Who was the most popular actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries? Direct descendant of President John Adams, Maude Adams (18721953) appeared on stage at just nine months old. Trained by her actress mother Annie Kiskadden, Adams headed to New York City from Utah in her early teens to stun Broadway under New York theatre manager Charles Frohman. Working with the Barrymore acting family, Adams caught the attention of popular playwright J. M. Barrie. They formed a friendship (he called her "Maudie") and Barrie made her his Peter Pan in American productions. Adams bought multiple pieces of New York real estate early on in her career, including over 600 acres in the picturesque Catskills. With her expertise in lighting systems and stagecraft, she was granted three U.S. patents during her employment at General Electric Schenectady. Her relationship with the Sisters of Cenacle at Lake Ronkonkoma deepened during her relationship with author Louise Boynton, which lasted until Louise's death in 1951.

Sources:

Katherine Kiessling, Albany Times Union, "Catskills home of the original 'Peter Pan' actress Maude Adams, for sale" https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvall... (December 2022)

United States Patent and Trademark Office, "Out of the Limelight", https://www.uspto.gov/learningandre...

James Haag, "The Local Life of Maude Adams", Patch.com, https://patch.com/newyork/sachem/the...

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