Author Archives: Don Taylor
Two More Patriot Ancestors — Now in My Roberts-Barnes Line
Two more patriots, one more case of a son marrying a daughter — the second installment in my Revolutionary War ancestor roundup, this time from the Roberts-Barnes side of the family. Continue reading
Five Revolutionary War Ancestors in My Brown-Montran Line
Five Revolutionary War patriots, two family branches, and a couple of “small world” surprises hiding in my Brown-Montran family tree. Continue reading
Cannon – Surname Saturday
Where did the Cannon name come from—and was Martha Cannon’s mother really a Rolfe? This Surname Saturday traces Martha Cannon Pankey (c.1764–1818) through colonial Goochland and Cumberland County, Virginia, untangling name origins, land patents, and an unconfirmed maternal mystery. Continue reading
LDC Stills, Part 1: Five 1930s Paramount Stars
A look at five original 1930s Paramount Pictures movie stills from the Linwood Dyer Collection, featuring glamour portraits of Mary Carlisle, Marsha Hunt, Gail Patrick, Shirley Ross, and Gladys Swarthout — with brief biographical notes on each actress.Linw Continue reading
IN THE NEWS – Harris Grand Theatre, Bloomington, Indiana – April 23–25, 1925
In April 1925, my grandmother Madonna Montran — performing as Donna Darling — headlined her “Bathing Girls’ Revue” at the Harris Grand Theatre in Bloomington, Indiana. The three-day Keith Circuit engagement drew five days of advance and review coverage in the local press, naming her seven supporting performers and praising the elaborate production. Continue reading