Faces from the Past – Plummer-Roberts (& Hunnewell &Mains)

Posted on March 9, 2026 by Don Taylor

Linwood Dyer Collection, Part 092
SHS Accession #2026.01.06[i]
By Don Taylor

Introduction

The Scarborough Historical Society maintains several important photographic collections documenting people, places, and events. In this installment of Faces from the Past, I examine the last three photographs from the” Nellie Plummer Roberts album”.

Nellie (Plummer) Roberts, circa 1872.

“Nellie A. (Plummer) Roberts as a child, circa 1872 tintype in decorative paper sleeve.”
Nellie (Plummer) Roberts, circa 1872.

Process/Type: Tin type (Ferrotype) mounted in a paper sleeve.
Inscription:  A paper slip that accompanies the photo says “Nell (P) Roberts.”
Description:

  • A young girl, approximately three years old.

Research:

  • Tin-type photos were in use from about 1856 through the early 1900s, with a peak in decorative sleeve use in the 1870s and 1880s.
  • From past research, I’ve learned that Nellie A Plummer (1869-1955) married Alvin Charles Roberts in 1891.

Identification:
I am quite sure this is Nellie (Plummer) Roberts about 1872.

Because of how Nellie is named in this photo, I no longer believe this album was Nellie’s photo album. Rather, I believe this album was more likely her sister’s, Sarah Elizabeth “Lizzie” (Plummer) Wright’s album. All other relationships mentioned in the album would remain consistent.

Mary Mains (Undetermined).

“Mary Mains, unidentified woman, carte de visite by Geo. E. Brown, Portland, Maine, circa 1885.”
Mary Mains, circa 1882-1888.

Type: Carte de Visite (CDV)
Studio: Geo E. Brown, Photographer, 235½ Middle Street, Portland, ME (operated at address from 1881 to 1908)
Photo: circa 1882–1888 (based on being a CDV and Photographer dates at address)
Inscription:  Mary Mains
Description:

  • Mary is shown in a tight head-and-shoulders studio portrait against a plain, softly vignetted background. She faces directly forward with a composed, unsmiling expression typical of formal studio photography of the period.
  • The woman in the photo appears to be about 45 to 55 years old.

Research:

  • Ancestry indicates a Mary Agnes Smith of Portland, who married Charles W Maines on 10 Jan 1883. However, she was born in March 1857. She would have been between 25 and 31 years old when the photo was taken. However, they woman appears to be considerably older so, I don’t think this photo is of her.
  • Charles’s mother, Maria (Batcher) Maines, would have about 59 years old, older than my estimated age of the woman in the photo.
  • Charles had a sister who was born about 1853 named Mary. She would be about 32 years old in 1885. Also, a little young to be the woman in this photo.

Identification: Because it is unclear which of these or another Mary Mains this may be, I have failed to identify the individual in this photo.

Polly Hunnewell (Undetermined)

“Elderly woman identified as Polly Hunnewell, tintype portrait circa 1875.”
Polly Hunnewell, circa 1875

Process/Type: Tin type (Ferrotype) mounted in an oval mat paper sleeve. As such,  the likely photographic window is circa 1865–1885.
Inscription:  A paper slip that accompanies the photo says “Polly Hunnewell.”
Description:

  • An elderly woman in a three-quarter seated pose against a plain studio background. She faces slightly to her right while looking directly toward the camera. Her expression is composed and solemn.
  • The woman appears to be approximately 65–75 years old, with a most likely age around 70 years.
  •  If she were 70±5 when the photo were taken circa 1875±10, that would put her birth c. 1805±15, or 1790 to 1820.

Research:

  • “Polly” is a common 19th Century nickname for “Mary.”
  • FamilySearch shows a Polly Hunnewell (ID KZBB-981), the daughter of Richard and Hanna (Wescott) Hunnewell was born about 1800. Ancestry Family Trees confirm Mary Polly Hunnewell, daughter of Richard and Anna (Wescott) Hunnewell was born in Scarborough Maine.

Identification:
I suspect this is a photo of Mary “Polly” Hunnewell (1800-1876) of Scarborough. However, without additional information, I cannot be certain it is not another Mary who married a Hunnewell.

Conclusion

In the photo album, there are two tintypes of Polly Hunnewell, and they are the first two photos in the album, suggesting an important relationship to the album’s creator. The album’s probable creator’s, (Sarah Elizabeth “Lizzie” (Plummer) Wright) mother was Elizabeth (Hunnewell) Plummer. So it is possible that Polly Hunnewell could be a great aunt or some other important relation. With further research, it might be provable.

If any of the individuals shown here are familiar to you, I would be pleased to hear from you. I love hearing the stories these people.

My continuing goal is to reconnect these images with the families and communities to whom they belong—ensuring they are preserved, understood, and shared for future generations.

Disclaimer: This article was researched and written by the author. ChatGPT was used as a research and drafting aid, and Grammarly for editorial review and copyediting.

Posted in Faces from the Past, Linwood Dyer Collection | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“The Scintillating Beauty”: Donna Darling’s Week at Jackson’s Capitol Theatre, 1926

Posted on March 7, 2026 by Don Taylor

By Don Taylor

Donna played at the Capitol Theatre in Lansing, Michigan, from March 4th to 6th. She and her “Little Jewel Revue” then headed the 40 miles south to play at another Capital Theatre in Jackson, MI.

A Split Program

Ad for Capitol Theater showing "Tessie."

Sunday through Wednesday (March 7 to 10), the bill consisted of:

Motion Picture: Tessie – starring May McAvoy (Arrow Pictures)

Vaudeville

  • Delano Dell and “Clem” (Clem Wilson) and their Merry Gang in a novelty presentation.
  • Donna Darling is presenting “Her Little Jewel Revue.” She was billed as “The Scintillating Beauty” and featured Singing – Dancing – Comedy.”
  • Frazier Bros. – “Athletic Artistry”
  • Bert Chadwick – “The Eccentric Ethiopian”
  • Mahon & Scott with their Aguinaldo Serenaders featuring Eileen Dee Cee. They were billed as “America’s Foremost Apache Sensation.”
Ad for Capitol Theater for movie "His Master's Voice."

The second half of the week, Thursday through Saturday (Mar 11-13), Clem and Dell, along with Donna, stayed over; the movie and the other three acts were replaced. The new the bill consisted of:

Motion Picture: Thunder in His Master’s Voice – starring Thunder the Marvel Dog (Gotham Productions)

Vaudeville:

  • Alvin and Alvin “European Clowns and Fun Makers”
  • Miller-Packer and Seltz “The three Yaps”
  • “Clem” and “Dell” and their Merry Gang in a Musical Dancing Novelty with Donna Darling and Her Girls.  “Her Little Jewel Revue.
  • Marian’s Dogs – 150 of the Cleverest Dogs in Vodville Today. The act was billed as “the greatest of all canine acts.”

Citizen Patriot Articles

The Jackson Citizen Patriot, dated March 7th, indicated that “Clem” and His Merry Gang would be assisted by “that scintillating beauty, Donna Darling, and her “Little Jewel Revue.” Miss Darling, who has appeared at the Capital before, is known as one of the most beautiful girls in vaudeville today, and her assisting artists are also easy on the eye. They will offer a combination of singing, dancing, and comedy numbers with elaborate costumes, and the whole presentation will be given in a very attractive stage setting.[i]

Ad for Bathing Girl Contest

On the 11th, Donna, a former Mack Sennett Bathing Girl, arranged and conducted a Bathing Girl Contest with a $25 cash prize for the Jackson County Lady who made the best bathing-suit appearance. They would even supply the suit!

A news article on the 11th also indicated that all of Donna‘s and her girls’ songs changed, as would the stage setting. It was like a different show. As a special attraction, Miss Darling and the girls offered a series of bathing girl pictures. The article also mentions the Bathing Girl Contest would be a masked event including girls between 15 and 30.

Capitol Theatre, Jackson, MI

1937 photo of the Capitol Theatre.

The Capitol Theatre was relatively small, seating only 869 people. It first opened as the Orpheum Theatre on Feb. 24, 1916, and was renamed the Capitol Theatre in 1922. It was damaged in 1937 during the construction of the Tower Building next door and was remodeled in 1938.[ii] The theater closed in 1973, and the building was demolished in 1975. Interestingly enough, the theatre’s front entry wasn’t razed and became the entrance at 128 W. Michigan Ave.[iii]

Location Today

Photo of the location of the Capitol Theater today (Google Maps)
Google Maps – Today’s location where the Capitol Theatre once stood. Today, the site is occupied by a (permanently closed) restaurant.
Disclaimer: This article was researched and written by the author. ChatGPT was used as a research and drafting aid, and Grammarly was used for editorial review and copy editing.

Endnotes

[i] Sources: Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Michigan):
Sun, Mar 7, 1926 · Page 10,
     Sun, Mar 7, 1926 · Page 11,
     Thu, Mar 11, 1926 · Page 18 (via Newspapers.com).

[ii] Cinema Treasurers – Capital Theatre, Jackson, Michigan, United States, Movie Theaters. https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/5269.

[iii] MLive – “Peek through time: The Capitol was a symbol of Jackson’s movie palaces,” by Leanne Smith (lsmith12@mlive.com) published Mar. 06, 2010. https://www.mlive.com/living/jackson/2010/03/peek_through_time_the_capitol.html

Posted in Theatre History, Donna Montran, Vaudeville | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Donna Darling in Rochester, NY: “Chin Chin” at the Lyceum, March 4th-6th, 1920

Posted on March 4, 2026 by Don Taylor

In the News
By Don Taylor

In early March 1920, Donna Darling appeared at Rochester’s Lyceum Theatre as part of the touring musical comedy Chin Chin, a production that had already enjoyed several successful seasons on the road. Presented as a half-week return engagement, the show played Thursday through Saturday, including a Saturday matinee, drawing on its established popularity to fill the house.

Rochester, NY, Times Union, 3/4/1920, Page 6

Chin Chin, produced by Charles Dillingham, was built around a fantasy framework inspired by Arabian Nights, featuring lavish scenery, colorful costumes, and a large ensemble cast. The leading comic roles were played by Walter Wills and Roy Binder, while the supporting company included a variety of specialty and character performers.

Donna Darling was cast as the Goddess of the Light, a named fantasy role that placed her prominently within the production’s visual and allegorical elements. While Rochester newspapers focused on the show’s spectacle and its principal stars, the Goddess of the Light was a role that required stage presence and distinctive costuming, underscoring Donna’s standing as a trusted ensemble performer in a major touring show.

Although critics noted that the revival did not fully recapture the magic of earlier versions of Chin Chin, the production was praised for its colorful presentation and familiar musical numbers. Donna’s participation in this engagement reflects her continued work in first-class theatres and her steady progress within the professional vaudeville and musical-comedy world of the early twentieth century.

Sources: All newspaper sources below are via Newspapers.com.

  • 1920-02-28 – The_Times_Union_pg_10
  • 1920-02-29 – Democrat_and_Chronicle Page_31
  • 1920-03-01 – The_Times_Union pg 24
  • 1920-03-01 – The_Times_Union pg 24
  • 1920-03-03 The_Times_Union, pg 28
  • 1920-03-04 – The_Times_Union, pg 24
  • 1920-03-05 – The_Times_Union, pg 26
Disclaimer: This article was researched and written by the author. ChatGPT was used as a research and drafting aid, and Grammarly was used for editorial review and copy editing.
Posted in In the news, Vaudeville | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Donna Darling at the Bucklen Theatre (Elkhart, Indiana) – 1923

Posted on March 3, 2026 by Don Taylor

IN THE NEWS – March 3, 1923
by Don Taylor

Introduction

In the continuing effort to document my grandmother’s vaudeville career, Madonna Montran (stage name Donna Darling), contemporary newspaper accounts remain invaluable. Each newly discovered engagement helps refine the chronology of her touring schedule and broaden our understanding of her professional reach.

I am particularly pleased to have identified a previously undocumented appearance at the Bucklen Theatre in Elkhart, Indiana, on March 4th, 1923. Every new venue adds depth to the historical record and strengthens the reconstruction of her vaudeville circuit engagements.

Performance Details

  • Venue: Bucklen Theatre
  • Location: Elkhart, Indiana
  • Dates: Sunday, March 4, 1923 (announced March 3, 1923)
    at 2:45, 4:45, 7, and 9 P. M.
  • Act Name: “As You Like It” (Singing and Dancing Revue)
  • Supporting Performers on Bill:
    • Morris & Morris – “The Rube Constable and the Village Spinster”
    • Jack Gregory & Co. – Spectacular novelty juggling exhibition
    • Portia Sisters – Former circus act; “only act of its kind in the world.”
    • Karl Karey – “The Delightful Songster”
    • Feature film: William Russell in “The Great Night”

Newspaper Coverage

The Truth (Elkhart, Indiana), March 3, 1923, Page 13

Additional column mentioned on the same page noted:

“Donna Darling, winner of the first prize in a recent beauty contest conducted by the New York Hippodrome. The act is said to be a distinct vaudeville novelty. Other acts on the bill are Morris & Morris, ‘the rube constable and the village spinster’; Jack Gregory & Co., a spectacular novelty juggling exhibition; The Portia Sisters, a former circus act; and Karl Karey, known to vaudeville as ‘The Delightful Songster.’ The picture feature is ‘The Great Night,’ with William Russell as the star.”

Analysis and Context

The program followed a common early-1920s format:

  • Multiple vaudeville specialty acts
  • A headline singing and dancing revue
  • A feature motion picture

The presence of William Russell’s “The Great Night” indicates that by 1923, the Bucklen Theatre had fully integrated motion pictures into its regular offerings. Donna’s revue was therefore part of a transitional entertainment model blending live and cinematic attractions.

Touring Geography

This March 1923 engagement places Donna in northern Indiana. When considered alongside her other early 1923 appearances, this booking supports the conclusion that she was touring steadily through Midwestern circuits during this period.

While the specific circuit is not named in the advertisement, the booking pattern is consistent with independent or regionally affiliated vaudeville houses operating outside the major Keith-Albee or Orpheum chains.

Conclusion

The March 4, 1923, engagement at the Bucklen Theatre in Elkhart, Indiana, adds another confirmed venue to Donna Darling’s expanding vaudeville itinerary. The prominence of her billing and the continued use of her New York Hippodrome publicity reinforce her status as a featured attraction during this period.

Each newly identified engagement strengthens the documentary framework of her career and brings greater clarity to the rhythm and reach of her 1923 tour.

Disclaimer: This article was researched and written by the author. ChatGPT was used as a research and drafting aid, and Grammarly was used for editorial review and copy editing.

Posted in Donna Darling - "As You Like It" - 1923, In the news, Donna Montran, Vaudeville | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Warren – Surname Saturday

Posted on February 28, 2026 by Don Taylor

Roberts-Barnes-Taft-Cruff-Sprague-Bartlett-Warren Line
By Don Taylor

Introduction

My recent discovery that I am likely a descendant of Richard Warren of the Mayflower opened a whole new line of research. Richard Warren is purported to be a descendant of Charlemagne, which adds 18 Warren and de Warren ancestors.

Name Origin[i]

FamilySearch indicates the surname is English (of Norman origin): from the Middle English (Old French) personal name Warin, Werin, a borrowing of ancient Germanic Warino, a short form of various compound names based on the element warin ‘protection, shelter’ or ‘guard’.

Geographical

In the world, Warren is most common in the United States, with 192,668 individuals with the surname in the US. About 34,000 Warrens live in England and another 16,00 in Australia.[ii]

In the US, the most Warrens live in Texas, Georgia, and Florida. Its frequency is most common in Mississippi, where one in 707 people has the surname.

My Warren Ancestors

  • 9th Great-grandmother: Mary Warren (c. 1610-1683) [iii]
  • 10th Great-grandfather: Richard Warren (1583-1628)
  • 11th Great-grandfather: Christopher Warren[iv]
  • 12th Great-grandfather: William Warren
  • 13th Great-grandfather: Christopher Warren
  • 14th Great-grandfather: John Warren
  • 15th Great-grandfather: John Warren
  • 16th Great-grandfather: William de Warren
  • 17th Great-grandfather: Lawrence de Warren
  • 18th Great-grandfather: John de Warren
  • 19th Great-grandfather: Lawrence de Warren
  • 20th Great-grandfather: John de Warren
  • 21st Great-grandfather: John de Warren
  • 22nd Great-grandfather: Edward de Warren
  • 23rd Great-grandfather: Edward de Warren
  • 24th Great-grandfather: John de Warren
  • 25th Great-grandfather: John de Warren
  • 26th Great-grandfather: Joan Warren

My Warren’s in History

My most recent Warren is Mary (Warren) Bartlett. She was born about 1610 in England. She and her mother, Elizabeth (Walker) Warren, joined her father at Plymouth Colony in 1623. Mary married Robert Bartlett about 1629.

Her father, Richard Warren, came to America in 1620 aboard the Mayflower. See Wikipedia for more about him.

My Earliest known Warren is Joan Warren who is believed to be the 15th great-grandson of Charlemagne Carolingian.

Locations of my Warren Ancestors

The only known locations of where my Warren Ancestors lived are England and Plymouth Colony.

My Direct Warren Descendants

I have 470 known descendants of Richard Warren in my tree; 64 Taft, 28 Barnes, and 23 Roberts.

I have previously written about six of them.

Sources

Endnotes

[i] Common surname origins include:

  • Occupations (such as “Farmer”
  • Physical characteristics (such as “Short”)
  • Places or landmarks (such as “Hill”)
  • Patronymics, derived from a father’s name (such as Johnson from ”son of John”).

[ii] ForeBears – https://forebears.io/surnames/warren

[iii] I have not had the opportunity to personally research these individuals. As such, their names and dates are tentative and/or speculative.

[iv] These ancestors are entirely speculative, based entirely upon other trees. Other than their potential names, I have no information regarding them.

Posted in Mayflower Ancestry, Surname Saturday, Taft Family, Roberts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment