Dorothy C Birdwell

1909 - 1930  (21 years)  Submit Photo / Document

• Name	Dorothy C Birdwell
  Born	19 Jun 1909	Weatherford, Parker Co., TX
  Gender	Female
  Occupation	Actress
  Died	8 Dec 1930
  	Cause: Apparent Suicide
  Buried	Fairmount Cemetery, San Angelo, Tom Green Co., TX Block 6, Lot 13
  Notes	Name: Dorothy Birdwell Death date: 08 Dec 1930 Death place: Dallas County, Texas Gender: Female Race or color (on document): White Age at death: 21 years 5 months 19 days Estimated birth year: Birth date: 19 Jun 1909 Birthplace: Texas Marital status: Single Spouse's name: Father's name: R. J. Birdwell Father's birthplace: Texas Mother's name: Lela M. Mitcham Mother's birthplace: Texas Occupation: Actress Residence: Cemetery name: Burial place: Brownwood, Texas Burial date: 10 Dec 1930 Additional relatives: X Film number: 2135429 Digital GS number: 4163590 Image number: 2124 Reference number: cn 57556 Collection: Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 [1] Miss Birdwell Bullet Victim --------------------------------------- Seen by Hundreds Before Identified As Girl Once on Broadway ------------------------------------------ A young woman who was found early Tuesday shot to death beneath a bridge in the Mountain Creek district, six miles west of Dallas, was identified twelve hours later as Miss Dorothy Birdwell, 21, of 913 East Ninth street Oak Cliff. Several hundred people had filed through the parlors of the Archer-Cox Funeral Home, less than a mile away, in an effort to identify her before one came who knew her. Her identity was established by J.M. Hume, who lives in the same apartment house with the Birdwell family. the girl’s mother, Mrs. R. J. Birdwell and two sisters were visiting Miss Birdwell’s brother in Los Angeles at the time of her death. Formerly on Broadway Miss Birdwell sustained serious injuries in an automobile accident. Mr. Hume said about two years ago and had never fully recovered. Since then she was subject to periods of dejection. Prior to the time of her automobile accident Miss Birdwell was engaged in theatrical work on New York’s Broadway. Mr. Hume said. Justice Robert Ogden, who began a coroner’s inquest Tuesday morning at night. said his verdict will be that death was suicidal. The bridge beneath which the girls body was found is on a lane which intersects the Blue Cut Road and about half a mile from that highway. She was found when James Daugherty and Robert Dixon, county highway employees, halted their automobile at the bridge and went beneath it to get water for it’s overheated motor. They notified Sheriff Hal Hood and Deputies went to the scene and assisted in his investigation. Seen Near By Day Before Residents of the Mountain Creek district identified Miss Birdwell as the woman they saw Monday walking alone in the vicinity in which her body was found. Officers reported that apparently she had walked through some mud to a tree stump and was sitting on it when the fatal shot was fired. The bullet entered her heart. Her clothes and breast were powder burned. Besides her mother. Mrs. R. J. Birdwell, Miss Birdwell is survived by two sisters. Miss Tomasita Birdwell and Miss Mary Birdwell, all of 913 East Ninth street, and one brother. R. J. Birdwell of Los Angeles. December 10, 1930 Dallas Morning News [2]
  Person ID	I6280	Extended Families of Childress
  Last Modified	8 Jun 2020

  
  

  Father	Russell J Birdwell,   b. 6 Nov 1876, Johnson Co., TX ,   d. 20 Jun 1916  (Age 39 years)
  Mother	Lela Julia Mitcham,   b. 16 Nov 1883, Malakoff, Henderson Co., TX ,   d. 25 Jan 1971, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Ca  (Age 87 years)
  Married	14 Sep 1898	Henderson Co., TX
  Family ID	F2271	Group Sheet

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 19 Jun 1909 - Weatherford, Parker Co., TX  = Link to Google Maps   = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Documents » Slide Show		"Queen Sheba", Betty Blythe to Attend Dallas Auto Show Dallas Morning News Feb 12 1922
  		Dorothy and Cherie Birdwell Dallas Morning News Feb. 12, 1922
  		Manifest of the ship "Volendam" Lela Birdwell Dorothy Birdwell Tomasita Birdwell Departing Aug. 11, 1926 Boulogne-sur-Mer arriving Aug 21, 1926 NY
  		The Volendam - Holland America Line Built 1922 Departing Aug. 11, 1926 Boulogne-sur-Mer arriving Aug 21, 1926 N __________________________________ VOLENDAM 1922 was built by Harland & Wolff, Glasgow (engines by Harland & Wolff, Belfast) in 1922. She was a 15,434 gross ton ship, overall length 575ft x beam 67.3ft, two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 15 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 263-1st, 436-2nd and 1,200-3rd class. Purchased by Holland America Line while under construction, she was launched on 6th July 1922 after attempts on 23rd and 24th June had failed. Her maiden voyage started on 4th Nov.1922 when she sailed from Rotterdam for New York. In May 1926 she was refitted to carry 1st, 2nd, tourist and 3rd class passengers, April 1930 to 1st, tourist and 3rd class and Feb.1936 to cabin, tourist and 3rd class. Her last Rotterdam - New York voyage commenced 5th Apr.1940 and on 30th Aug.1940 she was torpedoed by a German submarine 200 miles from Bloody Foreland when carrying child evacuees to Canada. Beached on the Isle of Bute, she was repaired and in July 1941 became a troopship. Returned to Rotterdam in July 1945, she was partly reconditioned and in 1946 carried Dutch troops to Indonesia. In 1947 she was used in the Australia emigrant service and in June 1948 made her first Rotterdam - Quebec sailing for the Netherlands government with capacity for 1,500 single class passengers. In Sep.1948 she started her first Rotterdam - New York sailing and commenced her last voyage on this route in Feb.1951. In Oct.1951 she made her last Rotterdam - Quebec - Rotterdam voyage and in 1952 was scrapped at Hendrik Ido Ambacht. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.3,p.914]
  		Miss Birdwell Bullet Victim Dallas Morning News 12-10-1930
  		Dorothy Birdwell Texas Death Certificate
  		Lela Mitcham Birdwell and daughters, Dorothy 12 and Mary (Cherie Valentine) 17. Photo from Lela's 1921 US Passport Application
  		1920 US Census - TX - Dallas County Lela Mitcham Birdwell and children
  		1910 US Census - TX - Val Verde County Family of Russell J Birdwell

  
  

• Sources

  [S171] Texas Death Index 1890-1976. [S263] Dallas Morning News, 10 Dec 1930.