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Category Archives: Research
Donna Darling’s Surprise Appearance in Portland, Oregon – May 26, 1924.
An exciting discovery from The Oregonian (May 26, 1924)!
My grandmother, Madonna Montran—also known as Donna Darling—was a surprise addition to the vaudeville lineup that week, performing alongside her two male dance partners. Described as “a darling maid,” Donna’s act was full of lively steps and charming group songs. It’s always a thrill to uncover new stories from Donna’s 1910s-1920s showbiz days! Continue reading
Posted in 1924 - Donna Darling & Earle, Genealogy Research, In the news, Vaudeville
Tagged show business, female performers, The Oregonian, genealogy blog, Vaudeville, historic newspapers, Genealogy, 1920s entertainment, Family History, Portland Oregon, madonna montran, dance history, Donna Darling
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Montran Monday – A Watch Lost and Found in Pasadena, 1922
By Don Taylor As part of my ongoing “Montran Monday” series[i], I search historical newspapers for any mention of individuals bearing the Montran surname. Each small discovery helps me piece together the broader story of my maternal grandmother’s elusive father. … Continue reading
Ida & Donna in the News: Discoveries from the Albion Recorder
By Don Taylor Thanks to recent digitization efforts by NewspaperArchives.com, I’ve uncovered several fascinating mentions of my ancestors in the Albion Recorder (Albion, Michigan). These newly discovered newspaper clippings have provided valuable glimpses into the lives of my great-grandmother, Ida … Continue reading
Posted in Newspaper Research, Montran, Research
Tagged Albion Recorder, Brooklyn NY, City Directories, Find-a-Grave, Albion Michigan, Taber, Fisher, Detroit Michigan, Wood
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Using mtDNA to Tackle a Maternal Brick Wall:
Exploring mtDNA matches to solve the mystery of Fanny Taylor’s maternal origins, I traced several exact matches but found no direct link—yet. This post outlines recent findings, including surnames from match lines and next research steps. The goal: to break through the maternal brick wall that is Fanny Taylor (1806–1889). Continue reading
My Paternal Grandfather’s Matrilineal Line
Saturday Night Genealogy Fun By Don Taylor Recently, Randy Seaver, in his “Saturday Night Genealogy Fun” post, suggested folks document “Their paternal grandfather’s matrilineal line (i.e., the mother of your paternal grandfather, and her mother, etc.).” Here’s mine. My paternal … Continue reading
