of development that would follow.

In 1915, Fox formed the Fox Film Corp., giving him the ability to produce and exhibit films exclusively in his own theatres. The strategy of making and showing his own pictures proved highly successful. In 1919, the theatre was renamed the Fox Washington, though the marquees continued to read “William Fox Washington.”

By the early 1920s, Fox’s ambitions had grown to require a larger and more spectacular presence in Detroit. He commissioned theater architect C. Howard Crane to design a new movie palace for the city, sited just up the road from the Washington. The old Fox Washington was closed on June 3, 1928, and demolished shortly thereafter, having stood for only fifteen years. Fox’s new palace — the Fox Theatre, seating 5,041 — opened September 21, 1928, and survives today as one of Detroit’s most celebrated architectural landmarks.

The Fox Washington’s lifespan coincided almost exactly with the vaudeville era. It opened the same year vaudeville reached its commercial peak, and it closed just as the entertainment world was absorbing the first sound pictures. Donna Darling’s engagement in June 1926 fell squarely in the theatre’s last productive years.

Location Today

The Fox Washington Theatre stood at 1505–1513 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, Michigan, on the northwest corner of Washington Boulevard and Clifford, near Grand Circus Park. The adjacent Statler Hotel, which had served as a reliable source of the theatre’s audience, was itself demolished circa 1975.

Site of the Fox Washington Theatre, Detroit, Michigan. Opened July 21, 1913; closed June 3, 1928; demolished 1928. The theatre stood at the northwest corner of Washington Boulevard and Clifford. The Premier Pet Supply (Sep 2023)

Theatre Specifications

The following specifications reflect the Fox Washington Theatre as it stood during the period of Donna Darling’s appearance. Proscenium dimensions, stage measurements, fly loft height, and dressing room count have not been documented in the available sources for this engagement and are therefore omitted.

  • Seating capacity: 1,862
  • Architectural style: Renaissance Revival
  • Architect: Arland W. Johnson
  • Address: 1505–1513 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, Michigan (northwest corner of Washington Blvd. and Clifford)
  • Operating hours: Continuous, Noon to 11:30 P.M.
  • Circuit affiliation: William Fox Theatres (Fox Film Corp. exclusive exhibition)
  • Year opened: July 21, 1913 (as Washington Theatre)
  • Renamed: 1919 (to Fox Washington)
  • Year closed: June 3, 1928
  • Year demolished: 1928

Significance

Donna Darling’s week-long engagement at the Fox Washington Theatre in June 1926 places her at one of Detroit’s most active film-and-vaudeville houses during the late vaudeville era. Headlining the live program at a 1,862-seat downtown house, alongside a major Fox Film Corp. release, represented the working core of a professional touring act: a featured billing, a reputable venue, a guaranteed audience.

The Fox Washington itself stood at a transitional moment in June 1926. Two years remained before William Fox would close and replace it with one of the grandest movie palaces in America. Donna’s engagement was part of the final chapter of the house’s life as a vaudeville venue.

Engagements such as this one represent the working middle tier of vaudeville, where professional acts sustained their careers through short, dependable, and respectable bookings. Donna Darling’s appearance at the Fox Washington is a clear example of that category, and a useful marker in the ongoing reconstruction of her career.

Sources

Footnote references appear in the text below. The following list provides full citations in order.

  • 1. Donna Darling’s penciled inscriptions “week June 6” and “Detroit” on the primary Fox Washington handbill are the primary dating source for this engagement. Donna Darling Collection (DDC), Part 36. Collector: Don Taylor.
  • 2. The Shamrock Handicap. Dir. John G. Blystone. Fox Film Corp., 1926. Released May 2, 1926. Starring Janet Gaynor, Leslie Fenton, J. Farrell McDonald.
  • 3. “Shamrock Handicap Notably Good Film.” Detroit Free Press, June 9, 1926, p. 10. Accessed via Newspapers.com (image no. 97945639). Donna Darling Collection, Part 36.
  • 4. “‘Shamrock Handicap’ Is Appealing Story at Fox.” Detroit Evening Times, [June 1926]. Review signed H.R.W. Physical clipping, Donna Darling Collection, Part 36.
  • 5. “Fox Washington — ‘Shamrock Handicap.’” [Unidentified Detroit newspaper, June 1926]. Physical clipping, Donna Darling Collection, Part 36. This notice confirms the run began on a Sunday.
  • 6. Fox Washington Theatre handbills (two printed copies). Physical clippings, Donna Darling Collection, Part 36.
  • 8. For the Broadway Theater, Long Branch, NJ engagement (May 3–5, 1926), see Donna Darling Collection, Part 20.
  • 9. For the Capitol Theater, Kitchener, Ontario engagement (June 21–23, 1926), see Donna Darling Collection research notes.
  • 10. Austin, Dan. “Fox Washington Theatre.” HistoricDetroit.org. Archived September 5, 2018. https://historicdetroit.org/building/fox-washington-theatre/.
  • 11. The Detroit Evening Times review (H.R.W.) refers to the dog act as “Grady’s American Beauties,” while all handbills and other notices list them as “Murray’s American Beauties — The Acme of Intelligence,” listed separately from the Grady Trio. This appears to be a reviewer error.

Endnotes

  • [1]For the Broadway Theater, Long Branch, NJ engagement (May 3–5, 1926), see Donna Darling Collection, Part 20.
  • [2]Donna Darling’s penciled inscriptions “week June 6” and “Detroit” on the primary Fox Washington handbill are the primary dating source for this engagement. Donna Darling Collection (DDC), Part 36. Collector: Don Taylor.
  • [3]“Fox Washington — ‘Shamrock Handicap.'” [Unidentified Detroit newspaper, June 1926]. Physical clipping, Donna Darling Collection, Part 36. This notice confirms the run began on a Sunday.
  • [4]“Shamrock Handicap Notably Good Film.” Detroit Free Press, June 9, 1926, p. 10. Accessed via Newspapers.com (image no. 97945639). Donna Darling Collection, Part 36.
  • [5]Fox Washington Theatre handbills (two printed copies). Physical clippings, Donna Darling Collection, Part 36.
  • [6]The Shamrock Handicap. Dir. John G. Blystone. Fox Film Corp., 1926. Released May 2, 1926. Starring Janet Gaynor, Leslie Fenton, J. Farrell McDonald.
  • [8]“‘Shamrock Handicap’ Is Appealing Story at Fox.” Detroit Evening Times, [June 1926]. Review signed H.R.W. Physical clipping, Donna Darling Collection, Part 36.
  • [9]The Detroit Evening Times review (H.R.W.) refers to the dog act as “Grady’s American Beauties,” while all handbills and other notices list them as “Murray’s American Beauties — The Acme of Intelligence.” This appears to be a reviewer error, possibly caused by confusion between the Grady Trio and the separate canine act.
  • [10]Austin, Dan. “Fox Washington Theatre.” HistoricDetroit.org. Archived September 5, 2018. https://historicdetroit.org/building/fox-washington-theatre/.
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Ancestor Sketch – Johann Jakob Huber (1850–1926)

Posted on June 3, 2026 by Don Taylor

Darling-Huber Research 
By Don Taylor

A Brick Wall, Shattered

A Brick wall with a large hole showing an oak tree in the distance.

Eleven years ago, I wrote a post titled Brick Wall – Jacob Huber (bef. 1860–?) in which I confessed to knowing virtually nothing about my wife’s great-grandfather Jacob Huber beyond his name and the fact that he had lived somewhere in the Windlach/Stadel bei Niederglatt area of Zürich, Switzerland. I had found hints — a family photo with names on the back, a marriage record for his son John that named him as the father — but every attempt to push past those clues and into the Swiss records came up empty. I even found what I thought might be a crack in the mortar when I discovered a reference to Zürich parish registers in the FamilySearch catalog, only to learn it was a book about using parish registers, not the registers themselves. The brick wall held.

Image of the Johan Jakob Huber Family from the State Archives of Zurich.
StAZH E III 114.20, p. 168

Thanks to the State Archives of Zurich, the Bürger-Familienregister der Kirchgemeinde Stadel (StAZH E III 114.20, p. 168) has shattered my brick wall completely. This single page of the Stadel parish citizen register provides not only Jakob’s birth and death dates, but also the names of his parents, the full details of his marriage, and a complete accounting of his seven children.

List of Greats

  • Great-grandfather – John Huber
  • Johann Jakob Huber
  • 2nd Great-grandfather – J.J. Huber

Johann Jakob Huber (1850–1926)

Birth & Origins

Photo of John Jakob Huber

Johann Jakob Huber was born on 5 February 1850 in Pfündlauf, in the Canton of Zürich, Switzerland.[¹] He was the son of J.J. Huber and his wife, whose given name appears to read Naguile or Nagele Dominr. in the register — the surname portion remains partially illegible and will require further research. Jakob is recorded in the Stadel parish register under citizen entry number 1486, indicating his family held longstanding local citizenship (Bürgerrecht) in Pfündlauf.

Marriage

Photo of Kath Huber
Katharina Huber

On 19 March 1877, Jakob married Katharina Nüßlinger.[¹] An interesting detail emerges from the register: Katharina is identified as a Wittwe — a widow — at the time of the marriage, indicating she had been previously married before she wed Jakob. She was born on 10 October 1857 in Rüfenacht (or a similarly named locality — the register entry is partially illegible), the daughter of Heino. Nüßlinger and his wife. Katharina’s previous marriage and any children from it remain to be researched.

Occupation

The register header describes Jakob as a Landwirth — a farmer.[¹] This is consistent with the rural agricultural character of the Stadel bei Niederglatt area in the late 19th century.

Children

Jakob and Katharina had seven children, as recorded in the Stadel parish register.[¹]

NameBornBaptizedConfirmedMarriedDiedNotes
Jakob (1st)24 Jul 18787 Aug 1878——13 Sept 1878Died in infancy
Jakob (2nd)30 Jul 187917 Aug 18791894(Vol. III, p. 2/4)—
Johann10 Sept 188026 Sept 18801897——Emigrated to America
Frida24 Dec 18875 Feb 18881904Oskar Meierhofer5 May 1908
Emil23 Feb 18897 Apr 1889—c. 5 Jul 191_?—Vol. IV, p. 80
Alfons9 Jan 189214 Feb 1892—9 Sept 1920—Vol. IV, p. 87
Hermann18 Dec 18994 Feb 190016 Oct 191429 Mar 192615 May 1932Vol. IV, p. 115

The first child, named Jakob, died after only seven weeks of life. The name was reused for the second son, a common practice in Swiss Reformed families of the era. The register’s notation in Amerika beside the name of Johann — my wife’s great-grandfather — confirms that he was the only one of the children to emigrate, exactly as family oral history held.[¹]

Frida’s story is poignant. She married Oskar Meierhofer, a vintner (Weinbauer), and died on 5 May 1908 at approximately 20 years of age — likely in childbirth or from complications shortly thereafter. Her husband’s name and occupation are noted directly in the register.

The register cross-references the later family pages for Jakob (2nd), Emil, Alfons, and Hermann in Volume IV, providing a clear pathway for continued research into those lines.

Death

Johann Jakob Huber died on 8 December 1926 in the Stadel/Pfündlauf area of Zürich, Switzerland.[¹] His wife Katharina survived him by nearly fifteen years, dying on 10 January 1941.[¹]

Further Research

  • Identify Katharina Nüßlinger’s first husband and any children from that prior marriage.
  • Fully decipher the maiden name/origin notation for Jakob’s mother in the register.
  • Research Volume IV entries for Jakob (2nd), Emil, Alfons, and Hermann to extend those family lines.
  • Search Swiss vital records and Find a Grave Switzerland for burial information for Jakob and Katharina.
  • Investigate Johann Huber’s emigration date and passenger record — now that his birth date (10 September 1880) is confirmed, a targeted passenger list search becomes possible.

Events by Location

  • Switzerland, Canton of Zürich, Pfündlauf — Birth, 1850
  • Switzerland, Canton of Zürich, Stadel bei Niederglatt — Marriage, 1877; Residence; Death, 1926

Endnotes

[¹] Bürger-Familienregister der Kirchgemeinde Stadel, Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich (StAZH), E III 114.20, p. 168 — Family of Johann Jakob Huber, Farmer, of Pfündlauf.

Disclaimer: The research presented in this post represents my current findings and conclusions based on the sources cited. Claude.ai was used as a research and drafting aid, which included transcription and translation. Grammarly was used for editorial review and copyediting. The brick wall image used in this post was generated by ChatGPT. Where evidence is incomplete, I have drawn careful inferences and have endeavored to distinguish clearly between documented fact and reasoned interpretation. Genealogical research is an ongoing process; new records may alter, refine, or overturn conclusions presented here.
All source citations are provided for transparency and verification. Cited records belong to their respective repositories and institutions. The narrative text, analysis, and editorial conclusions are my own work and are protected under copyright.
If you have additional information, corrections, or family connections relevant to this post, I welcome your contact through the blog. Genealogy is a collaborative pursuit, and I am always grateful for the contributions of fellow researchers and family members.
— Don Taylor, Family Historian
Posted in Ancestor Features, Ancestor Sketch, Brick Wall Ancestors, Censuses, Darling-Huber | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Faces from the Past – Meserve, Moulton, & Poland

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Don Taylor

SHS Photo Collection – Part 11
By Don Taylor

In this installment of Faces from the Past, I examine five photographs from the Scarborough Historical Society Photo Collection. This installment presents five cabinet card portraits, dating from approximately 1876 to 1891. Three of the subjects have direct Scarborough connections — Charles Moulton, his wife Hannah Libby Meserve Moulton, both of Scarborough, and Rosile Dolley Poland of West Scarborough. The remaining two portraits — Dr. Willis Bean Moulton, grandson of Charles and Hannah, and an unidentified young man from Lewiston — round out this collection. Together, they offer a window into Maine life in the latter half of the nineteenth century, from prosperous Portland physicians to humble West Scarborough families navigating hard times.

Charles Moulton (1801-1891)

Cabinet card bust portrait of an elderly white-haired man with a beard, photographer Conaut, Portland, Maine, circa 1876–1891.
Charles Moulton (1801–1891), Portland, Maine. Photographer: Conaut, Portland, ME, c. 1876–1891. SHS Photo Collection #2022.28.01a.

Charles Moulton was born in 1801, the eldest son of Captain Joshua Moulton (1775–1855) and Lydia Stone (1780–1872). Charles married Hannah Meserve (b. 1806), and together they raised a large family of eight children:

  • John B. (b. between 1831-1832)*,
  • Lydia M. (b. 1833),
  • Esther J. (1835–1908),
  • Mathias M. (1839–between 1903-1920)*,
  • Olive (1842–1926),
  • Charles (1844–1932),
  • Liberty (1848–1923), and
  • Fanny (b. 1851).

His son Mathias M. Moulton married Rose Ann Bean, and their son Willis Bean Moulton (1877–1934) married Jean S. Moulton. This cabinet card portrait, photographed by Conaut, was taken sometime between 1876 and 1891, capturing Charles in his later years. He lived to the remarkable age of 90, passing away in 1891.

Hannah Libby Meserve Moulton (1806–1884)

Cabinet card bust portrait of an older woman with dark hair pulled back, wearing a dark dress with a brooch, photographer Conaut, Portland, Maine, circa 1876–1884.
Hannah Libby Meserve Moulton (1806–1884), Portland, Maine. Photographer: Conaut, Portland, ME, c. 1876–1884. SHS Photo Collection #2022.28.01c.

Hannah Libby Meserve was born on 13 December 1806 in Scarborough, Cumberland, Maine, the daughter of John Meserve (1767–1831) and Hannah Libby (1775–1859). On 21 November 1829, she married Charles Moulton (1801–1891), and together they raised eight children:

  • John B. (b. between 1831-1832)*,
  • Lydia M. (b. 1833),
  • Esther J. (1835–1908),
  • Mathias M. (1839–between 1903-1920)*,
  • Olive (1842–1926),
  • Charles (1844–1932),
  • Liberty (1848–1923), and
  • Fanny (b. 1851).

Census records show the family living in Gorham in 1850, returning to Scarborough by 1860, and back to Gorham by 1870. Hannah passed away on 17 January 1884 in Scarborough, Maine, and was buried in Portland, Cumberland County. Her husband Charles survived her by seven years, living until 1891. This cabinet card portrait, photographed by Conaut, appears to predate the portrait of her husband Charles, and is dated between 1876 and 1884 — suggesting it may have been taken while the couple were still living together in their later years, and no later than the year of Hannah’s death.

(Probably) Rosile Dolley Poland (1837–1890)

Cabinet card portrait of an elderly woman seated in an armchair, photographer Ford, circa 1887–1890.
(Probably) Rosile Dolley Poland (1837–1890), West Scarborough, Maine. Photographer: Ford, c. 1887–1890. SHS Photo Collection #2010.18.01.

Rosile Dolley was born in 1837 and married Alvin J. Poland (1834–1914) as his second wife, Alvin having previously been married to Martha W. Pennell (1832–1864). By 1880 the couple were living in Biddeford, but by 1889 they had relocated to the West Scarborough area, near the Broad Turn School district (District No. 10). Town records reflect the family’s difficult circumstances in these final years — the 1889 Scarborough Town Report records Mrs. A. J. Poland receiving $2 in support, and Alvin receiving $14 for labor on the town farm buildings, while the 1890 Town Report notes Alvin receiving $10 worth of supplies as a recipient off the Poor Farm. Alvin filed for a Civil War pension on July 20, 1889, suggesting he was a veteran. Rosile passed away in 1890, after which Alvin is recorded as a widower living in Saco in the 1900 census. He lived until 1914. This cabinet card portrait, inscribed on the reverse “A. J. Poland, West Scarboro,” is believed to depict Rosile Dolley Poland, with the photo’s style and clothing suggesting a date of approximately 1887–1890, consistent with her final years in Scarborough.

Dr. Willis Bean Moulton (1877–1934)

Cabinet card portrait of a young clean-shaven man in a dark double-breasted coat, photographer Webber, Brunswick, Maine, circa 1895–1900.
Dr. Willis Bean Moulton (1877–1934), grandson of Charles Moulton, while a student at Bowdoin College. Photographer: Webber, Brunswick, ME, c. 1895–1900. SHS Photo Collection #2022.28.01b.

Willis Bean Moulton was born on March 20, 1877, in Portland, Maine, the son of Mathias M. Moulton (1839–1903) and Rose Ann Bean, and the grandson of Charles Moulton (1801–1891) and Hannah Libby Meserve (1806–1884) of Scarborough, Maine. Educated in the Portland Public Schools, he graduated from Bowdoin College and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, establishing himself as a surgeon and gynecologist in Portland, serving on the staffs of several Portland hospitals.

During World War I, he was commissioned as a captain in 1918, serving in the Medical Officers’ Training Group and later as acting commanding officer of Evacuation Hospital No. 57. He was discharged in August 1919 with the rank of major. A Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, he was also a member of the Portland Medical Society, the Cumberland County Medical Society, and the Maine Medical Association. He married Jean S. Moulton, who survived him. Dr. Willis Bean Moulton passed away on September 14, 1934, at the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary from pneumonia. This cabinet card portrait was taken by photographer Webber of Brunswick, Maine.

Unidentified Man, Lewiston, Maine (c. 1890)

Cabinet card full-length portrait of a young man in a dark suit seated on a stone prop holding a bowler hat, photographer Colpitts and Co., Lewiston, Maine, circa 1890.
Unidentified man, Lewiston, Maine. Photographer: Colpitts & Co., 52 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, ME, c. 1890. Name on reverse: “Mary A. Smith.” SHS Photo Collection.

This cabinet card portrait was taken by Colpitts & Co., 52 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, Maine, circa 1890. The subject is a young man, approximately 20–30 years of age, seated on a decorative stone prop before a painted landscape backdrop, a typical studio arrangement of the era. He is well dressed in a dark sack coat suit with a waistcoat, visible watch chain, and striped cravat, and holds a bowler hat in his lap — suggesting a man of modest means dressed for a formal occasion. The name “Mary A. Smith” (or possibly “Margit Smith” or Marg A. Smith (for Margaret A. Smith) is written on the reverse, almost certainly identifying the owner or recipient of the photograph rather than the subject himself. Mary/Marg A. Smith may have been a wife, sweetheart, sister, or friend of this unidentified young man. Unfortunately, there are several Mary & Margaret Smiths in the Lewiston-Auburn area, and the identity of the subject remains unknown. Research assistance welcome.

Name handwritten on back of photo - Mary A Smith

Conclusion

These five cabinet card portraits represent both the rewards and the challenges of historical photo identification. Three have been identified with confidence, one tentatively, and one remains a complete mystery. If you have information that might help identify the young man photographed by Colpitts & Co. of Lewiston, or can shed further light on any of the other subjects, please contact me using the comments form below.

Endnotes:

* My quick research uncovered multiple dates for this individual’s birth, marriage, or death. Further research is necessary.

Disclaimer: This article was researched and written by the author. ChatGPT was used for photo improvement, Claude was used as a research and drafting aid, and Grammarly was used for editorial review and copy editing.

Posted in Photo Identification, Maine Genealogy, SHS Photo Collection | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Amanda Taft Whitney (1798–1872): An Ancestor Sketch

Posted on May 17, 2026 by Don Taylor

Ancestor Sketches Series
Roberts-Barnes-Taft Line
by Don Taylor

Amanda Taft was born on 31 December 1798 in what was then called Partridgefield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts — a town that would be renamed Hinsdale in 1804.[1] She was the daughter of Asa Taft and his wife, Sarah Whitney Taft, and she entered the world as at least the third child of what would grow into a large family. Her elder known siblings were Asa Perry Taft Jr. and Luransa Taft, born 22 Sep 1874 and 28 March 1796, respectively.[2] There may have been an additional child between Luransa and Amanda whose record I haven’t located. Younger siblings include Lucy Wilson Taft and Joel Cruff Taft.

The family did not remain long in Massachusetts. By 1800, Asa Taft had moved his household to Sharon, Schoharie County, New York, where he appears in both the federal census and the New York tax assessment rolls.[3] Amanda, just a year old, made that journey with them. The move was part of a broader pattern of westward migration common to New England families of the period, drawn by cheaper land and new opportunity across the New York border. By around 1805, the family had settled further west still, in Triangle, Broome County, New York, in the Chenango River valley — a community where Amanda would spend the remainder of her life.[4]

A word on Amanda’s mother: she appears in the genealogical record under two names. The Massachusetts vital records and most secondary sources give her name as Sarah Whitney.[5] The Taft Family Bulletin of December 1970, however, refers to her as “Sally (Whitney) Taft.”[6] This is not a conflict. Sally was an extremely common diminutive of Sarah throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, used interchangeably in both formal documents and family correspondence. The evidence points confidently to a single woman known in life as Sally, recorded formally as Sarah, and the wife of Asa Taft.

Before 1819, Amanda married Chauncey Whitney in Triangle, Broome County, New York.[7] Together, Amanda and Chauncey raised a large family. The 1865 New York State Census records Amanda as having borne ten children in all, and Chauncey was still living at that time, aged sixty-eight.[8] He presumably died sometime between June 1865 and February 1872, though I need to research him further.

Of Amanda and Chauncey’s ten children, I have identified four by name: Oliver C. Whitney (born about 1819), Clarissa Whitney (born about 1821), Lucy Whitney (born about 1825), and Jackson Whitney (born about 1830), the latter two born in Chenango County, New York.[9] The identities of the remaining six children await further research. By 1865, both Lucy and Jackson were living in the family household: Lucy, then thirty-nine and single, and Jackson, thirty-one and a widower.[10] Also present were two young children — Eva Belle Whitney, aged two, and Franklin Whitney, aged one — recorded as grandchildren of Amanda and Chauncey. I presume them to be Jackson’s children from his marriage.[11]

The 1865 census offers a vivid glimpse of the household Amanda shared in her later years. The dwelling, a framed house valued at $1,200, was occupied jointly with the family of her brother, Asa Perry Taft Jr., a carpenter and voter, and his wife, Miranda. Several boarders also resided there, including Diana Mayhew, a widow with her own children.[12] Within this shared and busy household, Amanda is listed as the owner of land, a detail that begs further research and understanding.

Amanda Taft Whitney died on 7 February 1872 in Broome County, New York, at the age of seventy-three. Her life followed the arc common to so many women of her generation: born in a Massachusetts hill town, carried west in childhood by a migrating family, married young, and devoted to raising children across decades in a New York farming community. What sets her record apart for the genealogist is the consistency of her documented presence across multiple census enumerations spanning 65 years.

Disclaimer: The research presented in this post represents my current findings and conclusions based on the sources cited. Claude.ai was used as a research and drafting aid, and Grammarly for editorial review and copyediting. Where evidence is incomplete, I have drawn careful inferences and have endeavored to distinguish clearly between documented fact and reasoned interpretation. Genealogical research is an ongoing process; new records may alter, refine, or overturn conclusions presented here.
All source citations are provided for transparency and verification. Cited records belong to their respective repositories and institutions. The narrative text, analysis, and editorial conclusions are my own work and are protected under copyright.
If you have additional information, corrections, or family connections relevant to this post, I welcome your contact through the blog. Genealogy is a collaborative pursuit, and I am always grateful for the contributions of fellow researchers and family members.
— Don Taylor, Family Historian, DonTaylorGenealogy.com

Endnotes

[1] Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626–2001, FamilySearch, entry for Amanda Taft, 31 Dec 1798. familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DDM4-GH3Z. Also: Massachusetts, U.S., Compiled Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1700–1850, Ancestry.com, page 45.

[2] FamilySearch, entry for Luransa Taft, 28 Mar 1796. familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DD93-2J2M. Birth order of Asa Perry Jr., Luransa, and Amanda established from this record and the Taft Family Bulletin (see note 6). A possible unnamed child between Luransa and Amanda has not been confirmed.

[3] “United States, Census, 1800,” FamilySearch, entry for Asa Taft, Sharon, Schoharie, New York, page 161. familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5B-QR1. Also: New York, U.S., Tax Assessment Rolls of Real and Personal Estates, 1799–1804, Ancestry.com, 1800 — Asa Taft, Sharon, Schoharie, NY.

[4] 1855 New York State Census, FamilySearch, entry for Amanda Whitney, Triangle, Broome, NY. Residence circa 1805 inferred from family settlement pattern.

[5] Massachusetts vital records, as cited in note 1.

[6] Thomas E. Collins, Taft Family Bulletin (December 1970), page 15, “Children of Asa & Sally (Whitney) Taft,” #15263. Accessed 23 Jan 2025, Ancestry.com.

[7]Ibid. Marriage placed before 1819 based on the birth year of the eldest identified child, Oliver C. Whitney.

[8] 1865 New York State Census, FamilySearch, household of Asa Taft and Chauncey Whitney, Triangle, Broome, NY, page 15. Chauncey Whitney, age 68, born in Massachusetts; Amanda Whitney, age 66, born in Schoharie County, NY, mother of ten children.

[9] “United States, Census, 1850,” FamilySearch, entry for Chauncy Whitney and Amanda Whitney, Triangle, Broome, NY. familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCTJ-K3X. Oliver and Clarissa designated “prob. son/child of Amanda” in that record. Also: 1855 New York State Census, FamilySearch, same household.

[10] 1865 New York State Census, as cited in note 8. Lucy Whitney, age 39, born in Chenango County, single; Jackson Whitney, age 31, born in Chenango County, widower, shoemaker.

[11] 1865 New York State Census, as cited in note 8. Eva Belle Whitney, age 2 years 4 months, born in Broome County; Franklin Whitney, age 1 year 5 months, born in Cortland County. Both are recorded as grandchildren. Parentage through Jackson is presumed based on his presence in the household as a widower; it has not been independently documented.

[12] 1865 New York State Census, as cited in note 8. The dwelling is recorded as a framed house valued at $1,200, shared by two family groups. Diana Mayhew, age 42, born in Broome County, widowed, three children; Addie Mayhew, age 16, born in Pennsylvania, boarder. No family relationship between the Mayhews and the Whitney or Taft families has been established yet.

Posted in Ancestor Sketch, Family Lines, New York Genealogy, Massachusetts Genealogy, Roberts-Barnes, Geographic Genealogy, Ancestor Features | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Donna in the News – Bloomington, IN, April 1925.

Posted on May 14, 2026 by Don Taylor

“The Girl with the Million Dollar Personality” Conquers Bloomington — April 1925

Based on The_Herald_Times_1925_04_23_5.jpg (April 23, 1925, p. 5): Alt Text: Newspaper article headlined "Novelty Show at Harris Grand" from The Herald-Times, Bloomington, Indiana, April 23, 1925, announcing the opening of Donna Darling and her Bathing Girls' Revue for a three-day engagement, describing it as a vaudeville extravaganza with elaborate scenery, costumes, and special lighting effects.
“Novelty Show at Harris Grand”
The Herald-Times, Bloomington, IN
April 23, 1925, p. 5.

When Donna Darling and her “Bathing Girls’ Revue” swept into the Harris Grand Theatre in Bloomington, Indiana for a three-day engagement beginning Thursday, April 23, 1925, the Herald-Times had already been building anticipation for days. The paper described the production as a “vaudeville extravaganza” — a novelty musical revue organized in Hollywood and brought east for a tour of the nation’s principal cities, where it had already proven itself a Keith Circuit headliner.

The revue was unlike anything Bloomington audiences had previously seen on the Harris Grand stage. Donna led a company of eight versatile performers, each a vaudeville artist in their own right, presenting individual specialties alongside their ensemble numbers. The show featured Donna’s cast portraying bathing beauties from many nationalities, in costumes representing the fashionable bathing centers of countries around the world, with dances from each nation woven throughout. A comedy sequence featured the evolution of swimwear from her grandma’s day, with Donna resplendent in an elaborate silver-and-orchid gown and Betty Bryant, of the Follies, appearing as Miss America.

The Chicago Tribune’s Mae Tinee, quoted in advance notices, captured Donna’s appeal perfectly: she was not only beautiful but sang and danced with unusual ability, earning her title, “the girl with the million dollar personality.”

The engagement closed Saturday, April 25th, hailed as the biggest vaudeville number ever seen on the Harris Grand stage.

It is always exciting to discover another venue where Donna Darling performed. Each new theatre we can add to her itinerary helps us piece together the remarkable scope of her touring career and confirms just how widely traveled and well-regarded she was on the vaudeville circuit. The Harris Grand engagement in Bloomington is a wonderful addition to that growing record.

Sources (All via Newspapers.com):

  • “Bathing Beauties Coming.” The Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN), April 21, 1925, p. 6.
  • “‘Bathing Beauties’ Is Vaudeville’s Extravaganza.” The Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN), April 22, 1925, p. 6.
  • “Donna Darling Photo and Caption.” The Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN), April 23, 1925, p. 4.
  • “Novelty Show at Harris Grand.” The Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN), April 23, 1925, p. 5.
  • “‘Bathing Girl’s Revue’ Big Vaudeville Act at the Harris Grand.” The Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN), April 24, 1925, p. 7.
  • “Harris Grand Theatre Advertisement.” The Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN), April 25, 1925, p. 2.
  • “‘Bathing Girls’ at the Harris Grand Tonight.” The Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN), April 25, 1925, p. 6.
Disclaimer: This article was researched and written by the author. Claude (Anthropic) was used as a research and drafting aid, and Grammarly was used for editorial review and copy editing.
Posted in Bathing Girl Revue (1925), In the news, Vaudeville | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment