Copyright © 2022 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
The biography for Lawrence Edward Donohue (professional name L. E. Donigan) is connected to Sosman & Landis employee No. 98, George Pat Wood. They were relatives.
Here is the link to George Pat Wood’s biography: https://drypigment.net2022/11/27/sosman-landis-shaping-the-landscape-of-american-theatre-employee-no-98-george-pat-wood/
Wood’s mother was Bridget “Della” Donohue/Donigan, the sister of scenic artist Lawrence E. Donohue/Donigan. Both Donohue and Wood worked as scenic artists in St. Louis and Chicago, as well as many other cities across the country. In 1913 they were associated with Sosman & Landis, painting stock scenery together for the Empress Theatre in Des Moines, Iowa.
Tracking down the Donohue family history was nigh impossible due to the spelling variances of their surnames. Donohue, Donahue, Donaghue and Donigan were all used by members of the same family over the decades. For more information about Irish Emigrant name changes, here is a link to a fascinating article: https://irishamericancivilwar.com/2019/06/27/leaving-off-the-o-insights-into-irish-emigrant-name-changes-in-1860s-america/
I have been unsuccessful in my attempt to track down Donohue’s early theatrical career in either the 1870s or 1880s. This is not unusual if he were working as a scenic artist assistant or at a scenic studio during this time. Such is the case for many itinerant scenic artists who went from town to town looking for work. For example, when Sosman and Landis began their partnership in the mid-1870s, the continually traveled before selecting a permanent residence.
By 1890, Lawrence E. Donigan changed his name to Laurence E. Donohue. He was listed in the 1890 and 1891 Chicago Directories as an artist, residing at 20 Gurley. He remained in the region for the next few years, marrying Chicago-native Mary Muir Dinnervell on June 25, 1894. Interestingly, Mary’s maiden name also varied from Dinnervell to Drimervell, Dennerwell, and Dinnerville. The surnames were certainly a challenge this time! Their wedding announcement was published in Chicago’s “Inter Ocean” on June 26, 1894 (page 8).
Shortly after marrying, the couple relocated to St. Louis, Missouri and celebrated the birth of Lawrence Edward Donohue Jr. (May 1895). At the time, the small family was living at 1302 Sidney St. Lawrence. Lawrence was listed as an artist in the St. Louis City Directory in 1895 and 1897. The following year he celebrated the birth of a second son, James P. Donohue. Their stay in St. Louis was short-lived and the small family soon returned north.
By 1899, the Donohues were back in Chicago where their third son, Walter J. Donohue, was born. The couple celebrated the birth of at least two more children over the next several years. Mildred Donohue was born in 1901, with Mary Florence Donohue following in 1906. It is likely that more children were born, but did not survive infancy.
By 1900 the Donohue residence was located at 20 Vernon Park, Chicago; they would remain at this location until the 1930s.
It was also at the onset of the twentieth century that Lawrence E. Donohue changed his professional name to Lawrence E. Donigan. I have yet to find any official records which explains why census reports consistently listed Donohue or Donahue, but all newspaper references listed L. E. Donigan; they were the same person. Even his death certificate lists both names, suggesting that Donigan was simply an alias for work.
Lawrence E. Donigan continued to work as an itinerant scenic artist, traveling across the country for work. He was listed as the scenic artist for the Grand Opera House in Memphis Tennessee, during 1900. For a year, he was even listed in the Memphis Directory, rooming at 441 ½ Main. Scenic artists frequently listed themselves in local directories, despite having a permanent residence and family in another city. The key is “rooming, “boarding,” or just listing the address of a theater. This was to ensure that they were able to receive mail during extended absences from their permanent residence.
By 1902, he was working at the Academy of Music in Chicago, placing an advertisement in the “Chicago Tribune” on July 20, 1902: “WANTED FRESCO PAINTER: Must draw and paint ornaments. Academy of Music. L. E. Donigan.” This also foreshadows his transition to the decorative arts during the Great Depression.
In Chicago, Lawrence also began working at Sosman & Landis, later securing a position for his nephew, George Pat Wood. Wood likely started with the firm about the same time as John Hanny and Art Oberbeck, c. 1905-1907.
Donohue continued to work for the Chicago-based firm under his professional name, L. E. Donigan. On July 8, 1913, both Donigan and Wood were mentioned in the “Des Moines Tribune” while working at the Empress Theatre in Des Moines, Iowa. The article reported, “…the elaborate settings that will adorn the stage of the new theater and three scenic artist, L. E. Donigan [Lawrence E. Donahue], George Wood, and Arthur Overholt [Arthur Oberbeck] are rapidly transforming the white canvas of the wings and drops and borders into surfaces of colored beauty.”
Over the years, the Donohue family remained at their house on Vernon Park Place in Chicago, although the renumbering of streets shifted their house number from 20 to 857. Donohue/Donigan continued to work as a scenic artist until the 1920s, eventually drifting toward the decorative arts. The last mention that I have located of Lawrence’s scenic art work is in 1922. That year Lawrence E. Donigan was credited with painting the scenery for the Oliver Player’s production of “The Barrier,” an adventure melodrama. On April 29, 1922, “The South Bend Tribune,” reported, “L. E. Donigan, scenic artist for the Oliver Players, has endeavored to reproduce the actual atmosphere of the mining country with the aid of Mr. Burham, who has himself sent many months in Alaska” (page 6).
The Market Crash of 1929 changed everything for many scenic artists, including Donigan. John Hanny described the shifted in a letter to Dr. John Rothgeb: The depression of 1929 just about stopped the production of stage scenery – at least in Chicago. Road shows, musical, etc. if any were being produced in New York and Hollywood. At this point the studios disappeared but the scene painter couldn’t disappear and had to become freelancers. There was no such thing as a steady job and the boys were hard put to find a day’s pay.”
The 1930 US Federal Census reported that Lawrence Donahue was working as a painter in the building industry. I have yet to locate any newspaper reports for L. E. Donigan at this time. This is not unusual as scene painters gradually began to fade from the public notice.
During the 1930s, the Donahue family home moved from Chicago to Oak Park, the same western suburb that had housed many other scenic artists since the 1890s, including Thomas G. Moses and Joseph Landis (Perry’s older brother).
The 1940 US Federal Census listed the Donahue residence as 829 South Cuyler, Oak Park. The household included: Lawrence (head, 76 yrs.), Mary (wife, 68 yrs.), Marie (Mary Florence) Krbec (daughter, 33 yrs.) and Marcelle Krbec (grandson, 9 yrs.). Their son James P. Donohue, who had continuously lived with his parents since birth was missing that year. James P. Donohue’s 1942 draft registration card listed that he was working for the U. S. Army Signal Corps in Chicago. However, his home residence was still listed as 829 South Cuyler, Oak Park.
Both Lawrence E. and Mary Donahue passed away in 1944, within weeks of each other. Their two children, James P. Donohue and Mary Florence Krbec inherited the house, remaining in the Oak Park family home for at least another decade.
On Feb. 13, 1944, Mary Donahue’s obituary was published in the “Chicago Tribune” (page 18). It announced:
“Mary Muir Donahue, of 821 S. Cuyler avenue, Oak Park, beloved wife of Lawrence, fond mother of Lawrence E., James P., Walter T., Mildred M. Cotey and Mary F. Krbec, sister of Walter Dinnerville, Ina Frank and Louise Humphries. Resting at funeral home, 17, Madison street, Oak Park, Funeral notice later.”
Ten days after the announcement was published, Lawrence passed away on Feb. 23, 1944. The Illinois Death Index lists both surnames for Lawrence on his record: “Lawrence E. Donigan or Donahue.”
On March 2, 1944, the Oak Park Leaves announced,
“L. E. Donohue Dies;
Scenic Artist
Lawrence E. Donohue of 821 South Cuyler died on Wednesday, February 23, at his home after suffering from an ailment of two years standing. His wife, the late Mary Muir Donahue passed away on February 12 of this year. Mr. Donahue (known as Lawrence Donigan, professionally) was a scene painter and in years past painted scenery in the theatre throughout the United States, including New York Civic Opera House, Detroit Opera House, and Civic Opera House in Chicago and Ravinia. He was a business agent for the Scenic Artists’ union 350 for a number of years and was active until a few weeks before his death, despite poor health.
Born in Alton, Illinois, in 1864, Mr. Donoahue has resided in the village for the past fifteen years. He was the father of Lawrence E., Walter J., and Mirs, Mildred M. Coty of Chicago, and of James PO., and Mrs. Mary Krebec who live at home, and brother Peter J. Donigan and Mrs. Mary Berry of Chicago. Services on Saturday were conducted at Ascension church with burial at All Saints” (page 50).”
As a second gen Irishman, I find the information and backstory of shifting and morphing names particularly interesting. Back in the early ‘90s, my brother did an extensive genealogy search of our family. Dad’s side was fairly easy as both of his parents came over in 1873 and 1884 from Cork and Waterford. Their families both passed through Ellis island and traveled immediately to Missouri. His mother, as a child, participated in the 1889 land rush. Family bibles and a strong, close knit Irish Catholic community made tracing that part of the family easy, both before and after immigrating. Mother’s side was a bit more dicey. It’s a long story on that side, with a number of the name changes, misspellings etc that Wendy described, to sort through. It’s interesting to hear that the name phenomenon was not isolated to our family.