Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-07-16
IS
AN AMAZING TOWN
LITTLE CITY soUTHWEST OF or
TUMWA IS HOME OF MANY
THEATRICAL PEOPLE.
THESPIAN CRADLE
Guy Hickman Well Known in This
City Gives List of Notable
Actors and Actresses
From There.

Centerville can boast of having
turned out more theatrical people than
any town of its size in the world. Guy
Hickman, who has played in this city
many tines in repertoire plays and
who is native of the Appanoose
county seat has an interesting article
| in a recent issue OF the New York
Dramatic Mirror. The article brings
out that the Iowa community Is a
thespian Grade and many we'll known
people on the stage today claim that
place as their home.
! Il will try and give list of all can
call to mind says Guy Hickman OF
/ the Hickman-Bessy company. IF
have overlooked any one excuse me.
| Those who have taken the stage from
Centerville are as follows. Those that
are marked with an asterisk were
born and raised thsre: Others lived
there:
"Corse Payton, Henry Payton, Sen
ter Payton,* Harry Payton.+ Ike Pay
tom Joseph Payton,* Vina Payton,
Lucy Payton, Corneilia Payton, Dave
Curtis, Spurgeon Spooner,* Mary
Gibbs Spooner,* Edna May Spooner,*
Cecil Spooner,+ Bob Spooner,* F. 3.
Spooner,' Mana Spooner, Allie
Spooner,* Mike Spooner,* Lem
Spooner,* Marie Blair Spooner, Irene
Spooner,* Guy Hickman,* Jack
Bessey,+ Ben Hudson,* H. R. Hick-
man. Mr.. Mathews Kate Martini
Annie Harrison, Clarence Carrie"
Rummell,* Robert Harper,* Carl E.
Burch, Clyde Hats Eliza Hiatt,*
Charles Henderson, Bert King, John
Boyle,* Miss Brazil,+ Ben Wilson, Leila
Wilson, Daisy Wilson, Allen Gorrell,*
Goldie Gorrell,* Tom Swearingen,*
Billie Swearingen,+ Hal Swearingen,*
Hattie Bryant.s
"These circus people have the
honor:
Howard Henderson, Frank Hen
derson,* Ed Henderson, George Lam
ders, Earl Payton,* Billie Bashaw,*
Ernie Bashaw,* Fred Taylor,* Chas.
Martins Code Walkers Bill Bartin.*
'm vaudeville: Grover Roberts,
"In picture shows: Carl Bawn,*
Charles Pewthers,* Frank Sapp.*
''In medicine show: D. NJ. Brazil,*
Mrs D. M. Brazil.*
"And these have retired Mark Low
1her,* Cass Lowther* and twenty
others.
From this list the successful COM
,panies are: Corse Payton, Paytons
three stock companies; Ike Payton,
PAXTON Comedy company; Senter Pay
ton, Payton Dramatic company; Spur
gen Spooner, Spooner Stock company:
F.. E. Spooner, Spooner Stock COM
pany; Guy Hickman. Hickman-Besse!
company, three stock companies; Pay
ton Sisters, Payton Sisters Stock com.
pany; Edna May Spocner, Edna May
Spooner Stock company; Cecil
Spooner, Cecil Spooner Stock CON-
pany; Hudson and Sweet, Hudson and
Sweet Dramatic company.
Matrimonial Unions.
Mr.. Hickman gives also this list of
matrimonial unions among those
married: Corse Payton married Eta
Reed, Ike Payton married Matte Keen,
Senter Payton married Ollie Stafford,
Claude Payton married Lucy Payton,
Cornelia Payton married Dave Curtis,
Lem Spooner married Marie Blair,
.Spurgeon Spooner married Mary
Gibbs, Cecil Spooner married Charles
Blaney, F. E. Spooner married Mana
Anderson, Allie Spooner married I'D
win Wallack, Guy Hickman married
Grace Mclean, Jack Bessey married
Grace Baird, Annie Johnson married
Charles Harrison, Charles Henderson
married Juno Barrett. Ben Wilson
married Jessie McAlister, Allen Cor
rell married Leila Wilson. Daisy Will
son married George Bodsford, Goldie
Cornell married Walter Fame.
Now the question u.s. adds Mr.
Hickman, what was the cause of all
this outburst of talent in old 'Appa-
noose?' Ike Payton says he caused 1t.
Senter Payton says he wants the
credit, as does Spurgeon Payton. The
old landmarks Of Centeryille says
Grace Hezlep is to blame. | guess the
best way to do is to let them fight 1t
out. But If you want to know who It
was that invented show business be
in Centerville some summer when we
are all at home, about o'clock p. M,
on the south side Of the public square
in the shade, and most any of us eau
tell you"
a. EnnvVig