Ethel Dovey

Ethel Dovey (January 12, 1882 – November 20, 1920) was an American singer and stage actress. Dovey was born into a large family and had two brothers and four sisters, one of which was Alice Dovey who she spent most of her childhood with training to be a singer. Her talent for dramatics was spotted at an early age and her maternal grandfather insisted that she and her sister be trained under the best teachers. For their talent to be realized, the sisters lived in London for part of their childhood, occasionally returning to America to visit family.

As an adult, she enrolled at the Chicago Musical College and graduated in 1901 with a Joseph Jefferson award for dramatic art. She would frequently visit Nebraska City in Nebraska to perform in concerts and during the period 1902–1912, was recognized as a musical stage star. In 1908, she performed in the theater production The District Leader, where she met her future husband, Fred Truesdell, who she eloped with to marry in February 1909. She had two daughters to Truesdell and later married Willis M. Palmer.

Due to poor health, she retired from the stage in 1912 and spent time traveling before her death at home in Des Moines, Iowa on November 20, 1920.

Early life Ethel Dovey published in a January 1898 edition of "The Sketch" Dovey was born on January 12, 1882, in Plattsmouth, Nebraska as the eldest child to parents Margaret Dovey and George E Dovey. Her childhood days and early education were spent in the city, where the "unusual dramatic talent" that she would later become famous for was first noticed. In order to fully realize her talent, Dovey and her younger sister Alice were sent abroad to sing and were known as the "Nebraska sisters". They lived in London for several years with their grandmother while studying voice and languages

Education Ethel and her sister's musical education began sometime around 1890, studying with Miss Lillian Terry for around four years before traveling to England in 1894, where they were favorably received by critics who "predicted a bright future" for them. In March 1895, under the care of Lillian Terry, they sang at a Royal bazaar at Cannon Street Hotel to an audience including the Duchess of Fife and the Ambassador to the United States. At this time, Henry Neville expressed a hope and belief that the sisters would go on to become actresses.

She and her sister returned on a home visit from London around September 1895 and on October 16, sang at a concert held at the Finke Opera House, where they were praised for their "phenomenal method and correctness, their seriousness and their strangeness". By this time, they were already regarded as being "singing prodigies". Ethel and her sister returned to England in 1896 Dovey would often perform alongside her younger sister Alice, however in June 1906, performed in the same event for the first time as her other younger sister Margaret, who played the piano.

In May 1908, she was described as being "pretty and graceful" and was praised for her role in a theater production of "The District Leader". In the production, where she appeared alongside actor Fred Truesdell, she was considered as being "one of the cleverest comediennes that has ever appeared in Butte", having made a favorable impression to the audience.

Ill health forced her retirement from stage in 1912, where she spent time traveling in hope of improving her health, spending some time with her parents.

She married Fred Truesdell on February 6, 1909, at Oakland, California, who at the time was a popular leading man on stage. Their marriage announcement was a surprise to Dovey's many friends, who all joined in extending their best wishes. The couple met each other when performing with the "Stubborn Cinderella" company and had shortly decided upon an immediate marriage, but kept it a secret until the season concluded. She was married by Judge Graham and the news was only announced once the bridesmaid, who was a witness to the ceremony, was unable to keep the secret any longer. There had been "considerable" opposition when they became a couple.

She had two daughters to Truesdell, Jane Margaret (b. c1910) and Betty Ann (b. c1913).