Ann King

Status: looking for family!

There's nothing quite like having a story written on the back of a photo. It's difficult enough to find labeled photos with names on them, but every once in a while you may get lucky and find one like this. On the back is written:

My land lady, boarded with her nearly 3 years while learning my trade with H J [?], Wadsworth, Ohio

A 46 year old Ann King in the 1870 census is surely our Ann. She is living in Wadsworth, OH, just as the photo indicates, and she "keeps boarding house" as her occupation. Sure enough, there are a mishmash of 10 people living with her at this time, ranging in age from 19 to 40. One has to wonder...was one of these people once the owner of this photo?

Whoever it was wrote that they were "learning my trade" and, indeed, there are four individuals living in the boarding house working as carriage maker, blacksmith, and painter apprentices: Samuel Wolf, Frank Snell, Harrison Hatfield, and Orrin Franks. Perhaps future research into the many photos that I received along with Ann's (from a lovely follower over on Instagram!) will provide a clue as to which one of these young men, if any, labeled this little CDV.

But enough about Ann's boarders, let's learn about Ann King herself.

Ann was born in Ohio in February 1824 to Allen Pardee, a judge, and Phebe Foster. In 1846, she married Homer King - a marriage which doesn't appear to last long, either due to separation or death, because by 1860, Ann, along with her 11 year old son Norman, are back living with Ann's father and mother-in-law. No Homer in sight.

By 1870, Ann is, of course, running her boarding house. Her 20 year old son Norman, as well as her brother by the same name, are living with her along with the boarders.

By the time the 1880 census is taken, Ann and her son Norman,are back living with Ann's father, Allen. The census indicates that Ann is indeed widowed. Norman, now himself an adult at 30 but not yet married, was apparently trying his hand at acting, which he noted as his profession.

Norman, who went by his middle name of DeLoss, indeed became an actor. He served in a number of troupes, including the Mrs. Potter Company and the Gus Williams Company, and traveled around country - and Canada - acting in plays. His work often brought him to New York, where he was engaged with the New York Academy of Music and at one time worked as the restaurant manager at Chamberlain's Grand Union Hotel on Coney Island - hey, even 19th century actors had to make a buck.

Ann would outlive her son, who passed away in 1890. His illness took him away from his acting troupes when he had to return home, and he soon after he passed away in his mother's home from pneumonia.

While his death notice notes that he was married, Deloss left no children behind, meaning Ann's photo will have to be returned to one of her siblings' families. So, if you are descended from the Pardee family through one of Ann's siblings, this photo is all yours.

Ann would go on to live until 1903, when she passed away at the age of 79. She is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Wadsworth, OH.