In 1910, Thomas G. Moses wrote,
“We stocked the Great Northern Theatre for the Schuberts. They were a fine band of ‘regular bandits.’”
On February 12, 1910, Salt Lake
City’s “Broad Ax” reported, “The Great Northern Theatre is now a Schubert
House, and in the near future they will redecorate it very elaborately” (page
2).
The Great Northern Theatre in 1904A later map of the Great Northern Theatre’s seating chart published in the Chicago Blue Book, 1910
Sam S. Schubert, Lee Schubert
and Jacob J. Schubert of Syracuse, New York founded the Schubert Organization,
in the late 19th century. Although Sam died in 1905, Lee and Jacob rose
to become powerful businessmen within a decade.
The Schubert brothers steadily expanded their empire, collecting
theaters across the country. Moses began working with the Schuberts as their
business empire commenced a dramatic expansion across the country. It is not
surprising that the Schuberts sought out Sosman & Landis studio for many of
their painted settings and décor, such as the Great Northern Theatre.
Postcard depicting “The Vagabond King” at the Schubert’s Great Northern Theatre, 1910
On February 19, 1910, “The Salt
Lake Telegram” reported, “The Messrs. Schuberts announce that next season will
have four first-class theatres in Chicago, and will make the windy city a
producing center for their attractions second in importance only to New York. At
the present moment the only playhouse in Chicago operated by the Messrs.
Schubert is the Garrick Theatre. Recently, however, they acquired control of
the Great Northern theatre, in which they have already booked a number of
offerings this season, and they will inaugurate their management of that house
on Sunday, February 20, with their production of the great English spectacular
success, “Dick Whittington,” as the initial attraction. The other two theatres
completing the list of four Schubert playhouses are both to be entirely new and
the work of construction will be begun shortly. Negotiations for desirable
sites for those two houses, in the center of the Chicago amusement district,
are now under way and should be completed within a few days” (page 18).
By February 26, 1910, newspapers
reported that the Great Northern Theatre of Chicago was re-named the Lyric, and
subsequently redecorated by the Schuberts. It opened on February 20, with the
spectacular production of “Dick Whittington,” featuring favorites such as,
Louise Dresser, Ethel Green, Kate Elinore and Sam Williams” (The Daily Times,
Davenport, Iowa, 26. Feb 1910, page 14). Decorate in a new color scheme of gray
and mulberry, the theater was located on Jackson Boulevard, near State Street.
Under control of the Schuberts, the Lyric primarily presented comedies and
character dramas, with ushers serving water and selling bonbons.
The interior of the theater shortly after the Great Northern Theatre became known as the Lyric Theatre Th Great Northern Theatre was renamed the Lyric. From the Chicago “Inter Ocean,” 30 May 1910, page 12
By 1912, however, the name was
again changed to the Great Northern Hippodrome. This name change was only
temporary, however, as by 1921, it would return to being known as the Great
Northern Theatre.
I return to writing after cleaning up after a flood and attending to other responsibilities.
Joseph S. Sosman was a successful business man. Fame visited him early in his career and his partnership with Landis flourished, growing into a theatrical supply dynasty by the twentieth century. By 1909, Sosman was nearing retirement and he began redirecting his focus on his family. At first, he sought solace at his summer home, staying at their Fairlawn on the north shore of Lake Bluff. Like many other wealthy Chicagoans, the summer season was spent relaxing in the cool shade near a body of water. Although well-deserved, Sosman & Landis studio never recovered from his extended absences.
osman & Landis Scene Painting Studio brochure detail
Maybe it didn’t matter for
Sosman, as he was well established with ample revenue from multiple business
ventures that supported his retirement.
Maybe he was trying to make up for all of the time spent away from his
wife early in his career, when he was traveling the country and painting one
stock scene after another. Mrs. And Mrs. Sosman began to travel in earnest
during 1910. There were no longer children to consider, as their son Arthur,
married in 1906 and was currently living in New York. Mrs. Joseph Sosman
visited the young couple for an extended stay during 1909, possibly signaling
that she was going to start vacationing, with or without her husband (Inter
Ocean, 30 Jan. 1909, page 7). Regardless, Sosman’s absence was acutely felt by
Sosman & Landis employees as the business began to shift focus and become
subject to infighting.
Image of Mrs. Joseph S. Sosman in 1910 from the Chicago Inter Ocean, Jan 30 1909, page 7
In 1910, Moses wrote, “Mr.
Sosman went to Europe on January 30th for an extended trip. It lasted fifteen weeks. He simply informed me that he was going, just
a few days before he went. Never took
the trouble to inform me of any of the details that I should know. He had a good bookkeeper, and I depended on
him a great deal. I did some hustling
while he was away.”
Sosman & Landis main studio
On February 6, the “Chicago
Tribune” noted, “Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Sosman, 1628 Washington boulevard, have
sailed for a trip down the Mediterranean and to points in Europe. They will be
absent for four months” (6 Feb, 1910, page 23). By April 30, the London “Times”
reported that Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Sosman of Chicago recently arrived at the
Waldorf Hotel (Arrivals and Departures, page 1). On May 21, the couple was
again listed as one of the recent arrivals at the Hotel Waldorf in London
(Americans in London, Philadelphia Inquirer, 22 May 1910, page 2).
Image of Joseph Sosman during his European trip. This was one of the postacards that Sosman sent to Thomas G. Moses in 1910
In appreciation for Moses hard
work during his absence, Sosman presented him with “a fine ‘scarab’ that he
bought in Egypt.” Moses had the scarab turned into a stick pin.”
Yet Sosman’s absence for fifteen
weeks in 1909 was a difficult period for Moses, as he did not command the same
respect without his friend and colleague. This was a period of intense
productivity too. Moses remembered, “I had my own troubles with the
stenographer, and old crank that wanted to do everything as Mr. Sosman did
it. She would write Sosman a lot of
worry stuff that I had been keeping from him.
We were going along allright, making a little money.” The stenographer was just one of the obstacle
that Moses encountered during Sosman’s
absence. Athough Moses had control over the aesthetic and production arm of the
company, David H. Hunt retained control over the administrative offices and
expenses.
In his 1910 memoirs, Moses
wrote, “Mr. Hunt was secretary and treasurer, and expected to run the business,
but I wouldn’t allow it. Mr. Hunt kept
on the road most of the time.” And this is where the downfall of Sosman &
Landis commences; Sosman steps out of the daily running of the company, leaving
it to others. Keep in mind that Sosman was a scenic artist; Hunt was not. The additional
problem was that each of Sosman’s staff has a different focus, or endgame, for
the company. In some ways, Moses and
Hunt are diametrically opposed, each with a specific goals; Moses focusing on
the artistic product and Hunt focussing on the profits.
David H. Hunt pictured in 1903, from the Detroit Free Press, 21 May 1903, page 12.
Keep in mind that Moses returned
to Sosman & Landis studio in 1904. This was his final return to the company
after striking out on his own several times with various business partners. The terms for his return in 1904 specified
that Moses gain complete control over the design, construction and installation
of all projects. In other words, he was in charge of the shops and labor. By 1910, Moses had functioned in this capacity
for six years and the company was producing an amazing amount of product.
Hunt had remained a thorn in
Moses’ side for many years, as his treatment of many of good artists prompted
them to leave the studio. This group included the extremely talented John H.
Young, who went on to domnate the Broadway scene as a well known designer. Hunt
had been with the company since the early 1890s and wormed his way into both
Sosman & Landis’ confidence. In
1894, Hunt convinced Sosman & Landis to establish, the theatrical
management firm of Sosman, Landis & Hunt. This was a secondary business
venture; a company that leased theaters and founded touring companies in
Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Detroit.
The firm kept Hunt busy as the primary manager for the endeavor, yet
much of the necessary work was completed by the Sosman & Landis studio
staff from Chicago. Moses’ diaries suggest that Hunt did not treat the artistic
staff well; Artists were swapped and directed to various projects like pawns on
a chessboard, ready to be sacrificed at any point. Hunt had remained on the
administrative end of the studio for his entire career, yet always found his
way into the spotlight and newspaper articles.
By 1910, Hunt also talked Sosman
into investing in a new business venture – New York Studios. That year, Moses
wrote, “Hunt had started a New York studio in New York City and he expected us
to do a great deal of work, as he had Sosman invest a small amount.” New York Studios listed Adelaide A.
Hunt as the President, Edward A. Morange as the vice president, and David H.
Hunt, as the Treasurer. The company’s starting capital was $40,000, and listed
the following directors: Edward A. Morange, Adelaide A. and David H. Hunt, with
offices located at 325 W 29th Street,
New York. Business listings noted that theatrical equipment was the primary product produced by the company.
Now there were two scenic studios to consider, on only one Moses.
Around the end of May, Sosman returned to Chicago an
assessed the state of affairs at the studio. Moses returned about the same
time, after completing several New York projects that month. Moses recalled, “I heard some reports as to
what Hunt had reported to Sosman about my treatment towards him. I got mad and wanted to quit. Sosman wouldn’t listen to me. I finally got cooled… I arrived June
25th. Sosman had his doubts as to my
coming back.
Later Moses added, “Hunt remained away from the studio for
some time, before going back home.” Hunt’s home was in New York.
I return to the year 1909 in the life and times of Thomas G.
Moses. For the past several posts, I explored famous Philadelphia drops
curtains mentioned in an 1894 newspaper article. Scottish Rite theaters also
used drop curtains as the focal point of an auditorium. The ornate draping of
fabric popularized on the public stage appeared on a variety of fraternal
stages throughout the nineteenth century.
Often, the only difference was the placement of a Masonic emblem in the
center.
The Scottish Rite drop curtain in Salina, KansasThe Scottish Rite drop curtain in Yankton, South DakotaThe Scottish Rite drop curtain in Wichita, KansasThe Scottish Rite drop curtain in Tucson, Arizona
As in commercial theaters, Masonic drop curtains were hung on the first line, concealing the remainder of stock scenery, often numbering between 80 to 120 drops. In addition to backdrops, scenic studios manufactured set pieces, props, and stage machinery for Scottish Rite stages. Although massive in scope, Masonic theater work only accounted for approximately 25% of all work contracted by studios such as Sosman & Landis. Of that percentage, Scottish Rite scenery consisted of only a fraction of the total number for Masonic work.
By the end of Moses’ career, spanning from 1873 to 1934, his
Masonic work included the design and supervision of scenery production for 55 Scottish
Rites, 14 Commanderies (York Rite), 9 Grottos (MOVPER) and 7 Shrine (AAONMS) Auditoriums.
In 1909, Moses wrote, “We have forty-eight on the payroll, which includes
the sewing girls and foremen. At 20th
Street we have an average of twelve. I
think we should turn out some work and we do.
It is often a puzzle to me where it all goes, but the Masonic work
requires a lot of time, and there is an average of eighty drops in each order
so it makes plenty of work and is very interesting. The artists never grumble when they get it to
do.
In 1909, Moses also wrote, “The Dallas Masonic work came in
early, so did San Francisco and Cleveland, Ohio.” Other Scottish Rite scenery
collections that year produced by Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio
included, Kansas City, Kansas, Memphis, Tennessee, Winona, Minnesota, and
Atlanta, Georgia.
While, Sosman & Landis were cranking out stock scenery collections for Scottish Rite theaters, their primary competitor, Toomey & Volland Studio of St. Louis, Missouri, was gaining ground; the St. Louis company was becoming increasingly popular among Scottish Rite Masons in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. That year, Toomey & Volland delivered two large scenery collections to Scottish Rite theaters. Although they produced much less scenery than Sosman & Landis at this time, the firm would soon grow to dominate the industry after World War I.
To put all of this Scottish Rite scenery production in context,
by 1910, I have identified the following Scottish Rite installations:
33 scenery collections were delivered by Sosman & Landis
18 scenery collections were delivered by Toomey & Volland
2 scenery collections were delivered by E. T. Harvey
2 scenery collections were delivered by Henry C. Tryon
This list counts for only a fraction of the Masonic scenery
produced during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. It does not
include painted settings produced for other fraternal groups, such as the Elks
or Knights of Pythias. The list does not take into account scenery for other
Masonic stages, such as those used in Grottos (Mystic Order of the Veiled
Prophets of the Enchanted Realm), Commanderies (York Rite), or Shrines (Ancient
Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine).
The numbers above do not reflect any of the early scenery
manufactured for some of the very first Scottish Rite lodge rooms, those scenic
pieces and roll drops painted by itinerant artists or talented members. There are also those other collections
produced by unidentified studios prior to 1910.
Yet, when we look at the amount of historic scenery still hanging in
Scottish Rite theaters across the country, the sheer amount is somewhat
staggering to comprehend when considering the ephemeral nature of commercial stage
scenery.
I spend a significant amount of time exploring Masonic scenery
produced by Sosman & Landis in my blog, primarily because it remains a
significant part of American Theatre history, long after a traditional painted
aesthetic declined on the commercial stage.
Much Masonic scenery is also still in use, an aspect that makes these
fraternal theaters living history museums.
Scottish Rite stages, machinery, scenery, lights, properties and
costumes are a primary resource still available to theatre technicians for
study and reference.
Masonic business for Sosman & Landis continued to boom until
the onset of World War I. They road the crest of a fraternal wave that produced
unprecedented profits until approximately 1915. This year also marked the
passing of studio founder Joseph S. Sosman.
The years 1909 to 1910 is a peak period in Scottish Rite scenery
production at Sosman & Landis; the studio was swamped with it.
As I continue with Moses’ life and times from 1909-1910, keep in
mind that the production of Masonic scenery is ever-present in his daily life
and the running of the studio. At first, the Masonic scenery, as well as all worked
subcontracted by M. C. Lilley & Co., were completed in the Sosman &
Landis annex studio. However, as business boomed, Sosman & Landis’ eastern
affiliate, New York Studios, run by David H. Hunt, also completed numerous
Masonic projects.
William F. Hamilton was not only a well-known scenic artist, but also an inventor of stage effects. Manager Charles H. Yale purchased Hamilton’s “The Dance of the Elements” in 1900. Hamilton’s attraction was added to Yale’s annual production of “The Everlasting Devils Auction.” Yale created a new edition of the production each season, advertising, “New and timely matter, clever novelties, original ideas in scenery and costumes, imported and native artists in all branches of the profession, sumptuous ballets and features that were exclusive to this attraction” (“The Montgomery Advertiser, Montgomery,” Alabama, 14 Sept. 1902, page 11). By 1902, the “Everlasting Devil’s Auction” announced it’s twenty-first edition. Each year, announcements advertised that existing acts were replaced with “new ideas, features, scenery, costumes, and mechanical effects.”
Poster advertising Chas. H. Yale’s Everlasting “Devil’s Auction.”
Poster advertising Chas. H. Yale’s Everlasting “Devil’s Auction.”
Poster advertising Chas. H. Yale’s Everlasting “Devil’s Auction.”
The “Indianapolis Journal” reported, “Mr. Yale has bought outright from the Inventor, W. F. Hamilton, for presentation solely with this attraction, a new electrical sensation entitled ‘The Dance of the Elements.’ The paraphernalia employed in this scene are elaborate and intricate, and is developed by two clever dancers, who, costumed as the Elements Pirouette among real rain, snow, gold storms and cyclones, these effects being aided by the introduction of a number of new ideas in electric lighting and a multiplicity of harmonious coloring, abetted by special scenic investiture, forms one of the most beautiful light and color ideas that has yet been discovered for theatrical use” (The Dayton Herald, 28 Nov. 1900, page 7).
The sale of this invention occurred the same year that Moses partnered with Thomas G. Moses to establish a scenic studio. From 1900 to 1904, the two ran a very successful studio in New York, creating stage shows and amusement park attractions. The partnership ended when Joseph S. Sosman and David H. Hunt lured Moses back to Sosman & Landis’ Chicago studio. When Moses returned to Sosman & Landis, he was promised complete control over design, construction, and delivery of all projects, plus a share in the company. Moses recorded that Hamilton was devastated with the closing of their business, writing, “When I had to tell Hamilton, I almost gave in to stay with him, for he was awfully broken up over it, as he saw his meal ticket slipping away.” In addition to numerous theatre installations, Moses & Hamilton had created several outdoor attractions to Coney Island, including “Trip to the Moon,” “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” “Fire and Flames,” “The War of Worlds,” and many others. They also designed and ran the own Coney Island attraction, “The Devil, the Man and the Maid.” As with “The Dance of the Elements,” this successful design was purchased by another manager to run.
Hamilton continued in the amusement park business after Moses headed back to Chicago. In 1904, “The Courier” reported, “W. F. Hamilton, the well-known scenic artist has secured a large tract of land in Winthrop, Mass., facing on the water, where another Luna Park will be created on a more extensive and elaborate scale. A syndicate of capitalists is going to assist Mr. Hamilton in promoting the affair, and by next May, Boston will have a summer place of amusement larger and finer than anything on exhibition at Coney Island. Architects are now busy completing the plans, and the work is expected to begin within a week. The eccentric character Verno, says we are to have Luna Park, a ‘Pike’ or something of the kind on Island Park next summer. The only evidence of it is the stone ‘pier’” (Harrisburg, PA, 13 Nov. 1904, page 9).
Two years later Hamilton was establishing another amusement park in Pittsburgh. In 1906, the “Pittsburgh Press” reported, “W. F. Hamilton of New York, who has built a number of such great playgrounds, and who is a scenic artist of national reputation, has charge of the latest Pittsburgh Park project” (18 Feb, 1906, page 22). The new pleasure land being laid out on Jacob Weinman’s property was called “Dream City (4 Feb 1906, page 2). “Dream City” was to be a “veritable fairyland of color light and architecture.” Weinman, of Pilkinsburg, was the president of the Dreamland Amusement Co. of Pittsburgh and W. F. Hamilton, the manager. Articles noted that Hamilton had “a force of men busily preparing the foundation and sewering the tract of twenty acres for the new amusement park that spring.” The article continued that Hamilton promised he would give the people of Greater Pittsburgh “an amusement park not excelled in completeness and quality of attractions this side of the Metropolis.” Besides the standard amusement park attractions at Dream City, a picnic ground was planned, with rustic bridges, pavilions, and benches, to “bring delight to the seeker after pleasure and nature alike.”
When Hamilton took the position of manager of Pittsburgh’s Dream City, the newspaper commented, “In W. F. Hamilton, the projectors of the new park have a man who is note excelled in his line of any amusement park promoter in the country. He is not only a practical contractor but he is a finished scenic artist and constructor, and in addition has some expert knowledge of the laying out of landscape gardens. He was associated with Thompson & Dundy in the first production of their spectacle and show, ‘A Trip to the Moon” as designer and constructor.
After spending approximately three decades in the East, however, Hamilton moved to San Francisco. He followed the work, as many other theatre professionals. In California, all of Hamilton’s creativity was focused on a new type of production – the Shrine Circus.
Part 722: The Palette & Chisel Club Camp at Fox Lake, 1909
Like theatrical managers, scenic artists also sought to escape the tranquility of the country, escaping the hard work of the studio and the noise of the city. Thomas G. Moses wrote of summer sketching trips to Fox Lake, Illinois, throughout the early twentieth century, especially in 1909.
In 1905 the Palette & Chisel Club at the Chicago Society of Artists formed an artistic community along in Fox Lake. The club was founded in 1895 and consisted of a variety of artists and craftsmen for the purpose of work and study. The members were “all wage-workers, busy during the week with pencil, brush or chisel, doing work to please other people” (Inland Printer, 1896). On Sunday mornings, they gathered for five hours to paint just for themselves.
Fox Lake provided haven far away from the hustle and bustle of Chicago. Many Sosman & Landis artists journeyed to Fox Lake whenever they could escape the studio for a few days, including Moses. In the beginning, the site was quite rustic with tents and cots. In 1906, one year after the group formed the camp, Moses joined the Palette and Chisel Club. At the time, the group consisted of approximately sixty local painters, illustrators, and sculptors. Of Moses’s first trip to their seasonal camp, he wrote, “June 1st, I made my first trip to the Palette and Chisel Club camp at Fox Lake, Ill. Helped to put up the tent. A new experience for me, but I enjoyed it. I slept well on a cot. Made a few sketches. A very interesting place. I don’t like the cooking in the tent and there should be a floor in the tent. I saw a great many improvements that could be made in the outfit and I started something very soon.”
The Palette & Chisel Club camp tent at Fox Lake. Photograph taken by Stuart Fullerton.
The portable house purchased by Thomas G. Moses for the Palette & Chisel Club camp.
By 1908, Moses wrote, “I bought the portable house that we built years ago and at that time we received $300.00 for it. I finally got it for $50.00, some bargain. It cost $25.00 to remove it and we will put it up at Fox Lake in the Spring.” The house had been used in Forest Park that summer to show the attraction, “The Day in the Alps.”
The next summer, Moses wrote, “As we had put up the portable house in Fox Lake, I was better contented to go up. I gave the camp a portable kitchen and it was some class. I felt sure I would manage to get a camp outfit worth while and the boys all fell in line with me.” In 1909, he also wrote, “I also enjoyed sketching at the Lake. That is one thing I don’t think I could ever get enough of. But our business has to be taken care of before too much pleasure.”
There were two significant events over the course of the last five years that placed Fox Lake in more of a personal context for me. The first occurred in Minnesota, and the second occurred in Maui. In 2014, I discovered a map to Fox Lake drawn on the backside of a Scottish Rite drop destined for Winona, Minnesota, in 1909. This was the same year that Moses wrote, ““As we had put up the portable house in Fox Lake, I was better contented to go up.” Located near the top batten on the stage right side, I discovered the pencil sketch while placing the Winona scenery collection into temporary storage for the City of Winona. The backdrop was later sold in an online auction with many others from the scenery collection. It is now somewhere in storage at the Des Moines Scottish Rite, likely not to be seen for years.
Map on the back of Fox Lake drawn in the back of a scene painted for the Scottish Rite in Winona, Minnesota, 1909
The second event occurred in 2017. That fall, three very small paintings by Thomas G. Moses came into my possession from Moses. One of his great grandchildren sold these and a few others to me. Our friendship began, after he responded to a 1996 letter that I sent out in 2016. Three of the paintings from his collection were of the same size and vintage, with one titled “Fox Lake, 1909.” The other two depicted a distant lake and the Palette & Chisel Club’s portable house at Fox Lake. These three scenes painted on hardboard had remained with the family for decades; they meant something special to Moses.
Painting of the Fox Lake cabin of the Palette & Chisel Club camp by Thomas G. Moses, 1909
A view of Fix Lake painted by Thomas G. Moses, 1909
A view of Fix Lake painted by Thomas G. Moses, 1909
It was Moses’ view of Fox Lake that prompted my entire journey to the Hawaiian Islands.
They each remain a lovely reminder to me – take time for yourself. We all need to enjoy some form of scenic retreat, a respite from the daily grind. That is one of the reasons that I decided to start offering Scenic Art Retreats last year, hosted by Historic Stage Services. They are held at a stagecoach stop along a picturesque river in central Minnesota. Here is the link: http://www.historicstageservices.com/training.html
Thomas G. Moses visited Oconomowoc (coo-no-mo-wauk), Wisconsin, after visiting Ellenville, New York, during 1909. Moses wrote, “On my return I took a trip to Oconomowoc to see Mr. Kohl about some work. I enjoyed the trip for I had the pleasure of seeing not only his fine home but several others that were palaces. A beautiful place to live.”
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.
Moses was referring to theatrical manager Charles E. Kohl (1855-1910). Kohl was a partner of the firm Kohl & Castle Amusement Co., with offices in the Majestic theatre buiding in Chicago. The firm was identified with the Western Vaudeville Managers’ association in the Orpheum Circuit, controlling the Haymarket Theatre, Chicago opera house, Majestic and Olympic theaters in Chicago, as well as operating a chain of vaudeville houses throughout the Midwest.
Postcard of a scene from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.
Postcard of a scene from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.
Postcard of a scene from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.
Like many wealthy Chicagoans, the Kohls owned a lake home. In 1892, C. E. Kohl and his wife Caroline Lewis Kohl (1863-1950) built “Brier Cottage,” their 45-room summer home at Lac La Belle. It was situated between the Schufeldt and Dupee estates. Lac La Belle, a body of water that covers approximately 1154 acres, with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Of their residence, the “Chicago Tribune” reported, “Charles E. Kohl, who, although unassuming to a degree, is the most influential personage in American vaudeville, has one of the show places in Lac La Belle, Oconomowoc, a place which twenty years of liberal expenditure and hard work have developed from the virgin forest into an ideal summer home” (June 13, 1909, page 22).
The summer home built by he Kohl’s in 1892.
The region around Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, was originally inhabited by Potawatomi people, descendents of Woodland Indians known as the mound builders. The name Oconomowoc described “falling waters” in the area.
The falling waters by Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.
European immigrants settled the area during late 1820s and 1830s, and by 1837, New York native Charles Sheldon staked a homestead claim on the eastern shore of Fowler Lake. Soon afterwards, H.W. Blanchard did the same on the other side of the lake. Oconomowoc was not incorporated as a town, until 1844. Soon, Watertown Plank Road connected Oconomowoc to the nearby towns of Milwaukee, Waukesha, Pewaukee, and Watertown.
By 1853 the town had grown to include 250 residents with ten stores, three hotels, a gristmill, a sawmill and a school house. The first passenger train arrived from Milwaukee in 1854, becoming a stop on the Milwaukee and Watertown Railroad Company’s Milwaukee & Mississippi line. The population of Oconomowoc grew so rapidly that the town incorporated as a city in 1865. By the 1870s, Oconomowoc became known as a summer resort for wealthy Midwestern families, such as the Kohls. These seasonal residents began constructing lake homes throughout the area, escaping from larger metropolitan for short respites throughout the year.
By the early twentieth century, seasonal residences were owned by P. A. Valentine, George A Seaverns, W. Vernon Booth, Garrad Wiston, P. D. De Coster, A. J. Earling, Lawrence Fitch, as well as C. E. Kohl. In addition to enjoying the summer at their lake homes, many returned to the area to celebrate the Christmas and New Year’s holidays too (Chicago Tribune, 24 Dec. 1909, page 9).
1909 was a dramatic year for the Kohl family when Moses visited Ocononomowoc. The couple had been married for twenty-four years and had raised four children – Charles, John P., Caroline and Dorothy (Inter Ocean, 28 June 1909, page 5). Although no strangers to challenges of raising a family, they were surprised by a June event. Their youngest son, John P., secretly married the vaudeville actress Vinie Daly in Philadelphia.
Vinie Daly, pictured in 1909
Daly’s birth name was Elvira Delehanty. She was the daughter of well-known actress Lizzie Daly and had been on stage since she was 20 months old. She performed in theaters throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, many venues controlled by Kohl’s father (Chicago Tribune, 11 Sept, 1909, page 5).
John P.’s adventure began on June 23, 1909, when he left his Oconomowoc residence and headed east on a train to Philadelphia. After Daly’s matinee performance at Keith’s Theatre, the couple obtained a marriage license and were married by 7:30pm that evening. According to the newspapers, it was a very brief marriage. Only three months later, the marriage was annulled, as John P. was a minor and did not have his parents’ consent at the time (Chicago Tribune, Sept 11, 1909, page 5). The younger Kohl was 20 years old, with a bride five years his senior. The court case for annulment was covered by newspapers across the country. The “Harrisburg Star-Independent” reported, “After the older Mr. Kohl had testified his son’s lack of experience and poor judgement young Kohl told the court how he happened to marry the actrress.
‘I met her in Chicago while she was filling an engagement,’ testified Kohl. ‘Vinie asked me to marry her and not to tell my parents until I was of age.’
‘Did she ask you many times to marry her’ asked Attorney Levi Manner, who represented the vaudeville man. ‘Oh, yes, on many occassions, but I always refused until the last time,’ he replied.
Young Kohl then told of running away from Oconomowoc, Wis., where he had been spending the summer, and on meeting the actress at Keith’s theatre in Philadelphia, and of the subsequent marriage.
‘After we were married,’ he said, ‘we returned at once to the theatre where she played her part. I waited for her, and after the show I told me bride I was sorry for what I had done. I left her and took that first train back to Chicago and told my mother all about it.’
I have to wonder if this was the watered-down story for the court to ensure an annulment.
Sadly, the 45-room summer home no longer exists, as it was torn down in 1935. A combination of Caroline Kohl’s deteriorating health and the Great Depression were the major contributing factors at the time. In 2016, however, a lovely photo of the original home was listed online with some history tidbits for Geocaching. Here is the link: https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC6NJY8_oaht-1624-kohl-family?guid=8dbfe302-ac55-4e60-ab10-f2402127ce77.
In 1909, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “July 10th, Mama, Mary and myself started for Ellenville, N.Y. where we met all the family, except Rupert. We had a fine vacation, which I have written in detail in my “Ellenville sketching trip of 1909.” Unfortunately, Moses’ travelogues have yet to be located for reference.
1879 map of Ellenville, New York
The first time that Moses mentioned Ellenville in his typed memoirs, however, was during 1903. At the time he wrote, “I also found time to take the family to Ellenville, N.Y. I made quite a number of sketches.” In many cases, family outings for the Moses family coincided with prime sketching locations. This often provided Moses with an opportunity to capture local scenes and gather resource material for future painting projects in the studio.
Scene near Ellenville, New York
Scene near Ellenville, New York
The region surrounding Ellenville had been drawing artists for quite a while when Moses first ventured to the picturesque area. Ellenville is located about 90 miles northwest of New York City and about ninety miles southwest of Albany. One of the oldest public roads in the United States also runs through Ellenville, “sanctioned” by the King and Queen of Holland. It was originally used by the Leni-Lenape Indians who traveled between the Hudson and Delaware valleys, later becoming known as the Minisink Road, the Old Mine Road and Kings Hoghway. It has since lost any historical character and is now known as simply Route 209.
Postcard of Ellenville, New York
Ellenville is located in the Rondout Valley, at the eastern base of the Catskill Mountains and the western base of the Shawanguk Ridge. Sandburg Creek and Beer Kill intersect in Ellenville to form the Rondout Creek, that then flows north to join the Hudson River near Kingston. The area is currently within the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Center.
In examining pictures of the area and the history of the town, I uncovered a few interesting tidbits about the area, the most interesting in how the village received its name. When the village constructed its first post office in 1823, it was known as Fairchild City. Named after a prominent landowner, it was during a meeting to discuss potential names for the village that Ellen Snyder queried, “Why not name if after me?” After prolonged discussions and the inability to select any other name, the residents decided to use the proposed name of Ellenville.
Another fun fact about the area is that on August 21, 1931, Franklin D. Roosevelt announced his run for presidency in Ellenville. His keynote speech began, “my friends and neighbors of Ellenville.” Roosevelt then touched upon his family’s connection with Ulster County, the significance of state parks, the beauty of the Catskills, and the challenges of progress. For more information about this beautiful area and its history, visit: https://findellenville.com/find-yourself-in-ellenville-ny/ellenvilles-historical-facts-and-figures/
Part 718: The Scottish Rite in Memphis, Tennessee, 1909
In 1909, Thomas G. Moses recorded that Sosman & Landis produced a scenery collection for the Scottish Rite in Memphis, Tennessee. The scenery is stunning, and some of the best that the studio produced during this period.
The first reunion in the Memphis Scottish Rite building was held from November 15-19, 1909. The “Dedicatory Class” purchased a grandfather clock as a commemorative gift for the building; it is still in use today. I learned about the clock while watching a 41-minute video posted to YouTube by the Memphis Scottish Rite. There have been 7,249 views and it certainly depicts local character.
The YouTube video is a pleasant peak inside the building and includes interviews with General Secretary, Glen Pitts; Director of the Work, Jerry Hanson; Organist, Mark Henderson; and Personal Representative, Joe Harrison. The credits note the producer that the producer is Gerald Leek and the host is James McCraw. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNm6G2OsDNA
Unfortunately, the host of the video incorrectly credited the scenery production to local students. Specifically, he explained, “a lot of art students came in and painted every single one of the 128 backdrops.” This is not unusual, as when I visited the Salina Scottish Rite, those in charge suggested a similar scenario, except the students came from a fine art college in the east. In many cases, the manufacture of Scottish Rite scenery is attributed to a group of wunderkind, and not experienced scenic artists associated with a scenic studio, such as Sosman & Landis.
Later, while standing in the Memphis Scottish Rite library, our host explains that he is the Masonic historian for the Valley. This bit of information caused my ears to perk up and reconsider his comments about the history of the scenery. Now, it is obvious that this is a well-meaning individual; one who is really trying to do his best to preserve and share Masonic history. However, this entire scenario is more common than one might think, and once again I contemplate my response.
Do I say anything at all? It is seldom beneficial for me to contact a Valley and explain that their perceived history about the stage and scenery is not reflective of the actual facts. Fortunately, over the years I have fine-tuned my approach, starting most conversations with, “That’s very interesting, however, I have some additional information that might help you tell your story…”
In 1980, Dr. John Rothgeb from the University of Texas (Austin) mailed a letter to the Memphis Scottish Rite, General Secretary G. E. Rothrock, inquiring about the scenery. Rothrock responded, “In searching back thru the minutes of these Bodies, I find that the scenery was purchased from M. C. Lilley, who in 1909 was located in Columbus, Ohio.” That means, M.C. Lilley subcontracted the work to Sosman & Landis. Rothrock further noted that the present building was contracted in 1906 and the scenery was purchased in 1909, adding, “There was a controversy and a lot of correspondence was exchanged between the supplier and the Memphis Bodies.” Previously in the letter, Rothrock explained that only the minutes of the Board Meeting pertaining to the purchase of the scenery were left and that all other correspondence had been “destroyed.” There was no note as to when, or how, the records were destroyed. Fire? So, between 1980 and today knowledge pertaining to the purchase of scenery from M. C. Lilley & Co. was replaced with the scenery being painted by local students.
At what point was the actual history lost? How does the delivery of scenery from a major scenic supplier become attributed to local students? If this major piece of information is wrong, what other aspects of Memphis’ Scottish Rite history have been forgotten?
My research suggests that Scottish Rite history in many Valleys began to disappear after WWII. It started with the elimination of paid Scottish Rite historians and archivists, as the jobs were no longer perceived as necessary or valuable. In addition to the elimination to many of the stewards of Scottish Rite history, the purchase of new acquisitions ceases. Simultaneously, the careful inventory of Masonic libraries and museums are suspended in many areas. Why?
Then consider that as Scottish Rite bodies begin to leave their historic building, the institutional knowledge is lost and discredited, sometimes actively erased. I wonder if the intentional burying of history and cultural significance of artifacts had anything to do with justifying the move? This is still happening across the country today as historic buildings are sold and the membership liquidates the contents of their buildings.
I repeatedly read about Valleys citing declining membership and funds as the sole reasons for the move. What is almost never addressed, however, are the intentions for the future, especially that of their material culture and artifacts. If there is no perceived value, legacy or history attached to the artifacts, it makes their abandonment easier.
It will be easy to walk away from a bunch of backings created by student and harder to walk away from large-scale artworks created by nationally recognized fine artists.
In 1909, Thomas G. Moses wrote “Walter Hartson joined our force at 20th Street in August and seemed to be satisfied with conditions.” That year same year, the “Chicago Tribune” reported, “Walter C. Hartson, of New York, N.Y., and Jane Mahon Stanley of Detroit, Mich,” exhibited some of their at the picture galleries of Marshall Field & Company in Chicago (29 March 1909, page 6). Hartson had sporadically worked for Moses over the years and the two remained friends for the decades to follow. In 1902, Hartson worked for Moses as part of the Moses & Hamilton staff in their annex studio at the 14th Street Theatre in New York. While working for Moses that year, Hartson also won the Gold Medal of the American Art Society. Two years later he won the First Landscape Prize in the Osborne competition. By 1922, Moses would reflect, “I am drifting back to the days when some of the present day successful artists were working for me… As I look backward over the names of the successful ones, I wonder what I would have done had I been gifted with the same amount of talent.”
Walter C. Hartson watercolor currently for sale on Ebay
Oil painting by Walter C. Hartson recently listed online
Hartson was born in Wyoming, Iowa, on Oct. 27, 1866. He attended the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, and then continued his artistic studies in Holland, Belgium, France and England. Of his fine art, the “Chicago Tribune” described Hartson’s paintings as being “light and lively in color and effect” (Chicago Tribune, 26 June 1898, Page 33). Hartson was a member of the Chicago Society of Artists, the Salmagundi Club of New York, the Kit Kat club of New York, the New York Water Color club, and the Allied Artists of Ameirca (Poughkeepsie Journal, 4 January 1946, page 8). By the age of twenty-nine, Hartson was winning awards for his work.
In 1895, Hartson won the bronze medal at the Atlanta Exposition. By 1898 Hartson received an award for his “Fields of September” at the seventy-third annual exhibition of the National Academy of Design (Chicago Tribune, 26 March, 1898, page 1); the Third Hallgarten Prize. By 1900, Hartson exhibited in a watercolor exhibition at the Chicago Art Institute. The Chicago “Inter Ocean” commented on two of Hartson’s paintings in 1898: “Of course, the best may not have been in sight, but some signed by Walter C. Hartson, arrested me. It is in tone and treatment much like a McIlhenny that stood not far away. Both these are in treatment between Corot and George Inness, Sr., although not so rich in color as the later. They lay in color, and then wash it down until everything is blurred, enveloped, atmospheric and gray. Still there is sufficient firmness and purpose, good modeling and no muddiness. Only an experienced painter can do this difficult thing.”
Three months later during June1895, Hartson was again noted in the “Chicago Tribune,” for two of his paintings: “Two cleverly painted water-colors of Dutch scenes by Walter C. Hartson, a former Chicago artist are shown at Thayer & Chandler’s. Both are light and lively in color and effect, and consequently more interesting than much of his more serious work, in which he inclined to blackness and heaviness” (June 26, 1898, page 33). It was is his ability to capture light and atmospheric effects that translated so well to Hartson’s stage work. He continued to gain ground in the field of American fine art and became associated with a new movement. It is a 1913 article that places Hartson within this context of a shifting aesthetic.
On April 1, 1913, “The Brooklyn Daily Eagle” reported,“The remarkable advance that has been made in American art within the last few years is almost incomprehensible to the average layman, and something of a surprise as well as gratification to the student and connoisseur. Appreciation has kept pace with development. A few weeks ago a George Inness brought $24,000 at public sale. A few years ago this would have seemed almost incredible. The fact is however, that the brush work of “our men of America” has reached a degree of excellence that places many of them on the same plane with leading artists abroad in artistic merit, and the time appears to be not far distant when they wil rival the modern European painter in price getting. A real comprehensive school of art is being developed here – a definite, distinctive, ambitiously independent class of work which breaking away from the traditions of old, has mingled the best thought of the Old World with the ideas of the New – bringing an atmosphere unmistakenly American. We are showing some of the better work of Walter C. Hartson to illustrate the young school as demonstrated by one of the men rapidly coming to the fore with his exquisite color work.”
Hartson was associated with fellow landscape artists G. Glen Newell, Harry Franklin Waltman, and Arthur J.E. Powell. All four men were born in small rural towns, but sought their art careers in nearby metropolitan areas. Hartson, Waltman, and Newell studied extensively in Europe and each independently found their way to the art scene of New York. All three were accepted to the Salmagundi Club. Moses had also joined the club under the sponsorship of R. M. Shurtless when he lived in New York from 1900-1904.
Newell, Waltman and Hartson left the city about the same time to seek solace in the Dover Plains, each establishing a studio in the picturesque region. Hartman relocated around 1917 and worked from his studio in Wassaic, New York, following Newell with Waltman who slightly proceeded him. Later, Powell joined the trio. It was the rolling hills of the Harlem Valley that kept the four men occupied (Poughkeepsie Journal, 21 June 1953, page 6A).The artists captured scenes of Dutchess County and painted the area with great affection. Each artist became a member of the Duchess County Art Association. In 1977, a third exhibit of the four artists’ works was exhibited at the Thomas Barrett House. The local newspaper included a lovely article about the exhibit entitled, “Once Important, They’re Forgotten.” The author of the article commented, “They were very integrated with their community…Their paintings still hang in the libraries, in school, the bank. You get a very definite sense of place with these paintings. It is definitely the Harlem Valley” (Poughkeepsie Journal, 25 Feb. 1977, page 3). The work of the four continues to be part of the community’s heritage elsewhere too, as they also painted murals in a number of local churches.
A picture of the four artists
Although I have not tracked all three in terms of theatrical work yet, Powell painted a decorative panel for the first scenic artists ball held in Chicago in 1927.
Of Walter Hartson, he died in 1946 at the age of 79.
Part 714: The State of Scottish Rite Scenery at Sosman & Landis in 1909
I return to the entries in Thomas Moses’ typed manuscript during the 1909. Over the course of the past three-month, almost 100 posts, I have rambled down side roads that provided insight into historical scenic art, stage lighting, counterweight systems, and the evolution of Masonic scenery. For quite a while, I focused on theatre installations secured by E. A. Armstrong Manufacturing Co. of Chicago and M. C. Lilley & Co. of Columbus, and subcontracted to Sosman & Landis under the guidance of Bestor G. Brown. I am trying to tie up loose ends that uncover interesting historical tidbits that never quite made it into the theatre history textbooks.
Moses returns to the Sosman & Landis main studio at the beginning of 1909, as he had been traveling quite extensively throughout all of 1908, although one could say this has remained his standard mode of operation since starting with the company in 1880. Moses explained the cause for his return to the main studio instead of the annex studio, writing, “Sosman seemed to think I was needed there more than at 20th Street. Pausback took charge of the 20th Street studio.”
Business was booming, and Sosman & Landis increased their forces. Of staffing at the two studios, Moses wrote, “We have quite a force now at Clinton Street. We have forty-eight on the payroll, which includes the sewing girls and foremen. At 20th Street we have an average of twelve. I think we should turn out some work and we do. It is often a puzzle to me where it all goes, but the Masonic work requires a lot of time, and there is an average of eighty drops in each order so it makes plenty of work and is very interesting. The artists never grumble when they get it to do.”
Up to 1909, Sosman & Landis had delivered at least twenty-six Scottish Rite collections. In some cases more than one collection was delivered to the same location in less than a decade. The ones that I have verified include:
Chicago, Illinois (first, second and third installations)
Little Rock, Arkansas (first, second and third installations)
Oakland, California
Wichita, Kansas (first and second installations)
Guthrie, Oklahoma
Fargo, North Dakota
Salina, Kansas (first and second installations)
McAlester, Oklahoma (first and second installations)
Portland, Oregon
Duluth, Minnesota
Fort Scott, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Detroit. Michigan
San Francisco, California (first and second installations)
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Salt Lake City, Utah
Dubuque, Iowa
Yankton, South Dakota
Clarksburg, West Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
Little Rock Scottish Rite scenery, 1902
Wichita Scottish Rite scenery, 1898
McAlester Scottish Rite scenery, 1901
Guthrie Scottish Rite scenery, 1900
Guthrie Scottish Rite scenery, 1900
Fargo Scottish Rite scenery, 1900
Fargo Scottish Rite scenery, 1900
In 1909, I have verified that Sosman & Landis produced five Scottish Rite scenery collections: Dallas, TX, San Francisco, CA (second collection), Cleveland, OH, Kanas City, MO, Atlanta, GA, and Winona, MN. Even using Moses’ 1909 formula that Masonic installations averaged 80 drops per order, this would be 400 Masonic drops over the course of 365 days, not including the flats and other properties that would accompany the scenery collections.
According to scenic artist John Hanny who began with the studio in 1906, Masonic work only made up 24-30% of the studio’s entire output. This was also during the same time that Sosman & Landis had started creating scenery for the Ringling Brothers’ grand spectacles too.
We can therefore conservatively estimate that Sosman & Landis artists produced approximately 1200 drops during 1909. The output could have been more, but this likely means that the studio was producing approximately four drops every day of the week. Fortunately, they had a staff of forty-eight on payroll in the main studio and twelve in the annex to help with demand.
