THE people

Maurine W Smith

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

DATE OF BIRTH:
November 23, 1890
DATE OF DEATH:
December 30, 1903
GENDER:
F
OTHER KNOWN NAMES:
Maurine Winifred Smith
MAIDEN NAME:
Smith
ETHNICITY:
KNOWN ADDRESS:
 Barrington 
 IL
RELATED TO:

Frederick E and Maude Stella (Ganong) Smith, parents

 

AT THE TIME OF the fire

AGE:
13
MARITAL STATUS:
Single
ROLE:
Audience Member
ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATION:
ORGANIZATIONAL ROLE:
School Girl

other information

CEMETERY:
Bluff City Cemetery, Elgin IL
MORGUE:
IDENTIFIED BY:

Fred Smith, father

OTHER NOTES:

Maude Stella Ganong was married to Frederick E. Smith, a school teacher and superintendent of schools in Barrington, Illinois.  Their only child was Maurine Winnifred Smith, who was 13 years old when she perished in the Iroquois Fire.

On December 30, 1903, cousins in their early thirties, Nellie English Hart and Maude Ganong Smith, took Maude's teenaged daughter, Maurine, to a theater matinee. They rode a train into Chicago from Barrington, IL  and went to the much publicized Klaw and Erlanger pantomime, Mr. Bluebeard.  It was being performed at Chicago's newest playhouse, the Iroquois Theater on Randolph Street.

Maude was the daughter of Catherine "Kate" Harper Ganong (1834–1921), and Nellie the daughter of Catherine's late sister, Sarah Harper English (1839–1903). Maude had grown up in Hampshire, IL and Nellie in Atkinson, Illinois, about two hours distant. Close enough to see one another at holiday gatherings.

When a stage fire spread to the auditorium, all three perished.

CITATION:

Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) · 1 Jan 1904, Fri · Page 2
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/130208605/maurine_winnifred-smith

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Karl Sup, Judy Cooke, Iroquois Theatre Fire Historical Society

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