This is just the start of a page on this remarkable man, born in 1890, in Mount Carey, St James - my daughter drew my attention to an article about him currently in the L A Times. [ http://graphics.latimes.com/finding-marlowe/ ] I have established the actuality of his birth in Jamaica, using FamilySearch, but I am having difficulty authenticating details of his life during World War I and immediately after. The details of his life as a P.I. in Los Angeles from the 1920s, and his possible connections with Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett are a whole other story!
I wonder if there are any descendants of the Marlowes of Mount Carey of the 1890s still in Jamaica today, who could fill us in on the family.
I wonder if there are any descendants of the Marlowes of Mount Carey of the 1890s still in Jamaica today, who could fill us in on the family.
Los Angeles Sentinel
August 1, 1991
Samuel Marlowe, Sr, Succumbs at 100
Samuel Benjamin Marlowe, Sr. was born on August 3, 1890 in Montego Bay, Jamaica, West Indies to Ann S. Marlowe and Samuel A. Marlowe. After finishing school under the Old British Colonial System he joined The Egyptian Expeditionary Forces and served in Africa from Egypt to Cape Horn [sic] and from Mombassa to his favorite Sierra Leon.
During this period he became a student of the Old Testament and this was to serve him well back home in Jamaica where while serving as a constable. He started his career in The Salvation Army.
Mr. Marlowe was a captain in The Missionary service in Cuba from where he was transferred to the U.S. at which time he resigned his commission and traveled to Los Angeles.
In L.A., he was the first licensed P.I. west of the Mississippi, and auxiliary L.A. Deputy Sheriff, he founded The West Indian American Club in the mid-thirties to help bridge the gap between foreign and native Blacks. He was a Prince Hall 32 Degree Mason, a charter member of the Caribbean American Credit Union, he served in the old L.A. Eastside Pop Sanders Political Machine of the '30s and '40s, he help founded the Old Black Screen actor's Guild and was a founder of The Universal Negro Improvement Association under the Marcus Garvey Movement.
Mr. Marlowe was married to Irene A. Marlowe for 48 years and she precedes him in death.
Survivors are his daughters, Pearl Andrews and Rena Hughes and a son, Dr. Samuel, Jr.; grand-daughter, Cherie Watkins and great-grandsons, Edward Watkins and Antoine Durousseau; others are Joseph Marlowe, Yolanda, Paulette, Adella, Daniel Marlowe, Josie, Josely, Nancy, John, and James Cummings, Linda Aluko, Richard Malcolm, Lucille and Pamela Hopkins, Roy Fletcher, Edward Marlowe and a host of friends.
August 1, 1991
Samuel Marlowe, Sr, Succumbs at 100
Samuel Benjamin Marlowe, Sr. was born on August 3, 1890 in Montego Bay, Jamaica, West Indies to Ann S. Marlowe and Samuel A. Marlowe. After finishing school under the Old British Colonial System he joined The Egyptian Expeditionary Forces and served in Africa from Egypt to Cape Horn [sic] and from Mombassa to his favorite Sierra Leon.
During this period he became a student of the Old Testament and this was to serve him well back home in Jamaica where while serving as a constable. He started his career in The Salvation Army.
Mr. Marlowe was a captain in The Missionary service in Cuba from where he was transferred to the U.S. at which time he resigned his commission and traveled to Los Angeles.
In L.A., he was the first licensed P.I. west of the Mississippi, and auxiliary L.A. Deputy Sheriff, he founded The West Indian American Club in the mid-thirties to help bridge the gap between foreign and native Blacks. He was a Prince Hall 32 Degree Mason, a charter member of the Caribbean American Credit Union, he served in the old L.A. Eastside Pop Sanders Political Machine of the '30s and '40s, he help founded the Old Black Screen actor's Guild and was a founder of The Universal Negro Improvement Association under the Marcus Garvey Movement.
Mr. Marlowe was married to Irene A. Marlowe for 48 years and she precedes him in death.
Survivors are his daughters, Pearl Andrews and Rena Hughes and a son, Dr. Samuel, Jr.; grand-daughter, Cherie Watkins and great-grandsons, Edward Watkins and Antoine Durousseau; others are Joseph Marlowe, Yolanda, Paulette, Adella, Daniel Marlowe, Josie, Josely, Nancy, John, and James Cummings, Linda Aluko, Richard Malcolm, Lucille and Pamela Hopkins, Roy Fletcher, Edward Marlowe and a host of friends.
origins
Samuel Benjamin Marlow's (spelling varies!) birth certificate indicates that his father was a blacksmith. His parents, Samuel Marlow and Anne Scott, were married in Montego Bay in 1882.
early life
I have not had great success in finding information on the Marlowe family in the late 19th and early 20th century. The birth records of Samuel and his siblings indicate the family located at various places in the Montpelier district - at Moy Hall, Mount Carey and Ramble (possibly Ramble Hill, rather than Ramble in Hanover); someone with better knowledge of the area could perhaps comment. Samuel Marlowe, snr, had, according to the item below, owned property in Ramble Hill, and the St. James Benefit Building Society, in 1898, put it up for sale under the terms of the mortgage Marlowe had taken out with them.
Daily Gleaner, May 24, 1898
St James Benefit Building Society, Montego Bay, 5th May, 1898, On Tuesday, 31st May, 1898, in front of Salisbury House,' Montego Bay. at 3 clock, p.m, under power of mortgage to the Trustees of the St. James Benefit Building Society. Lot 2. Land and Premises situate at Ramble Hill, St James containing 43 acres and 3 perches more or Iess, with a Dwelling House thereon mortgaged by Samuel Marlowe. Further information, if required, may be obtained of the undersigned at the office of the St James Benefit Building Society and of the Auctioneer at the time of sale, By order, J. B. CORINALDI, Secretary. |
education
The obituary shown above refers to Samuel Benjamin Marlowe as attending school 'under the Old British Colonial System', which would have meant, at least, that he attended one of the elementary schools operating across the island in the 1890s and early 1990s when he was between 6 and 14. It is not clear where the family was living at that period, but in Mount Carey, where he was born, from 1897 to 1904 the teacher there was U. Theo McKay, eldest brother of Claude McKay, the poet, who attended the Mount Carey school during that period, as his parents had sent him to live with his brother and benefit from his excellent teaching skills. If Samuel Marlowe was at the school at Mount Carey he would have received what was probably one of the best elementary educations available at that period. He may have also received some secondary education in Montego Bay, but there is no information on his educational career at either level.
in the army
'. . . he joined The Egyptian Expeditionary Forces and served in Africa from Egypt to Cape Horn [sic] and from Mombassa to his favorite Sierra Leon. '
I have found no clear confirmation of Samuel Marlowe's service in World War I - information from family members, or anyone else, would be much appreciated. I have found a reference to a Marlowe leaving with the First Contingent in 1915 -
I have found no clear confirmation of Samuel Marlowe's service in World War I - information from family members, or anyone else, would be much appreciated. I have found a reference to a Marlowe leaving with the First Contingent in 1915 -
THE GLEANER, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1915.
MEN OF THE FIRST JAMAICA CONTINGENT FOR THE GREAT WAR OUR MEN IN MOTHER COUNTRY The Jamaicans from every Part of the Island Who Answered the Call of the Empire and Left for England a Short Time Ago. The following is the full list of men who formed the first Contingent and are now in England:- No. 9. Platoon. 191 Pte. Marlowe, E., Moydel, [?Moy Hall] Montego Bay. |
and then in June 1919 a Marlowe returns to Montego Bay in the last group of soldiers returning there from the war:
THE GLEANER, TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1919.
Last Batch of Returned Contingent Men
Get A Fine Welcome,
Last Batch of Returned Contingent Men
Get A Fine Welcome,
- the problem with that second account is that Samuel B Marlowe had got married in Los Angeles nearly two months earlier!
I have found no references to a link with the Salvation Army, or of an intermediate stay in Cuba, before proceeding on to the USA. A problem with that sequence is the shortage of time for it, between a possible return from the war, presumably in 1918, and his marriage in Los Angeles in April 1919. I am still trying to check these references, and I would be most grateful for help in sorting them out.
early years in the USA
The earliest information I have found so far about Samuel Marlowe in the USA, is the details of his marriage in Los Angeles, which took place on April 26, 1919. His bride was Irene A. Manahan, daughter of Edwin Manahan and Ursulina Steele; later census references indicate that Irene had been born in Jamaica, about the same time as Samuel.
1920 USA Census records:
It is interesting that this record has Marlowe three years younger than he actually was, and that his arrival in the USA is given as 1915, which is unlikely to be correct; a later census record puts the date at 1918, which seems more likely. No success so far in finding any information on his journey to and arrival in the USA, though it is probably somewhere online.
early business activities
Some indication of Samuel B. Marlowe's early business activities in Los Angeles, can be seen in items in the California Eagle -
in 1927 -
California Eagle, July 1, 1927
S. B. MARLOW DETECTIVE AGENCY The Samuel B. Marlowe Detective Agency of this city throws light on the crime wave by sending out a letter to the lawyers of California which states: “There is no job too large and none too small for us to handle. Robberies, murders, arson, embezzlement, kidnapping, domestic and divorce evidences; under cover work. We have separate departments for each line of work, male and female trained operators to handle all cases that may arise. A trial is what we ask and we know that your future work will be given us. Consultation free. All work confidential." |
The California Eagle was founded in 1879 by John J Neimore; it 'was one of the oldest and longest-running African-American newspapers in Los Angeles, California and the West.' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Eagle
In 1930 Marlowe wrote a most interesting article about James Sylvester Dungey, an African-American who had worked with him in his detective agency. It would appear to be on the occasion of Dungey's death, but I have found virtually nothing about his death, or his life, except that he seems to have been raised and educated in New Orleans. The high-lighted section of the article seems of particular interest, given the current situation in the USA about relations between the police and African-Americans.
California Eagle, August 8th, 1930
in films
It was exciting and interesting to learn that Sam Marlowe appeared in numerous films, from the 1930s to the late 1940s at least; he was not usually named in cast lists, though he can be found listed in some films in the records on the IMDb and AFI sites.
The California Eagle had references over the years to Sam Marlowe's appearances in films -
In the issue of May 12, 1933, it was reported that S. Marlowe had been cast in an M.G.M. film; this film was 'The Barbarian', it seems.
I have so far been unable to identify this film.
In August 1941, Harry Levette, who wrote on films for the California Eagle, wrote an interesting piece about the squabble that was going on about the African-American actors, of whom Sam Marlowe was one, who were to be in the cast of 'Tarzan' ! [ to read the article click HERE ]
California Eagle, April 30, 1942
California Eagle, November 17, 1949
'No Way Out' Still Adds To Cast Irving Smith and Samuel B. Marlowe were assigned to brief roles in 20th Century-Fox "No Way Out." Marlowe, who came to this country from Jamaica in 1919, has been kept busy in Hol|ywood films since he landed in filmdom in 1928. Among his most important screen roles were those in "King Kong," [1933] "Gone with the Wind," [1939] "Imitation of Life," [1934] "Show Boat," [1936] "Kellys and Cohens in Africa" [1930] and "The Foxes of Harrow" [1947]. Smith's most recent film appearances were in 'The Foxes of Harrow," "King's Men" and "Carriage Entrance." In "No Way Out," which Joseph Mankiewicz is directing for Producer Darryl F. Zanuck, Marlowe and Smith join a featured Negro cast including Sidney Poitier, Dots Johnson, Mildred Joanne Smith, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Frederick O'Neal, Amanda Randolph and Maude Simmons. From cast lists accessible on-line it appears that Sam Marlowe jnr, had a role as a student in 'No Way Out' - following in his father's footsteps.
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organisations
Samuel Marlowe is recorded as being involved with several organisations in Los Angeles, some of which are referred to in the press.
Los Angeles Sentinel, August 1, 1991
In L.A., he was the first licensed P.I. west of the Mississippi, and auxiliary L.A. Deputy Sheriff, he founded The West Indian American Club in the mid-thirties to help bridge the gap between foreign and native Blacks. He was a Prince Hall 32 Degree Mason, a charter member of the Caribbean American Credit Union, he served in the old L.A. Eastside Pop Sanders Political Machine of the '30s and '40s, he help founded the Old Black Screen actor's Guild and was a founder of The Universal Negro Improvement Association under the Marcus Garvey Movement.
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The United Civic League is not one of the organisations mentioned in Marlowe's obituary, but was clearly significant.
So far I have been unable to find references to the other organisations mentioned, except for some indications of his role in the U.N.I.A. in Los Angeles, which I hope to be able to follow up. |