Leona Hyneman Lowengrund scrapbook and photographs

Table of Contents

Summary Information

Background note

Scope and contents note

Overview of arrangement

Administrative Information

Related Materials

Controlled Access Headings

Collection Inventory

Summary Information

Repository

Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Creator

Hyneman, Leona, active 19th century

Title

Leona Hyneman Lowengrund scrapbook and photographs

ID

4191

Date

1830-1881

Extent

0.2 Linear feet ; 1 box

Author

Finding aid prepared by Annie Halliday.

Language

English

Abstract

Leona Hyneman Lowengrund (February 20, 1848- November 6, 1940) was a stage actress from Philadelphia and a member of the well-known Hyneman family. Leona performed in productions held in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania under the stage names Claire LaFarge and Leona Moss. She studied with acclaimed theater teacher Emilie Leicester before premiering as Pauline in “The Lady of Lyons” and Valentine in “A Celebrated Case”. She toured with the German American Shakespearean actor Daniel E. Bandmann performing in plays such as “MacBeth”, “Narcisse”, “Merchant of Venice”, and “Hamlet”. After her time in New York City she moved to Mt. Vernon, New York where she lived with her daughter until her death.

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Background note

Leona Hyneman was born on February 20, 1848 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Leona was the daughter of Leon and Sarah Hyneman. Leon Hyneman (1808-1879) was a prominent freemason. Leon joined the order as member of the Lafayette Lodge of Philadelphia and then was elected master in 1840. He also a member of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Hyneman founded the Order of Druidesses in 1849. In 1852 he established and edited "The Masonic Mirror and American Keystone" until 1860. He was the author of "The Fundamental Principles of Science" and several other works about masonic topics. Leona’s aunt Rebekah Gumpert Hyneman (1812-1875), who not only was married to Leon’s brother Benjamin but was also sister to Leona’s mother Sarah, was a well-known writer and poet. She wrote a novelette “Women’s Strength” and in 1853 a small book of poems titled “The Leper and Other Poems”.

Leona married Jacob Samuel Lowengrund in January 3, 1872 but Jacob died soon after on March 21, 1873 at age 26. He’s buried in Mt. Sinai Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Leona and Jacob had one daughter before his death, Daisy.

Leona had a career as an actress in the New York and Philadelphia area from 1877 to 1881. She began her career with the stage name Claire LaFarge but in 1878 started to appear as Leona Moss. She studied for three years under Emilie Leicester who is heralded as “the best theatrical teacher in New York”. She debuted at the Elizabeth Opera House as Valentine in “A Celebrated Case” and premiered in the role of Pauline in “The Lady of Lyons” in 1878. Leona also toured with Daniel E. Bandmann, a German American Shakespearean actor who led a troupe of actors around North America putting on various productions. Leona lived in New York City as late as 1892 before moving in with her daughter Daisy, and Daisy’s husband, August Rosenberg in the 1920s. She remained with Daisy until her death November 6, 1940 at the age of 92.

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Scope and contents note

The collection contains one volume; a scrapbook of various clippings related to Leona’s life and career as a stage actress. There are eleven pages scattered throughout the scrapbook dedicated to reviews of Leona’s performances from 1878 to 1879. The scrapbook also contains two pages of fan letters to Leona written in 1879. There are also thirteen pages of programs dated 1879 to 1881 detailing cast lists of productions Leona performed in including “Narcisse”, “Merchant of Venice”, “Hamlet”, ‘Lady of Lyons”, and “A Happy Pair”. Some productions are included multiple times with Leona listed as playing different roles. The scrapbook has one page with a short poem dated 1830 believed to be from Leona’s mother Sarah to Leona’s aunt Rebekah. The final page is dedicated to two newspaper clippings talking about the death of Leona’s father Leon, a prominent freemason and Philadelphia citizen.

The collection also contains seven buttons that match a photograph (in the collection) of Leona in costume as Lady MacBeth in 1877. There are three cabinet cards of Leona at different times in her life. There is one of her as a child, undated, in costume posing. There are two cabinet cards dated 1877 with Leona posing in costume, one of which as Lady MacBeth. There is also a smaller image of Leona dated 1862. The collection contains photocopies of three loose newspaper clippings found in the scrapbook, all reviews of Leona’s work as an actress. Finally there is a small 19th century painting of a Chinese man done on pith paper that was discovered between stuck pages of the volume.

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Overview of arrangement

Volume 1, Leona Hyneman Lowengrund's scrapbook, is stored in Box 1 of the collection.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

 Historical Society of Pennsylvania ; 2018.

Access restrictions

This collection is open for research.

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Related Materials

Related materials

At the Historical Society of Pennsylvania:

The Leper, and Other Poems by Rebekah Hyneman (1853) (call number Vt .261)

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Controlled Access Headings

Genre(s)

• Scrapbooks.

Geographic Name(s)

• New York (N.Y.)
• Philadelphia (Pa.)

Personal Name(s)

• Bandmann, Daniel Edward, 1840-1905
• Bendiner, Kathryn
• Hyneman, Leon, 1805-1879
• Hyneman, Leona, active 19th century

Subject(s)

• Actors and actresses.
• Costumes--Theatrical.
• Jewish actors.
• Jewish families--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
• Theater--19th century.
• Theater--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
• Theaters--Playbills and Programs--19th century.

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Collection Inventory