“Donna in the News” reports newly found newspaper articles and advertisements regarding my grandmother, Madonna Montran (aka Donna Montran and Donna Darling). I am always excited when I see a new venue for my grandmother’s exciting show business career of the 1910s and 1920s.
This week, from the Chronicle-Tribune and the Leader Tribune (Marion, IN) newspapers dated February 26th to March 7th, I learned that Donna played at the Indiana Theatre from March 1st to the 4th and then returned for three more shows on March 7th.
Clarice Allyn
This set of advertisements was fascinating because it named images of Clarice Allyn and Betty Bryant. I had seen the photos before, but not with the names included. The Chronicle-Tribune had a lengthy article about the show.
Bathing Girls on Stage Here at the Indiana
Bathing girls from various western motion picture studios will personally appear at the Indiana theatre next Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The star of this spectacular Hollywood Revue is Miss Donna Darling who has won many beauty prizes in New York City, Boston and Philadelphia. She was the creator of the principal feminine part of “Chin-Chin,” the late musical comedy success. Miss Darling is known as the ‘girl with a million-dollar personality”; she entrances her audience from her entrance on the stage until the final curtain drops.
Betty Bryant
Miss Darling was followed from the coast where she has been making pictures, by two life-guards, Todd Watson, a specialty dancer, and Al Ross, and eccentric stepper. Every girl in the revue is an artist. Betty Bryant of Ziegfield Follies posses as “Miss America of Today.” Clarice Allyn is a clever toe-dancer, Allyce Lampse, a captivating Hawaiian bather, (Mildred Obrian dances as a Palm Beach favorite, while Rose Lasgo does difficult acrobatic dancing. Petite Annis Walker, the beach flirt, sings clever blues numbers.
The Revue opens with a prologue which is followed by a display of 1860 bathing suits. The 1900 bathers supply comedy, which is followed by the modern bather. Bathing costumes are shown from various beaches of this and other countries. These costumes become more elaborate as the revue advances, closing with Miss Darling as she appears in a rhinestone bathing suit.
The entire entertainment is fast, clean and enjoyable. The scenic and lighting effects are unusual.
The Leader-Tribune newspaper of March 1, 1925, Page 6, “Week’s Theater Menu” mentions the Royal Grand program is “playing at the Indiana.” That article mentions:
Also for four days, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: Donna Darling and “Her Bathing Girls” with Betty Bryant. Here’s thirty-five minutes of fast and furious fun and entertainment. Wonderful costumes and snappy dancing. It’s just the show that you want to see.
I wonder if something happened at the Royal Grand that necessitated their shows moving to the Indiana Theatre.
Finally, the Leader Tribune of March 7th indicates that Donna Darling and Her Bathing Beauties were back for March 7th only. I wonder what happened to the show on March 5th & 6th. I can’t imagine the cast took off two days, a Thursday and a Friday.
Linwood Dyer Collection – Part 057 Hod, Wright, JPD, Liz, Others Album (2024.13.50) By Don Taylor
The Linwood Dyer Photo Collection at the Scarborough Historical Society contains a photo album labeled “HOD WRIGHT JPD LIZ OTHERS.” While some photos are identified, others are not. I am trying to positively identify and then share these historical photos with the descendants of the people pictured, offering families a chance to see unknown images of their ancestors.
The original materials, including this album (Accession number: 2024.13.50), are carefully preserved at the Scarborough Historical Society, serving as part of the broader Linwood Dyer Photo Collection’s enduring legacy.
Henry Leary, circa 1891.
Henry Leary, c. 1891
Henry Leary c. 1890
The story of Henry Leary unfolds through two photographs on page 43 of an album. The first, a portrait by the Hearn-F.E. Roberts studio in Portland, Maine, offers a glimpse into his life around 1891. Historical records pinpoint Henry C. Leary as a baker, born in Scarborough in 1866. We trace his journey through census records, revealing a life marked by early loss and family ties. He married twice, first to Rossi Emma Deering and later to Lizzie May Hatch, and eventually returned to his roots in Scarborough. His 1958 obituary paints a picture of a man deeply involved in his community. A second photograph, taken by J.A. Swett around 1890, further solidifies our understanding of Henry Leary. Despite these insights, a connection to Nellie (Plummer) Roberts (the album creator) remains elusive.
James Small, c. 1883.
James Small c. 1883
On page 42 of an album, we find a photograph marked “Uncle Jimmy Small,” captured by the Portland studio of Conant. The back of the photo reveals the studio’s address at 478½ Congress Street, active between 1877 and 1884. I believe this album belonged to Nellie (Plummer) Roberts. The photograph depicts James Austin Small (1842-1935), who was married to Nellie’s aunt, Marietta S. Honeywell (1846-1923). Comparing this image to one featured in “Photo Friday – Libby & Small” (Part 53), we can confidently identify him as the same man, suggesting this photo was taken around 1883. Thus, “Uncle Jimmy Small” is James Austin Small, husband of Nellie Plummer’s aunt, Marietta S. Honeywell.[i]
Perley & Lloyd Wentworth, circa 1892.
Perley Wentworth, c. 1892.
The photographs on page 46, captioned “Twins – Perley & Lloyd Wentworth,” are attributed to G. Waldon Smith, whose Portland studio at 514 Congress Street operated between 1892 and 1893. Research in genealogical records identified Perley Leaon Wentworth, born February 15, 1886, in Bath, Maine, and his brother, Lloyd W. Wentworth, born in October 1887. Given the studio’s operational dates, the photographs were likely taken when Perley was approximately six and Lloyd five, consistent with their apparent ages in the images. The description of the brothers as twins is likely erroneous, as Perley is observably older and taller.
Lloyd Wentworth, circa 1892
The 1900 census records the brothers residing in South Portland with their widowed mother, Lizzie, and other family members, including their grandmother, Sarah B. Plummer. Lloyd Wentworth died in Portland in 1907 at the age of 19. In 1910, Perley Wentworth was living with his mother and grandmother in Portland. By 1915, he was boarding in Portland. In 1917, he registered for the draft while residing and working in Bath, Maine. Perley Wentworth died in Bath in 1919 at the age of 32. Perley and Lloyd Wentworth were Nellie Plummer’s second cousins.
Liz Wright, circa 1886
This photograph, labeled “Liz Wright” from page 47, is attributed to Hearn of Portland, Maine. The inscription on the reverse identifies the studio as C.W. Hearn Portrait Photographer at 514 Congress Street. Given that C.W. Hearn operated at that address from 1883 to 1889, the photograph likely dates to approximately 1886. A comparative analysis with photographs of Liz Wright in Part 051 of this series, “Libby, Plummer (married Wright & Dyer),” confirms that this is Sarah Elizabeth “Liz” (Plummer) Wright, the half-sister of Nellie Plummer.
David Wright, circa 1912.
David Wright
Found on page 47 of the album, adjacent to a photograph of Liz Wright, is an image labeled “David Wright.” This identification is corroborated by comparison with a photo of David Wright in Part 56 of the series, “Libby, Laidlaw, Moody, & Wright.” Based on his apparent age of approximately six years and his birth year of 1906 in Scarborough, Maine, the photograph is estimated to date to 1912. David E. Wright is a half-nephew of Nellie A. Plummer.
Conclusion
Family photographs hold an extraordinary power to connect us across generations, offering glimpses into the lives, personalities, and experiences of those who came before us. The discovery of an unseen photograph of a beloved ancestor can be a profoundly moving experience that collapses the distance of time and allows us to see our family members as they once were, perhaps in the full bloom of youth or childhood. If any of these images have helped you recognize an ancestor, I would be deeply grateful to hear your story and learn how these photographs have enriched your understanding of your family’s history.
For those interested in accessing the highest quality versions of these historical photographs for genealogical research, please note that the full-resolution images are available through Ancestry and Family Search platforms due to technical constraints. These photographs are shared freely for your family history research and documentation, with the simple request that you acknowledge their source with the citation: “Photo Courtesy: Scarborough Historical Society.” By sharing and properly attributing these images, you help maintain the vital connection between these historical materials and their custodians, ensuring that future generations can continue to discover and learn from these precious visual records of our shared past.
Family Search and Ancestry indicate that “Rowley” is a habitational name from many places in England, including Staffordshire, Devon, Durham, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, and Essex. Forebears agrees and goes further to suggest it relates to a parish in East Riding of Yorkshire[ii] and a parish in Staffordshire. The surname does take on other spellings including Roley, Rolley, Rollie, and Rowlee.
Geographical
There are about 47,000 people in the world who bear the Rowley surname. It is most prevalent in the United States (over 20,000), and the highest Density is in Guernsey. Guernsey is a self-governing dependency of the British Crown in the Channel Islands off the coast of France.
In the US, nearly 2,000 live in California, and it is most common in Utah, where 1,700 folks have the surname.
Wicks Weeks Rowley was a patriot in the Revolutionary War and a private in the New York Militia. He is Patriot #A099352 in the DAR.
My earliest known and my immigrant ancestor is Moses Rowley (1627-1705). He came to Plymouth Colony in 1632.
Locations of my Rowley Ancestors
British Colonial America, Connecticut Colony, Hartford
British Colonial America, Connecticut Colony, Tolland, Hebron
British Colonial America, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Barnstable
British Colonial America, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Bristol
British Colonial America, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Plymouth
England, Norfolk
United States, Connecticut, Middlesex, Chatham.
United States, Michigan, Washtenaw, Saline
United States, New York, Columbia, Claverack
United States, New York, Greene, Lexington
My Rawley Descendants
I have 754 known descendants of Moses Rowley in my tree: 122 Browns, 17 Bergs, and 17 Parsons. I have written about the descendants of Electa Rowley, but not her yet.
Habitational. Place, or landmarks names(such as “Hill”).
Patronymics, derived from father’s name (such as Johnson from ”son of John”).
[ii] Rowley, Massachusetts, was named after Rowley, East Riding of Yorkshire where Reverend Ezekiel Rogers was the pastor for twenty years. – Wikipedia-Rowley, Massachusetts.
[iii] I have not had the opportunity to personally research this individual or her ancestors. As such, their names and dates are tentative and/or speculative.
Linwood Dyer Collection – Part 056 Hod, Wright, JPD, Liz, Others Album (2024.13.50) By Don Taylor
The Linwood Dyer Photo Collection at the Scarborough Historical Society contains a photo album labeled “HOD WRIGHT JPD LIZ OTHERS.” While some photos are identified, others are not. I am trying to positively identify and then share these historical photos with the descendants of the people pictured, offering families a chance to see unknown images of their ancestors.
The original materials, including this album (Accession number: 2024.13.43), are carefully preserved at the Scarborough Historical Society, serving as part of the broader Linwood Dyer Photo Collection’s enduring legacy.
Annie Libby Berryman, circa 1897.
Annie Libby Berryman
From page 41, this photo is labeled “Annie Libby Berrinien.” The photographer is “Lamson – 5 Temple St., Portland, ME.” The Lamson Studio operated at 5 Temple Street from 1883 to 1907. I judge the person in the photo to be in her 20s.
I reviewed Annie Libby in Part 054 of this series, and this photo shows the same young woman. She appears to be about a year older than in other images estimated taken in 1896.
Nellie Laidlaw, circa 1915.
Nellie Laidlaw
This photo, from page 29, is labeled Nellie Laidlaw. The photographer is not identified but appears to be newer than Cabinet Cards.
My previous research discovered Nellie Ester Laidlaw, daughter of William Scot and Blanch (Plummer) Laidlaw, born in Scarborough, Maine, on 1 September 1915. She appears to be about a year old in this photo, so I date the photo to circa 1916.
Further research found that Nellie died on 12 July 1989 in Scarborough. She also had a sibling, Alvin Thomas Laidlaw (1912-1913), and her mother was Blanche Plummer Roberts (1892-1945), who I reviewed previously–See Linwood Dyer Collection Part 54.
I am confident this photo is of Nellie, taken in 1915 when she was about a year old.
Eleanor Moody, circa 1893.
Eleanor Moody
This photo, from page 40, is labeled Eleanor Moody. The photographer is “Smith Photographer.” At least six different Smith photographers in Portland operated from 1871 to 1916. I judge the person in the photo as about 25 years old, dating the photo to 1893.
Eleanor’s obituary indicates she attended Scarborough Schools, a state teachers’ college, and a business college. She opened a school of stenography & shorthand at 98 Exchange Street.
Jim Wright, 1903.
James Wright – Infant.
This photo from page 28 is labeled Jim Wright. The photographer is “Jackson, Portland, Maine.” Charles E. Jackson had a studio at 548½ from 1891 to 1908.
My previous research discovered James A Wright, son of Albert E and Sarah “Lizzie” (Plummer Wright, born about 1903 in Maine.
James Albert Wright was born on 30 January 1903 in Scarborough, Maine, to Albert E & Lizzie S. Wright. I previously reviewed photos of “Aunt Liz” – See Linwood Dyer Collection Part 54.
I am confident this photo is of James Wright, taken in 1903 when he was less than a year old.
David & Jim Wright, Circa 1910.
David & Jim Wright
This photo from page 34 is labeled “David & Jim Wright.” The image is a snapshot without a photographer identified.
My previous research discovered David & James Wright, sons of Albert E and Sarah “Lizzie” (Plummer) Wright. David was born on 23 May 1905 in Scarborough, Maine. In this photo, he appears to be about five years old, dating back to circa 1910.
Conclusion
Family photographs hold an extraordinary power to connect us across generations, offering glimpses into the lives, personalities, and experiences of those who came before us. The discovery of an unseen photograph of a beloved ancestor can be a profoundly moving experience that collapses the distance of time and allows us to see our family members as they once were, perhaps in the full bloom of youth or childhood. If any of these images have helped you recognize an ancestor, I would be deeply grateful to hear your story and learn how these photographs have enriched your understanding of your family’s history.
For those interested in accessing the highest quality versions of these historical photographs for genealogical research, please note that the full-resolution images are available through Ancestry and Family Search platforms due to technical constraints. These photographs are shared freely for your family history research and documentation, with the simple request that you acknowledge their source with the citation: “Photo Courtesy: Scarborough Historical Society.” By sharing and properly attributing these images, you help maintain the vital connection between these historical materials and their custodians, ensuring that future generations can continue to discover and learn from these precious visual records of our shared past.
Roberts-Brown Project Roberts-Barnes-Taft Line By Don Taylor
Asa Taft is my double-fourth great-grandfather. He was born in Uxbridge, Mass., in 1774. He had between 10 and 12 children and two wives, Sarah and Lucy. He moved west to Partridgefield (now Hinsdale), Mass, and again west to Sharon, New York. Finally, he moved west again to Lisle, New York, and he died in nearby Triangle, New York.
Asa was born on 29 April 1774 in Uxbridge, Massachusetts Colony, the third child of Silas and Elizabeth Mary (Cruff) Taft.
Children of Silas and Elizabeth (Cruff) Taft (Asa’s Siblings)
Name
Born
Married
Died
Dan
1769
Sarah Comstock
1834
Job
1772
Elizabeth Brown
1840
Asa
1774
Sarah WhitneyLucy Wilson Fuller
1839
Abigail
1777
Isaac Cory
Aft. 1855
Silas
1779
Silvy ?
Aft. 1850
Lewis
1781
Belinda Dewey
1842
Cruff
1784
Rhoda Crowell
Bef. 1831
Mahetable
c. 1785
c. 1848
Mary
1786
Mahetable & Mary may be the same child.
Asa’s marriage #1
Sometime between his birth and marriage, Asa Taft relocated from Uxbridge, MA, 100 miles west, to Partridgefield, MA. He and his wife, Sarah Whitney, were both of Partridgefield, MA, when they married on 18 September 1794.
Amanda was born in 1798 in Partridgefield, MA. Asa began paying taxes in Sharon, Schoharie County, NY, in 1800 suggesting the family moved the 100 miles west to Sharon about 1799.
They moved another 100 miles west again, about 1805, to Triangle, Broome County, NY. Sarah died there in 1813.
A few years later, probably about 1819, Asa married Lucy Wilson. They had three children.
Children of Asa and Sarah (Whitney) Taft
Name
Born
Married
Died
Sara Jane
1821
David Clinton
1881
James F.
c. 1822
Mary Ann Ellison
1848
Ambrose Wilson
c. 1825
Harriett W Shattuck
1891
Asa was a successful farmer. The 1825 New York Census noted he had 100 acres, 40 cattle, six horses, 20 sheep, and 16 hogs.
Death/Burial, etc.
Asa died on 17 March 1839 in Broome County and was buried in the Taft Family Cemetery about a mile north of Triangle, New York.
Massachusetts, Berkshire, Peru – Marriage 1 – 1794
New York, Broome, Lisle – Lived 1820 to 1830
New York, Broome, Triangle – Marriage 2 – Death & Burial – 1839
New York, Schoharie, Sharon – Lived 1800-1803
Conflicts
I suspect Lucy was married previously and had several children in that marriage before she married Asa Taft. That would explain three children identified as Asa’s, which I don’t think are. It would mean that Lucy and Joel were stepsiblings and not brother & sister.
Actions / Follow-up
Find Asa in the 1790 & 1810 Censuses.
Continue Research on Asa Taft (1774-1839)
Research Asa’s wives and children.
Sources
1800 Census (FS), Family Search, 1800 – Asa Taft – Sharon, Schoharie, New York, page 16. “United States, Census, 1800”, , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5B-QR1 : Sat Mar 09 23:59:55 UTC 2024), Entry for Asa Taft, 1800. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5B-QR1.
1820 Census, Various, Asa Taft, Asa Taft Jr., Joel C Taft – Lisle, Broome, New York. “United States, Census, 1820”, , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHL8-H5F : Sat Mar 09 06:32:56 UTC 2024), Entry for Asa Taft, 1820.
1830 Census (NARA), Various, 1830 Census – Asa Taft – Lisle, Broome, New York. Year: 1830; Census Place: Lisle, Broome, New York; Series: M19; Roll: 85; Page: 109; Family History Library Film: 0017145.
Ancestry.com, New York, U.S., Tax Assessment Rolls of Real and Personal Estates, 1799-1804 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014), Ancestry.com, 1800 – Asa Taft – Sharon Schoharie, NY.
Ancestry.com, New York, U.S., Tax Assessment Rolls of Real and Personal Estates, 1799-1804 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014), Ancestry.com, 1801 – Asa Taft – Sharon, Schoharie, NY.
Ancestry.com, New York, U.S., Tax Assessment Rolls of Real and Personal Estates, 1799-1804 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014), Ancestry.com, 1802 – Asa Taft – Sharon, Schoharie, New York.
Ancestry.com, New York, U.S., Tax Assessment Rolls of Real and Personal Estates, 1799-1804 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014), Ancestry.com, 1803 – Asa Taft – Sharon, Schoharie, New York.
Broome County (New York) census, 1820-1845, Family Search, Film # 008201793 – Image 112 of 382.
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/69087508/asa-taft: accessed February 19, 2025), memorial page for Asa Taft Sr. (29 Apr 1774–11 Apr 1839), Find a Grave Memorial ID 69087508, citing Taft Cemetery, Triangle, Broome County, New York, USA; Maintained by Nathan Warner (contributor 47282835).
Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, Family Search, Births – Page 199 (Image 373 of 509). “Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001”, , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F42G-FZZ : Sat Mar 09 16:11:55 UTC 2024), Entry for Asa Taft and Silas Taft, 29 April 1774. Uxbridge. Birth Records, Marriage Records, Death Records, Declarations of Intention.
Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, Family Search, Image 214 of 259 (right side) Starts with Dan Daft. “Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001”, , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F45N-HP8 : Sat Mar 09 15:45:29 UTC 2024), Entry for Asa Taft and Silas Taft, 29 April 1774.
Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, Family Search, Marriage – … Asa Taft ?? Vorway in the State of New York and Miss Whitney of Partridgefield were lawfully Publishe??? by me Geot Walkins Jr. “Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29L-CYBW : Thu Jan 16 14:01:09 UTC 2025), Entry for Asa …A and Whitney, 18 Sep 1794.
New York, Cemetery Abstracts, 1800-1965, Family Search, Burial – Asa Taft – Age 65, 11 Mar 1839 -. “New York, Cemetery Abstracts, 1800-1965”, , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WQ6P-NCN2 : Sat Mar 09 04:50:14 UTC 2024), Entry for Asa Taft.
Endnotes
[i] Ancestry Public Trees – This number changes. It is the number of trees on the day I was writing this sketch.
[iii] I find it interesting that Lucy Wilson Taft has the second name of Wilson. I suspect this is a daughter of Asa’s second wife Lucy Fuller Wilson and is a stepdaughter to Asa.
