DNA – Glennis Paternity Project Part 11

Posted on January 10, 2018 by Don Taylor

Another GEDMatch Match

By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.Recently, I returned to looking at the matches for my half-sister Glennis to see what might be new. One of the nice features of GEDMatch is that when you look at a match you can click on the “L” to list the matches that match that individual. In Glennis’ case when I do that if the individual also matches our mother, I know that the match is on her maternal side. If the individual doesn’t match our mother (nor obviously me) that means the match is on her unknown paternal side.

In the past she has matched to several people who have appear to have a common ancestor on a Morgan/Odell family in West Virginia. I encountered a match with AHW and contacted the individual’s listed email address. It is always awesome when the individual responds. After a couple emails, AHW’s tree was shared with me.

I also took a look at AHW using DNA Painter and found a nice long match on chromosome 13 with two other individuals.

Image of DNA Painter - AHW match on C13

AHW matches two others on C-13

According to his tree, his Great-Grandmother was Rachel Odell who I had on my “notional” list. She was one of 11 children of William Odell and Jane Morgan. She and her husband were the brother and sister of Nathan Smith Morgan and Belinda Odell that are am currently researching.

AHW shares 58.3cM of DNA with Glennis which would suggest they are 3rd cousins. However, because a brother and sister married a non-related sister and brother there is some endogamy and the relationship is likely a generation further back than I’d otherwise expect.

That suggests that Jacob Morgan and Elizabeth Smith and/or Joshua Odell and Susannah Davis are the most likely common ancestor. So, the finding confirms that I am in the right tree and studying the right family line who also appear to have had the four people in the line.

D'oh!

D’OH by Stannered [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0 via Wikimedia.com

The thing that I hadn’t realized, but knew if I thought about it, was that it then proved that the Rachel Odell line has to be a dead end. If Rachel were a common ancestor, then AHW would be a 2nd cousin and not a 3rd and I would expect much more DNA in common. It is kind of a “doh moment.”

The good news of this match is that it confirms Jacob Morgan and Elizabeth Smith and/or Joshua Odell and Susannah Davis as likely common ancestors. It also eliminates their grandchild Rachel Odell and her descendants from consideration.

I still have hundreds of descendants to analyze but eliminating one group is awesome. So back to the children of Nathan Smith Morgan and Belinda Odell. I only have four of their 12 children to look at left. Then I can go down the other 25 lines. Sigh…. Hopefully, someone else will test and I’ll be able to jump to a lower spot on the tree.

Thank you MWH, (AHW’s contact) for your help and thanks to your other family members on Facebook for helping me narrow my research.

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DNA – Glennis’ Paternal Search – Part 10

Posted on January 8, 2018 by Don Taylor

Following Morgan/Morgan (Nathan & John)
By Don Taylor

My half-sister Glennis is a DNA match on Ancestry.Com with several individuals who have common ancestors with Francis and Fannie (McGregor) Morgan. In the search to determine Glennis’ biological father, I am continuing to develop a tree of the descendants of Francis and Fannie (McGregor) Morgan of Pleasants County, West Virginia. This time I look at Nathan Spencer Morgan and John A. Morgan. They are the seventh and eighth of twelve children to be examined.

Francis and Fannie (McGregor) Morgan’s 12 children

Child Children Notes/comments
Clara M Morgan Gail Hemsworth
Naomi Hemsworth		 Married Everett Luzader

Married Earl Deem
Henry Clifford Morgan None. Died at age 15.
Lewis V. P. Morgan Lula Edna Morgan
Opal Jean Morgan		 Died at age 2.

Married William Davis
Rosa Virginia Morgan Carrie Vernice May

Clara Bernice May

Mary Fannie May

Edna Marie May

Roy Harold May

 Married Pearl W. Dutton

Married Hezekiah Martin Morrison

Married Floyd T. Williamson

Married Clarence Gorell

Married Della Olive Hooper
Dora D. Morgan None Died at age 2.
Ephraim Stokeley Morgan Helen Virginia Morgan

Ralph W. Morgan

 Married Louis Scott – No  Candidates

Died at age 1
Nathan Spencer Morgan None (Apparently) Married Alice Redding
John A. Morgan Louise

Harold A

Mildred Eloise

Erma Ruth

 Died as Infant.

Married Iris Edith Estep – 3 children.
Married Van Bert Franks – 1 child.
Married Wilbert Clayton Bauer – No children.
Sarah D Morgan
Unnamed Morgan
Orien E. Morgan
James Cyrus Morgan

 

Nathan Spencer Morgan was born on 1 August 1865 in McKim Creek, Pleasants County, West Virginia. He shows living with his parents, Francis Marion and Fanny R. Morgan during the 1870 and 1880 Census records.

Nathan married Alice M Redding in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska on 27 December 1890. He was 25 years old and Alice was 20 years old.

He appears to be living in the Yankee Hill Precinct of Lincoln in 1893.

Nathan died on 8 January 1898 and was buried at Yankee Hill Cemetery, Section 3, Lot 185, Space 6, in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska.

I have been unsuccessful finding any records showing any children of Nathan and Alice Morgan – Born 4 Jun 1876, Died 7 Feb 1879 – No issue. Alice appears to have been a domestic during the 1899 directory and clearly is listed in the 1900 city directory; however, I have been unable to find Alice in the 1900 city directory nor any record of her remarrying.

Note: There was an Irene Morgan, age 10, who was a servant in the household of Daniel G. Sullivan at 1413 B. Street, Lincoln, NE. I considered her a possible child of Nathan and Alice, although she would have been born four months before Nathan and Alice were married. Also, I have been unable to find Irene in any other records other than the 1900 Census.

John A. Morgan – Born 21 March 1867 in Pleasants County, West Virginia.

Married Daisy Wessel. They had four children:

  1.        Louise Morgan – Born 1898 – Died 1898 as an infant
  2.        Harold A. Morgan – Born 27 Sept 1899 Married Daily Wessel
    1.            James Arthur Morgan – Born 1933 in Nebraska – Possible but unlikely.
    2.            Two daughters – Born in the 1930s – Not considered.
  3.        Mildred Eloise Morgan –  Born 1905 – Married Vain Burt Franks 1921
    1.            Kenneth Franks – Born 1922-1923 – Not a Candidate.
    2.            One daughter born in the 1920s – Not considered.
  4.        Erma Ruth Morgan – Born 1906 – Married Wilbert Clayton Bauer in 1943. Not considered.

Criteria:

  • “Candidates” are males born between 1925 and 1935.
  • “Not considered” are females who are unlikely to have had a male child between 1925 and 1935.
  • “Possible but unlikely” are males born between 1925 and 1935, but are not named Paul or Phil, which are the likely names of Glennis’ biological father, or otherwise don’t appear to fit the likely candidate who would have been in Minnesota or Michigan in 1953. I will revisit these possibilities later of this project fails to find a potential candidate.

Follow-up

  • Research Irene Morgan if and determine if she was a child of Nathan and Alice or died without children. Low priority.
  • Follow-up with James Arthur Morgan – Born 1933 in Nebraska if necessary. He is “Possible but unlikely.”

Sources:

  • Find A Grave: database and images (https://www.findagrave.com accessed 31 December 2017), memorial page for Nathan Spencer Morgan (1 Aug 1865–8 Jan 1898), Find A Grave Memorial no. 129565657, citing Yankee Hill Cemetery, Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska, USA; Maintained by Joe & Linda (Ashley) Conroy (contributor 47095445).
  • Nebraska, Marriage Records, 1855-1908, Ancestry, Spencer Morgan & Alice M. Redding 0 27 Dec 1890. https://search.ancestry.com/collections/61335/records/169203.
  • S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Ancestry, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1893 – Page 50 – Spencer Morgan. Source Information. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Original sources vary according to the directory. The title of the specific directory being viewed is listed at the top of the image viewer page. Check the directory title page image for full title and publication information. https://search.ancestry.com/collections/2469/records/1086701573.
  • West Virginia Births, 1853-1930, Family Search, Nathan S Morgan – Aug 1, 1865. “West Virginia Births, 1853-1930,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NM7C-F38 : 4 December 2014), Nathan S Morgan, 1865; citing Pleasants, West Virginia, United States, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 868,170. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NM7C-F38.
  • Family Search Tree, Family Search, John Albert Morgan – 1867-1931. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KZ2H-Y3L.
  • Find a Grave, Find a Grave, Francis Marion Morgan – Memorial 34026151. See File: Francis Marion Morgan (1840 – 1922) – Find A Grave Memorial.pdf. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=34026151.
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Oil City Opera House – 15 March 1920 – “Chin Chin”

Posted on January 6, 2018 by Don Taylor

Donna Montran and “Chin Chin” play at the Oil City Opera House in Oil City, Pennsylvania on 15 March 1920

We know that “Chin-Chin” played at the Franklin Opera House in Franklin, PA, on March 12th.  Certainly, the troupe played somewhere Saturday and Sunday, the 13th and 14th, but I have not discovered where—Yet.

Preshow Advertising appears to have begun on March 10th with a standard “Announcement to the Public” about the show coming. The same announcement ran on March 11th. There was also an “Amusements Ad” which spoke about Charles Dillingham and his previous successes and about some of the music in the show. That ad ran again on March 12th. There is no mention of Donna nor her role in the show.[i]

On the 12th ran a common “girls ad” for the show (See above.) and on the 13th a different advertisement ran. There was no Sunday paper for the News-Herald. The show may have sold out before Monday the 15th because there were no ads in the Monday paper.

I have not found any reviews or post-show information on this presentation.

Oil City Opera House

The Oil City Opera House is one of the few theaters that do not appear to have made the transition into film. It is not listed in any of the theater guides I have found. The Julius Cahn Gus Hill Theatrical Guide for 1913-1914 reports that the Oil City Opera House seated 1,023 people – 389 on the lower floor, 302 in the Balcony, 300 in the Gallery, and 32 in the box seats. The stage was 32 ¼ x 24 feet.[ii]

The Julius Cahn guild mentions that there were two newspapers, in Oil City, first the Blizzard with a circulation of 3,000 and the “Derrick” with a circulation of 6,075. I have not found either of them available online. The newspaper articles and advertising I have found are from the “News-Herald” in Franklin, PA, which is about 8 miles away.

The Oil City Opera House was first built in 1872 at the head of Center street. It burned in February 1884. In the summer of 1885, several businessmen purchased the site and began construction of a new opera house. The site again burned during the 1890s.[iii] I’m not sure what would be considered “the head of Center Street.” But based on my guess, today it currently appears to be the site of an old (1940s?), abandoned bank building and a parking lot. 

Endnotes

[i] The News-Herald (Franklin, Pennsylvania) · Wed, Mar 10, 1920, · Page 10, via Newspapers.com.
[ii] The Julius Cahn Gus Hill Theatrical Guide for 1913-1914, Page 589.
[iii] Babcock, Charles A. 1919. Venango County, Pennsylvania: her pioneers and people. Volume I. Via Google Books – https://goo.gl/3Mx8na

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Donna Darling Collection – Part 21

Posted on January 4, 2018 by Don Taylor

Treasure Chest Thursday
By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.The Burns Theatre, Colorado Springs, CO

For Treasure Chest Thursday, I looked at three clippings from the Donna Darling Collection which mention The Burns Theater. I love it when there are handwritten notes with photos and Donna’s notes made analyzing these clippings quite easy. One clipping mentions “Colorado Springs” and the other says Barnes Theatre – Colo. Springs Sept 17-18.

 

 

I have cropped, edited, and sized these images for the web.

Key features:

  • The venue is the Barnes Theatre, Colorado Springs, Co. The theatre was part of the Western Vaudeville Managers’ Association.
  • The show is the “Donna Darling Revue with Sammy Clark”
  • Seven other acts were on the bill and also had three shows daily.
    • Billy Curtis and Lou Lawrence in “Is That The Custom?”
    • Bozo Fox & Company – Vaudeville’s Latest Surprise
    • Morrell and Blynor – Beauty, Grace, Speed
    • Nick Pallizi – The Wizard of the Accordeon [sic]
    • O’Brien Sisters and Mack – Bits of Musical Comedy Hits
    • Princess Winona – Indian Prima Donna
    • Zuhn and Dreis – Dementus Americanos Habitat North America

Analysis

From other research, I know that the “Donna Darling Review [sic] with Sammy Clark” was a 1926 show.  On September 7th, 1926, the show played in Alton, IL and on October 9, 1926, the show played in Santa Ana, California so its playing in Colorado Springs on September 17 and 18 makes sense.

Conclusion

Sept 17, 18, 1926 – Colorado Springs, CO – Burns Theatre – Donna Darling Review

Note:

Donna played at the Burns Theater previously during her Chin Chin performances.  See: Donna in Colorado Springs, CO, November 19, 1919, at the Burns Theatre.

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Donna in New York – April 1918

Posted on January 4, 2018 by Don Taylor

Donna was still in Boston in January, 1918 (See: “Boston Sunday Post – Play With Dolls To Banish Fatigue?”). She appears to have left for New York immediately after that because she “Began appearing on the “United Time” with Arthur Daly in February. What she did in March is unknown, but in April she “began to form an act” with George Kennier.

The New York Clipper for April 10, 1918 reported that:

MONTRAN AND KENNIER UNITE

Dinna Montran, of musical comedy fame, and George Kennier, principal with “Very Good Eddie” have framed a singing and dancing act for the Moss and Loew Circuits.

The following week, the Clipper reported that:

George Kennier and Dinna Montran will put on a new singing and dancing act within the near future.

Search as I have, I cannot find any mention of George Kennier other than these two mentions. Even an advertisement for “Very Good Eddie” which opened in December 1915 in Buffalo, NY doesn’t mention him, but it does mention 27 other cast members in that show. Additionally, these two entries in the Clipper are the only two places I’ve encountered “Dinna.”  I would have wondered if this were actually Donna, except Montran is such an unusual name and I know that Donna was in New York in February.

We don’t know if this show ever materialized. I have been unsuccessful finding Donna again until October when she is in Decatur, Illinois.

Sources:

  • New York Clipper – 10 April 1918, Page 6 (VAUDEVILLE), “Montran and Kennier Unite”
  • New York Clipper – 17 April 1918, Page 19 (ABOUT YOU! AND YOU!! AND YOU!!!) Column 2.

 

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