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Research in Other Countries => Canada => Topic started by: Speedway ace on Sunday 15 January 12 21:55 GMT (UK)
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Can anyone help? My ancestor James Totty Dalton (Junior) 1846-1901 arrived in Canada from England circa 1874-79 He married his 2nd wife Sarah Harriet Holman (known as Sally) lead singer and star with the Holman English Opera company. James was a baritone.
I have all the BMDs, census records for England and most of those for Canada, plenty of info on the opera company and Sally Holman including a photo of her taken from a book by Henry James Morgan.
What I am hoping for is a 'photo' of James. Also playbills/bill board/posters or newspaper ads on which James is mentioned.
What year did he arrive in Canada?
It would be nice to know his place of burial and whether there is a marker.
What did he do after Sally died?
I am in the UK ...my tree is on Ancestry
Regards, Nigel
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If you mention where in Canada ( It is bigger than you think) perhaps someone might see this or we could refer you to an archive where something might be found...
nevermind the marriage has him in Toronto http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maryc/tor79p2.htm
But do you know where he died? Sarah was a big star in Montreal and Toronto, London & Ottawa, Ontario
ah, I see she died in 1888, and was here prior to 1877 http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=5586&&PHPSESSID=ychzfqkvzape
Other engagements included the opening of Gowan’s Opera House in Ottawa in February 1875 and the Canadian première of Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore at the Royal Opera House in Toronto on 13 Feb. 1879. Sallie played the role of Josephine; Captain Corcoran was played by James T. Dalton, an English baritone who had joined the Holmans around 1877
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whoops..... sorry I had a senior moment..its past my bedtime.. ;D
Sorry about the lack of info ....Ive spent too many hours on this computer today, perhaps I was hoping that there are some clairvoyants on here ;D
The opera troupe toured around the country but spent some time in Ontario.
and I have not recorded his death place except it was Canada and he died of heart attack, I may have found it trawling the internet? ;)
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Well if he died in 1901 he was a vocal Teacher in London Ontario ( something to mention when looking for burials etc?)
http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census/ViewFrame.jsp?id=18697&highlight=50
He does not state year of immigration, but he's English Church, CoE
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The Ontario deaths database has a death for a James T. Dalton who died 1 Sep 1901 in London, Ontario. It indicates he was 55, born in England, a musician and a widower. His cause of death was listed as heart disease. No parents on listed on registrations from that time period.
Jacquie
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Many Thanks JJ and Jacquie ;) I also have his death as 1st of Sept 1901. I was just a bit lax in posting the details, too many hours at this computer
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I have found a number of write ups about the Holman Opera Company in the old newspapers,
(Google Newspapers) Still no sign of the illusive photo of Totty.
I suppose the Ontario Library is a place I should contact.
Many thanks to all who have helped,
Regards, Nigel
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Hi,
You could try the London Ontario library. Perhaps there was an obituary? It may say where he is buried too...
http://www.londonpubliclibrary.ca/
I expect that by "Ontario Library", you mean the Archives of Ontario?? :)
http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/index.aspx
You could also try the City of Toronto Archives.
http://www.toronto.ca/archives/
Or, the Library and Archives Canada
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/index-e.html
RK
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Hi All. Bit of an update!
James joined the 'Soldene English Comic opera company' for their second tour of the USA and arrived in New York 14th Nov 1876 with his wife Margaret who I thought was at this time deceased!
I think that James never returned to England but moved to Canada from the US. I believe his 1st wife died in either the USA or Canada 1876/77 Anyone help with details of this death? or James arrival date in Canada.
Regards Nigel
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New York Newspapers http://www.fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html
I searched under "the exact phrase" for James T Dalton - found an item in the "Utica NY Saturday Globe 1906 - 1908". I think 144 hits returned and tabbed down. There are other items.
Also searched "dalton baritone" - 40 hits. Some possibly relate to your James.
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You forgot to mention he married Margaret "James" 1870 Chelsea district Dec. quarter
If you have the parents it would be wise to post their names as they might be mentioned in the death cert or obit...also in case others are searching for this lady as well...
Found nothing for a death ,only another blurb on 2nd wife Sarah/Sallie https://archive.org/stream/McGillLibrary-124271-2579/124271#page/n207/mode/2up/search/dalton
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If you have an age for Margaret, post it as well...Not a huge window between entry to U.S. in '77 and Ontario marriage in '79....You might also consider looking for her after these dates as in those days it wasn't unusual to see people remarry as widowers/widows and the spouse was alive & well elsewhere. Not saying this is the case, just that it did happen....J.J.
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The Era, 10 Dec 1876
Reporting on the American Theatre, it has an item
"THE OPERA IN BOSTON (from our own correspondent)
Nov 21st... The Soldene English Comic Opera ... and the new baritone - James T Dalton- has scored a success"
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Many thanks to Hannes teulu and J.J. for the info and input.
Hello again J.J., since we last communicated on this thread I have done much research on James T and have written his life story which runs to 2 pages of A4, in the light of new discoveries it is now under review.
The death entry for a Margaret Dalton (London) in 1876 turns out to be the wrong Margaret (much to old). I have been unable to find a death entry for Margaret Dalton (Nee James) in the UK
Totties first wife Margaret James b.1851 in Wales was the daughter of Thomas and Eliza or Elizabeth James. she was 19 when she married James in 1870. London UK
Unless she died during the journey aboard the ship "City of Berlin", then I believe it is most likely she died in the States or Canada 1877-8.
I wonder if the Holman troupe were in the US in 1876-77, must check.
Edit: Have found James performing with the Holman troupe 24 Oct 1877 at Wheeling, West Virginia.
So it appears that after the Soldene troupe returned to England, James stayed in the USA and joined the touring Holman troupe and thence to Canada.
The only mystery remaining is what happened to his first wife Margaret?
Nigel
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I did see this Margaret altho spelling may or may not be dalton...
Margaret Dalton Death 09 Aug 1877 Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States
Age 26 Marital Status Married Birth Year (Estimated) 1851 Birthplace Wales
There are months and days of age included on the image if you have her birth cert and want to do the math... ( sign in to see image) https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6VQ-GLD
Nothing links to James T. though, but you can look and see if his troupe was in the area...
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"The Billboard" reported James death in hospital,Ontario - reason heart disease
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Bit of a timeline for start of 1877
- January- Soldene was in Cincinnati ) (Ohio) last week, and will be in Louisville ( Kentucky)
-Jan 14, 1877 newspaper - Park Theatre N.Y. but might be speaking of the Apr. show?
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1877/01/14/page/13/article/the-outer-world
- 10 February 1877 New Orleans http://utc.iath.virginia.edu/onstage/revus/osar15kt.html
- February 26, 1877 start week at Haverly's Theatre Chicago
- The Soldene troupe is booked to appear at the Park Theatre on April 2d.
http://utc.iath.virginia.edu/onstage/revus/osar15kt.html
- adding California Theatre June 10th https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=DAC18770610.2.11
- they performed in the U.S. until July...
Can't spot them afterwards to see if they returned to Ohio...
adding: note the Cleveland theatre was called Euclid Avenue Opera House
There was also the "Cleveland Theatre" but above sounds more likely a venue
The death could have occurred on their return across the country.
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Hi,
Not sure if you found an obit for Mr Dalton. There is one in the Globe and Mail, Sept 4 1901, page 7. It has some details about his career. He died in Victoria Hospital around midnight on Saturday (you have the date of death already). Born in England. Started out learning the business of lithographing, but took up singing. On coming to America, he travelled with several opera companies (not named :'(), finally joining the Holman group and marrying Miss Sallie Holman, the leading soprano of the company. After the death of his wife (no date or place given), he was engaged in "one of the Chicago theatres" for a considerable time. He returned to London and acted as choirmaster in some of the churches (again, not named). His last engagement was with Christ Church. He was also a successful music teacher and organizer of glee clubs, including the well-known Imperial Quartette. It says his death was mainly the result of heart trouble.
RK
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You probably have all of Sallie's information... but, just in case -
Her funeral was held on June 10 1888, she is buried in Woodland Cemetery, London, Ont.
RK
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JJ, HT, RK again I am indebted to you for your help and time, many thanks for the information. I would have not got this far without the help of the good folk of this forum.
JJ spot on the money! that is Margaret Dalton (Nee James) Born April 1851 Merthyr Tydfil Wales.
Poor soul dying of tuberculosis.
The obituary was interesting. thanks for the burial details I hadn't got those.
So mysteries solved, brilliant!!!
Now to find his photo. any other info greatly appreciated.
Best regards Nigel.
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Wasn't it consumption?
Looking at the timeline I added to, it appears she may have died on the cross country return from California.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=576147.msg6169098#msg6169098
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Consumption - Tuberculosis, are the same thing, seems both wives died of the same disease.
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Thanks for the update...I suppose I must have known that at one time, but ack, this brain .... :) Well...if you want photos there were no children to pass them on to...and if you have looked through all newspapers up to date including those from hanes teulu , I am surprised you haven't found anything at all... at the very least a drawing, as those were often used back then...
I suggest contacting descendants of his last wife to see if any were taken of the couple. Certainly their time in Canada would have been the most prolific for the era of photographs...altho it seems he did take the odd performances in the U.S. after the death of his wife & the opera company closing.
If the Holman Opera House had any photographs, I am not sure where they would have been archived...you could ask the local library http://www.londonpubliclibrary.ca/page/book-librarian
or the University library...hit the ask logo for chat https://www.lib.uwo.ca/chat/index.html
There might be something in Ontario ( Province) & Montreal city newspapers as well.
http://archivesdemontreal.com/
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/holman-english-opera-troupe-emc/
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Try reading EMILY SOLDENE: in search of a singer ...
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Nigel, Maggie died of consumption that it was hoped the America trip might cure. JT didn't continue to Australia with the Soldene co, but went home. Maggie died at Cleveland Ohio 9 August 1877. For any details on JT's career, write me on Removed Kurt Gänzl.
Moderator comment: please use the personal message system to exchange details
https://www.rootschat.com/help/pms.php
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PS I have a photograph
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NIGEL ....
Here you are .. photo and text ... by me
https://kurtofgerolstein.blogspot.com/2022/08/j-t-dalton-soldene-baritone-to-whom.html
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A--maz-ing, Brilliant, Thank you so much for the photo, I have been searching for years as has a Dalton cousin of mine who even traveled to Canada in search of Totty.
He was named not only after his father but also his illegitimate Grandfather James Totty.
James father was headmaster of the school. James was originally apprenticed to the printing trade. Again many, many thanks for the photo and your research.
regards, Nigel
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I should have said James Totty was his "Great" grandfather