Copyright © 2021 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
Frank Ford worked at Sosman & Landis between 1885 and 1888. He began working at the firm during a period of rapid growth as the as projects were delivered nationwide. By 1887, Sosman & Landis employed twenty-five scenic artists, with many going on the road to both paint and install stock settings. Drop curtains with business cards were becoming increasing possible, necessitating Sosman & Landis representatives to solicit local businesses during their stay. Ford worked as a salesman, scenic artist, and installer for the firm. During the mid- to late-1880s, Ford primarily worked on projects in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Frank R. Ford was a Chicago scenic artist that worked at Sosman & Landis in 1887. That year he represented the firm in the eastern region, completing a variety of tasks that included sales and installation.
He was the son of William Ford and Loretta, born on Jan. 12, 1862, in Perry Township, Ohio. In July 1863, his father enlisted in the Union Army. In the midst of Civil War, William and Loretta celebrated the birth of another son. Claude D. Ford was born in Rockford, Illinois, in 1864. Sometime between 1864 and 1870, the Fords moved due east of town to Cherry Valley. For geographical context, Cherry Valley is approximately 80 miles northeast of Chicago. The 1870 US Federal Census listed the Ford household as including: William (29 yrs.), Loretta (28 yrs.), Frank (7 yrs.) and Claude (5 yrs.), living in Cherry Valley, Illinois. For. By 1874, the Fords celebrated the birth of another child, William Ford, Jr. When their youngest son was born, Frank was 11 yrs. old and Claude was 9 yrs. old.
By 1880, the Ford family had again relocated, this time to Chicago. The 1880 US Federal census that year records that William Sr. was employed as a carpenter and the family was living at 298 Carroll Ave. By now, Frank was out on his own and the Ford household only included (William (39 yrs.), Loretta (39 yrs.), Claude (15 yrs.) and Willie (6 yrs.).
Frank eventually returned to the family home, now located on 787 W. Lake St. in Chicago. At the time, his father was working as a builder at 5 S. Wood. Interesting in 1883, 787 W. Lake was listed in the rental section of “The Inter Ocean,” listed as an 8-room frame house with good barn for $30 (22 April 1883, page 6). When the Fords took over the property, there is no indication that anyone other than family members were living there.
The first listing for Frank R. Ford in the Chicago Directory as a painter appeared in 1885. He was living on W. Lake St. with his extended family. His younger brother Claude followed in their father’s footsteps and became a carpenter, working for his father’s contracting firm; and it became quite a successful firm. In 1890, William M. Ford operated W. M. Ford & Co. His business was located just up the street from their home at 820 W. Lake St. This was a very short walk from the Sosman & Landis Studio on S. Clinton St.
He was also working for Sosman & Landis at this time, and was noted as representing the firm in Princeton, Indiana. On October 8, 1885, the Princeton Clarion Ledger” of Princeton, Indiana, reported, “Mr. Frank Ford, from Sosman & Landes’ [sic.] studio, Chicago, was in Princeton Monday taking the dimensions of Euterpe hall stage. He proposes, if the business men sufficiently encourage the matter, to put in a fine $150 drop curtain. Advertising space will be sold around the margin of the curtain and in the center, there will be a beautiful landscape painting. A set cottage, two front wings, sky border and a grand drapery in front, together with the gas footlights are some of the improvements to be made in the hall in a few weeks, There will be no more hitching of the drop curtain in the middle of a death scene, while the dying person is compelled to walk off stage before the audience” (page 4). Euterpe Hall was a two-story building constructed in 1881 by W. D. Downey and W. P. Welborn. The hall was located on the second floor, over W. D. Downey’s “New York Store According to “The History of Gibson County, Indiana” by Jas. T. Tartt & Co. in 1884, the stage measured 50-feet by 30 feet and included a full set of scenery (page 163). Euterpe Hall was destroyed during the fire on July 12, 1893. It was one of sixty-eight buildings destroyed during the downtown fire.
In 1885, Sosman & Landis also delivered at many venues at this time. They provided a full set of scenery for the new auditorium for G.A.R. Post No., 175 in Sabetha, Kansas (Nemaha County Republican, 5 Feb. 1885, page 5). They installed scenery at the rink in Canton, Pennsylvania (The Canton, Independent, 3 July, 1885, page 1). They delivered scenery to the new opera house in Newton, Kansas, installed by the firm’s stage carpenter Charles S. King (The Weekly Republican, 4 Dec, 1885, page 5).
The following year, he married Catherine “Katie” Smith (Schmidt) on Nov. 4, 1886. The couple celebrated the birth of four children:
Birth of children: Loretta F., Florence M., William F., and John Claude Ford. Between 1887 and 1889, the Ford family was living at 80 Delaware Place in Chicago, although Frank was on the road most of the time.
During the spring of 1887, Ford was working on projects in Pennsylvania: the Armory/Opera House in Nanticoke, the Music Academy in Pottsville and Smith’s Opera House in Plymouth. I am including a map to show the relationship between the three towns in the region.
On Feb 13, 1887, the “Sunday Leader” in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, reported, “Mr. Frank Ford, representing Sosman & Landis, the well-known scenic artist of Chicago, is trying to obtain advertisements to be placed on a new drop curtain which he intends hanging in Smith’s Opera House” (page 24). J. B. Smith’s Opera House was located in nearby Plymouth, Pennsylvania.
It is the scenery delivered to Nanticoke, however, that provides a wonderful glimpse into the stock collection that was manufactured and installed by Sosman & Landis during this time. I am including four articles about the project, as the Armory was constructed to also function as an opera house, outdoing the local Music Hall. Sosman & Landis, Frank Ford, was also repeatedly mentioned in regard to the new scenery installation.
On Feb. 24, 1887, the “Wilkes-Barre Times Leader” reported, “Nanticoke’s New Opera House. Something About the Fine Amusement Resort Now Nearing Completion. A want that has long been felt by people of the thriving and rapidly growing town of Nanticoke is now about to be supplied” (page 1).
The article continued, “The new armory of Company G, Ninth regiment, is to be used also as an opera house, and is now being fitted up for that purpose. The building is a commodious one, substantial and beautiful.
Mr. Frank Ford, of the firm of Sosman & Landis, Chicago, is now in Nanticoke putting up scenery to be used for show purposes, The stage opening will be twenty-four feet, height of center arch sixteen feet, height of ceiling over stage thirty-two feet, depth of stage thirty-five feet, width of stage fifty feet. The stage will have a pitch from rear to front of about twelve inches. The floor will be level, but the stage being four feet above it, and having a pitch, as stated, all patrons will be afforded a good view of all that is being enacted thereon. The body of the hall will be furnished with moveable seats, but the galleries permanent. Thus, the hall cannot be used alone for theatrical purposes, but also for balls, fairs and festivals as well as for drilling. Its seating capacity will be about 1,400, or about 150 more than Music Hall in this city. The galleries will seat over 400. The scenery which Mr. Ford is about to place in position consists of a curtain upon which the cards of several businessmen will be artistically painted; an elegant drop curtain representing a romantic and historic view, with rich and elaborate drapery and gold frame; a center door fancy scene; a plain chamber scene; a kitchen scene, a rustic interior with a door and double window; a prison scene, showing interior of prison with massive walls, heavy iron door, grated window and perspective view of corridor and cells; a wood scene, showing leafy wood and pathway leading through; a garden scene representing a lovely park, or lawn, with fountains, balustrades, vases of flowers, etc.; a street scene; a rocky pass, mountain landscape with snow-capped peaks in the distance, rugged chasms and immense rocks in the foreground; horizon, a view of the ocean with beautiful sky and cloud effects; tormentor wings, representing columns with elaborate bases and rich drapery at top and side; parlor wings, kitchen wings representing the trunks of trees and foliage, grand drapery border made to represent rich and massive drapery; sky borders made of light blue sky tint; set waters and foreground; set rocks; set cottage with door and window. All this scenery is of the finest kind and entirely new. The people of Nanticoke are to be congratulated in acquiring this fine amusement resort.”
On March 19, 1887, “the Tribune” of Scranton, Pennsylvania, reported, “The scenery now being put in the Nanticoke Armory is spoken of as being very fine and very complete. The work is under the supervision of Frank Ford, of Sosman & Landis, Chicago.
On March 26, 1887, the “Dollar Weekly News” of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, included an update about the Armory:
“The Armory is located on Broadway, near Arch street. It is a two-story, brick structure, with a large basement. It presents a unique and neat appearance and is one of the best buildings in Nanticoke. It is 115 feet long and 53 feet wide. There is only one entrance in front, but it is a large one. The basement has an entrance I the south side of the building. The basement is large and spacious. In the front portion is the kitchen and refreshment department, 50×30 feet. A part of the rear portion is occupied by the gas machine, while the other part can be used as a storage room. On the first floor is what is known as the drill room. On each side of the entrance are storage rooms. To the left of the entrance is a stairway that leads to a large and roomy gallery, that is shaped like a horseshoe. A large, well-furnished and well-equipped stage occupies the rear end of the drill room. The stage is 50 feet long and 24 feet wide. Twelve sets of magnificent new scenery have been put in place by Col. Frank Ford of Chicago, who represents Sosman & Landis, scenic artists of Chicago. The scenes represent a parlor, plain chamber, kitchen, prison, woodland, garden, street, rocky pass, horizon or ocean. Besides these are tormentor wings, parlor wings, kitchen wings, wood wings, grand drapery border, sky border set waters, and foreground, set rocks, set cottages and last , but not least, and elegant and costly drop curtain. The scenery far surpasses that at Music Hall, Wilkes-Barre. The stage is equipped with modern appliances. There are four dressing rooms, two at each side of the footlights and they occupy the space usually filled by the boxes. The building is illuminated by gas, manufactured on the premises, and heated by steam. The floor is of Georgia pine, as are the ceiling and wainscoting. These two are panted in good style in imitation cherry. The ceiling is heavily moulded and s very pretty. Large stained-glass window admit light to the interior. The seating capacity of the parquet is 1,000 and that of the gallery 400, but the building will easily hold 1,800 people. This room has to do service as a theatre for the borough, and is the largest hall I the town. Nanticoke may well feel proud of their armory and theatre, as it is one of the best and handsomest in the State. The second floor can also be turned into storage rooms. The cost of the structure is about $6,000. The brick work was done by Contractor John R. Davis. John W. Zimmerman superintended the carpenter work, while Frank Moharter superintended the painting. All did their work satisfactorily” (page 3).
Another scenery project, south Plymouth and Nanticoke, was contracted in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Frank Ford was involved in the Academy of Music’s new drop curtain. The scene included local business cards; this was later known as an advertising curtain An article in the “Pottsville Republican” gave a little insight into Sosman & Landis, as well as their scenic art staff.
On June 10, 1887, the “Pottsville Republican” of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, reported, “A Splendid Curtain.” The splendid new act drop curtain recently ordered by the management of the Academy of Music was out in position yesterday afternoon by Frank Ford, the representative of Sosman & Landis, Chicago, and Manager Mortimer, of the Academy. It will be used between acts on next Monday evening, on the opening night of the Maggie Harold Company. The public will be given an opportunity to judge of the merits or demerits.
In the centre of the curtain is a view of the beautiful Bay of Naples, Italy, with stern old Mt. Vesuvius in the background and the city extending towards you along the shore of the bay. The quaint residence and the distinct castles on the hill area vividly pictured. Surrounding the central picture, the cards of many Pottsville business houses very artistically arranged and lettered strike the eye favorably. The drapery on the margin of the curtain is elegant in the extreme and Manager Mortimer may well be proud of the new addition, which, but the way, was a long felt want. The cost will be at least $300. The firm is one of the strongest in the country and has over twenty-five artists employed, the salaries of seven whom are $100 a week each. The celebrity with which the curtain was prepared is wonderful, the business cards not being senton until the 20th of last month” (page 1).
[Image of Pottsville Map: https://tile.loc.gov/image-services/iiif/service:gmd:gmd382:g3824:g3824p:pm008350/full/pct:12.5/0/default.jpg
The next year, Ford worked in the east again, this time at an opera house in Olean, New York. On June 14, 1888, the “Olean Democrat” of Olean , New York, reported “Mr. M. W. Wagner of Bradford and Mr. Frank Ford, representing Sosman & Landis, scenic artists of Chicago, Ill., are in the city arranging for proposed improvements to the interior of the opera house. A new and handsome drop curtain will be put in soon, and other needed improvements will undoubtedly be made. The house is certainly in very bad condition and merits the attention of Messrs. Wagner and Reis intend giving it” (page 5).
By the 1890s, Ford relocated his family to Pennsylvania. On August 21, 1891, “The Plymouth Tribune” reported, “Among other visitors who spent Sunday in Nanticoke was Col. Frank Ford of Chicago, who went to Scranton on Monday” (page 8). He continued to work as a scenic artist, with his name briefly popping up in an 1895 sales advertisement, placed in Decatur, Illinois. From July 25-28, 1895, Ford posted the following in Decatur’s “Herald and Review”:
“FOR SALE – A good new drop curtain; fine scene, never been used. Will sell cheap. Call on or address Frank Ford. 532 East Condit street, Decatur, Ill. – 23-d6”
From 1896 until 1899, Ford primarily worked a scenic artist in the Pittsburgh area, although it remains unclear if his family was living with him at the time. By 1900, however, he was back in Chicago, working as a scenic artist and decorative painter. He remained in the Windy City until his passing in 1914. He died at the age of 52 years old on April 25, 1914. Two days later, he was buried at Saint Boniface Cemetery in Chicago.
Ford’s obituary in the “Chicago Tribune” simply stated,
“Frank R. Ford, beloved husband of Catherine, nee Schmidt, father of Mrs. T. M. Brown, Florence, William F., and John Ford. Funeral Monday, April 27, at 9 a.m., from his late residence, 725 N. Hamlin-av., to Our Lady of Angels church, where high mass will be celebrated, autos to St. Boniface. Member of I Will council No. 1.573, K. and L. of S. [Knights and Ladies of Security Benefit Association].
His work as a painter was last remembered in his wife’s obituary eighty years ago. On Jan. 6, 1942, the “Chicago Tribune” reported, “Frank’s wife passed away. Her obituary announced, “Mrs. Catherine E. Ford, 79 years old, a life long resident of Chicago, died yesterday in St. Anne’s hospital. She was the widow of Frank R. Ford, a painter and decorator, and lived at 733 North Trumbull avenue, Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Florence Hughes; two sons, William F. Ford and John C. Ford, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. The funeral will be at 9:45 a.m. Thursday from the chapel at 5350 North avenue to Our Lady of Angels church.”
To be continued…
