Florence (Grismer) Mayehoff (1892 - 1989)

Born 1892 in Wichita Falls, Texas

Wife of George Albert Jessel — married 12 Sep 1919 (to 24 Oct 1932) in Manhattan, New York, USA

Biography

The caption indicates the girl on the right is Florence, but another newspaper mentioned that Florence was the larger of the two girls.

Florence Courtney, was one half of the vaudeville singing dancing act billed as the Courtney Sisters, Fay and Florence. They were considered one of the better vaudeville acts and made sweet harmony singing together. They also used a string ensemble to accompany them.

She was born Florence Grismer in Wichita Falls, Texas, daughter of Carey Wellington (or Willington) Grismer and Catherine/Katherine Courtney^[1](Chisler or Chussler) Grismer on 11 August 1892.^[2][3][4]

The Grismer family, father Carey (b.c. 1862), mother Katherine (b. c. 1868 in Indiana), brother Roy (also called James, b. c. 1887, in Kansas), sister Edna (b. c. 1889, in Colorado), sister Fay (b. c. 1892 in Texas) and Florence (b. c. 1894) left Texas and settled in St. Louis, Missouri. Father Carey was born in Illinois and worked as a clerk in a railroad office.^[5]

By 1905, mother and children had moved to Manhattan, where Roy worked as a driver, Edna was a model and Fay, 14, and Florence, 12, had begun their careers as actresses.^[6] Although Carey is not living with the family in 1905 or 1910,^[7] by 1915 he is living with the family once again in Queens, New York.^[8]

Florence married and divorced Mike Bernard, another vaudeville performer, (who had also been the husband of Blossom Seely) before her second marriage in 1919.^[9]

As her second husband, the 24 year old, Florence, chose 21 year old, George Jessel, also a performer in vaudeville. They were married 12 Sep 1919, in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States^[2]

Their first marriage was "up again, down again": married in 1919; Florence was suing for divorce 20 January 1921;^[9] changed her mind by 4 Feb, 1921, but declared she and her sister were returning to vaudeville anyway;^[10] separated again and divorced before they remarried in May 1923. The couple remarried in Chicago, Illinois, 22 May 1923.^[11][12][13]

They remained married until 1932, when George fell for actress Maria Talmadge, also married. Mrs. Florence Jessel went to Reno to procure a divorce. Headlines said: "Wife of Actor to Act 'for Sake of Husband's Happiness." She was stepping aside so that he could marry Talmadge.^[14] They were divorced 24 October 1932, in Reno, Nevada. The uncontested divorce decree was granted due to complaints of cruelty. ^[12]

Florence remarried^{[citation needed]} and died Florence C. Mayehoff, 12 May 1989, in Los Angeles. ^[3][4] She's buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Cypress, Orange County, California, USA^[15]

Sources

1. ↑ source for middle name is a generally well sourced Ancestry Tree
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1866-1938, index, FamilySearch (accessed 5 May 2015), George A Jessel and Florence J Grismer, 12 Sep 1919; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm .
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} State of California. California Death Index, 1940-1997. Sacramento, CA, USA: State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration.
5. ↑ 1900; Census Place: St Louis Ward 25, St Louis (Independent City), Missouri; Roll: 900; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 0385; FHL microfilm: 1240900
6. ↑ 1905 New York Census New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1905; Election District: A.D. 07 E.D. 18; City: Manhattan; County: New York; Page: 19
7. ↑ 1910; Census Place: Manhattan Ward 12, New York, New York; Roll: T624_1024; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 0619; FHL microfilm: 1375037
8. ↑ 1915 New York Census - New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1915; Election District: 41; Assembly District: 04; City: New York; County: Queens; Page: 08
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} "Stars and Starmakers." Oregonian (Portland, OR). Thursday, January 20, 1921 Volume: LIX Issue: 18770 Page: 8
10. ↑ "Miss Courtney Reconsiders" Seattle Daily Times (Seattle, WA) Friday, February 4, 1921 Page: 13;
11. ↑ Cook County, Illinois Marriage Indexes, 1912-1942 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} "George Jessel, Actor, is Divorced by Wife." Register-Republic (Rockford, IL). Tuesday, October 25, 1932 Page: 2 . Dateline: Reno Nev Oct 24.
13. ↑ The Grand Forks Herald of Grand Forks, North Dakota reported the following on Sept 27, 1922 {Volume: XLI Issue: 284 Page: One}: "Show Couple Remarried. St. Paul, Sept 26. George Jessel, appearing with his own company at a local vaudeville theater this week, was married last Tuesday {the 19th} in Minneapolis to his former wife, Florence Courtney, a member of his show, it was announced here tonight. The couple had separated more than a year ago and some time later a decree of divorce was granted." This was a year before their recorded remarriage. A Gag?
14. ↑ "Mrs. Jessel Seeks Divorce in Reno." Boston Herald (Boston, MA). Sunday, August 28, 1932, Page: 4
15. ↑ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Mayehoff&GSiman=1&GScid=7976&GRid=94536064& Find a Grave]

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