The Iroquois Theatre Fire

A 28 May 2013 blog tells the story of Jacob Tapscott, a Wabash Valley Tapscott who was killed during a posse (vigilante?) action in Crawford County, Illinois. Jacob and Mary Ann (Lockard) Tapscott had four children before Jacob’s violent demise. Among these was Mary Lavina Tapscott, who married Leonard Hilton Brewster and had two children, Mary Julia and Violet G. After Mary Lavina’s death in Terre Haute, Indiana, at the very early age of 23, Leonard remarried and moved with his children to Battle Creek, Michigan, where he married a third time. He and his family then moved to Chicago. There, Mary Julia Brewster, who usually went by her middle name, “Julia,” became a teacher at James Wadsworth School.

The Iroquois. (University of Illinois Library.)

On 23 November 1903, Chicago celebrated the grand opening of the magnificent Iroquois Theater, a six-story building with a marble and mahogany interior claimed to be “the most beautiful” in Chicago. The theater opened with the musical comedy Mr. Bluebeard starring entertainer Eddie Foy, a show that ran five weeks, until its sudden end on 30 December 1903. On that fateful Wednesday a special holiday matinee performance, attracting primarily women and children, was held. Over seventeen hundred people filled the seats and at least two hundred more stood or sat in the aisles to laugh at Eddie Foy and enjoy the wondrous Iroquois. Among the spectators were James Wadsworth teachers Mary Julia Brewster and Pearl Mills, accompanied by Pearl’s husband, Ward, and his sister Isabella (http://www.iroquoistheater.com/mills-brewster-iroquois-theater-fire-victims.php).

At the beginning of the second act, during a dance number, an arc light ignited muslin curtains and the fire spread to the stage ceiling. In an heroic act with flaming debris falling around him, Eddie Foy, having rushed to the stage from his dressing room (first handing his son to an exiting stagehand), attempted to calm the audience, but the fire soon enveloped the backstage area. The “fireproof asbestos” curtain, which was neither fireproof nor asbestos but which might nevertheless have provided a barrier between the stage and the audience, failed to drop completely. When double doors at the rear of the building were opened for escape, a blast of incoming air fanned flames from the stage into the audience, igniting curtains, wooden seats, mahogany trimming, and people. The official death toll was 602; the actual death toll, probably higher. It was the deadliest single-building fire in U.S. history. Among those killed were Julia Brewster, Pearl Mills, and Isabella Mills. Ward Mills escaped.

After the fire. (Library of Congress.)

The record of the Vigo County’s Coroner’s Inquest, No. 28526, Case 269, for Mary Julia Brewster, states simply “Verdict Same as in Case 205 page 80.” Page 80 is strangely blank, but numerous contemporary newspaper articles about the catastrophe list Julia among the dead. Leonard H. Brewster, Julia’s father, appeared before the Coroner's Jury as a witness.

Investigations showed shoddy fire protection (despite handbills and advertising proclaiming the building to be "Absolutely Fireproof"), violation of fire codes, locked exits, barricaded hallways, inadequate firefighting equipment, and possible bribery of fire inspectors. Charges were brought against many, including Mayor Carter Harrison Jr., but between legal tactics and loopholes the only person convicted was a tavern keeper charged with robbing dead fire victims.

Following Julia’s death, Leonard Hilton Brewster returned to Battle Creek, Michigan, where he became secretary to Adda B. Fleming, a “Science Healer and Nerve Specialist.” Violet G., who had married just a little over two months prior to her sister’s death, moved with her husband to Nebraska and then Iowa, where she lived most of her remaining life. In 1912 sculptor Lorado Taft was commissioned to create a bronze plaque memorializing the Iroquois fire victims, a plaque which was briefly lost but today hangs near an entrance to the Chicago City Hall. In 1955 Bob Hope starred as Eddie Foy in the Seven Little Foys, a movie whose storyline includes the Iroquois Theater fire.

Papers of George Allen Tapscott

Page from one of George Allen Tapscott's notebooks.

Papers of George Allen Tapscott, 1784-1935, Accession #4754, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia, Charlotte, Virginia.

My 7 Jul 2015 blog provides transcripts of a letter about Virginia Tapscotts from Clayton Allen Tapscott to June (Tapscott) Leathers. June was also the source of a set of Virginia Tapscott notes authored by another person in the James Tapscott line, but dating much earlier than Clayton Allen. George Allen Tapscott (8 Jun 1850 - 25 Nov 1935), a Buckingham County Virginia farmer, was a son of George Nicholas Tapscott. When George Allen died, his extensive but disorganized, confusing, and often poorly written papers and notes were given to the University of Virginia Library. June obtained copies of some of the notes and passed them on with a letter from the library. Below is my transcription of what June sent. Bracketed italicized items are my comments. “[…]” indicates unreadable material. “[?]” indicates that the preceding word is uncertain. Of some interest is that George Allen Tapscott mentioned a “Bolling” in his poem “Boyhood Days.” (See blogs of 23 Oct 2013, 19 Mar 2014, and 18 Jul 2014.)

Treat these transcriptions with great caution. Most of the notes are unclear and their accuracy, uncertain. Those doing research with this Tapscott branch may wish to examine first hand the entire collection of George Allen Tapscott papers at the University of Virginia.

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA LIBRARY
MANUSCRIPTS DEPARTMENT/ALDERMAN LIBRARY

22 April 1986

Dear Mrs. Leathers:

It is not possible to borrow the George Allen Tapscott Papers (#4754) because they have never been microfilmed and our manuscript collections are non-circulating.

However, I have examined the four notebooks and enclose complimentary copies of those pages pertaining to the genealogy of the Tapscotts. The other material in the collection consists of legal papers including deed, court orders, land surveys, etc. I have included a list of these items, which can be copied for you at the rate of twelve cents per page plus a handling fee of three dollars. Do not send payment; you will be billed upon completion of your order. Please mark any items on the list that you want copied and return it to this department.

I hope this information will be helpful in your research.

Sincerely,

SharonDefibaugh
Technical Services Assistant
SD:jls

Boyhood Days

I love to think of my boyhood days

Of the days, when I was young

Of home, the dear I […] passed array

Whenever with […] joyful hear I sang.

Of happy days with Father & mother

Of a sister and dear one,

who. called me their brother

Romping & playing happy & gay

From daylight till dark

Contented & happy each day

Single singles as happy as a lark

Of the days at Grammer School

With Willis, Walter & Jim

Isa, Sallie, Susie & Jin

Bolling, Gary, Wiley Bob

To each them […]

had guile a job

39

1 of Father aunts Betsy

Married 1st a Nevis

afterward Capt Flood

of Appomatix Va

1.Millines married

Jhon [John] Anderson of Cumbeld [Cumberland]

Jane Tapscott married

a Woodson Went. [?] Cool [?]

Dolly Tapscott Married

a Coleman.

My Fathers ancestors

on his mother side

were Cobbs. One

Married a Lewis

John its said of

Albemarle Co. Va

40

Virginia See also Page 86

Confederate Veterans

1929 Vets in camps    7 26

Not in camps  2 23

Total   9.49

1926 (1933 Chatamera           20 00

NP[?] Vets at Farmville Va   3 83

1927 Alexander          3 03

1928 Portsmouth        2 97

1929 Petersburg          2 09

1930 Orange   2 07

1931 Charlotteville    1 90

1932 Richmond. Va    20.00

1933 Veterans of the

Counties of Albemarle

Nelson, Highland,

Buckingham & Bath

are invited to meet at

Monteray, Highland Co

June 27th 1933 to 29th

also Rockbridge County

106

George Tapscotts

1st of Revolution War came

to Buckingham & settled on

Rock Island Creek his son

2cd Geo Tapscott born April 1778

& married Mildred V. Cobbs b Aug 8 1786 [month and date uncertain]

his children below

Diedna Tapscott born Dec 13 1810

Betsy born Apr 5 1813 [this line crossed out]

Thomas C was born Feb 26 1815

Milincent [sic] was born Feb 20 18

Elizabeth was born Feb 1809 [this line scratched out and difficult to read]

Mildred was born June [?] 14 1817

Geo N. was born Apr 2 1819

Delany was born Aug 15 1821

Wm H was born Dec 18 1824

Scott is claimed as

Old name of the

Tapscotts

[unclear] 1931

Genealogy of Tapscotts

in Buckingham Co

The 1st George Tapscott

was granted land

in Buckingham Co

by a survey dated Apr. 26 year 1784

Grant signed by Liet.

Gov Beverly Randolph

Apr 26th 1787.

at Richmond Va

Geo. Tapscott it is

Said married a Hill

& had 4 sons

1 James 2 George

3 Raleigh 4 William

46

George Tapscott

must have come to

Buckingham about 1780

2cd George was his

son. Married a Cobb

3 Geo. Nichols Tapscott

born Apr 2cd 1819

died year 1900 He

married Ann E. Scruggs

who was born on Mar 17th 1829. died 1899

4th Geo. Allen Tapscott

Son of Geo N. born

June 8th 1850. his son

5 Geo Norvell Tapscott

was born Jan 5th 1893

6 Geo W. Son of GN born Dec 4 1928

107 Tapscott Born

6 Frank J. Tapscott Aug 13 1870

7 John C. Tapscott July28 1872

8 Kate Elizabeth

Baby Sister of Geo. T. 1867

" Born ~

Children of GN Tapscott

Ann E Tapscott No 8

Children G.A Tapscott

Mary L. Tapscott No 5

Kate E. Tapscott [No] 3

Total = 8

My Grandfather

George Tapscott

No of his children 8

My Great Grand Father

Geo. Tapscott of the

Revolutionary War [8]

So I have heard.

Mary First Set 108

Ages of My Children

1 Annie born May 30 1877

2 Allen [born] October 19 1879

3 Julia [born] January 12 1882

4 Tucker [born] June 10 1884

5 Mamie [born] June 5 1887

Katie Second Set

6 Mary born Sept 7 1890

7 George [born] January 5 1893

8 Minnie [born] January 24 1893

Father of Above.

1. GA. Tapscott June 8 1850

Mary Baber Nov 8.1858

Katie Norvell June 24 1870

Geo. N. Tapscott Apr 2 1819

Ann E. Tapscott Mar 17 1829

2 Julia A. [Tapscott] born Oct 22 1852

3 Goule T. [Tapscott] June 5 1856

4 W. H. Tapscott Oct 16 1858

5 Walter L. Tapscott Aug 31 1861

George Nicholas Tapscott

Mother of Albermarle Was Mildred Cobbs

Her Birth records

Thus we see that

there has been 6

George Tapscotts

up to date. 1930

My father Geo Nichole Tapscott

Had 2 brothers

Thomas Cobbs Tapscott

Who died without issue.

Wm. Henry Tapscott

who went to Calafornia

year 1849 & Never heard from

41

Mother of GeA Tapscott

Was Anne Scruggs

her Mother Franes [Frances] Noel

Married Geo. A. Scruggs

Whose father was

Grose Scruggs

who was born 1773. &

Died Decd 1833

He married a Cottrel

& had 2 children.

GA Scruggs and

Sabrina O Who

married Schyler Thomas

who was born 1801

Sabrina born May 1807

Married 1823

Clayton Allen Tapscott

Clayton Allen Tapscott marker, Evergreen Cemetery Yreka, CA.

Clayton Allen Tapscott, a California attorney, was a GGG grandson of James Tapscott, one of Henry the Immigrant’s three sons. Although he did little formal research, Clayton had an interest in his Tapscott ancestors, and, in 1949, wrote a letter to June (Tapscott) Leathers concerning his recollections of genealogical information obtained from his relatives. Clayton died childless in 1973. Before June passed away in 2003 she gave me a copy of the letter. Although there are many errors (the paragraph about early origins contains a lot of fiction), much of the information provided, particularly about Clayton’s closer relatives, appears to be correct. I am posting a transcript of the letter anticipating that it may be of interest. I have removed a few personal items and have made a few italicized comments in brackets. Warning! Be very, very careful of the contents, which are best used as leads.

Yreka, California

April 14, 1949

Dear June

Your letter was received and it is a pleasure to hear from you and I was interested in all you told me and am sure we could enjoy a chat about our family ancestors if we could ever get together.

Some of the older members of our family I knew when I was small and others I have heard more or less about from hearing the others talk of them. Am glad you are interested in working up a family tree, and you may be sure I will be glad to help our with any information that I may be able to give.

There have been stories that I have heard regarding our ancestors that would almost fill a book, but I mention a few names that may be of interest.

Will use typewriter as that will make it more convenient for you to read and refer to. How interesting it would be now if the history and experiences of our ancestors had been written up by them and preserved for us to read! They were probably kept busy just to live.

As I understand it, the family lived in England, and a son (also perhaps two other sons) came to America. This son settled in Virginia. I think his name was George, and that he had married in England and brought his bride with him, to land which had been granted to him by the King of England. They had four sons and three daughters, and it is possible that there were more than three daughters. Their sons were; James, William, George and Raleigh. Daughters were Sallie and Nancy, but I do not know other names. James was the oldest. He had a large family of sons and daughters. One of his sons was John Hill Tapscott, born, born August 17, 1799, died December 1, 1869. On May 26 1836 he married Julia Adaline Turner born Apr. 8 1815 and died April 5 1900. They had ten children but some died young. Six of their sons grew up. Their oldest was James Fleming Tapscott, born May 2 1837, died September 1920. On June 1 1858 he married Isabella Jane Lilley, born January 17 1839, died May 30 1928. They had four children; Mary Campbell, James Robert, Julia Ella and Clayton Allen. James Robert Tapscott was born at Buffalo Hill, Virginia, September 9 1865, and died June 13 1938. He married Catherine Ada Merrill October 16, 1889. They had three children; Robert Merrill, Katherine Isabel, and James Frederick.

My mother's name, as mentioned above, was Isabella Jane Lilley. She was daughter of Col. James M. Lilley, and sister of General Robert D. Lilley and Col. John D. Lilley. Isabel was named for her. Your grandfather was named James for his father and Robert for our uncle Robert D. Lilley. My sister Julia was named for our grandmother Julia A. Turner and my mother's sister Ella. My father's middle name of "Fleming" was for his mother's father who was Fleming Turner.

The foregoing gives you some information but of course it is not very extensive, though it may be what you desire at the present time. I once visited a distant cousin in Virginia who took me into a sort of "Den" in his home where he had a number of enlarged and framed pictures of the Tapscott men who had died years before. They all had so much whiskers that they were the most conspicuous thing in the pictures. I guess all men wore full whiskers in their time. He also showed me an original grant from Governor of Virginia to George Tapscott for 510 acres of land, dated August 3, 1784, the consideration named being Two Pounds fifteen shillings sterling.

Sincerely,

Clayton Tapscott

Genealogy

John H. Tapscott born Aug. 17, 1799, Died Dec 1, 1869

Julia A. Turner born April 8, 1815 Died Apr. 5, 1900

They were married May 26, 1836. Their children were:

James F. Tapscott born May 2, 1837, died Sept. 1920

Edwin H. Tapscott born Aug. 10, 1840

Vincent Allen Tapscott born March 20, 1843 died Sept. 1920

Wyatt L. Tapscott born May 21, 1844

Octavia Tapscott born Aug 31, 1846 died June 19, 1849

Henry Lemuel born Nov. 3, 1849 died Dec. 2, 1932

Mary Octavia born Apr. 15, 1851 died May 12, 1871

John Franklin P. born March 15, 1853 died April 21, 1861

Charles Rush born Oct. 20, 1854 died Sept. 20, 1855

Portney Panel born July 18, 1859 died May 15, 1935.

Julia A. Tapscott was daughter of Flemming and Jane M. Turner. Isabella Jane Lilley was born January 17, 1839 died 5/30 1928 was daughter of James Lilley and Mary Doak Lilley. Married James Flemming Tapscott June 1, 1858. They had four children, as follows:-

Mary Campbell Tapscott born Jan 11, 1860 died Oct. 14, 1959

James Robert Tapscott born Sept. 9, 1865 died June 13, 1938

Julia Ella Tapscott born Dec. 12, 1869 died June 24, 1960

Clayton Allen Tapscott Sept. 8, 1883 died Sept 23, 1973 Charlottesville, Va. [latter added by another hand]

James Tapscott married Martha Burgess

         Adison Tapscott, went to Mo.

         George Tapscott married Sally Hill, had one child Henrietta married Snead.

         William Tapscott married Cobb. May have lived Carolina.

         Nicholas Tapscott died young

         Elizabeth died at 13 years of age.

         Ann. Married Staples

                  Henry Lee

                  John C.

                  Frank

                  Juneva [?, unclear] C.

                  Manning

                  Annie

         Jane, married George Woodson April 18, 1827

                  James P. Woodson, 1st son, born June 7, 1828

                  John Stephen Woodson 2nd son, born April 15, 1830

         John Hill Tapscott married Julia Turner May 26, 1836

                  James Fleming Tapscott married Isabella June Lilley, June 4, 1858

                           Mary Campbell, married Alex W. Paxton

                                    Lilley Tapscott Paxton, married Walter Miller Walsh, no children

                                    James Campbell Paxton, m Mary Frances Davis, b Apr 4, 1934

                           James Robert Tapscott, married Kate Ada Merrill

                                    Robert Merrill Tapscott married  Clara Churchill

                                                Janice Tapscott, born 1918

                                                June Tapscott, born Apr 17, 1920

                                                Milburn Tapscott 1921

                                                Marilyn Tapscott born Oct 4, 1923

                                                Nancy Carolyn Tapscott born Jul 20, 1933

                                    Katherine Isabel Tapscott married Allyn Goodwin Smith

                                    James Frederick Tapscott married Melba Anita Patterson June 4, 1929

                                                Beverly Lynn Tapscott born Aug 21, 1933

                           Julia Ella Tapscott married Mallory Chandler

                           Clayton Allen Tapscott

                  Edwin H. Tapscott

                  Vincent Allen Tapscott

                  Wyatt L. Tapscott, married Norvell

                           Ernest Norvell Tapscott, married Lena May Mandlesolm, no children

                  Henry L. Tapscott

                  Mollie Tapscott

                  Charles Rush Tapscott

                  Portney P. Tapscott

         Dolly married Coleman

         Gus Tapscott married

         James M. Tapscott married Turner.

                  John Nicholas Tapscott married Sally Haynes

                           Sally Tapscott

                  Clara Tapscott

                  Garland Hanes Tapscott

                  Hubbard Clark Tapscott

                           Virginia Tapscott married John Buttleman

                                    John Herbert Buttleman, born Feb 1, 1932

                  Sadie Spicer

                           William Edward Spicer, married Kate Chrystal Mathews August 27, 1927

                                    William born Dec 192?

                           Sarah Frances Spicer, married Edward Norman Goodson Jul 1, 1922

                                    Edward Norman Goodson born Apr. 30, 1923

                                    Frances Aidan Goodson, born May 25, 1929

                           Herbert Spicer

         Napoleon Bonepart Tapscott, born August 6, 1814, married Ellen Turner

         Susan Tapscott married Robert Turner

William Tapscott, married Liza Childress

         Tapscott married Baber

                  General Baber

         Ben Tapscott, married Charlotte Wallace

                  William Tapscott

                           Marvin Tapscott

                           Ben Tapscott

                           Tucker Tapscott

                  Gussie Senff McVay (McVeigh)

                           Charles Senff McVay (McVeigh)

George Tapscott married Cobbs Killed at Fallsburg

         Thomas C. Tapscott, never married, very tall

         George Nicholas Tapscott, married Schrugs [Scruggs]

                  George A. Tapscott

                           Mary Tapscott married James B. Tindall

                                    Elizabeth Tindall

                                    Katherine Tindall

                  Henry Nicholas Tapscott

                           Josey Tapscott married Linsay Baber

                           Audrey Tapscott

                           Wilton H. Tapscott married Cora Baber

                                    Mary Emma Tapscott

                                    Cecil Tapscott

         William Henry Tapscott, went to California in 1849, never heard of since [Clayton is wrong here. William Henry married a Mary and had several children including Josey and Wilton shown by him as children of Henry Nicholas Tapscott.]

Raleigh Tapscott, may have married Staton and moved to North Carolina

Sallie married Isasc Baber

         Baber, married Nancy W. Bowman

                  Robert Baber, born Jul 10, 1826

Nancy, married Robert ? Evans

-----?, married Couch

Birthdates

I received an email concerning a Tapscott birthdate from a death record, which disagreed with dates from censuses and a cemetery marker. I replied with the following (slightly modified).

Ages and dates of birth on death records are always suspect and are often incorrect. The person who best knew the age or birthdate is dead. The record is often filled out by a busy county clerk who does not know the deceased at all using information provided by a physician, coroner, or acquaintance who does not know the deceased well. Even when a family member provides the information, it is often a child or, worse, a grandchild, taking on the job to avoid bothering a grieving (or doddering) widow or widower. When I was a young man I had no idea of my mother’s age, and certainly not my grandmother’s. And I could have easily been off by a decade were I to have provided the age of our next door neighbor. You would be shocked to see the number of outlandish ages (and other “facts”) provided on death records by children, grandchildren, acquaintances, and professionals. And county clerks, physicians, and coroners, are always in a hurry to take care of a death record so they can get on to their next (and for physicians, primary) task. With the possible exception of marriage records, where outright lying often occurs for a variety of reasons, death records seem to be the most likely of any record type to be mistaken on age or birthdate, though, of course, they are the most likely to be correct on date of death..

Samuel Chichester Tapscott's error-filled marker.

 Cemetery markers are usually much more reliable than death records for birthdates since inscriptions are often the combined efforts of several family members who can consult one another and who are not rushed to provide information. Grave markers are not usually erected immediately and no one wants to make a mistake carved in inerasable stone. Undertakers and cemetery monument salespeople do their best to calm grieving family members (after all, they are trying to please customers) and to allow time to make decisions about personal data for inscriptions, obituaries, memorials, etc. By no means are grave markers always correct, particularly when erected years after a death or in the absence of living family members, but they are relatively trustworthy.  [One example of an egregiously wrong marker is Samuel Chichester Tapscott’s stone in St. Mary’s White Chapel Church Cemetery, Lancaster County, Virginia, a marker off by ten years or so in the birth year and by a year or so in the death date (Henry the Immigrant, Ed. 2, pp. 245 – 247). Was the stone erected years after the death? Was the stonemason drunk? Who knows.]

 The reliabilities of Census ages probably lie somewhere between the reliabilities from death certificates and those from cemetery markers. People for whom ages are provided are normally living, but they are not always the ones giving the information. It is often provided by other household members and sometimes even neighbors. Even when providing census information for themselves, people accidentally give the wrong age (an error increasing with increasing age). And a surprising number of individuals lie or at least fudge the truth. But consistency between several censuses greatly increases credibility.

Best of all, of course, are official birth records, though these are very often unavailable and can also be wrong. My mother's official birth record misspelled her name, and my father's did the same for his name. But at least the dates appear to be correct.