Descendants of Captain Arthur Fenner

Beatrice Fenner

[b 15 Apr. 1904 in Los Angeles, CA; d 31 Dec. 1985 in Los Angeles, CA] Either from birth or from a young age, Beatrice was blind. Music must have been valued in the family, as her sister Helen was known as a soprano soloist, whereas Beatrice became a pianist and composer. After her sister’s marriage in 1917 and subsequent move to Arizona, and her father’s death in 1919, she lived with her mother Cora in Los Angeles. After Cora’s death in 1949, her ability to manage her own affairs is unclear.

Her music training included piano and harmony from Fanny Dillon, and composition from Allard de Ridder of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. By 1924, at only 20 years old, Beatrice had established a music publishing relationship with G. Ricordi, and her songs were being lauded by Italian opera singer Amelita Galli-Curci (1882–1963). By 1936, she was publishing under own banner, the Beatrice Fenner Publishing Company, also known as Fenner Publications, 1017 Westlake Ave., Los Angeles. One of her most widely known songs was “When Children Pray” (1938). It was recorded by baritone John Charles Thomas and accompanist Carroll Hollister on 21 August 1939 for Victor records in Hollywood, CA, and released in 1940 as Victor 2033-A. She also published a collection of poems, Blue Laughter (1937).

For a list of her compositions, see WorldCat (OCLC).

Lineage:
Arthur | Arthur | Edward | Arthur | Samuel | Dean | Frederick | Beatrice

Sources:
1. “Galli-Curci praises blind girl composer,” The Los Angeles Record, 8 Nov. 1924: JPG
2. “Unusual occupations discovered in Los Angeles,” Los Angeles Times, 14 Sept. 1931: JPG
3. “Recital offers new songs by Beatrice Fenner,” Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 1936: JPG