Eleanor (Blevins) Albaugh
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Eleanor Margaret (Blevins) Albaugh (1894 - 1973)

Eleanor Margaret "Peggy" Albaugh formerly Blevins aka Betts
Born in Lincoln, Lancaster, Nebraska, United Statesmap
Ancestors ancestors
Wife of — married 19 Dec 1916 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United Statesmap
Wife of — married 3 Mar 1924 in Virginia City, Madison, Montanamap
Died at age 79 in Idaho Falls, Bonneville, Idaho, United Statesmap
Problems/Questions
Profile last modified | Created 14 Sep 2016
This page has been accessed 568 times.

Biography

Eleanor was born in 1892 to Christopher Blevins and Charlotte White in Lincoln, Nebraska. Before 1900, her parents separated and her mother moved to Los Angeles. By 1910, Eleanor was living with her mother in Los Angeles.

By 1913, Eleanor was acting in movies, usually in the role of daughter or sweetheart. None of her movies have survived but there are synopses and reviews for most of them [1]. She performed in at least thirty movies between 1913 and 1916. Most were two reels (or 20 min) but two or three of her earliest movies were one reel (or 10 min). She was in 11 movies produced by Selig Polyscope, the first major movie studio to move to California. She was in 9 movies by Lubin, 7 by Essanay, two by Biograph, and one for Vitagraph. Her earliest starring role may have been "The New Schoolmarm of Green River" that was directed by Gilbert M. 'Broncho Billy' Anderson for Essanay It was released in October 1913 when she was 21 years old. She was one of the troupe in a 1914 Tom Mix comedy Western titled "The Motion Picture Cowboy" and in a 1915 comedy directed by Hal Roach for Essanay titled "Tale of a Tire" .

In 1916, Eleanor left acting to race cars.

In December 1916, Eleanor married Herbert Betts in Philadelphia. He passed away in April 1917.

In 1924, Eleanor married Ralph Albaugh in Virginia City, Montana. They had at least one child.

In 1926, Eleanor and Ralph built a cabin called "Ziz-Ziz-Zit" southwest of Yellowstone National Park. In 2020, it was placed on The National Register of Historic Places in Idaho "an early vacation cabin / summer residence in the resort area of Island Park."

In 1972, Eleanor passed away in Idaho Falls, Idaho.


Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Florida) 26 Jan 1917, Friday, page 1

GIRL AUTOIST WINS BIG BET AND A HUSBAND

Eleanor Blevins Captivates Society Man Who Aids Her

Philadelphia. Jan. 25-When Herbert D. Betts lost a $1,000 wager to a young motion picture actress a month ago, little did he realize luck would so turn in his favor. For, despite the fact that he lost the $1,000 he succeeded in winning the winner.

The actress was Miss Eleanor Blevins, formerly star with a large film company. She was known as "Peg of the Movies." The young couple were married at the homo of Mr. Bett's father, Dr. Thomas Betts, of Oak Lane. The bridegroom Is a prominent automobile man of Wilmington, Del., but is well known in Philadelphia.

The romance began early in December, when the young woman, who is an enthusiastic motorist, won the road race from Washington to New York. On the way, however, there was a breakdown, near Newark, Del., and the former Miss Blevins' mechanician, a man prominent in New York society, telephoned his friend Betts for assistance. Betts motored out from Wilmington with the necessary parts for repairing the machine and met his fate.

After the repairs had been made and Miss Blevins was about to speed on her way, the rescuer proposed a bet of $1,000 that she would not win the race. The bet was immediately accepted. Upon winning the race Miss Blevins received a check for $1,000, accompanied with a long letter of congratulation. From that time on both the winner and the loser saw much of each other, but Betts soon decided to get out of the losing class. He proposed to Miss Blevins and was accepted.


A Look Back at Eleanor Blevins, An Early Auto Racer, by Robert Tate

...One woman who made history during those early days was Eleanor Blevins (1892-1972) of Lincoln, Nebraska. Blevins was also an actress and made more than 24 films between 1913 and 1916. She also was one of the first women who enjoyed auto racing, driving many times around the Benning Racetrack near Washington, DC in 1916.


1910[2] Federal Census in Los Angeles Assembly District 70, California:

  • Lottie W Blevins 47 widowed (2 children; 2 living) no occupation born Illinois
  • daughter Eleanor 17 born Nebraska

1930[3] Federal Census in Idaho Falls, Idaho:

  • Ralph L Albaugh 35 General Practice Lawyer born Ohio (age 29 at first marriage)
  • wife Eleanor B 35 born Nebraska (age 29 at first marriage)
  • adopted son Thomas E 10 born Idaho
  • adopted daughter Helen E 4 born Idaho
  • uncle Daniel C Blevins 60 Bonds & Stocks Salesman born Missouri
  • maid Leone Peterson 20 born Idaho
  • maid La Mar Thompson 18 born Utah

1940[4] Federal Census in Idaho Falls, Idaho:

  • Ralph L Albaugh 46 City Gov't Attorney born Ohio
  • wife Eleanore 46 born Nebraska
  • son Tom 20 Power Co. Laborer born Idaho
  • daughter Helen 14 born Idaho
  • housekeeper Nettie Gneitag 39 born Idaho

Sources

  1. Internet Movie Database profile for Eleanor Blevins
  2. "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MV2G-5QK : accessed 3 January 2022), Lottie W Blevins, Los Angeles Assembly District 70, Los Angeles, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 213, sheet 13A, family 325, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 80; FHL microfilm 1,374,093.
  3. "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHDL-XDS : accessed 3 January 2022), Helen E Albaugh in household of Ralph L Albaugh, Idaho Falls, Bonneville, Idaho, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 13, sheet , line , family , NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll ; FHL microfilm .
  4. "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VY4F-RSD : 28 February 2020), Helen Albaugh in household of Ralph L Albaugh, Ward 3, Idaho Falls, Idaho Falls Election Precinct 8, Bonneville, Idaho, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 10-20A, sheet 7B, line 75, family 147, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 741.
  • 1916 Pennsylvania, County Marriages for Herbert Davis Betts and Eleanor Blevins gives his parents as Thomas Betts and Alice Whelin, and hers as Christopher Blevins and Lottie White - "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q28P-FDKV : 22 July 2021), Herbert Davis Betts and Eleanor Blevins, 29 Dec 1916; citing Marriage, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, multiple County Clerks, Pennsylvania.
  • Findagrave Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 02 January 2022), memorial page for Eleanor Margaret Blevins Albaugh (27 Apr 1894–30 Sep 1973), Find A Grave: Memorial #71513481, citing Rose Hill Cemetery, Idaho Falls, Bonneville County, Idaho, USA ; Maintained by Theresa (contributor 47355046) .




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Eleanor Blevins was born on April 27, 1894 in Lincoln, Nebraska, as Eleanor Cline Blevins. She was an actress, known for The Valley of Humiliation (1915), The Love Transcendent (1915) and Yankee Doodle Dixie (1913). She was married to Ralph L. Albaugh and Herbert D. Betts. She died Sept. 30, 1973 in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Email [email address removed] for a photo of her and her biography which will be sent by return email as an attachment.
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