Myrtle (Lincoln) Stedman (1883 - 1938)

Born 3 Mar 1883 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

Wife of Edward Marshall Stedman Jr. — married 23 Jan 1900 (to about 20 Oct 1919) in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

Died 8 Jan 1938 at age 54 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States

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Biography

Myrtle (Lincoln) Stedman is Notable.

Birth and Family

Myrtle Lincoln was the youngest daughter of Lewis Lincoln and his wife Jennie Frasier Lincoln. She was born on March 3, 1883 ^[1] (See Research Note) in Chicago, Illinois. ^[2]

She went to school at Miss Sterrett's School in Chicago. ^[3] Her interest in singing and dance began at an early age. In April 1890, seven year old Myrtle was one of seven young performers for an Easter program at the Elite Lodge.^[4]

In July 1895 she, when she was twelve, she was mentioned in the newspaper as
The Fourth of July Program at Battery D Armory this evening will include a "New National Dance" by Myrtle Lincoln a child dancer. ^[5] Another newspaper mentioned the event, Little Myrtle Lincoln, a clever child dancer, will appear dressed in national colors and execute a new dance. ^[6]

In 1896 she was in a program by Conway's School of Acting. It was a three act play "Our Regiment" at the Schiller Theater. She played Fay Ellaby, Mr. Ellaby's niece.
A military dance, participated in by all the members of the company, and a flag dance by Miss Myrtle Lincoln concluded the program. ^[7]

Marriage to Marshall Stedman

Myrtle Lincoln age sixteen and Marshall Stedman age twenty-five were issued a marriage license on January 21, 1900 and it was posted in the newspaper the following day. ^[8]

Myrtle Lincoln married Marshall Stedman on January 23, 1900 in Chicago, Illinois. ^[9] The marriage was announced in the newspaper; ^[10]
The wedding of Miss Myrtle C. Lincoln, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Lincoln and Marshall Stedman of Denver, Colo. took place at St. Marks Episcopal church on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 4 p.m., the rector, Dr. White Wilson, officiatiing. The bride wore her traveling gown of blue broadcloth. After the ceremony a wedding supper was served at the home of the bride's parents, relatives and immediate friends being present. Mr. and Mrs. Steadman (sic) left for Denver where they will reside.

The 1900 U. S. Census (19 June 1900) ^[11] Marshall and Myrtle were living in Apex, Gilpin County, Colorado. Marshall was twenty-five and Myrtle was seventeen. It shows them as married less than one year. They owned the home in which they were living. It was the household next to Marshall's father and sister. Marshall listed himself as an actor.

Their only son, Lincoln Marshall Stedman, was born in Denver, Colorado on May 18, 1901.^[12]

The family returned to Chicago toward the end of 1902. Marshall became affiliated with the Chicago Musical college and School of Acting. The director of the school was J. H. Gilmour and Marshal Stedman was assistant director. The school address was College Building, 202 Michigan Blvd., in Chicago. ^[13] The school performed plays and musical productions with J. H. Gilmour and Marshall sometimes taking parts in the performance. These performances were often at the Studebaker Theater. Some of them were directed by Marshall. Muriel also performed in some of the productions. ^[14] She returned to singing in concerts and touring.

In the 1910 U. S. Census (26 April 1910) ^[15] the family lived at 801 Ashland Blvd. in a rented home. Marshall was listed as working as an actor at a music college and Muriel was listed as a concert singer. Lincoln was nine and had begun appearing in child roles in the performances.

The Inter Ocean newspaper in Chicago on June 16, 1912.^[16] carried an article about the Selig Company in Chicago production of movies filmed in Colorado. "The Selig Colorado company is in charge of Marshall Stedman and C. B. Thayer in charge of the productions. Among the roster of players are Myrtle Stedman, William Duncan..."

The movie "A Motorcycle Adventure'' was released on October 8, 1912. It was a 55 minute film starring William Duncan as the lead and Myrtle Stedman as his cousin. ^[17] It was directed by Marshall Stedman. Also released that year was "So-Jun-Wah and the Tribal Law: The Love of an Indian Maid for a Pale-Face " produced by Marshall Stedman and starring William Duncan as Regan, the prospector and Myrtle Stedman as So-Jun-Wah, the Indian maid.^[18]

In 1914 both Myrtle and Marshall were profiled in the book. "Who's Who in the Film World." They lived at 126 Orange Street in Los Angeles, California.^[19] Myrtle's profile said: Myrtle Stedman. Born in Chicago, Ill, March 3, 1889. Made her first theatrical appearance as a solo dancer at the age of twelve with the Whitney Opera Company in Chicago. When sixteen years old she studied singing, and in 1907 made a great success with the Whitney Opera Company as prima donna. The following three years were spent in light opera, at the end of which time she joined the Selig Company. This was her first appearance before the camera. After remaining with Selig for four years she joined the Bosworth, Inc. where she is presently engaged.

In 1917 Myrtle began a cross country trip from Los Angeles to New York. She was performing live at theaters that were playing her movies. She seems to have gotten excellent reviews for her singing. The Great Falls, Montana newspaper gave the following review:^[20]
Miss Myrtle Stedman, Paramount Star and noted screen beauty, has a place on the Hippodrome vaudeville program at the Palace, and while the number is billed as an "added attraction," it is certainly a top-liner. Miss Stedman sings, and she sings well. Her voice is a big relief for vaudeville after all the alleged soprano stuff they are compelled to hear. Miss Stedman is quite as beautiful as her press notices claim, and she possesses a stage grace that recalls all of the many poses and attitudes found in her screen performances.
The article continues to tell about the plan for her to visit all the principal theaters on her way to New York City. Once in New York she planned to "organize her own film company, which will be put to work preparing plays for future production on the movie stage."

On September 12, 1918 Marshall registered for the World War One draft, He gave his address as Box 45, RFD#1, Sawtelle, California. He was forty-four years old. He was teaching at Egan School which was at the Little Theater Building in Los Angeles. He listed Myrtle as his next of kin but her address was in New York City. ^[21]

Divorce

On October 25, 1919 a newspaper carried a note ^[22]
Marshall Stedman last week divorced his wife Myrtle Stedman, charging desertion. The Stedman's were married in 1900 and have a son eighteen years old.
If this was correct the divorce would have taken place the week of October 20.

A year later Myrtle was back in Los Angeles making movies. Miss Stedman is now making her home in Los Angeles with her son, Lincoln, also a figure in the cinema world. Miss Stedman has just been featured in the Goldwin all-star cast in "The Concert." She also appeared in the Goldwin-Rex Beach picture "The Silver Horde." ^[23] She continued to use Stedman as her surname for the remainder of her life.

In the 1920 U. S. Census (13 January 1920) ^[24] Myrtle was thirty-six years old. She and her son Lincoln were living in an apartment at 948 Figueroa in Los Angeles, California. They were both working in acting for Titus.

In the 1930 U. S. Census ^[1] Murial and her son Lincoln lived at 6674 Maryland Drive in Los Angeles. Myrtle was forty-seven and her occupation was motion picture actress. Lincoln was twenty-eight and listed as a motion picture actor.

Death and Burial

Myrtle died on January 8, 1938 at the age of fifty- four. Her obituary appeared in her home town in The Chicago Tribune newspaper on January 9. ^[25]
Myrtle Stedman, moving pictture star of twenty-five years ago, died yesterday of heart disease in Hollywood at the age of 54. Her brother, Willis Lincoln, 2300 Farwell street, was notified of her death by her son, Lincoln Stedman, also an actor, with whom she had been living. Miss Stedman was born in Chicago and made her first appearance when she was twelve years old with the Whitney Opera company here. She was perhaps best known for her work in "The Valley of the Moon" and "Flaming Youth".

She was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, Los Angeles, California, (Mignonette Plot, Lot 477, Division C) ^[26]

Career

Stage Career: Musical comedy; Light opera; stock; on road; ^[27]

Screen Career

• Selig, Bosworth, Pallas, Morosco, Lasky ("Soul of Kura San") ^[27]
  
• Vitagraph ("In Honors Web") ^[27]
  
• Select ("In the Hollow of of Her Hand") ^[27]
  
• Art Craft ("The Teeth of the Tiger") ^[27]
  
• Beech-Goldwin ("The Silver Horde") ^[27]
  
• J. Parker Reed, Jr. ("Sex") ^[27]
  
• First National ("Harriett and the Piper", "Old Dad") ^[27]
  
• Goldwin ("The Concert") ^[27]
  
• Robertson-Cole ("Black Rose") ^[27]
  

See Also

Myrtle Stedman Wikipedia Profile ^[28]

Myrtle Stedman: The Girl with the Sweet Contralto Eyebrows ^[29]

Research Notes

Birth Year

She was forty-seven years old in the 1930 U. S. Census indicating her birth was 1883. This year would correspond with her being sixteen years old when she married on January 23, 1900.

One biography shows her birthdate as 1885 ^[30]

Another as March 3, 1889 ^[19]J This date is also the date on the Find a Grave site, but it does note work with the timeline of other sourced dates in her life. Find A Grave: Memorial #7972701

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [1]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002. Assembly District 57; Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Page: 30B; Enumeration District: 0110; FHL microfilm 2339871; 6674 Maryland Drive; Dwelling 557; Family 590; Lines 86 & 87; MYRTLE & LINCOLN STEDMAN
2. ↑ Newspaper; The Inter-Ocean, Chicago, IL ; 28 Jan 1900; page 18; Col 2; At the Altar ; Newspapers.com: [2]; Marriage; 23 Jan. 1900; Myrtle Lincoln & Marshall Stedman.
3. ↑ Ancestry.com. Motion Picture Studio Directories, 1919 and 1921 [3]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Motion Picture Studio Directory and Trade Annual, 1921, Page 240: Myrtle Stedman
4. ↑ Newspaper; The Inter Ocean, Chicago, IL ; 8 April 1890; page 3; Col 3; Easter Monday Joys; at Elite Lodge ; Newspapers.com: [4]; Song by Myrtle Lincoln.
5. ↑ Newspaper; The Inter Ocean, Chicago, IL ; 8 April 1890; page 3; Col 3; Easter Monday Joys; at Elite Lodge ; Newspapers.com: [5]; Song by Myrtle Lincoln.
6. ↑ Newspaper; Chicago Tribune, Chicago, IL ; 4 July 1895; page 6; Col 6; Amusements ; Newspapers.com: [6]; Concert at the Trocadero;Dance by Myrtle Lincoln.
7. ↑ Newspaper; Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 1896, page 3; Col 4; "Our Regiment" at the Schiller ; Newspapers.com: [7]; Myrtle Stedman
8. ↑ Newspaper; The Inter Ocean: Chicago IL: 17 March 1916, page 9; Col 3; Marriage License' 20 Jan. 1900; News Papers.com; [8]; "Marshall Stedman age 25 and Myrtle C, Lincoln age 16
9. ↑ "Illinois Marriages, 1815-1935," database, FamilySearch [9] : 10 February 2018, Marshall Stedman and Myrtle C. Lincoln, 23 Jan 1900; citing Chicago, Cook, Illinois; FHL microfilm 1,030,306.
10. ↑ Newspaper; The Inter-Ocean, Chicago, IL ; 28 Jan 1900; page 18; Col 2; At the Altar ; Newspapers.com: [10]; Marriage; 23 Jan. 1900; Myrtle Lincoln & Marshall Stedman.
11. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [11]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Precinct 11, Gilpin, Colorado; Page: 19; Enumeration District: 0177; FHL microfilm 1240124: EDWARD M STEDMAN FAMILY & MARSHAL STEDMAN FAMILY
12. ↑ WWII Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947: Fold3; [12]; 2012; Selective Service Registration Cards, World War II: Multiple Registrations: NARA Roll 43995_01_00156; Record Gr. 147
13. ↑ Newspaper; Chicago Tribune, Chicago, IL ; 27 August 1908; page 10; Col 6; Chicago Musical College Ad ; Newspapers.com: [13]; School of Acting, Marshall Stedman, Assistant Director
14. ↑ Newspaper; The Chicago Daily Tribune, Chicago, IL ; 17 May 1908; page 70; Col 1; Attractions of the Week in Chicago ; Newspapers.com: [14]; Chicago Musical College; Students in Mixed Bill; Marshal and Myrtle
15. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [15]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Chicago Ward 20, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_263; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 0885; FHL microfilm: 1374276; 801 Ashland Blvd; Dwelling 98; Family 237: MARSHALL STEDMAN FAMILY
16. ↑ Newspaper; The Inter Ocean, Chicago, IL ; 16 June 1912; page 33; Col 4 ; Motion Pictures; Newspapers.com: [16]; Selig Company, Movie; Marshall Stedman director Colorado Co.; Myrtle Stedman player
17. ↑ IDMb; [17]; Marshall Stedman Director; A Motorcycle Adventure: 1912
18. ↑ [18]: Mitchell STEDMAN Producer; Myrtle STEDMAN as So-Jun-Wah
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1} Justice, F. C. & Smith, D. R.. ed & compiled; "Who's Who in the Film World" Film World Publishing Co.; Los Angeles, CA; 1914; Available online free at archive.org: Book page 43. Image 12 of 229; [19] MARSHALL STEDMAN & MYRTLE STEDMAN
20. ↑ Newspaper; Great Falls Daily Tribune, Great Fall, Montana; Myrtle Stedman Performs Well: Famed Paramount Star Appears in the Flesh at Palace, Sings Beautifully : 5 August 1917, page 9; Col 3; Newspapers.com; [20]; Myrtle Stedman
21. ↑ Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [21]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Registration State: California; Registration County: Los Angeles; Roll: 1530799; Draft Board 02; MARSHALL STEDMAN
22. ↑ Newspaper; The Sandusky Star-Journal; News Notes from Movieland by Daisy Dean: Myrtle Stedman Divorced: 25 Oct. 1919, page 10; Col 3; Newspapers.com[22]; Myrtle Stedman
23. ↑ Newspaper; Times-Republican, Marshaltown, Iowa; News of Filmland' Myrtle Stedman Divorced: 27 Nov. 1920, page 10; Col 3; Newspapers.com;[23]; Myrtle Stedman
24. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [24]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Los Angeles Assembly District 75, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T625_116; Page: 16A; Enumeration District 476; 948 Figueroa, Dwelling 30, Family 195; Myrtle and Lincoln Stedman
25. ↑ Newspaper; Chicago Tribune, Chicago, IL; Obituaries: . 9 Jan. 1938, page 18; Col 5; [25]; d. 8 Jan. 1938; Hollywood, CA; Myrtle Stedman
26. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 15 October 2019), memorial page for Myrtle Stedman (3 Mar 1889–8 Jan 1938), Find A Grave Memorial no. 7972701, [26] HEADSTONE WITH DEATH DATE; citing Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, Los Angeles County, California, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .
27. ↑ ^{27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 27.5 27.6 27.7 27.8 27.9} Ancestry.com. Motion Picture Studio Directories, 1919 and 1921 [27]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Motion Picture Studio Directory and Trade Annual, 1921, Page 240: Myrtle Stedman
28. ↑ Myrtle Stedman Wikipedia Profile [28]
29. ↑ Myrtle Stedman: The Girl with the Sweet Contralto Eyebrows [29]
30. ↑ IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net; [30]; actress; MYRTLE STEDMAN