Skip to content

Cora Gabrielle Curns Smith photograph, ca. 1890s, St. Louis, Missouri

🏠 » Collection » Photographs

Compiled by Kimberli Faulkner Hull
The contents of this website, including images and photos, may neither be copied nor otherwise used or posted elsewhere without explicit permission. Citing this page
© Kimberli Faulkner Hull

Cora Gabrielle Curns Smith photograph, ca. 1890, St. Louis, Missouri

A photo labeled Mrs. Beaumont Smith, taken in St. Louis, Missouri, was purchased in February 2023 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. It is believed that Mrs. Beaumont Smith, was Cora Gabrielle Curns Smith Ranken Woodworth.

Cora Gabrielle Curns Smith Ranken Woodworth

Cora Gabrielle Curns was born on 9 August 1865 in Canton, Pennsylvania to Thomas H. Curns and Elizabeth Moore.1 By the time Cora as age 4, the family had moved to Fort Scott, Bourbon County, Kansas.2 At the age of 19, Cora married William B. Smith, age 25 of St. Louis, Missouri, on 9 June 1885 in Bourbon County, Kansas.3

"Smith-Curns," wedding announcement (Fort Scott, Kansas), 11 June 1885, p. 5, col. 3.
“Smith-Curns,” wedding announcement, Fort Scott Weekly Tribune (Fort Scott, Kansas), 11 June 1885, p. 5, col. 3.

The marriage didn’t work out and Cora filed for and was granted a divorce in 1896.4 William Beaumont Smith died a few years later in Denver and is buried in St. Louis.5

"Beaumont Smith's Wife," newspaper article, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri), 4 Feb 1896, p. 1, col. 2.
“Beaumont Smith’s Wife,” newspaper article, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri), 4 Feb 1896, p. 1, col. 2.
"She Got a Decree," newspaper article, Fort Scott Weekly Monitor (Fort Scott, Kansas), 15 Feb 1896, p. 4, col. 2.
“She Got a Decree,” newspaper article, Fort Scott Weekly Monitor (Fort Scott, Kansas), 15 Feb 1896, p. 4, col. 2.
"Beaumont Smith Dead," obituary, Fort Scott Weekly Monitor (Fort Scott, Kansas), 17 Aug 1901, p. 1, col. 3.

Cora married later in 1896 to Frederick Ranken of New York City.6 Frederick died in 1905.7

"Will Wed, Mrs. Cora Gabrielle Smith to be Married to a Prominent Business Man of New York City," newspaper article, Fort Scott Weekly Monitor (Fort Scott, Kansas), 24 Oct 1896, p. 4, col. 4.
“Will Wed, Mrs. Cora Gabrielle Smith to be Married to a Prominent Business Man of New York City,” newspaper article, Fort Scott Weekly Monitor (Fort Scott, Kansas), 24 Oct 1896, p. 4, col. 4.
“A Writer of Plays,” Frederick Ranken obituary, Fort Scott Daily Tribune and Monitor (Fort Scott, Kansas), 24 Oct 1905, p. 5, col. 5.

Cora married third to Newton Woodworth in May 1905.8

United States Passport Application, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C, Passport Applications, 1906-1925, roll 2596, no. 455750, Ray Newton Woodworth, 27 May 1908
Cora and Newton Woodworth, 27 May 1908.9
"Mr. and Mrs. Newton Woodworth Entertain Annie Louise David of New York at Hotel Claremont," newspaper photo and article, Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California), 18 Aug 1921, p. 7, col. 2.
“Mr. and Mrs. Newton Woodworth Entertain Annie Louise David of New York at Hotel Claremont,” newspaper photo and article, Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California), 18 Aug 1921, p. 7, col. 2.

"Sailed for Italy," Cora Ranken and Newton Woodworth marriage announcement, Fort Scott Daily Tribune and Monitor (Fort Scott, Kansas), 2 June 1908, p. 1, col. 6.
“Sailed for Italy,” Cora Ranken and Newton Woodworth marriage announcement, Fort Scott Daily Tribune and Monitor (Fort Scott, Kansas), 2 June 1908, p. 1, col. 6.

Newton Woodworth died 5 August 1931 and is buried in Springvale Cemetery in Lafayette, Indiana.10

"Newton Woodworth, Old Time Resident of City, Expires in California," obituary, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, Indiana), 13 Aug 1931, p. 15, col. 4.
“Newton Woodworth, Old Time Resident of City, Expires in California,” obituary, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, Indiana), 13 Aug 1931, p. 15, col. 4.

Cora Gabrielle Curns Smith Ranken Woodworth died 26 February 1953 in Alameda County, California.11

Item Description and Acquisition

Item: Mrs. Beaumont Smith photograph, Cora Grabrielle Curns Smith
Item acquisition: New Bedford, February 2023
Relationship: Distant cousin of Greg K. Hull

Endnotes

1. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, birth 7 Aug 1865, Canton, Pennsylvania, Cora Gabrielle Curns Woodworth. Parents: Thomas H. Curns and Elizabeth Moore.

2. 1870 U.S. census, Fort Scott, Bourbon County, Kansas, population schedule, page 27, ward 2, dwelling 191, family 200, Thomas H. Curns household.
– Thomas H. Curns, age 35, born in Pennsylvania, stone cutter
– Eliza A., age 32, born in New York
– Cora G., age 4, born in Pennsylvania
– Ida M., age 2, born in Pennsylvania
– Jannete W., age 60, born in Pennsylvania
– Alice A., age 26, housekeeper, born in Pennsylvania

3. Bourbon County, Kansas, Marriage License and Return, p. 463, William B. Smith and Cora Gabrielle Curns, 9 June 1885.
– William B. Smith, age 25, of St. Louis, Missouri
– Cora Gabrielle Curns, age 19, of Fort Scott, Kansas
– License and marriage: 9 June 1885.

Also, “Smith-Curns,” wedding announcement, Fort Scott Weekly Tribune (Fort Scott, Kansas), 11 June 1885, p. 5, col. 3.

4. “Beaumont Smith’s Wife,” newspaper article, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri), 4 Feb 1896, p. 1, col. 2.

5. “Beaumont Smith Dead,” obituary, Fort Scott Weekly Monitor (Fort Scott, Kansas), 17 Aug 1901, p. 1, col. 3.

6. “Will Wed, Mrs. Cora Gabrielle Smith to be Married to a Prominent Business Man of New York City,” newspaper article, Fort Scott Weekly Monitor (Fort Scott, Kansas), 24 Oct 1896, p. 4, col. 4.

7. “A Writer of Plays,” Frederick Ranken obituary, Fort Scott Daily Tribune and Monitor (Fort Scott, Kansas), 24 Oct 1905, p. 5, col. 5.

8. “Sailed for Italy,” Cora Ranken and Newton Woodworth marriage announcement, Fort Scott Daily Tribune and Monitor (Fort Scott, Kansas), 2 June 1908, p. 1, col. 6.

9. United States Passport Application, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C, Passport Applications, 1906-1925, roll 2596, no. 455750, Ray Newton Woodworth, 27 May 1908.

Also, “Mr. and Mrs. Newton Woodworth Entertain Annie Louise David of New York at Hotel Claremont,” newspaper photo and article, Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California), 18 Aug 1921, p. 7, col. 2.

10. “Newton Woodworth, Old Time Resident of City, Expires in California,” obituary, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, Indiana), 13 Aug 1931, p. 15, col. 4.

11. California, U.S., Death Index, 1940-1997, Alameda County, Gabrielle Woodworth, 26 Feb 1953.
Birth: 9 Aug 1867, Pennsylvania.
Mother’s maiden name: Moore. Father’s surname: Curns.

Citing this page: Kimberli Faulkner Hull, compiler, ” Cora Gabrielle Curns Smith photograph, ca. 1890s, St. Louis, Missouri,”
Cool Adventures (https://cooladventures.com/collection/cora-gabrielle-curns-smith-photograph-ca-1890s-st-louis-missouri/: published 2023); privately held by the Faulkner–Hull Collection.

Back to top