Wednesday, August 19, 2009

From Chris Berry

Forepaugh-Sells (c 1900) EQUESTRIAN MARCH


Although my primary interest has always been circus posters, I have always been intrigued by this piece of music, known as "The Equestrian March" - presumably sold at performances of the Forepaugh-Sells circus around the turn of the last century. Does anyone know anything about "Mary Sells" the young lady for whom this piece of music is dedicated?

Posted by Buckles at 8/19/2009 05:49:00 AM

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mary Sells [nee Luker, born c1870, married 1878] was the name of Peter Sells' wife. They ultimately became engaged in a very bitter, lurid and public divorce dispute, as recorded in this link: http://www.shortnorth.com/CircusTown.html

The cameo photo on the sheet music suggests a child; perhaps a Sells brothers granddaughter, or niece? She may not have been part of the business, just a member of the family honored by the dedication. Family members often traveled on show trains during the summer, their presence sometimes recorded in route books and newspapers. There are a number for Forepaugh-Sells in the 1896-1905 period, but not every year.

There was a brother-in-law of the Sells brothers, B. F. Green, who married Mary Sells, sister to the circus men. Their son, B. F. Green, Jr., was with Forepaugh-Sells 1900-1902. He never married, so it's not his child.

You might poke around: http://genforum.genealogy.com/sells/page2.html

19 August, 2009 09:11

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