Two Sisters & Two Others

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Don Taylor

Photo Friday
By Don Taylor

This week’s Photo Identification Project items included two of my easiest finds and one of my most frustrating. First, there were three photos showing two sisters. Very easy to identify.  So was a class photo. The last photo I looked at was very frustrating.

Lilla Parmenter

“Lilla Parmenter – Married Dr. Hayes” – Photo by H. M. Smith, 478 Congress St., Portland, ME.

Lilla Parmenter | married Dr. Hayes

This was one of my easiest identifications ever. A search for Lilla Parmenter with a spouse of Hayes on family search quickly found Lilla Sibley Parmenter, born 15 October 1870 who married Daniel William Hayes, MD, on 3 October 1898. Her timeline on Family Search did not indicate any time for her to live in Portland. A search of the Portland City Directories did not result in any results. However, Family Search did indicate she had a sister Clara Maria Parmenter. Posted to Family Search.

“Clara Parmenter” – Photo by H. M. Smith. 478 Congress St., Portland, ME.

Clara Parmenter 1

Clara Maria Parmenter was born on 4 Feb 1873. She married Isaiah Greenleaf Elder on 15 Apr 1926 in Polk County, Florida.  The 1895 Portland City Directory does not list Clara, however the 1896 directory indicates that Miss Clara Parmenter was a nurse at Maine General Hospital.

So, I believe she located to Portland about 1895. Posted to Family Search.

“Clara Parmenter” – Hanson Studio, 12 Monument Square, Portland, ME.

Clara Parmenter 2

The second photo of Clara is clearly much more recent than the first. She appears in the Portland City Directory under her maiden name until 1925. So, this photo must have been taken before that. Again, I was able to post the photo to Family Search.

Florence Caroline Dot

“Florence Caroline (Dot) Wood, Rockland, Maine | Married William Smith of Bangor or Brewer 1923 – They have four children.” Class ’09.

Florence Caroline (Dot) Wood 1

 This appears to be a 1909 photo of Florence Wood. My search quickly found that Florence married William Burke Smith on 16 October 1912 in Bangor. Her parents were Charles P Wood and Margery E. Britt. She was born 21 Jul 1891 in Rockland, Knox County, Maine. She would have been 17 when this photo was taken. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be a Family Search ID for the individual. I did find 15 trees on Ancestry which include her.

The original of this photo is held by the Scarborough Historical Society, Linwood Dyer Photo Collection. I have a digital copy of the photo on my Flickr photostream (https://flic.kr/p/2iS8Lmn). – Don Taylor.

Helen Doyal

“Helen Doyal” – L & W.C. King Studio, Portland, ME.

Helen Doyal

A search of the Portland City Directories found Miss Helen S. Doyle, a nurse at Maine General Hospital in 1895. (She was not in the 1894 directory.) She was also listed in the 1900 at 20 Hill and 1901 Directories as a nurse at 19 Ellsworth, however she does not appear in the 1900 Census. Searches at both Ancestry and Family search did not yield results for Helen Doyle/Doyal. A search of the census indicated there were 35 women with the Doyle surname, none of whom was Helen. Likewise  search of women named Helen, yielded 126 individuals, none of whom was a nurse nor lived near the hospital.

Finally, I was able to find the residents of both 20 Hill and 19 Ellsworth in the 1900 Census. Neither of them nor their neighbors had anyone enumerated that appears to be Helen.

Likewise, a search of Ancestry Trees failed to yield a Helen Doyle that was a reasonable candidate to be this Helen Doyal. I will post Helen to Dead Fred in hopes of a family member discovering her photo there.

Final Note

If you are related to any of these individuals or can help confirm the identify them, I’d love to hear from you.

These photographs were “rescued.” I’m hoping to return the photographs to the family and would appreciate you contacting me if you are a member of one of these families, or you know someone who is.

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Donna in the News – 4 June 1924

Posted on June 4, 2020 by Don Taylor

Donna Darling & Co. at the Hippodrome, Sacramento, CA, 4 through 7 June 1924.

I recently found four ads that ran in the Sacramento Bee from June 4th through June 7th.  Donna was the headliner “Donna Darling & Co. | Madison Square Beauty” at the Hippodrome Vaudeville.

Ad showing Donna Playing at the Hippodrome, Sacramento, on 4 June 1924.

Hippodrome ad in The Sacramento Bee Wed, Jun 4, 1924, via Newspapers.Com

On stage with Donna were:

  • Parks & Clayton–“Laugh Producers”
  • Mascot–“The Human Mind Pony”
  • Valente Bros.–“Accordionists”
  • Harte & Helene–“Another One”

Plus the Katherine McDonald photoplay “White Shoulders”

 

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Donna Darling Collection – Part 63

Posted on May 28, 2020 by Don Taylor

Temple Theatre, Orpheum Vaudeville & a Photo

Treasure Chest Thursday
By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.For this week’s Treasure Chest Tuesday, I’m looking at a page (DSCN1427) from the Donna Darling Collection. This page includes four clippings and a photo.

Fox Washington – Detroit

Two of the clippings relate to Donna’s playing at the Fox Washington in Detroit. I wrote about that show previously in Part 36 of this series.

Temple Theatre – Unknown

Next, there is a clipping “Temple,” featuring Richard Talmadge in “The Wall Street Whiz.” For the first time, I wasn’t able to find the movie on IMDB. I was able to find it on Wikipedia, where I learned the film was released on September 29, 1925[i]. I also learned that the film was renamed “The New Butler.” It is unclear if when it was released on September 29 if it was titled “The Wall Street Whiz” or if it was titled “The New Butler.” Based upon the movie, it appears that she and Sammy played at the Temple in 1925 or 1926.

I have never seen “Darling Clarke Review” before. I have seen “Donna Clark Revue” (without the “e” in Clarke). The earliest date I’ve seen show name is May 3, 1926. As such, I’m sure she played at the Temple Theatre sometime in 1926.

Cinema Treasures indicates that there were 27 theaters named Temple in the US, with most of them between Chicago and New York and Bay City, Michigan, and Newport, Kentucky.[ii] That show, with five people, played from New York to Wisconsin. Eighteen of them are in the states Donna & Sammy played in during that time (NY, PA, OH, MI, IN IL, & WI.) and could be this particular Temple Theater. Until I can find another source (Newspaper) showing Donna playing at the Temple Theatre with the same other shows, I won’t be able to identify this clipping.

New Item: 1926 – May or later – Temple Theatre, Unknown City/State. DDC-63

Orpheum Vaudeville—2 Days

This clipping possibly provides a clue to a key event in Donna’s life. It shows “Donna Darling Revue” playing the same time and place as “Sammy Clark & Girlie.”  Could this be the show/place that Donna and Sammy met or maybe decided to join shows? Either way, it could be a key point. That said, “Orpheum Vaudeville” doesn’t necessarily mean Orpheum Theater. It might have been any theater that was on the Orpheum Vaudeville Circuit.

Sammy had his own show in July 1925 and Sammy and Donna were one show by July 1926. The key will be to find a venue where Donna, Sammy, and Paul Braden played the same theater.

I took a look at the venues that Paul Braden played at. I found none on Newspapers.com; however, I found two on GenealogyBank.Com. They were:

      1. In November 1925, Paul was appearing as the “Humorous Card Wizard” in Bismarck, ND.
      2. In January 1926, Paul Braden was billed as a “humorous card wizard” and had a comedy show in Portland, Oregon.


    Then I looked at NewspaperArchive.Com and found five more venues that Paul Braden played between August 1925 and 1926.

          1. In December 1925, Paul Braden played the Liberty Theatre in Sedalia, Missouri.
          2. In January 1926, Paul Braden played the Nile Theatre in Bakersfield, California.
          3. In February 1926, Paul Braden played “The West Coast Walker” in Santa Ana, California.
          4. In March 1926, Paul Braden played the Orpheum Theatre in Salt Lake City, UT.
          5. In August 1926, Paul Braden played the Jefferson Theatre in Jefferson City, MO.

    I found no results for “Paul Braden” on Elephind.com (which includes Chronicling America) from 1920 to 1929.

    So, once again, I am unable to identify the clipping as anything more than “Aug 1925 to Aug 1926 – Unknown Theatre in Orpheum Vaudeville Circuit, Unknown City/State with Paul Braden – DDC-63.”

    “Backs of Three Men”

    Finally, there was a photo of “Three Men leaning overboard.” I’m quite sure the middle person in this photo is Sammy and I believe the three of them are joking that they are throwing-up over the side of the boat. I am yet to identify the two other men in the photo, but I’m sure I’ve seen the three of them (same suits) in other photos. I think that Donna’s fun-loving nature is exhibited by her keeping the photo and putting it in an album.

    Follow-up

    Search in greater depth for venues that Paul Braden played in 1925 & 1926.

    Sources

    [i] Wikipedia – “The Wall Street Whiz” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wall_Street_Whiz accessed 15 Apr 2020.

    [ii] Cinema Treasures – Search for “Temple Theater” with ALL displayed. https://cinematreasures.org/theaters?q=Temple%20Theater&status=all accessed 15 Aug 2020.

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Three Nurses – Dinsmore, Horton, & Wright

Posted on May 22, 2020 by Don Taylor

Photo Friday
By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.This was a frustrating week for my Photo Identification Project. There were three photos of women all wearing nurse caps and uniforms. All photos were taken at L & W.C. King Studio, Portland, ME.

Quickly, I found all three women at the Maine General Hospital in the 1895 Portland City Directory. I also found some of them for a couple of other years, but I was unsuccessful in finding any of them in 1894 (or earlier) or in 1899 (or later). I couldn’t find any of them in the 1900 Census. Further searches found candidate matches for two of them, but I found nothing on the third one. I am not confident enough on any of them to ascribe them to a Family Search ID, so I’m posting them to Dead Fred.

Dead Fred

“Nellie Dinsmore” – L & W.C. King – Portland, Maine

  • Nellie Dinsmore - Nurse - c.18951890, 1893, & 1894 – Portland City Directory – Not listed.
  • 1895, Pg xx – Dinsmore, Nellie M. Miss, nurse Maine General Hospital, bds. do.
  • 1898, Pg 756 – Dinsmore, Nellie M. Miss, Nurse, rms. 21 Wilmot
  • 1899, 1900 – Not listed.

There was a Nellie M Dinsmore, born 1862 in Maine to Francis R and Sophronia (Tuttle) Dinsmore – Candidate.

There was a Nellie M Dinsmore born 1868 in Maine to Joshua and Phoebe (Hawes) Dinsmore. She lived in Fairfield, Somerset County, Maine, in 1870 and in Skowhegan, Somerset County, Maine, in 1880 – Candidate.

There was a Nellie M Dinsmore born 1870 in Carroll County New Hampshire. She married William Burroughs in 1901—Candidate.

“Margret Horton” – L & W.C. King – Portland, Maine

  • Margret Horton - Nurse - c. 18951890, 1894 – Portland City Directory – Not Listed
  • 1895, pg 406 – Horton, Margaret # Miss, nurse Maine General Hospital, bds. do.
  • 1897, Page 739 – Horton, Margaret E Miss, 20 Hill
  • 1898, Pg 757 – Horton, Margaret E Miss, 20 Hill
  • 1899 – Portland City Directory – Not Listed.

A review of trees did not yield likely candidates for Margaret/Margret Horton.

“Harriet Wright” – L & W.C. King – Portland, Maine

  • Harriett Wright - Nurse - c. 18951894 – Portland City Directory – Not Listed.
  • 1895, Pg 661 – Wright, Harriet M. Miss, Nurse Maine General Hospital, bds. Do.
  • 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900 – Portland City Directory – Not Listed.

There is a Harriett Maria Wright born 20 Nov 1873 in Oxford, Worcester County, Massachusetts who married William Burleigh in 1898 – Candidate.

Final Note

If you are related to any of these individuals or can help confirm their identities, I’d love to hear from you. Please use the form below.

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Chin Chin – Oneonta Theater, Oneonta, NY – May 18, 1920

Posted on May 18, 2020 by Don Taylor

Donna Montran and “Chin Chin” play at the Oneonta Theatre in Oneonta, New York on 18 May 1920

Oneonta Theatre, Oneonta, New York
Vaudeville – Chin Chin
By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.It is not clear where Chin Chin played in the days before Oneonta. On May 15 the show played at the Colonial Theater in Pittsfield. May 16th’s and May 17th’s venues are still unknown but the cast made it the 113 miles from Pittsfield to Oneonta.

Preshow Advertising

It seems odd that 10 days before the show there were two letters in the newspaper. The first was from the former manager of the Oneonta Theatre and current manager of the Lyric Theatre in Allentown, PA, where he mentions what a great show “Chin Chin” is and he is making no mistake in booking it. The second letter was from the Oneonta Theatre, presumably manager Ed Moore, wherein he indicated he made an offer to Mr. Dillingham to bring the show to Oneonta. In the letter, he indicates he is waiting for the acceptance of his offer. Meanwhile, there is a standard “Chin Chin” ad on the same page with everything except for the date.

The newspaper on May 12th indicates that Charles A. Goettier, business manager for “Chin Chin” was in Oneonta, and agreements were signed to bring the show to Oneonta.

On May 15th, the newspaper indicated “Chin Chin” would be the last big roadshow for the season. Immediately after “Chin Chin” contractors will work to remove the stage and join the new addition to the current building.

Show Advertising

Finally, “Chin Chin” played on the evening of May 18th without a hitch.

Reviews

There were no reviews that I have found.

Post Show Info

It is still unclear where “Chin Chin” played the next two days, but the show played the Smith Opera House, Geneva, NY, (130 miles west of Oneonta) three days later, on May 21, 1920.

Oneonta Theatre
47 Chestnut Street, Oneonta, NY

Oneonta Theatre Marquee in 1929. Photo Credit: Uploaded to Cinema Treasures on 7 Feb 1014 by CharmaineZoe

The Oneonta Theatre was designed by architect Leon H. Lempert and was built in 1897 by Oneonta resident Willard E. Yager. It opened on January 31, 1898.  In 1913, a 20×20 screen was added to accommodate silent films.

Specifications for the Oneonta Theatre, Oneonta, NY[i]

Ed. M. Moore, Manager – O. S. Hathaway Owner
Seating Capacity 1,000.

Front to back wall: 35 ft
Between side walls: 60 ft
Between fly girders: 40 ft
To rigging loft: 50 ft

After “Chin Chin” played there on 18 May 1920, the theater continued to prosper. Will Rogers played there in 1927; in 1979 the theater was converted to a two screen “Multiplex.” Stage events stopped there in 1992. The theater has open and closed several times in the past 30 years. The theater is on the National and State Register of Historic Places. Last year (2019) there were plans to renovate Oneonta Theater and presentations indicating the costs of various renovation levels.  However, the latest Google street photo indicates that the theatre is still for sale.

Today



Further Research

All of my newspaper sources for this event were from the Oneonta Star. The Theatrical Guide indicates there as also a “Herald” newspaper.  A look at the US Newspaper Directory (Library of Congress – Chronicling America) indicated that the Oneonta Herald was published from 1884 to 1947. The directory showed that The Oneonta Press and Otsego County Democrat was also being published at that time (1898-1922).  I should look at those if they become available.

Disclaimer

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 Endnotes

[i]  Julius Cahn—Gus Hill Theatrical Guide and Moving Picture Directory – 1921 – Page 267

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