THE people

Viola B Kidwell

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

DATE OF BIRTH:
September 2, 1857
PLACE OF BIRTH:


City of Birth:
DATE OF DEATH:
December 30, 1903
PLACE OF DEATH:
City of Death:
GENDER:
F
OTHER KNOWN NAMES:
Ola Kidwell*, Ollie Kidwell
MAIDEN NAME:
Kidwell
ETHNICITY:
RACE:

NATIONALITY:

RELATED TO:
DATE OF MARRIAGE:

PLACE OF MARRIAGE:
   
DATE OF ADDRESS:

KNOWN ADDRESS:
,
 Martinsburg
 Ohio
,
ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATION:
 
ORGANIZATIONAL ROLE:
Dressmaker 

AT THE TIME OF the fire

ROLE:
Audience Member
STATUS:
Victim
AGE:
46
MARITAL STATUS:
Single

other information

MORGUE:
IDENTIFIED BY:
FUNERAL HOME:

CEMETERY:
Martinsburg Methodist Episcopal Cemetery, Martinsburg, OH
OTHER NOTES:

One of 12 in the party with Dr. Charles Owen. Dressmaker, died tragically in Chicago Iroquois Theatre fire in 1903 along with her employer, Mrs. J.F. Dodd and Mrs. Dodd's daughter, Ruth. They were attending musical comedy, Mr. Bluebeard, while on vacation.

"Thirty-nine-year-old Viola "Ollie" B. Kidwell(1864-1903) from Martinsburg, OH. Reportedly Ollie grew up with the Murray siblings and was in 1903 employed by the Dodd family, in an unknown capacity. Ollie was a dressmaker, as was her younger sister, Kate Kidwell (b. 1863). Ollie, Kate and their brother, James Norman Kidwell (1859-1923) were the children of Samuel Kidwell (1820-1907) and Mary Nellans Kidwell (1830-1912)." (www.iroquoistheater.com)

CITATION:

Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40441538/viola-b-kidwell
Downers Grove Reporter (Downers Grove, IL) 7 Jan 1904, p1 col 1
Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) · 1 Jan 1904, Fri · Page 4

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

Judy Cooke

Celebrate their story...

If you have more information about this person or the Iroquois Theatre Fire, we'd love to hear from you. We're constantly adding new information to our collection to help tell the whole story of the Iroquois Theatre Fire and the thousands of lives affected by the tragedy of that night.
Contact ITFHS
PO Box 2013
Arlington Heights, IL
60006-2013
PHONE: 224-764-1284
EMAIL: info@iroquoistheatrefire.org
The Iroquois Theatre Fire Historical Society (ITFHS) was founded to keep alive the memory of the disaster, victims, survivors, heroes, and anyone affected by the tragedy.
Learn More
All content © 2024 YOUR NEXT CHAPTER DOING BUSINESS AS Iroquois Theatre Fire Historical Society. All Rights Reserved. Branding by 88 Brand Partners. Site design by Greenisland Media