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In this episode, we go through Sally’s method of detective work to discover who wrote a 1930’s era diary she had aquired. This diary intrigued her due to the unusual names and the mysterious way it was written. The diary did not have a “flow” as most do and it seemed the author was being secretive and not wanting to disclose certain things. Some diary authors will write their name in their diary but this person had not. We take you along on Sally’s discovery process and reveal to you the story of friendship and love between two people, and a connection to a famous jewelry empire.

My “Detective” Board

Mary Chapin Marcus and William Elder Marcus, Dorothy’s Parents Courtesy of Montclair Public Library

Marcus & Co. premises (left) at Fifth Avenue and 145th Street New York City, 1911. New York Public Library. Photo Credit: Burton F. Welles.

A family heirloom, and opal, emerald, and diamond pendant designed by William Marcus Sr. for his daughter Dorothy and presented on the occasion of her sixteenth birthday in 1905.

Marcus Family Home, “206 Upper Mountain Avenue, Montclair New Jersey.” Courtsey of the Montclair Public Library Local History Collection.

Mars Hill Camp, Crawford Lake, Union, opened for the first season in 1916, under the direction of Miss Dorothy Marcus assisted by the Misses Littlehales.

Dorothy (Dadi) Elder Marcus, 1924 Passport Photo.

Ruth Eleanor Lawrence at the Southwest Harbor Maine Library. I found the following quote on the Library’s website….

“It was not until 1937, however, when Miss Ruth Eleanor Lawrence, a graduate of Drexel Institute’s library school in Philadelphia, was hired that the library became professionally organized and the book collection was catalogued. And I think it can safely be said that Ruth Lawrence is responsible for the library we have today. The volunteers she organized and the work they turned out was remarkable. Both the circulation and the number of books catalogued doubled during her tenure from 1937-1947.”

So where did they come up with Dadi, Mia and Damias. I looked up that word and found out that….

“Damias refers to a genus of colorful moths (family Erebidae), found in regions like Southeast Asia and Australia, known for species like Damias occidentalis. It can also be a name, related to the Greek word for “tame” or “spirit,” associated with a minor fertility goddess, Damia, in Greek mythology.”

Damias is also the nickname of a French Singer and get this, she was a lesbian….

“Actress Born Marie-Louise Damien (1889 – 1987), in Paris, France, she began her career as a singer in stage shows and concerts. She made her big screen debut in the film “Napoléon” (1927), followed by “Alone” (1931). Her other film credits included “Tu m’oublieras” (1932), “La mauvaise priere” (1935), “The Pearls of a Clown”, “Kiss of Fire” (1956) and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1956). She was also known for performing scores for soundtracks and documentaries. She died at age 88 following a fall in the Western Metro Suburb at La Celle-Saint-Cloud, Yvelines, France. Sapphic Love: Damia hung out with Natalie Barney’s legendary sapphic pose (lucky her!). From 1922 to circa 1928, Damia became the on-off lover of Irish architect Eileen Gray. She then became the partner of French choreographer Gab Sorère (the former life partner of American dancer Loïe Fuller, who died in 1928).”

Marie-Louise Damien “Damia” could mean nothing to the women but definitely worth noting. Were they infatuated with her music, her lifestyle, her stage shows? Something to ponder….

Dadi and Mia’s Home in Seawall, Southwest Harbor Maine.

Examples pages of Dadi and Mia’s Diary.

It’s easy to see how different the writing is on these diary pages but because I’ve read so many diaries in my life and that it’s rare for two people (or more) to write in one diary, that thought was not at the forefront of my mind when speed reading through this diary….that came later.

I want to end with a paragraph I read in the Marcus & Co. Three Generations of New York Jewelers…..

“William and Chapin’s sister, Dorothy Elder Marcus, died at her home, High Tide, in Seaway, Maine, on June 5, 1944, having been nursed by her partner, Ruth Lawrence (1905-1992). Dorothy had attempted to help Chapin keep Marcus & Co. alive after William’s departure by signing a reincorporation document in 1942, but Chapin’s plans to continue the family business never materialized. Her will, rewritten in July 1943, indicates some degree of disagreement with William over the decision to wind up the family business. She transferred half of her share of the proceeds from the sale of Marcus & Co. to Chapin, and the remainder to her nieces, Jane and Linda Marcus, “instead of to their father,” William, To her partner, Ruth, she bequeathed property and investments. Still, Dorothy’s generous bequest to Chapin may not have been sufficient to re-establish the family business. Perhaps disappointment over the loss of prestige and independence and his ongoing struggle with narcolepsy (as reported by his nephew, John Marcus) led him to take his own life in Dallas in 1950 at the age of sixty-six.”

To Hear This Episode:

https://www.sallysdiaries.com/podcast/episode/7b2e4d8d/67-dadi-and-mia-their-secret-world-1930s