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- [S23] article, Brooklyn Eagle, Brooklyn, Kings, NY,,, 11 July 1902. p. 7.
- [S24] article, New York Times, New York, NY, 22 Aug 1902. Obituary.
BESSIE BONEHILL IS DEAD.
The Well Known Vaudeville Actress Had Been Ill for Three Months in England.
London, Aug. 21.—Bessie Bonehill, the vaudiville artist, died to-day at Portsea, Borough of Portsmouth.
Bessie Bonehill was at one time one of the best known light opera and vaudeville actresses on the American stage. She had been ill for three months with cancer.
Very few vaudiville artists have enjoyed the prominence and popularity that Miss Bonehill obtained a dozen years ago, when Tony Pastor found her in London and brought her here to appear in his theatre. Those who saw the now almost forgotten light opera "Little Christopher," will remember that Miss Bonehill took a lively and important part in it.
Off the stage Miss bonehill was Mrs. William Seeley. She had a country home at Sayville, L. I., which is called Deer Hill Farm. She lived there until last year, when she went to England. Mrs. Seeley was the mother of three children*, "Jack" Seeley, Leona Hilton, and Daffa Grey, all of whom are members of the Weber & Fields Company.
When, a month ago, it became evident that she could not live Mrs. Seeley sent for her children. They were with her when she died.
Miss Bonehill was born in this country, but was taken by her parents to England while she was very young. Since her return, after being engaged by Tony Pastor, whe had resided here almost continuously.
* The she had only three children is lkely erroneous.
- [S30] Suffolk County News, Sayville, Islip, NY, 17 Oct 1902, p. 3.
"The New York World is authority for the following: Miss Selina Seeley, eldest daughter of the late Bessie Bonehill, who on the stage is known as Lina Hilbon, will be married early in November to Benjamin Steverman, a Boston electrician. She will retire from the stage and live at Roxbury, Mass. Miss Seeley has been a member of the Weber & Fields Company for several seasons."
- [S30] Suffolk County News, Sayville, Islip, NY, 12 Aug 1898. p. 3.
A GREAT SUCCESS.
Local Theatrical Talent in a Benefit Performance.
Probably the finest vaudeville entertainment ever given in Suffolk county was the benefit performance in the Patchogue Lyceum on Monday evening for St. Lawrence Roman Catholic church, of Sayville. The talent was all from this village and more than half of the audience as well.
The pretty little theatre, which by the way was designed by a Sayville architect, was filled to the doors by a fashionable audience, who enjoyed the performance especially owing to their acquaintance with the actors. Al. Laurence, who acted as stage manager, and to whom a large share of the credit for a performance without a hitch is due, opened the programme with living pictures of which were the titles: "Love is Lighter than a Butterfly," "Rock of Ages," "Paint," "Me and Jack," "Jack and Me," "The Angelus," "Cupid and the Butterfly," "The Bath," "Nature's Mirror,"Hagar and Ishmael." They were very beautiful and artistic.
Miss Lena Hilbon and Miss Dappa Grey followed in songs and dances, their fresh young voices and graceful, modest ways quickly winning favor with the audience, most of whom knew them as daughters of Bessie Bonehill.
Jimmie Hoey convulsed the audience by announcing "I will now proceed to sing George Avery's favorite song, "Oh! What a Night it Must Have Been." His imitations were clever and his appearance as the bearded lady, singing, "Merry Marriage Bells" to his own cowbell accompaniment was very funny.
Dainty and pretty Dorothy Drew sang and danced to the delight of all and with consummate art did some high kicking which was a revelation because of what it did not reveal.
Seeley & West, know here respectively as husband and son of Miss Bonehill, are an excellent musical team and do a very amusing turn, introducing a number of novelties. The young man is especially well known and popular among the boys of Sayville, though few of them knew of his talents.
George Monroe, the inimitable "Aunt Bridget" was very clever indeed in a monologue introducing the fat and happy Irish woman, whom most of us haven't known for years, but who never becomes tiresome. His brogue and his jokes are better than ever and his local hits, especially those at the expense of "Pat" Whelan provoked much merriment.
The most charming feature of the evening's programme, however, was Bessie Bonehill in character impersonations and clever songs. In male parts she has no rival. Petite and graceful she flits on and off the stage changing with wonderful rapidity from one character to another. First a gay young blade in XVII century costume; then a modern young man in evening dress; a newsboy, poor and ragged; and then a brave young man o'warsman gracefully waving a silken flag in time with a patriotic song. Miss Bonehill now numbers all Sayville among her admirers.
Father Duhigg in a few well chosen words thanked the actors who had taken part and Manager Colton, who had done so much to make the affair a success and also expressed his thanks to the audience who had responded so generously.
In conclusion Mr. Laurence gave some very fine patriotic tableaus vivants, "The Drummer Boy," "Toral's Surrender to Shafter" and lastly "Columbia Crowning the Heros of '98" while the audience arose and sang "The Star-Spangled Banner."
The affair netted the church very nearly $400.
- [S1346] Richard Bonehill, "," e-mail message from [e-mail for private use] ([street address for private use], St.Ives , Cornwall, TR26 1RJ. United Kingdom), to , ., Bessie Bonehill of Sayville, Long Island, NY & William Seeley, her husband; EMail; 4 January 2010; John Deitz.
See main entry under Bessie Bonehill.
- [S32] Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA Original data: United States of America, B, Census Place: Brookline, Norfolk, Massachusetts; Roll T624_608; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 1938; Image: 603.
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Abt 1878–80 - Yes, date unknown
[5, 6] 