Talented Tuesday: Hugh Allen Binkley

Nashville Tennessean, 19 February 1956, page 1

My second cousin twice removed Hugh Allen Binkley played in a hillbilly band with Wayne Harbin, Bubba Roberts, and Kenneth Odum. They called themselves the Wampus Cats, and sometimes called themselves the Ramblers. They were going to perform at a chili supper at Harpeth Valley School on 18 February 1956, but their car went off the bridge over the Big Harpeth River in Davidson County, Tennessee. Hugh Binkley and Kenneth Odum did not survive.

Source: Belleview Boys Feared Drowned. Nashville Tennessean, 19 February 1956, pages 1, 6.

Talented Tuesday: Nellie (Cox) McDonough

My 2nd-great-grandmother's half-sister Nellie (Cox) McDonough was a good waltzer. She won a prize in a waltzing contest at Shelby Park in East Nashville, Tennessee in 1899 for being the best waltzer on the floor. Her husband Owen McDonough also won a prize in the contest.

Nashville American, 5 September 1899, page 8

Talented Tuesday: Harriet Dahlquist

Southtown Economist, 17 October 1943, page 2

My first cousin twice removed Harriet Dahlquist studied organ in 1943, so that she could become an organist at Foster Park Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois.

Talented Tuesday: Kenneth Graham, Entertainer

My first cousin twice removed Kenneth Graham was an entertainer who performed in nightclubs in Florida, mostly in the Miami Beach area. He performed with Bob Collins as "Collins and Graham." Their shows included music and comedy. Kenny played guitar, bass, and trombone.

Miami News, 3 January 1957, page 4B

St. Petersburg Times, 27 March 1957, page 12B

 St. Petersburg Times, 27 March 1957, page 12B

Miami News, 10 January 1958, page 5B

Miami News, 11 January 1958, page 8A

 Miami News, 28 December 1957, page 9A

Talented Tuesday: Geraldine Boe

My maternal grandfather's sister Geraldine "Jerry" Boe was a dancer. She danced at the Kit-Kat Club in St. Louis, Missouri. In the 1930s, she was a professional stage dancer at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, and then danced at the Chez Paree nightclub in Chicago until September 1940. She was a member of the Chez Paree Adorables. Jerry was mentioned in the "Openers" section of the Chicago Tribune, 15 February 1976, which is about her friend Lorraine Dehner, another Chez Paree Adorable.

More information about the Chez Paree Adorables:
Chez Paree Adorables
Chez Paree nightclub in Chicago, Il

Talented Tuesday: Will Loftin Hargrave, Composer and Author

Will Loftin Hargrave, the son of my 5th-great-grandmother's brother Skelton Hardgrave, was an author and composer. The Library of Congress has sheet music for several songs that he composed.

There liv'd on the banks of a smooth flowing river [sheet music]. Library of Congress Peforming Arts Encyclopedia.

Wait for the wagon [sheet music]. Library of Congress Performing Arts Encyclopedia.

His compositions "There Liv'd on the Banks of a Smooth Flowing River" and "Wait for the Wagon" were published in 1851.

Old Bob Ridley [sheet music]. Library of Congress Performing Arts Encyclopedia.

His composition "Old Bob Ridley" was published in 1853. It was performed by Kunkel's Nightingale Opera Troupe.

Wallannah: A Colonial Romance. Internet Archive.

His book Wallannah: A Colonial Romance was published by B. F. Johnson Publishing Company in 1902 (twenty years after his death.) The book is set in New Bern, North Carolina.

Kinston Journal (Kinston, North Carolina), 13 November 1879, page 2

Goldsboro Messenger (Goldsboro, North Carolina), 15 January 1883, page 1

Semi-Weekly Messenger (Wilmington, North Carolina),11 March 1902, page 4

References

Old Bob Ridley [sheet music]
There liv'd on the banks of a smooth flowing river [sheet music]
Wait for the wagon [sheet music]
Wallannah: A Colonial Romance (East Carolina University Digital Collections)
Wallannah: A Colonial Romance (Internet Archive)

Talented Tuesday: Florence Boe, Dancer

My maternal grandfather's sister Florence Kathleen Boe (22 November 1909 - 19 October 1992) was a dancer. She began studying dance at the age of seven. She taught dance at the Hagen Conservatory in St. Louis, Missouri, and eventually had her own dance studio. She was involved in opera and theatrical productions.

Bwana (yearbook, Roosevelt High School, St. Louis, Missouri), June 1926, p. 64. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. School Yearbooks, 1880-2012 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Florence Boe. From Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark. Compiled by Melvin and Alpha M. (Boe) Brodshaug, 1984. Published by Arlene (Boe) Christensen and Marjorie (Boe) Bergee. Printed by Anundsen Publishing Co., Decorah, Iowa.

Gould's St. Louis City Directory, 1929. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Gould's St. Louis City Directory, 1937. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. 

Western Military Academy Shrapnel (Alton, IL) 8 April 1937

References
Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark. Compiled by Melvin and Alpha M. (Boe) Brodshaug, 1984. Published by Arlene (Boe) Christensen and Marjorie (Boe) Bergee. Printed by Anundsen Publishing Co., Decorah, Iowa.

Talented Tuesday: Paula Christina (Schneider) Nagy

My maternal grandmother's sister Paula Christina (Schneider) Nagy was a violinist. She played first violin with the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra in the 1930s and was the first concertmaster of the St. Louis Women's Symphony Orchestra. She later became concertmaster of the Kirkwood Symphony Orchestra. Her husband Laszlo James Nagy was also a violinist. The Nagys moved from St. Louis, Missouri to Boston, Massachusetts when Laszlo joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In the early 1950s, Paula played second stand violin with the Boston Civic Symphony. She taught violin in St. Louis. She also played piano, and taught both violin and piano in Newton, Massachusetts for more than 40 years.

References
Paula C. (Schneider) Nagy obituary. Daily Hampshire Gazette, 24 February 2004.

Talented Tuesday: Laszlo James Nagy, Violinist

Photo from Boston Symphony Orchestra Musicians List

Laszlo James Nagy, the husband of my maternal grandmother's sister Paula Christina Schneider, was a professional violinist. At age 10, he began studying violin and piano with a member of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. He played with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for 10 years. In 1944, he began playing with the Boston Symphony Orchestra; he played with them until he retired in 1985. He was an expert on Hungarian gypsy music.

1940 United States census, St. Louis City, Ward 4, population schedule, enumeration district 96-580, sheet no. 5A. Available from Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

Polk's Newton (Middlesex County, Mass.) City Directory. Vol. XL, 1945. Boston, MA: R. L. Polk & Co. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

 

Polk's Boston (Suffolk County, Mass.) City Directory. Vol. CLXI, 1964. Boston, MA: R. L. Polk & Co. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Boston Symphony Orchestra concert programs, Season 79, 1959-1960. Boston, MA: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Available from Internet Archive.

Talented Tuesday: Booth Tarkington

Booth Tarkington, with signature. Available from Indiana University and Wikimedia Commons.

 
Today is the birthday of writer Booth Tarkington. I first heard of Booth Tarkington when I was growing up, because my paternal grandfather said that we were related to him. Although I had not yet begun any genealogical research at that time, I was curious enough to ask my grandfather how we were related to him. He didn't know, other than that the relationship was on his mother's side (my great-grandmother's maiden name was Tarkington). Although Booth Tarkington was from Indiana, his paternal grandfather was born in Tennessee. Tarkington is not a common surname, and his ancestors were from the same area that my ancestors came from. If I could prove the identity of my 3rd-great-grandfather Joseph Tarkington's parents, I would be able to figure out what the relationship is. But as of now I just know that he is a distant cousin of some sort. He is a distant relative of Joseph S. Tarkington, the man that I suspect is the father of my Joseph Tarkington.

Newton Booth Tarkington was born on 29 July 1869 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Over more than fifty years, he wrote 171 stories, 21 novels, 9 novellas, and 19 plays. He also produced numerous illustrations, radio dramas, and movie scenarios. He won the Pulitzer prize for his novels The Magnificent Ambersons (1918) and Alice Adams (1921). Other works of his include The Gentleman from Indiana (1899), Penrod (1914), and Gentle Julia (1922). Many of his works were adapted for films.

Ad for the 12 part film series The Adventures of Edgar Pomeroy, based on stories written by Booth Tarkington. Film Daily, 20 February 1921, page 10. Available from Wikimedia Commons. Film Daily issue available from the Internet Archive.

References
Armistead, Sarah Peery; Sawyer, Ova Lee Peery; and Russell, Lorraine Peery. Boyer, Penny Russell, ed. Tarkington-Kersey, Theresa, photo ed. Tarkingtons of Tennessee: Genealogy of John G. Tarkington. 2001.
(Newton) Booth Tarkington. Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resource Center.
Booth Tarkington
1919 Pulitzer Prize
1922 Pulitzer Prize

Talented Tuesday: Delmar Borg

Delmar Borg, the son of my great-great-grandmother's brother Emil Borg, was a talented singer. As a student at Chesterton High School in Chesterton, Indiana, he participated in pageants and sang solos. He sang at banquets and at weddings (including his sister Dorothy's wedding), and he was a member of the Serene Serenaders troupe.

Vidette Messenger, 23 March 1934

Vidette Messenger, 5 April 1934

Vidette Messenger, 24 April 1935

Vidette Messenger, 16 May 1935

Vidette Messenger, 5 October 1936

Vidette Messenger, 18 March 1938

Vidette Messenger, 31 May 1938

Vidette Messenger, 18 April 1939

Vidette Messenger, 23 September 1941

Talented Tuesday: Juliet Dahlquist

My great-grandmother's sister Juliet Dahlquist was a member of the Swedish Choral Club of Chicago, Illinois. In 1920, she traveled to Norway, Sweden, and Denmark with the club for a concert tour. She left from New York on 15 May 1920 on the Drottingholm. She sailed home on 18 August 1920 from Liverpool, England on the Baltic, and arrived in New York on 27 August 1920.

Juliet Dahlquist passport application. Passport issued 29 April 1920. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Collection Number: ARC Identifier 583830 / MLR Number A1 534; NARA Series: M1490; Roll #: 1183. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007.

Juliet Dahlquist passport application. Passport issued 29 April 1920. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Collection Number: ARC Identifier 583830 / MLR Number A1 534; NARA Series: M1490; Roll #: 1183. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007.

Talented Tuesday: Margaret Ann (Schneider) Boe, Pianist

My grandmother Margaret Ann (Schneider) Boe was a talented pianist. She played in many different styles: classical, popular, and improvised. Below is an invitation to her graduation in music and two programs from concerts that she gave in St. Louis.

  

 

For many years, she played piano for the Ridgewood High School Jamboree in Ridgewood, New Jersey.

Margaret by the piano in St. Louis

Talented Tuesday: Cousin Steve

April is Jazz Appreciation Month, so it is a good time to write about my first cousin Steve Slagle. Steve is a jazz saxophonist and has been recording since 1977. He has played with the Steve Kuhn Quartet, the Charles Mingus Big Band, the Carla Bley Band, Milton Nascimento, Joe Lovano, Lionel Hampton, Ray Barretto, Olivier Hutman, Charlie Haden, Jaco Pastorius, Dave Stryker, Dr. John and Eddie Blackwell, the Beastie Boys, and his own groups, including the Stryker/Slagle Band. More information about his recordings can be found on his Web site at http://steveslagle.com/Recordings/.

Steve has also published a book, Scenes, Songs & Solos: A Composition and Improvisation Workbook for the Creative Musician (Schaffner Press, 2011).