Born in Humansville, Polk, Missouri, United States
Ancestors 
Daughter of Thomas Jasper Akins
and Sarah Elizabeth (Green) Akins
Wife of
Hugh Cecil Levinge Rumbold
— married
12 Mar 1932 (to 18 Nov 1932) in St. Louis, Missouri, United States
[children unknown]
Died
at age 71
in Pasadena, California, United States
Profile last modified
| Created 20 Dec 2016
This page has been accessed 312 times.
Biography
Zoe Byrd Akins was born October 30, 1886 at Humansville, Missouri to Thomas Jaspard Akins and Sarah Elizabeth Greene. She was an author and play-wright who won a Pulitzer prize in 1935[1] for her dramatization of an Edith Wharton novel. She also wrote numerous screen plays that were released commercially.
Zoe was first published in a St Louis journal, The Mirror. The founder of the journal, William Marion Reedy was enamored with the young Zoe. At the age of 17 she rejected the marriage proposal of 40 year old Reedy to pursue her literary career.[2]
One of her first critical success was Déclassée in 1919, a play she wrote which opened in New York with Ethel Barrymore in the lead role. Clipping of review in Sources.
In 1922 she went on an extensive European tour with the purpose of teaching the theatrical arts.[3]
She was briefly married to Hugo Rumbold who she first met in London.[4] In an obituary for her uncle, J R Akins, it is indicated that the marriage occurred March 12, 1932 in Pasadena, California.[5] The couple apparently took a trip to Mexico and on returning to the US, Hugo was denied entry as he was not an American citizen. As Zoe was under contract to a Hollywood studio, she commuted between Hollywood and Mexico.[6] Hugo died as a result of injuries suffered in the war in November of 1932 at Zoe's home in Pasadena.[7]
In 1935 her nephew, Thomas Simpson, was living with her in Pasadena.[8]
She died at the age of 71 in Los Angeles.[9]
Sources
- ↑ [The Sedalia Democrat (Sedalia, Missouri)07 May 1935, Tue - Page 10 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57644439/ Pulitzer Prize]
- ↑ St. Louis Globe-Democrat (St. Louis, Missouri)28 Sep 1963, Sat - Page 54 Love Letters
- ↑ National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 1874; Volume #: Roll 1874 - Certificates: 134100-134475, 28 Mar 1922-28 Mar 1922. Ancestry.com. U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 [database on-line]. Ancestry Record 1174 #101538 Free Image Link
- ↑ Moberly Monitor-Index (Moberly, Missouri)08 Mar 1932, Tue - Page 3 Upcoming Marriage
- ↑ St. Louis Globe-Democrat (St. Louis, Missouri)29 May 1932, Sun - Page 14 [The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Missouri)16 Oct 1921, SunPage 4 Obit for J R Akins]
- ↑ St. Louis Globe-Democrat (St. Louis, Missouri)09 Nov 1932, Wed - Page 9 Mexico Residence
- ↑ St. Louis Globe-Democrat (St. Louis, Missouri)20 Nov 1932, Sun - Page 12 Death of Hugo
- ↑ St. Louis Globe-Democrat (St. Louis, Missouri)19 Jan 1935, Sat - Page 1 Obit for Edgar Simpson
- ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 19 August 2020), memorial page for Zoë Byrd Akins (30 Oct 1886–29 Oct 1958), Find A Grave: Memorial #41737078, citing San Gabriel Cemetery, San Gabriel, Los Angeles County, California, USA ; Maintained by Aurorae Little UE (contributor 48644964) .
- Year: 1900; Census Place: Johnson, Polk, Missouri; Page: 1; Enumeration District: 0127; FHL microfilm: 1240883. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Free Image Link
- Year: 1910; Census Place: St Louis Ward 23, Saint Louis City, Missouri; Roll: T624_821; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 0362; FHL microfilm: 1374834. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Free Image Link
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri)07 Oct 1919, Tue - Page 3 Review of Play
- Wikipedia Bio of Zoe Akins
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri)20 Oct 1913, Mon - Page 15 Engagement of sister Marie Akins
- St. Louis Globe-Democrat (St. Louis, Missouri)20 Oct 1912, Sun - Page 40 Woman's Suffarage
- The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Missouri)16 Oct 1921, Sun - Page 4 Full Page Bio of Zoe Akins
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Categories: Pulitzer Prize Winners