Los Angeles County
Biographies
THOMAS WALWORK PRIOR
PRIOR, THOMAS WALWORK, Amusement Mgr., Venice Cal., was
born, East Boston, Mass., Oct. 27, 1861.
Son of William Matthew and Hannah Frances (Walwork) Prior. married Annie Jane Pond, Chicago, Ill.,
July 17, 1883, and to them there was born a son, Frank Matthew Prior.
The father
of Mr. Prior is a noted portrait painter, many of his works being on exhibition
in the Boston Museum of Art.
Mr. Prior
was educated in the East
Boston Grammar
School to 1873, after which he educated himself. He took up art and was first newspaper artist
and illustrator west of N. Y. as artist on Chicago Daily News late 70s. In 1880 went with Chicago Times under Wilbur
F. Storey to fall of 85. Then Treas.
Chicago Opera House when it opened, Sept., 85.
Became Bus. Mgr., 1886, remaining until 1891. Then managed Digby Bell Opera Co. as owner
until 1893. Mgr. Schiller Theater,
Chicago, 93, and its lessee, 94.
Engaged in
flotation of Cotton Gin Co., Phila., Boston,
N. Y. and London, 96-7-8-9.
Manger,
Ferris Wheel, Chicago,
95. manger York State Folks and Beauty
Dr. Musical Comedy, 1900-05. Dir.,
Publicity, White City,
Chicago,
06. Same, Riverview Park,
Chicago 07. Dir. Amusements and laid
out Forest park, Chicago,
08. Built the famous Ice Palace, Chicago, and operated it
until March, 1911.
Mr. Prior
built The Race Thru the Clouds, the largest racing roller coaster in the
world at Venice, Cal.
He operates this and other amusement enterprises on the Pacific Coast.
Mr. Prior
is a member of the Union League, Los
Angeles, and of the Elks. He was given gratuitous membership in Chicago, Lodge, No. 4 of
the Elks because of services to the Order.
Was dimitted to Santa Monica (Cal.) Lodge, Feb., 1912.
Transcribed
By: Michele Y. Larsen on 18 November 2011.
Source: Press Reference
Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 859, International News Service,
New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2011 Michele
Y. Larsen.
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