Henrietta "Harriet Avery" Strakosch

Edgar Strakosch's 1889 marriage to (elopement with) Henrietta Avery (aka Harriet Avery) was reported in The New York Clipper Annual of 1890 (see on Edgar Strakosch GENI Profile page for New York Times write-up, Feb. 1889).

Marriage of Edgar H Strakosh & Harriet A. Lewis in Ontario (Canada) Marriages, 1869-1927:

• Event Date: 23 Jan 1889
• Event Place: Windsor, Essex, Ontario, Canada
• Age: 29, Birth Year (Estimated): 1860
• Father's Name: Segismund Strakosh
• Mother's Name: Frances Jacob
• Spouse's Name: Harriet A[very] Lewis
• Spouse's Age: 27, Birth Year (Estimated): 1862
• Spouse's Father's Name: John B Willock (it's Whitlock; see below)
• Spouse's Mother's Name: Hulda M Avery
• Page: 003030 Digital Folder Number: 004529211 GS Film Number: 1870223 , Image Number: 01183

Harriet Avery had been married before, to John Daniel Lewis, b. 1856, m. June 1877, d. 1882. They had a son, Samuel Alexander Lewis b. 1878. See the Family Pedigree Chart on this family posted in 2000. These are rarely fully reliable, especially when submitted before many census records came online.

Harriet's parents were (mentioned on her passport application, 1916)

• John Burr Whitlock birth: 22 January 1822 death: 1890
• Huldah Maria Avery birth: 1 June 1830 death: (she appears in 1905 New York State Census, age 78 [born 1827].) Another pedigree, posted in 2011, says of Hulda: Huldah Maria Avery, b. 1 June 1830-d. 7 January 1906, Katonah, NY; married 1 January 1846.

According to the 2000 pedigree chart, John Burr Whitlock's parents were

• John Burr Whitlock (Sr.) birth: 17 September 1786 death: 1863
• Rachel W. Olmstead birth: 16 May 1786 death: ?

Harriet Avery Lewis, later Strakosch, used the stage name Harriet Avery as seen in The History of the Boston Theatre, 1854-1901

In 1891 it was reported that "Harriet Avery, the wife of Edgar Strakosch, will hereafter be known professionally as Harriet Avery-Strakosch. She has decided to abandon grand opera to devote herself entirely to comic opera." Boston Daily Globe: Sunday, July 12, 1891, p. 10; The Sunday Herald and Weekly National Intelligencer (Washington, D.C.), 12 July 1891, p. 3, image 3.

As Avery Strakosch, Harriet Avery Strakosch appeared in comic operas directed by Edgar Strakosch for his Comic Opera Company in Washington, D.C.

"Former opera singers have made vaudeville debuts at two Chicago theaters this week December 5, 1901. The events also were In the nature of Chicago Introductions, as their operatic ventures never brought them here . . . [One is] Harriet Avery Strakosch, who adorned the Chicago Opera-House bill . . . a recruit of the short-lived Metropolitan English grand Opera company, though it does not appear on the records that she traveled westward with that organization. Both singers have been treated well enough by their audiences to Insure the continuance of their names on vaudeville programs." (Chicago Tribune).

An Avery Strakosch was referred to as "formerly prima donna of the Strakosch Opera Co." in the March 2, 1902 Pittsburgh Press. Harriet Avery Strakosch was appearing in a vaudeville revues in 1903 (Brooklyn) and 1904, per the Chicago Tribune of March 8, 1904 and the Los Angeles Herald of October 20,1904.

According to the website Myers Collectibles, a photograph of Avery Strakosch (Harriet Avery Strakosch?) appeared on the cover of the 1905 sheet music to "In Dear Old Georgia."

Harriet A. Strakosch's 1916 passport application states she was divorced and about to embark on a pleasure trip for travel to the Far East (same trip reflected on her daughter Avery Strakosch's passport application). She resided at 1425 Broadway in New York, and was a vocal teacher. She was born at Katonah, New York, on Feb. 8, 1859 to John B. Whitlock. The image following the application page contains affidavits and a photograph.

Appears in 1925 New York State Census for Bedford, A.D. 02, E.D. 04, Westchester Co., New York:

• Name: Harriet A Strakosch
• Female, age: 66
• Nationality: United States
• Relationship to Head of Household: Head
• Birth Year (Estimated): 1859
• Page: 6

Obituary for Harriet Avery Strakosch appeared in New York Times in October 1928 (fee to view). She died "at her home at Katonah, New York."