Sells Floto Circus #1
Posted By thecircusblog on August 3, 2013
A few weeks ago Juliana Martinez found The Circus Blog. After a few emails to each other she sent me this poster of her grandmother Mamie. Harold Ward was Juliana’s father, so between Juliana and her dear friend Nikki Bell, I give thanks for the great photos of the Ward Bell flying act that you are about see. If any of you know the names of the other performers that are with the Ward Bells please comment. Concerning the circus poster above the date is unknown to me. I can only guess sometime in the 1930’s.
I want to thank John Shepherd and Janice Terrivno for their MUST read comments.
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My name is Ivan M. Henry and I am the 4th generation of a circus/show business dynasty. I hope you enjoy the blog.Comments
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The following is from Page 4—Hobby-Bandwagon, March-April, 1951
Sells-Floto Circus, 1923
Sept. 5, 1923, Dixon, III.—”One day only, read the bills for Sells
Floto Circus and Buffalo Bill Wild West.
“This is the world’s greatest circus with five rings and two stages,
herds of elephants, a continental zoo, gorgeous lyrical spectacle, ‘A
Night In Persia.’ The show brings 2100 people and horses with the
world’s largest street parade.”
Of the performers the agent said, “Blood will tell.” Three years
ago Erma Ward, now the 19-year old star of the Sells Floto Circus,
was in school at Peoria, III. A member of her family desired that
she go east to a famous music conservatory. Instead she joined out,
she had an idea she could hang by one hand and throw her body
over countless times, excuting the most difficult of aerial feats, the
one-arm somersault. Seasoned performers are unable to do it once
but Erma accomplishes it 40 times. Within three months she was
the star of the season. She and Mamie Ward, who is the only woman
to turn a double somersault in midair to a hand-to-hand catch, spend
their spare time knitting. Bee Starr is a dainty artist of the troupe
headed by Mamie Ward and Edward Ward and known as The Flying
Wards.
The above is another of Bob Taber’s fine press releases, from his
fine collection of same.
***
Given the above, the poster could date from the 1920s.
Hello,
My aunt sent my sister a digital photo of a person whom I believe to be Erma Ward and it has CHS on the photo. I am our family’s family historian and we do have Wards from England but I have not yet found any Mamie, Harold or Edward Ward. Would you know if Julianna Martinez would be willing to email me so that I might be able to determine if my family does share a link? Thank you. Ed Beeson
You have a great blog here! I am also doing some family history and was possibly wondering if Mamie Ward might have also gone by Mamie O’Hara. All I have is family stories that lead me to the Colorado area in the timeframe of 1860 to 1880ish. I don’t know if this was her real name or a show name. I was just wondering if you might have any information on this? I’ve been told that she was involved in the circus, vaudeville or possibly burlesque. She got pregnant and had a son Edward Leo Irving in about 1880. I would appreciate any help you might offer. Thanks!
I believe that Erma was the sister to Mabel, who was also a gymnast with the troupe. Original names were not Ward, but Hubbel. Hubbel was her father’s name. He lived in a shack near Middlegrove, IL until his death. He used to teach the kids in Middlegrove how to walk the high wire. Mabel went on to be the last wife of Tom Mix, the cowboy star, before he died. Mabel was also known as Mabel Pelke. She and her sister took on the last name of Ward because of the circus act they belonged to. Mabel later married a man named Pelke before she married Tom Mix. Mabel and her sister were cousins to my grandfather.
They had Irish roots, I believe. Mabel and Erma, along with Jessie Hubbel’s mother was the sister of my grandfather’s mother, whose father and mother, we believe, were from Ireland.
Looking for information on Robert Hallett who was a fire eater with the Sells -Floto and Wallace circuses.