Thomas G. Moses and Fred R. Megan became partners in 1923. They purchased the Sosman & Landis name after Hoyland-Lemle purchased the company contents at that same time.
Frederick R. Megan’s history is elusive, but the little that I have uncovered to date is quite interesting. Megan periodically pops up in various newspaper articles during the late nineteenth century, eventually working for the Kansas City Scenic Co. by 1901.
Megan’s business career initially appears in print during 1894. That year, Megan is listed as the editor for Dr. Megan & Son, publishers (Leonardville Monitor, Leonardville, Kansas, 8 Nov. 1894, page 4). The publication was advertised as “a spicy 5-column quarto, neatly printed and is Republican in politics,” suggesting the progressive leanings of the family and publication at the time.
Fred R. Megan was the son of a physician and surgeon. Dr. James W. Megan. Like many in the medical profession, Megan traveled throughout a region, establishing practices as the family moved from one small town to another. With each move Dr. Megan established his practice in a slightly larger town, until supplementing his income as a publisher. Megan’s various residences included Pawnee Rock, Kansas, Little River and Home City, Kansas. By 1894 Megan relocated his medical practice from Home City to Olsburg (Westmoreland Recorder, 12 Oct.1893, page 8). On October 18, the “Olsburg News-Letter” reported, “Dr. J. W. Megan expects to move to Leonardville after election and will practice medicine there as well as look after editorial duties of the Monitor” (1894, page 8).
In Olsburg, Dr. Megan was an active member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Randolph Lodge, No. 216 (Randolph Enterprise, 3 May 1894, page 1). The Megan family also attended the Fostoria Baptist church in Olsburg (Olsburg News-Letter, 9 August 1894, page 8).
After Olsburg, the Megans moved to Leonardville, Kansas, where father and son commenced a new business venture – publishing. On October 25, 1894, the “Clay County Star” reported, The Leonardville Monitor has changed hands, assuming editorial charge, F. R. Megan, assuming editorial charge, and Dr. Megan & Son appear as publisher. From appearances they start in with an excellent patronage and will no doubt keep the paper up to its former high local standing” (25 Oct. 1894, page 3).
By 1896, Megan relocated to Kansas City (The Topeka Daily Capital, 9 April 1896, page 8). It is unclear what prompted the moved, or caused the younger Megan to seek a career in the theatre. However, he worked his way up through the profession from usher to technician, not an uncommon progression at the time. A decade later, he would still be living in the area, working as a well-known scenic artist and traveling salesman, representing Kansas City Scenic Co. The “Lead Daily Call” described the painting of scenery for the Lead Opera House, reporting, “”Fred R. Megan, who has the work of painting the scenery and decorations was on arrival on the Burlington last evening. He comes from Kansas City, and is an artist in his line, one of the best in the country. He will begin just so soon as the carpenters give him room, which will be in a day or so, to erect his stagings and make other preparations for doing the work of adornment, and when he has finished the interior of the little opera house will be one of the handsomest in the west, and no pains will be spared to make it so. Mr. Megan will have his work well under way before the week is over, and will have it completed before the winter season really begins” (Lead Daily Call, Lead South Dakota, 8 Oct. 1906, page 1).
Like Moses, Megan not only contracted the work to produce new scenery for a variety of entertainment venues, but also designed and painted the contracted settings. “The Columbus Courier” reported, “Fred R. Megan, representing the Kansas City Scenic Co., is in the city today with full samples of scenery. He sold a good sized order for the LaRue Investment Co. for the Opera House” (Columbus, Kansas, 10 Jul 1902, page 5). What us interesting about this particular article is the use of the wording “full samples of scenery.” It is unclear whether “full” suggest the size of the samples or the completeness of the selection. Likely, it was a series of standard designs for purchase. However, I have yet to locate any another reference describing the samples carried by Megan on behalf of Kansas City Scenic Co.
The earliest mention of Megan’s association with the Kansas City Scenic Company is in 1901. For the scenic firm, Megan primarily traveled throughout Kansas and neighboring states. In 1908, Megan’s arrival to hang scenery at the Haydn-Parke theatre in Gasden, Alabama, was even reported in the “Gasden Daily Times-News” (26 Sept. 1908, page 2). Earlier, Megan had toured with the Barrett & Barrett Company (The Leonardville Monitor, Leonardville, Kansas, 2 Dec. 1897, page 8).
In 1901, the “Rooks County Journal” of Stockton, Kansas, reported, “F. R. Megan of Kansas City, spent Saturday in the city soliciting advertising to place on a new drop curtain which he will place in the opera house. We were told he sold Mr. Bigge about $300 worth of theatre supplies of various kinds”(27 June 1901, page 50).
His association with the company continued until 1915. The reason for his departure is unclear, but Megan began working in Washington D. C. By 1918, Megan was appointed to the Liberty Theatre office in Washington as Supervisor of Maintenance and Construction (Variety, Vol. LII, No. 10, page 19). The theater, designed by architect B. Frank Meyers, opened in 1914 at 1419 N. Capitol Street, near O Street.
To be continued…
