I'm trying to chase down the cassette that Milford Fargo made about Ada Jones. I think that there were two tapes. One, about Ada herself, and the other of several recordings that she had made. I should have them someplace. I recall that Fargo told that she had made very few public appearances because she was epileptic. I also seem to recall that he had said that epilepsy had contributed to her passing. I should be able to read that on the death certificate, but I'm not confident that I could read it properly.
Now, I may be totally all wet, but hadn't she also been married to another singing partner, like Len Spencer.....? Fargo's tape will refresh me on that when I find it. Anyhoo, I am trying to locate the floppy with the discography on it, as well as the cassettes (for what any of that stuff is worth), and when it turns up, I'm going to transcribe it on a CD. That way, if there is anything there that someone would want it, who doesn't have it already, it would be a breeze to burn off a copy of the CD. > [Original Message] > From: BruceY <[email protected]> > To: Antique Phonograph List <[email protected]> > Date: 4/12/2008 9:13:25 PM > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Ada Jones > > If I seem like a stickler for accuracy on this, and really would like to see > the incorrect Legal Document corrected, it is because for the last 6 years I > have prepared and filed hundreds of Death Certificates on behalf of the > Funeral Home for which I work. Occasionally we are given false or inaccurate > records by the next of Kin, and when that happens it legally has to be > corrected, usually via a Notarized Avadavat. There are also blocks on the > Death Certificate that legally have to be filled in or the Death Certificate > will be rejected by the City, Town or State official reviewing > it.,especially the birth Date which strangely is missing on Ada's Death > Certificate. This is not only unacceptable, it is in fact illegal!! It is > unconscionable to me that at the time of someone's death that the parties > responsible for both providing and also recording this information neglected > first to find it out, by either making a phone call or wiring someone who > would know it or have it on file, and then record it with an age that was > obviously a guess!! > > Bruce > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ryan Barna" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2008 5:34 PM > Subject: [Phono-L] Ada Jones > > > I'm no Ada Jones expert -- I'm just citing some info Milford Fargo put > together many years ago.Jones was born June 1, 1873 at her parents' home at > 78 [!] Manchester Street in Oldham, Lancashire, England, but her birth > wasn't registered until August 18th. She was baptized as "Ada Jane Jones" on > June 15, 1873 in Oldham's St. Patrick's Church. Her parents were James Jones > and Ann Jane Walsh. I haven't inspected any of these documents.Ada married > the dancer Hugh Flaherty on August 9, 1904. This is according to the New > York City Marriage Index, which I have access to, so Ada's real married name > was "Flaherty," not "Flarhaty" as the death certificate shows. Their > daughter, Sheelah Flaherty, lived from 1906 to 1936. Whether or not she > married with children, I don't know. Fargo mentioned in a July 18, 1981 > letter to Ron Dethlefson that he had copies of both Sheelah's birth and > death certificates.You might be interested in knowing that Sheelah took part > in a few records with her mother. She's documented in "The Golden Wedding" > (Edison Disc 50513), and "A Day in Toyland" (Peerless Orch. with Jones, > Porter, Meeker, and Sheelah, Edison Disc 50673, Blue Amberol 3875). I also > have the latter title on Emerson 1096 crediting "Orchestra with Toy > Instruments." Although the Emerson files had disappeared years ago, I'm > pretty certain I hear Sheelah in it. Ada Jones and Steve Porter are > definitely audible.Now, as far as Fargo's research and collection goes, his > cylinders and discs where sold separately when he passed away in 1986 (the > Eastman School of Music, where he was the Professor of Music Education, > didn't want them--at least that's what his widow Lois told me). His research > papers on Jones went with the discs, and I know the person who has them, who > happens to be a good friend of mine. I asked if he wanted to photocopy them > so I could give them a home on my website, but that depends on when he can > find them. Plus, he has limited Internet access, so he can't really scan > them for me either. But Fargo's paper collection likely contains these birth > certificates, primary documents regarding Ada, and probably other stuff I'm > not aware of.As far as corrections to the death certificate go, I prefer to > preserve historic (and legal) documents as they were, as not to "disturb" > history. I do agree on correcting errors, and I will apply these corrections > on my site momentarily. Legally, I can't do anything to change the > certificate at the health department, but I know that Ada had some > half-siblings, who probably have descendents living today. Although I > usually prefer to preserve original documents as they were.I believe "W. J. > Armstrong," the informant on her death certificate, is "Armstrong, the Man > of Mystery," who was travelling with Jones' show at the time. The clerk's > office probably needed someone nearby to supply her personal information, so > they chose Armstrong to tell what ever he knew about her. For her age, he > could've just said, "Maybe her 40s?" Nobody can really expect anyone to know > who their associates' parents were either, especially if they were deceased. > It's possible that they couldn't get her husband Hugh Flaherty to supply the > info at the time.Hugh was an overly private individual -- he wouldn't want > anyone knowing his family's background info anyway, or having record > collectors ask him about Jones, etc. Back in the 40s, Jim Walsh wrote that > Hugh was already dead, when he actually lived until 1961, because he wanted > to protect his privacy. At first he denied that he was Jones' widower when > Milford Fargo was trying to track him down, until Fargo finally got him to > agree to a taped interview. I have not listened to the tape, but I know > someone who has a copy, so it definitely exists.Sorry I had to generalize > most of this, I'm not that big on Jones (most of what I'm writing is second > hand info). I wish I had Milford's documents (or better, Milford himself) to > answer these questions for me, but if I can get my friend to submit some of > his papers, most of this picture can be straightened out.Ryan > Barnawww.phonostalgia.com > _________________________________________________________________ > Going green? See the top 12 foods to eat organic. > http://green.msn.com/galleries/photos/photos.aspx?gid=164&ocid=T003MSN51N165 3A_______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
