Photo Friday – Gruver, Hinkley, & Kinney

Posted on December 6, 2024 by Don Taylor

Linwood Dyer Collection – Part 043
 Hinkley Family Photographs (2024.13.43)
By Don Taylor

This photo album is from the Linwood D Dyer Photo Collection and is in very rough condition. Because most images are glued in place, I cannot access the photo backs. My initial look suggests this photo album highlights the Hinkley family. The collection includes hundreds of images, documents, and genealogies of people who lived in Portland, Scarborough, South Portland, and Cape Elizabeth, Maine. My goal is to reunite the images with family members who may have never seen the pictures before. The Scarborough Historical Society holds the originals in the Linwood Dyer Photo Collection.[i]

Eleanor (Hinkley), Margaret, and Louise Kinney, 1914

Hinkley Family Album, Pages 18.

Eleanor (Hinkley) Kinney with children Margaret & Louise

Page 18 consists of one photo of a woman and two children. Although unlabeled, it is clearly a photo of Margaret Prindle (Hinkley) Kinney and her two children, Margaret and Louise, taken in 1914 when Eleanor was three and Louise was an infant.

I added this photo to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry.

Eleanor Tisdale Hinkley, 1908 & 1909.

Hinkley Family Album, Pages 19.

Page 19 consists of two photos of a young woman.

  • One is labeled “1908 Eleanor,”
  • One is labeled “1909 Eleanor.”

Eleanor married Ernest C Kinney in 1909.

I added these two photos to my Flickr Photostream.

Margaret & Louise Kinney, c. 1916.

Hinkley Family Album, Page 20.

Photo of Margaret Kinney, c. 1917.

Margaret Kinney, c. 1917.

Page 20 consists of four photos of children:

  • A young girl standing in front of a house.
  • A girl on a pony,
  • A toddler,
  • Two children, a toddler and a young girl. The photo is labeled 1916.
Photo of Louise Kinney, c. 1916.

Louise Kinney, c. 1916.

In 1916, Margaret was about five, and Louise was about two, and these appear to be photos of them.

I added the photo of Louise as a toddler and the picture of Margaret on the pony to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry. I added the other two images to my Flickr Photostream.

Margaret Prindle (Hinkley) & Elbert Asa Gruver, 1908 & c. 1900.

Hinkley Family Album, Page 21.

Photo of Elbert Asa Gruven, c. 1900.

Elbert Asa Gruver, c. 1900.

Page 21 consists of two photos of adults:

  • A man.
  • A woman – labeled Aug 16, 1908.

Last week, in Photo Friday – Hinkley & Gruver, I identified the man as Elbert Gruver.

Photo of Margaret Prindle Hinkley

Margaret Prindle Hinkley

That would suggest the woman is Margaret Prindle Hinkley. Margaret and Elbert were married on 1 Sep 1898 in Portland, ME. Because of the proximity of the photos, I am sure they are of Margaret and Elbert, probably taken several years apart.

I added these photos to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry.

Rufus Henry Hinkley, Jr., c. 1878 to c. 1903.

Hinkley Family Album, Pages 22 & 23.

Photo of Rufus Henry Hinkley, Mr.

Rufus Henry Hinkley, Jr.

Page 22 consists of three photos labeled “Henry.”

  • A young boy
  • A teenaged boy
  • A young man in a military-style uniform.

Page 23 includes one photo of a man labeled “Rufus Henry Hinkley, Jr – 1873 –.”

All the photos appear to be of the same person, Rufus Henry Hinkley, Jr., taken over several decades.

I added the 1873 photo to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry and to FamilySearch profile LWK6-S9Q. I also uploaded Rufus Henry Hinkley, Jr.’s younger pictures to my Flickr Photostream.

 Conclusion

I would love to hear your reaction if any of these photos are of your family member. Especially if this photo is of a loved one for whom you hadn’t seen this photograph before.

Due to software limitations, the images uploaded to Ancestry, FamilySearch, or Flickr have higher quality than those linked here. Feel free to use these photos in your genealogical activities. Please cite “Photo Courtesy: Scarborough Historical Society.”

Endnotes

[i] Scarborough Historical Society Accession number: 2024.13.43.

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Happy Birthday Arthur Durwood Brown

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Don Taylor

December 5th

Photo Crop of Arthur Durwood Brown

Arthur Durwood Brown

Today, I remember my Great-Grandfather, Arthur Durwood Brown. He was born on December 5, 1869, in Saline, Washtenaw County, Michigan.

Arthur married Mary Elizabeth Manning on 19 October 1892 in Cass County, Minnesota.

He died on 27 August 1928 in Walker, Cass County, Minnesota and was buried at Gull River Cemetery, Pillager, Cass County, Minnesota.

For more information on Arthur Durwood Brown, see:

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Donna & Rivoli Theatre in the News

Posted on December 3, 2024 by Don Taylor

Donna Darling at Rivoli Theatre, Two Rivers, WI, Dec 7, 1924.

Donna in the News
100 Years Ago
by Don Taylor

“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 find a new venue for my grandmother’s exciting show business career of the 1910s and 1920s. 

This week, I learned from the Two Rivers Reporter and the Two River Chronicle (Two Rivers, WI) newspapers dated 28 November and 3 December 1924, that Donna Darling and her Bathing Beauties played at the Rivoli Theatre in Two Rivers.

Ad for Donna Darling and her bathing beauties "Coming Sunday Dec. 7."
Clipping – Two Rivers Reporter, December 28, 1924.

The Two Rivers Chronicle of December 3rd, 1924, reported:

“The Rivoli Theatre is giving the people of Two Rivers a special treat this week Sunday. A Vaudeville Act featuring Donna Darling supported by Murry Earle chief dancer of one of the biggest shows known and six bathing beauties from the moving picture studios will appear in person at the Rivoli. This act come highly recommended and should receive the approval of all. The act includes toe dancing, whistling, singing, talking, comedy, etc. It is an all round act and one that will send you home talking or be sorry that you missed seeing it. The regular matinee will be run at 2:15 P.M. and two evening shows 1st show at 6:30 P.M. sharp and the 2nd show at 8:30 P. M. A special enlarged orchestra will furnish the music and another Warner Bros. Classic of the screen will be the feature attraction in conjunction with the Bathing Beauties. Don’t fail to witness the big special attraction.”

The Two Rivers Chronicle, Wednesday, Dec 3, 1924.

Because of those newly available online articles, I was able to add another venue for Donna’s exciting vaudeville career.

New information added to her career list:

December 7, 1922–Two Rivers, WI – Rivoli Theatre – “Donna Darling and her Bathing Beauties” – In the News.

Endnotes

My thanks to Newspapers.com for providing access to these clippings.

Social Posting: 

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Photo Friday – Hinkley & Gruver.

Posted on November 29, 2024 by Don Taylor

Linwood Dyer Collection – Part 042
Hinkley Family Photographs (2024.13.43)
By Don Taylor

This photo album is from the Linwood D Dyer Photo Collection and is in very rough condition. Because most of the images are glued in place, I cannot access the photo backs. The collection includes images of people in the Hinkley family of Portland, Maine. Today, I identified five people from the collection. My goal is to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the pictures before. The Scarborough Historical Society holds the originals in the Linwood Dyer Photo Collection[i] “Hinkley Family Photo Album.”

Twins – Eleanor & Margaret Hinkley, c. 1871 to 1894.

Hinkley Family Album, Pages 12, 13, & 14.

Eleanor Tisdale Hinkley, circa 1897.

These three pages contain photos of two young girls.

On page 12, there are three photos. They are clearly twins and named “Eleanor” and “Margaret.” Beneath the photo of the twins together, “M” is labeled as the girl on the left and “E” as the girl on the right. A note at the bottom of the page is “Born July 6 – 1871.”

On page 13 are five photos of the girls; all are labeled, and four are dated.

  1. Eleanor & Margaret [I estimate circa 1878]
  2. Margaret, June 1892
  3. Eleanor, June 1892
  4. Margaret, 1894
  5. Eleanor & Margaret, Sept 1889
7 women, 1919
(probably contains Eleanor Tisdale Hinkley)

Page 14 has five photos. Four are of Eleanor, and one is a group of seven women; all five are dated.

  1. Eleanor, 1891
  2. Eleanor, Berlin, N.H. 1895
  3. Eleanor, Berlin, N.H. 1895, which is very similar to the above.
  4. Eleanor, 1897
  5. Unlabeled, dated 1919.

What I learned while researching this photo:

  • My Linwood Dyer Collection Family Tree contains Margaret Prindle and Eleanor Tisdale Hinkley, born in 1871.

I am confident these are photos of Eleanor & Margaret. I cannot identify any of the people in the group photo.

I added five photos of Eleanor, three of Margaret, and two of the twins together to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry.

Elbert & Margaret (Hinkley) Gruver Family, 1871 to 1908.

Hinkley Family Album, Pages 15, & 16.

Page 15 includes three “snapshot” photos labeled “Bert – Eleanor, Elbert – Margaret Gruvers.” One professional photo of a baby is labeled “Eleanor Gruver.”

Margaret Prindle Hinkley, 1894

My previous research revealed:

  • Eleanor Tisdale Hinkley married Ernest C Kinney. They had two children, Margaret & Louise.

What I learned:

  • The 1930 U.S. Census lists Eleanor H Kinney, head of household, living at 215 Vaughan, Portland, with her two daughters. Margaret is 18, and Louise is 15.
  • Eleanor’s sister Margaret married Elbert Gruver. So, it appears that Eleanor had a daughter she named Margaret and her twin sister Margaret had a daughter she named Eleanor.
Albert Gruvers (circa 1900s)

FamilySearch profile for Margaret (Hinkley) Gruver indicates she had two children who died as infants then. Eleanor was born in 1902, and Elbert was born in 1905. Eleanor appears to be about one year old, dating that photo to about 1903. Elbert appears to be about four years old, dating the three pictures of both children about 1909.

Page 16 includes two professional photos and two “snapshots.” They are:

  1. Professional portrait of a man – no date.
  2. Professional portrait of a woman with a baby, dated Sept 1902.
  3. Photo of two children labeled “Elbert – 1908 – Eleanor.”

Findings:

Eleanor & Elbert Gruvers,
circa 1909
  1. I am sure the first photo is Elbert Gruver, Sr.
  2. I suspect the second photo is also of Elbert Gruver, Sr., but I can’t prove it. Also, it is of poor quality, so I’m not including it.
  3. Eleanor was born on 29 June 1902. I’m confident this is a photo of Margaret holding Eleanor when Eleanor was about 2½ years old.

I added photos of Elbert (Sr.), Margaret, Eleanor, & Elbert (Jr.) Gruver to my Linwood Dyer Collection family tree at Ancestry.

Conclusion

I would love to hear your reaction if any of these photos are of your family member. Especially if this photo is of a loved one for whom you hadn’t seen this photograph before.

Due to software limitations, the images uploaded to Ancestry, Family Search, or Flickr are of higher quality than those here. Feel free to use these photos in your genealogical activities. Please cite “Photo Courtesy: Scarborough Historical Society.”

Endnotes

[i] Scarborough Historical Society Accession number: 2024.13.43.

Posted in Linwood Dyer Collection, Hinkley Family Album, Faces from the Past | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Donna in Glens Falls, NY, at the Empire Theatre – June 5-7, 1922

Posted on November 24, 2024 by Don Taylor

Vaudeville
Donna Darling & Co.
Empire Theatre, Glens Falls, NY
By Don Taylor

Donna Darling & Company had finished a series of shows at several F.F. Proctor’s theatres in New York City (23rd Street, 125th Street, & 58 Street) before heading north to Glens Falls, New York, where they played at the Empire Theatre.

Ad showing Donna Darling & Company playing at the Empire Theatre, Glens Falls, NY on June 7, 1922.

Ad – Glens Falls Post-Star – June 7, 1922, Page 7

The Glens Falls Post-Star newspaper of Saturday, June 3, 1922, reported that “Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday” was another “Great Vaudeville Show.” The feature picture was Dan Scully’s Greatest Stage Success, “THE PARISH PRIEST,” starring William Desmond. Vaudeville included:

  • Hughie Flynn and Miller & Rock in “Something Irish.”
  • Donna Darling and Boys in a musical, dancing and singing skit;
  • Bell Sisters in singing and pianologue;
  • Leonard, Gardner and Green in comedy, singing and talking.

A June 7th article, on page 7, mentions that “Donna Darling and Boys head the bill,” as Donna always wanted to be the headline of the shows she starred in.

After the show, Donna left for Detroit, where her tonsils were taken out, and then she took a vacation until July.

Empire Theatre

Postcard of the Empire Theatre & Hotel Ruliff, Glens Falls, NY.

Postcard: Empire Theatre & Hotel Ruliff.

I was lucky to find a postcard of the “Hotel Ruliff and Empire Theatre, Glens Falls, NY.” Although the theatre was distant in the photo, I later learned that there was an underground passage between the hotel and the theatre[i].

The Empire Theatre opened on October 6, 1899, and closed in 1950, when it was converted to offices[ii].

Specifications for the Empire Theatre[iii]

The population of Glens Falls in 1922 was 16,638.
Seating Capacity: 1,200.
Manager: John A. Fitzgerald.

  • Stage: 70 ft wide, 34 ft Deep, 65 ft high
  • Newspapers: “Post-Star” (M) and “Times” (E).
  • Hotels: Rockwell, Ruliff, Madden, Peabody, Fitzgerald, & Globe.
  • Railroad: D&H (Delaware and Hudson Company[iv]).

Empire Theatre Today

Photo of the Empire Theatre building & Hotel Ruliff today.

The Empire Theatre & Hotel Ruliff today.

Photo of The Empire Theatre building today.

The Empire Theatre building today.

Endnotes

[i] Cinema Treasures, Empire Theatre, 11 South Street, Glans Falls, NY 12801. https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/16857
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Julius Cahn—Gus Hill Theatrical Guide and Moving Picture Supplement, 1921 Edition, Page 61, Glens Falls.
[iv] Wikipedia – Delaware and Hudson Railway.

Posted in Donna Darling & Co., Vaudeville | Tagged , | 3 Comments