Frances Taisey (Nelson) Tillman (1880 - 1957)

Born 22 Aug 1880 in Toledo, Lucas, Ohio, USA

Ancestors

Wife of Richard Henry Tillman — married 21 Dec 1910 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Descendants

Died 12 Apr 1957 at age 76 in Riderwood, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Hope Tillman [send private message]

Biography

Frances Taisey Nelson was born in Toledo, Ohio, on August 22, 1880, the child of Franklin Decker Nelson and Mary Ella Taisey. Unfortunately her mother died before she was six months old. She was raised by her Nelson grandparents and then by her Aunt Marie and Uncle Clarence.

Frances had a memorable childhood which she chronicled in one of the chapters of her autobiography, "A Little Girl Goes Barnstorming." She was a child actress in a barnstorming troupe traveling from Michigan to Minnesota to Butte, Montana. She attended Miss Darrow's Private Seminary when she lived in Butte, Montana. ^[1]

She lived in a number of places in her childhood, including Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin, and Indiana, From ages 14 to 19 she lived in Manistee, Michigan where she learned the ropes of news reporting while her aunt published a very early woman-run newspaper, Salt City Voice. She is listed on the masthead as assistant editor ^[2][3]

The family moved east to New York and New Jersey where she worked for her uncle as a publicist for his electric company. She then moved to Baltimore to work in public relations for the Baltimore Gas & Electric Company where she met Richard Tillman.

Frances and Richard married in 1910 and she raised their four sons living first in Baltimore and then in Riderwood at a large home dubbed 'Tillmanor'. ^{[4] [5] [6][7]} She was in charge of the religious education program of the Baltimore Unitarian Church. ^[8] Frances retained her early love of the theater and was very involved in a local group, the Footlighters, serving as their president at one point. ^[9]

She also continued her writing, publishing short stories and poetry, as well as her nine chapter entertaining autobiography.

Frances died April 12, 1957 at Tillmanor, Riderwood, Maryland, and was cremated and buried in the rose garden that she loved. ^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ Tillman, Frances Nelson. A Little Girl Goes Barnstorming. Baltimore, Maryland, 1939.
2. ↑ Salt City Voice, April 29, 1900, page 4.
3. ↑ 1900 United States Federal Census Publication. Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. Manistee Ward 6, Manistee, Michigan; Roll: T623_728; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 36.
4. ↑ 1920 United States Federal Census. Bureau of the Census. Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1920. Baltimore Ward 15, Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland; Roll: 31109_4301030; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 471
5. ↑ 1930 United States Federal Census.Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930.Election District 9, Baltimore, Maryland; Enumeration District: 3-27; Supervisor's District No. 3. Sheet No. 12-B.
6. ↑ United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627. Election District 9, Enumeration District 3-60. Sheet No. 14B
7. ↑ 1950 United States Federal Census. Census Place: Enumeration District 4-117, sheet number 5
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} First hand knowledge of Hope Nelson Tillman.
9. ↑ Link video of Frances documenting her participation in the Footlighters.