After lack of success in finding the mother of my great-grandmother, Mary Elizabeth (Manning) Brown, I decided to do what I call a deep dive. “Grandma Brown” was born in Kentucky, probably in 1876 or 1878. Her father was John William Manning, who may have also called “Joe.” Her mother (name unclear) likely died before 1885. She and her sister Phoebe probably traveled to Minnesota in 1882 and was undoubtedly in Minnesota, living with her grandparents Enoch and Minerva Mannin by 1885. So the window that Grandma Brown was in Kentucky was short, 1876 to 1885 at most.
A quick look at my tree and I discovered I have 431 people in my family tree with events in Kentucky, so I decided to create a Kentucky Research Toolkit to help with my research of these many Kentucky ancestors.
Looking at the locations of particular interest based on the life events of Mary, her father, John William, and her grandfather, Enoch, I need to look at:
Kentucky from 1823 to 1888
Bath County 1823-1860
Bath County, Owingsville 1823-1860
Carter County, 1845 – 1888
Carter County, Grayson – 1843-1865
Rowan County c. 1880?
Rowan County, Pine Grove – c. 1880?
Next, I typically print a Family Group Sheet from my Family Tree Maker software to have “What I Think I Know” handy. It can help determine if a document concerns the “right family.”
Besides knowing the dates to research, I need to learn more about Kentucky and its counties.
Kentucky was the 15th state in the Union, admitted on 1 June 1792.
Bath County was formed in 1811 from Montgomery County; its capital is Owingsville.
Carter County was formed in 1838 from Greenup and Lawrence Counties; its capital is Grayson.
Rowan County was formed in 1856 from Fleming and Morgan Counties; its capital is Morehead.
All three counties are in the Eastern Coal Field region of Northeast Kentucky. Coal mining is the primary industry in the region.
This week, for Photo Friday, I identify the people in five more envelopes from the Ethel Wight Studio Collection[i]. The envelopes contain the names who paid for the photos, not necessarily of the individual portrayed in the image. As such, it is vital to analyze the pictures and information to identify the individual therein.[ii] My goal is to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image.
Madonna G. LeClair, circa 1935.
The envelope this negative was in says, “Maddonna Le Clair, 147 St John St. #748.”
Madonna G. LeClair, circa 1935.
Why I believe this to be the individual.
The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Madonna L LeClair as a waitress at 22 Arsenal and residing at 147 St John. Also living at 147 St John is Helen LeClair, widow of Didas. Helen is a cook at 253 B.
The 1930 Census lists Madona [sic] La Clair, a 16-year-old born in Vermont and is the daughter of Helen La Clair, living at 147 St John.
This photo is of Madonna G. LeClair about 1935.
Ancestry has three public trees that refer to Madonna G. Leclair. Family Search has profile GZRH-FH9 for Madonna. So, I have uploaded a photo of her to her Family Search Memories.
Helen Marjory “Marge” Leadbeater, Circa 1935.
This negative envelope says, “Miss Marjorie Leadbetter, St. Barnabas Hospital #657.”
Helen Marjory “Marge” Leadbeater, Circa 1935.
Why I believe this to be the individual.
The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Marjorie Leadbetter as a student nurse at 231 Woodford (St. Barnabas Hospital) and residing at 20 Norwood.
Ancestry Trees suggest that Marjorie Leadbetter is Helen Marjory Leadbeater.
Ancestry Trees also indicate that Helen Marjory Leadbeater married John Anderson Pucky on 4 June 1939.
The 1940 Census indicates that Marjorie L Puckey is the 23-year-old wife of John A Pucky and lived in Portland in 1935. It also shows she is a registered nurse at a hospital.
I am sure these two photos are of Helen Marjory Leadbeater about 1935 when she was about 19 years of age.
Ancestry has eight public trees that refer to Helen Marjory “Marge” Leadbeater. Family Search does not appear to have a profile for Helen, so I have added her two photos to Dead Fred.
Irene Hume Noyes, circa 1935.
This negative envelope says, “Miss Noyes, The Sherwood, Park St.”
Irene Hume Noyes, circa 1935.
Why I believe this to be the individual.
The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Irene H Noyes living at 88 Park.
The 1940 Portland City Directory identifies that the Sherwood Hotel was at 88 Park.
The 1930 US Census lists Irene H Noyes as a 70-year-old boarder at 88 Park.
I am confident this is a photo of Irene about 1935 when she was about 75 years old.
Ancestry has four public trees that refer to Irene Hume Noyes, born 17 Sep 1859 and died 21 Jan 1937. Family Search has a profile, KGW1-PFJ, for Irene Hume Noyes. I uploaded two photos of her to her Family Search Memories.
This negative envelope says, “Mrs. C. L. Lawyer & Baby, 15 Devonshire St #305.”
Anonciatta Lawyer, circa 1934.
Why I believe this to be the individual.
The 1934 Portland City Directory lists Clifton L and Doris Lawyer living at 15 Devonshire.
The 1935 Portland City Directory indicates they moved to Auburn.
The 1940 US Census lists Clifton and Doris living in Lewiston wither their 6-year-old daughter Anonciatta.
This photo is of Anonciatta Lawyer, the daughter of Clifton and Doris (Parker) Lawyer, about 1934.
Ancestry appears to have no trees that refer to Anonciatta; however, her father, Clifton, appears in six Ancestry trees. Family Search has a profile G7B7-MVN for Anonciatta Lawyer; I uploaded a photo of her to her Family Search Memories.
Unknown child, circa 1935 (Probably related to Harriet K Leach)
Unknown child, circa 1935 (Probably related to Harriet K Leach)
Why I couldn’t identify this child.
The 1935 Portland City Directory lists Mrs. Harriet K Leach living at 407 Cumberland, apt 1.
The 1940 Census lists 50-year-old Maine-born Harriet K Leach, divorced and boarding at 164 Fort Road in South Portland. It also indicates she lived in Portland in 1935.
My Ancestry and Family Search review didn’t reveal any evidence that Harriett had any children. So, I don’t know who this child is.
Ancestry has nine public trees that refer to Harriett K (Kane) Leach (later Decker). Family Search has profile for LJ26-B4W. I have only uploaded the photo here because I can’t determine who this child is.
If you are a family member of Harriett and can indicate if Harriet ever had children or know who this child is, please contact me through the comment form below. (Please indicate if your comment is public or private.)
Conclusion
I fully identified four of the five Three of them have Family Search profiles, so I uploaded their images to their Family Search Memories
I identified one individual that did not have a Family Search profile but did appear in Ancestry trees, so I posted her image to Dead Fred.
There was one individual that I could not identify. That photo is only here.
If any of these photos are of your family member, I would love to hear your reaction. 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 Family Search, Dead Fred, and Flickr are of higher image quality than the images here (except for the unknown child).
For all postings of the Ethel Wight Collection, please see here.
Endnotes
[i] The Wight Studio was in Portland, Maine. Many thanks to Ethel Wight’s family for access to and permission to use the collection of their great aunt.
[ii] These images were converted to positives using a lightbox, a Nikon camera and computer software.
“Donna in the News” is my reporting of newly found newspapers 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. I received a newsletter from New York State (NYS) Historic Newspapers that they had several new papers digitized and others updated. So, I thought I’d check it out.
First, I found that she was mentioned in several ads in the Dziennik Dla Wszystkich = Polish Everybody’s Daily. The ads reminded me that Donna played at the Layfayette Square Theater in Buffalo, NY, between September 15th and 20th, 1923, which I had known about before.
Second, I learned from the Advertiser Journal (Auburn, NY) dated 6 January 1923, that she played at the Jefferson Theater.
The headliner will be presented by Donna Darling and Company, with Jack Finney and Mary [sic] Walker happily cast, presenting a song and dance revue of the better sort. They call the revue “A Song and Dance Romance” and one descriptive phrase is that it is a “dazzling dance phantasy.” Donna Darling and her partners have dressed the act sumptuously and introduce a number of novelty dances that have been winning success for the offering over the Keith Circuit. It is the kind of an act that vaudeville goers particularly enjoy, and will make a headline number of the most attractive sort.
Subsequent articles show she played at the Jefferson Theater in Auburn, New York, from January 8th through the 10th.
Because of those newly discovered articles, I was able to add another venue for Donna Darling & Company:
January 8-10, 1923 – Auburn, New York – Jefferson Theater – Donna Darling and Company in “A Song and Dance Romance”
My thanks to the folks at NYS Historic Newspapers for their providing online images of so many New York papers.
“Donna 100 years ago” reviews my grandmother’s vaudeville life. Madonna Montran, aka “Donna Montran” & “Donna Darling,” had an exciting career during the 1920s. A definite headliner, she crisscrossed the country with her many shows.
March 27-??, 1922 – Pittsburgh, PA – Sheridan Square Theatre
April 3-5, 1922 – York, PA – York Opera House
April 6-8, 1922 – Harrisburg, PA – Majestic Theatre
April 13-15, 1922 – Middletown, New York – Stratton Theatre
April 17-19, 1922 – Lancaster, PA – Colonial Theatre
Finally, she arrived in Hazelton, PA, to play for three days at the Feeley Theater from April 20th to the 22nd.
Preshow Advertising
Advertising for the show began on April 15th with a short paragraph on page seven in the Plain Speaker, “Big Bills at Feeley Theatre.”
The Plain Speaker, Sat., Apr 15, 1922.
Donna Darling, the favorite musical comedy star in a song and dance cocktail entitles “As You Like It” will be the feature vaudeville offering with the picture the last half of the week. Miss Darling is assisted by Murray Walker and Jack Finney, and this trio presents on the highest class variety acts in vaudeville today. They have a gorgeous stage setting in three scenes all of gold drapes and with wonderful lighting effects present a magnificent spectacle.
The Standard Sentinel ran the same article on the 17th.
Donna’s Scrapbook included a clipping showing the advertising copy from the show (Trimmed by Donna).
Feeley Theatre Ad – From the Donna Darling Collection
On the bill with her were:
Walter Kaufman – “The Black Cloud”
Chapman and Ring in “A Breeze From Musical Comedy.”
Grant and Wallace – Those Two Fall Guys
Two Movies
“The Silent Call” movie starring Strongheart (the dog), “The Most Amazing Animal Ever Seen on Any Screen.”
Buster Keaton in “The Playhouse”
But, the real gem from this show’s articles is a photo of Donna, the “Famous Musical Comedy Star Now Playing at the Feeley.
Beautiful Miss Donna Darling, who appeared here two seasons ago in “Chin Chin,” is presenting an elaborate Song and Dance spectacle at the Feeley in the Current Bill.
One hundred years ago, Donna played in the vaudeville act “As You Like It” at the Feeley Theatre in Hazelton, Pennsylvania.
Donna’s whereabouts are unknown for the next couple of weeks, but she appears at the Palace Theatre in Port Richmond (Staten Island), New York, on May 5th.
Feeley Theatre, Hazelton, PA – Photo courtesy “Granola” via Cinema Treasures
Proscenium opening: 35×25 ft
Front to back wall: 35 ft
Between side walls: 65 ft
Apron 3 ft
Between fly girders: 40 ft
To rigging loft: 60 ft
To fly gallery: 20 ft
9 Dressing rooms
Endnotes
[i] Date and location provided by Russell Kees and not confirmed. [ii] Hazleton is about 100 miles north-northwest of Philadelphia. [iii] Source: Internet-Cinema Treasures, Feeley Theatre – Overview – https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/12631 [iv] The Julius Cahn-Gus Hill theatrical and moving Guide, V. 20, 1921, page 306.
I previously concluded that Sarah Jane Garvin, Mary A, and Nelly Nellie Burton could not be my 2nd great-grandmother. However, other researchers ascribe Mary Elizabeth Mannin(g)[i] Brown’s mother’s name as Lisa J. Mannin (1861-___) and others Eliza Jane Fannin (1861-1882). I have long thought that Lisa could be a shortening or corruption of Eliza and that Mannin could just be the married name of Mary’s mother.
In Part 5 of this series, I’ll further examine the evidence of Mary E Manning’s mother’s name.
In Part 1 of this series, I mentioned that I only have two sources that suggest Mary’s mother’s name.
First—The 1880 Census shows John & Lisa J Mannin living in Pine Grove, Rowan County, Kentucky.
The problem with the 1880 Census is that I can’t be 100% certain that that entry is the right John Mannin. During the 1880 Census, his father (Enoch), two uncles (Thomas and Tubel), and his brother (Isaac) all lived in Carter County. None of his siblings appear to live in Rowan County in 1880. Additionally, John died in Carter County in 1888. Rowan county is next to Carter county, but for him to relocate off by himself seems unusual. I can’t be 100% certain this John Mannin family includes my great-grandmother, two-year-old Mary.
Second—An email letter from Mary Brown’s minister, Les Crider, indicated he thought Mary’s mother’s name was Eliza Tolover.
Again, the name is problematic. He might have confused Mary’s mother’s name with Mary’s grandmother’s surname, Tolliver. So, again, I can’t be certain that Eliza is Mary’s mother’s name.
Marker: Mary E. Brown 1876 Mother 1983
One hundred thirty-one public trees refer to Mary Elizabeth Manning, who married Arthur Durwood Brown. About 25 of them, including mine, suggest Mary’s mother’s name is Eliza, Lisa, Elisa, or Liza Fannin, Fanning, Mannin, or Manning. Several researchers cited the memorial I created for Mary Elizabeth Manning Brown on Find a Grave, including a photo of Mary’s Marker.
In reviewing the sources cited on the many trees, one source, Mary E Brown’s entry in the Minnesota Death Index,[ii] I didn’t have. It provides her birth date, death date, and her mother’s maiden name of “Fanning[iii].”
One researcher cites a 1925 City Directory that places ArthurH and Mary E Brown in Morristown, New Jersey. Not Arthur D and Mary E Brown. Incorrect fact.
Conclusion
I am convinced that Sarah Jane Garvin, Mary A, and Nelly Nellie Burton could not be my 2nd great-grandmother. Although I’ve settled on using Elisa Jane Fannin as Mary Manning’s mother’s name, I am open to any of the similar names first names. In Part Six, I take a brief look at DNA and how it might help in this research.
Again, if you have any thoughts or comments regarding this posting, please feel to post in the comments below. If you want the comment to be private, please let me know.
Endnotes
[i] Mannin and Manning are used interchangeably in various documents. I try to use the spelling used in a particular document when quoted. Occasionally, Mannen, Mannan, and Mannon are also used as the spelling is typically based upon what the recorder of the document believed they heard.
[ii] “Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4H4-PWG : 4 December 2014), Mary E. Brown, 08 May 1983; from “Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : 2001); citing Crow Wing, Minnesota, record 2111797, certificate number 011688, Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis.
[iii] Fannin and Fanning are used interchangeably in various documents. I try to use the spelling that was used in the particular source.
After lack of success in finding the mother of my great-grandmother, Mary Elizabeth (Manning) Brown, I decided to do what I call a deep dive. “Grandma Brown” was born in Kentucky, probably in 1876 or 1878. Her father was John William Manning, who may have also called “Joe.” Her mother (name unclear) likely died before 1885. She and her sister Phoebe probably traveled to Minnesota in 1882 and was undoubtedly in Minnesota, living with her grandparents Enoch and Minerva Mannin by 1885. So the window that Grandma Brown was in Kentucky was short, 1876 to 1885 at most.
