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| Miss Raye Hampton, aka Jolly Raye Hampton, from a publicity photo/flyer, circa 1910-1915 |
Various events in chronological order that happened in her lifetime with some sources as needed.
Part 1, from Texas to Vaudeville
- Ella Norton Garrett was born in Florence, Williamson County, Texas April 4, 1875 to Jeptha Norton Garrett and Mary Elizabeth Barnes.
(date and place of birth per Ella’s 1899 marriage to Frank Dooling, John Zapf’s naturalization record, a 1928 Montana Newspaper article, her death certificate)
2.Her father Jeptha Norton Garrett dies between 1874-1878
(Ella was the last of his children, his wife remarries in 1878)
3. Family moves to Georgetown, Texas by March 1878 where Mrs Mary Elizabeth (Barnes) Garrett marries James A Mitchell in Georgetown, TX on March 14, 1878.
(per the James Mitchell and Mrs Mary Garrett marriage record, both parties say they are residents of Georgetown as of 1878)
4. Ella’s uncle Seaborn Barnes is shot and killed at Round Rock, Texas on July 19, 1878.
(various articles on Sam Bass gang, Seaborn Barnes Tombstone and findagrave .com)
5. James, Mary and family move to Stockton, California circa 1879. With them are all of Mary’s daughters except for the oldest, Victoria Belle Christman who moved to Austin, Texas.
(1880 Stockton, CA census for James and Mary Mitchell, 1880 Austin, TX census for Belle Christman)
6. Ella’s sister Marguerite Estelle Mitchell is born in Stockton, CA on April 16, 1881
(date per Marguerite’s death certificate)
7. Ella’s step-father James A Mitchell dies April 21, 1882 in Stockton.
(Mrs Mary E Mitchell listed as widow of James in 1888 Stockton city directory living at 253 Washington, occupation: dressmaker)
8.March 17, 1889, Ella’s half-sister Victoria Belle Christman Lamb dies in Stranger, TX
(date per Lamb family Bible, place inferred from interview with Archibald Lamb’s grand daughter Helen Toliver Boone)
9. Ella Garrett of Stockton is mentioned in Oakland newspaper in 1890, part of a love triangle with a Stockton millionaire named JT Davis, events of which had occurred when was terribly underage.
(May 2, 1890 Oakland tribune)
By Dec 1890, Ella has moved to San Francisco, per list of names who had unopened letters at San Fran PO.
9a. 1891, 1st article found of Ella acting/dancing. Appears the "Orpheum Opera House." Used the name Vella Garrett at this time.
(Feb 8, 1891, San Francisco Examiner)
9b. Oct 19, 1891, A Miss Stella Claire appears in San Francisco records. This Stella Claire seems to be in areas in common with Ella, is a actress working in the same areas as Ella, pure circumstantial evidence that Stella Claire may be one of Ella's other pseudonyms.
10. Oct 2, 1892 Sacramento, CA, Ella’s 1st marriage, age 17: Miss Vella/Villa Garrett to Eugene Wiener. Eugene was an actor and. Eugene was an actor.
(their marriage record, 2nd instance on Ella being called “Vella” or “Villa”? it comes up again later several times)
11. Ella’s mother Mary E Mitchell begins living in Oakland, CA about 1892
(per Oakland city directory)
11.a By Jan 1895, Ella and 1st husband Eugene are living in San Francisco, Ella leaves Eugene at this time.
(per Oct/Nov 1897 issues of Anaconda Standard, Montana)
12. First instance of Ella using the pseudonym Miss Raye Hampton in 1895
(per 1895 advertisement in Bakersfield, Ca newspaper The Daily Californian)
....Photo of Ella about this time, very young.....
12a. 1895-7 Ella begins using the pseudonym Ray(e) Hampton by 1895-7, working in Montana with a troupe of actors. About January 1895, Ella leaves husband Eugene Weiner.
(per numerous Montana newspaper articles from The Anaconda Standard and the Butte Daily Post, April to July 1897, including an advertised letter/advertisement for Raye Hampton)
12b about April 1897, Ella meets Frank Dooling in Montana at the Casino Hall theatre,.
12.c Eugene Weiner files for divorce on grounds of desertion in Oct 1897.
((The Butte Miner, Butte Montana, Oct 2 1897)
13. In 1897 A Mrs Vella Wiener has unopened mail at the post office in Stockton, CA
(From Nov 8, 1897 newspaper article, The Evening Mail, Stockton, Ca)
14. Ella briefly lives in/works in Oakland in 1898 .
(Advertised letter/advertisement for Miss Ray Hampton, Oakland tribune, Oakland, CA, April 4, 1898)
14a Mrs Vella Wiener has an unopened letter in Stockton, CA, probably a notification about the divorce.
14b Ella and Eugene are granted divorce on Nov 15, 1897
(per Anaconda Standard, Montana)
It should be noted that Eugene then married his newest dance and acting partner Stella Weaver in Dec of 1897.
15. Ella moves to Aberdeen, Washington by 1898. Marries Frank Dooling. Ella listed as a widow on this record. Ella is called Vella Garrett Wiener on this record.
(her marriage record to Frank Sylvester Dooling Aug 25, 1898 at Aberdeen, WA. This is one of 3 records stating she was born in Florence, TX, mother listed as Mary Barnes)
15.a Ella is listed as Ray Hampton in two Seattle articles, both involve her assaulting or robbing someone while employed at Quandt's Dance Hall in the Tenderloin red light district on Second Ave.
(1899 July and August articles, Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
15.b Ella Sept and Nov 1899, Ella is in Vancouver, CA per passenger lists. In Dec 1899 Ella's new husband Frank Dooling "Frank Earle" entertains at the local Broker's Banquet in Spokane.
16. May 1900, Ella joins the Standard Theater Company and travels from Seattle, Washington to Cape Nome, Alaska on May 27, 1900 aboard the steamer Santa Ana. Miss Ray Hampton, a burlesque dancer is listed among the passengers. The intention was to set up shop there and build/open a permanent dance hall/theater and take advantage of the gold rush going on at that time. The ship catches fire 6 days out and several hundred miles past Cape Flattery. Ella acts to help save lives and is praised by the Captain for her bravery. Her troupe of actors is rescued and brought to Alaska by June 7. Due to loss of much of their gear the Theater company and actors are forced to perform in a tent and rethink their plans.
(per Spokane Chronicle, Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s passenger list of the steamer Santa Ana and account of events from May-July 1900, and Ella’s later account of the events as told to a Richmond, Indiana newspaper in 1927 and a Montana newspaper in 1928)
17a. Due to Ella’s traveling she is not on the 1900 census under her real name or any pseudonym.
17b. In 1900 Ella’s mother Mary and half-sister Marguerite were living in Oakland, next door to them was Ella’s sister the widow El Dorado Smith.
(per 1900 Oakland census)
18. By Jan 15, 1901 Frank Dooling and Ella Garrett formally become a comedy team, calling themselves Frank Earle and Raye Hampton, Earle and Hampton for short, appear at Fischer’s Concert House.*** edit: they appear to already be a team by mid 1897 and first recorded instance of "Earl and Hampton" is in 1899.
(per newspaper San Francisco Call, Jan 15 1901)
19. By Sept 1901 Ella and husband Frank Dooling have joined the Bradley’s Vaudeville Company, appear in Princeton, Minn.
(Princeton Union newspaper, Princeton, Minn Sept 26, 1901)
part 2, vaudeville, burlesque and silent films
1. August 16, 1902 - Sept 19, 1902, Oct 2-Oct 10, 1902, Earle and Hampton appear in Portland, Oregon at Shield's Park, 13th and Washington, and Fritz Theatre, Burnside Street
(Oregon Daily Journal)
2. Nov 24, 1902, Victoria, British Columbia, Frank Earle and "Jolly" Raye Hampton perform at the Savoy
(the Victoria Daily times)
****This corresponds perfectly with the Nov 1902 letter sent from Mary E Mitchell to Maud Lamb Hale which mentions that Frank and Ella Dooling were in Victoria, BC, Canada.
3. Dec 25, 1902, Ella's sister Fannie El Dorado Smith dies of blood poisoning in Oakland, CA.
(per obit, Mary Mitchell's January 1903 letter to Maud Lamb, probate records)
4. El Dorado's probate: dated Jan 2, 1903 names El Dorado's sister "Vella" M Dooling of Oakland, CA. One of a few records where Ella is called "vella" or "villa."
5. Feb 19, 1903, Earl and Hampton appear at Theater Comique, Spokane, Washington
(Spokane Press)
6. July 28, 1903, Lawrence, Kansas, working with Rozino's Big Vaudeville Company, Earl and Hampton appear at Vermont and Winthrop streets under a tent.
(Lawrence Daily World)
7. Aug 3, 1903, Earle and Hampton appear at the Electric Park in Kansas City, MO.
(Kansas City Times)
8. Sept - Oct 1903, Earl and Hampton appear at Madison, Wisconsin at Flom's Theater, billed as "The California versatile duo in a very funny comedy entitled 'Irish Burlesque'"
(Wisconsin State journal)
9. Dec 18, 1903, Miss Ray Hampton appear at Portland, Oregon's Winter Garden and Buffet
(The Oregon Daily Journal)
10. Feb 1904, Butte, Montana, Earl and Hampton appear at Butte Concert Hall, 57 East Park Street
(The Butte Daily Post)
11 April 4 - June 13, 1904, Great Falls, Montana, Earle and Hampton appear at the Stockholm Concert Hall
11a. June - July 1904, Butte Montana, "clever comedy team" Frank Earle and Ray Hampton appear at Butte Concert Hall, Butte Montana.
(The Daily Butte Post)
12.Sept 24, 1904, Astoria, Oregon, Earl and Hampton "sketch artists and German comedians" appear at the Star Theater.
(The Morning Astoria)
12a. Sept, 27, 1904 Salem, Oregon, Earl and Hampton appear at the Edison
(Statesman Journal, Salem Oregon)
13. Nov 10, 1904, Santa Cruz, CA, Earle and Miss Raye Hampton appear at The Unique Theater, performing "Fun with Fritz"
(Santa Cruz Sentinel)
14. Jan 24, 1905, Fresno, Ca Earl and Hampton perform "Fun with Fritz" at The Unique Theater
(The Fresno Morning Republican)
15. Early July 1905, Stockton, Ca, Earle and Hampton appear at the Unique Theater.
(Stockton Daily Evening Record)
16. Mid July 1905, Oakland, CA, Earle and Hampton perform at the Empire theater.
(Oakland tribune)
17. Nov 7, 1905, Earl & Hampton mentioned in bankruptcy claim against Theater manager and liquor dealer Gilbert Francis O'Grady, they were owed $125
(Anaconda Standard, Montana)
Gap in record
18. May 16, 1906, place unknown, Frank Dooling leaves wife Ella, ending their marriage and comedy team.
(Ella later petitions Judge to give her a divorce from Frank and to let her use her maiden name of Garrett, per San Francisco Call, Aug 10, 1907)
19. Oct 1906, Ella mentioned in her Uncle's obituary, I K Garrett, a native of Georgia who later came to Stockton, Ca and then made his home at Fruitvale/Oakland, CA.
(Stockton Daily Evening Record)
20. Aug 9, 1907, Ella sues Frank Dooling, files for divorce in San Francisco.
21. Ella is found in Oakland records mostly from this point on, until a bit later. In 1908- 1909 Mrs Ella N Dooling is found in Oakland City directories.
21a. Ella’s mother Mary dies Dec, 10, 1908 in Oakland, Ca
(Mary’s obit and death certificate)
21b 1910. Numerous pieces of land in Stockton that had been left to Ella's sisters and nieces are now transferred to her.
22. In 1910 Ella is working as a Vaudeville Actress and living in Oakland next to her sister Marguerite Mitchell Gray and husband George Gray. Living next to them is Herman Threlkeld whose last name Ella would use later on.
(City Directories, 1910 census)
22a. 1911, Ella’s half-sister Eugenia Garrett Herbeck Bosse dies in California, date and place uncertain at the moment.
(per Stockton newspapers from Dec 1911 which mention of Eugenia’s estate)
22b 1911 Ella is sued by TV Garrett her cousin and nephew of the late Isaiah K Garrett over the legitimacy of Isaiah's will which leaves much property to Ella and which granted her much power over the land, valued at 20,000 dollars. Dec 1911, TV Garrett seems to quit the lawsuit.
22c Feb 1912, Ella transfers land in Stockton back to sister Laura (those that had been originally left to Laura's daughters Olive and Laura Esther).
22d. June 1912, Modesto, CA, at the Isis Theatre. Ella, billed as Ray Hampton, appears with a comedy team. This seems to be one of her last performances until 1918 when she re-emerges.
23. 1914, Alameda County, Miss Ella N Dooling registers to vote, Democratic Party.
(Alameda Voter Registration)
23a. 1911-1915 Oakland City directories, Mrs Ella N. Dooling
23aa. 1914 and 1916, Ella N Dooling sells several pieces of property back to Stockton.
23b. Oct 22, 1917, Oakland, CA, Ella’s half-sister Mary Garrett Weitz dies.
(per obit, San Francisco Examiner)
23c By 1918 Ella is married to Charles Herman Threlkeld, per his WWI draft card and several city directories. 1918 voter list shows her and a Herbert Threlkeld living at 4131 e17th street. Looking at Herman and Herbert Threlkelds on the city directories from 1912 and after he appears to be the same as the Herman Threlkeld who boarded with Ella's sister Marguerite in 1910, a bartender from Kentucky.
23d Sept 1918, Sacramento. Ray Hampton appears at the open air Joyland Park in a vaudeville and comedy show, working with the Harry Cleveland Musical Company.
23e Ella's 3rd husband Herman Threlkeld dies near Modesto, CA on Dec 30 1918.
24. By 1919 Ella has moved to Hollywood, CA and begins her films career. By Spring 1919 she travels to Pittsburg and begins working on the silent film "Spring Fever" with Harold Lloyd, Bebe Daniels, Snub Pollard and also Gus Leonard who Ella/Raye had met back in 1895 on the vaudeville/burlesque circuits.
(credited as Raye Hampton)
Nov 1919, per the Long beach telegram, Milburn Morante, Raye Hampton et al begin work on the film "Kick" at Balboa Studio Plant.
25. 1920, Hollywood, CA, Ray Hampton appears on census working as an actress, living on Gower?Street.
(1920 census)
26. 1920, Ella stars in short film "Kick" with Milburn Morante.
(credited as Raye Hampton)
27. May 29, 1920, Los Angeles, CA, Ella marries John Zapf. Ella uses the last name of Threlkeld on marriage record.
(note: in 1921 Los Angeles City Directory, Ella is still listed as Mrs Ella N Threlkeld (widow), adding to the confusion, the directory lists her late husband as Alfred rather than Herman. And, early directories from Oakland suggest he was named Herbert or Hubert.
28. From 1919-1927 Ella is cast in numerous silent films, these are the ones I know of:
Spring Fever, 1919
Kick, 1919-1920
A Bungalow Bungle, 1920
The Dippy Dentist, 1920 (she is probably the woman in the barber's chair, uncredited)
Fighting Blood, 1921 (credited as Ray Hampton)
The Ranger and the Law, 1921
Fighting Jim Grant, 1923 (this appears to be the same film as "The Ranger and the Law")
Western Grit, 1924
Rainbow Rangers, 1924
Quicker 'N Lightnin' 1925
Northern Code 1925
Action Galore 1925 (credited as Raye Hamilton)
On the Go, 1925
The Masquerade Bandit, 1926 (credited as Raye Hamilton)
The Ridin Rowdy, 1927
The Obligin' Buckaroo, 1927
The Galloping Gobs, 1927
The Cyclone Cowboy, 1927
Pals in Peril, 1927
29. Ella’s Half -Sister Annie Thomas Hillman dies in Alameda County, CA on November 23, 1923, Ella is mentioned in Annie’s obit.
30. Ella’s sister Laura Shannon dies in San Leandro, Alameda County, CA on March 7, 1925.
Motherhood and Married life
- July 4th, 1929, Alameda County, CA, Ella’s sister Marguerite dies leaving behind 2 sons, Richard and George.
- Ella and husband John Zapf move their 2 nephews to Los Angeles, CA and take them in.
- Ella retires from acting at this time.
- 1930-1933, Los Angeles, CA Ella, John, Richard and George live at the Zapf home on Lomita Street and later St Charles Place.
- John works as a plasterer in construction, while Ella may have gone back to raising ducks or geese for their eggs or some other industry from the home like seamstress.
- 1940, Los Angeles, CA, John Ella, Richard and George reside at their house on St Charles Place.
- 1942 John and Ella are registered to vote Democrat in Los Angeles, CA
- April 22, 1944, Ella Zapf dies of pneumonia and cancer at her home 4727 St Charles Place in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Times, Monday April 24, 1944
9. April 25, 1944, Ella is cremated at Inglewood Park cemetery. I don’t know if her ashes were interred there at an urn garden or if they were kept/scattered.
Dan
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| 1910 census Alameda county CA, Here she is listed as Ella Dooling, Vaudeville actress (she was probably in Vancouver or elsewhere, 1900) |
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| 1920 census in Los Angeles, here she goes by "Ray Hampton" studio actress |
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| Her marriage to John Zapf, Los Angeles 1920. |
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| 1930 with John Zapf and her nephews Richard and George, also found living with her on the 1940 census. |
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| 2 Stills from the film "Kick" 1920 |
