Zona Maie Griswold Explained

Zona Maie Griswold
Birth Date:	December 19, 1889
Birth Place:	Mulhall, Oklahoma
Death Date:	November 26, 1961
Death Place:	Des Moines, Iowa
Nationality:	American
Other Names:	Zona Griswold, Zona Maie Fimmen (after marriage)
Occupation:	opera singer, concert

Zona Maie Griswold (December 19, 1889 – November 26, 1961) was an American soprano singer from Texas.

Early life and education

Zona Maie Griswold was born in Mulhall, Oklahoma and raised in Dallas, Texas,^[1] the daughter of John Nelson Griswold and Florence Belle Young Griswold. Her father worked as a railroad freight agent;^[2] her mother was a song composer.^[3] Zona Maie Griswold studied voice at the New England Conservatory of Music, with further training in Berlin.^[4]

Career

In 1914 Griswold was one of the soloists at the Texas State Saengerfest.^[5] She also sang with the Grand Saline Band and the Apollo Chorus of Fort Worth.^{[6] [7]}

During her time in New York, Griswold was soloist at Glen Ridge Congregational Church in New Jersey, and sang regularly at other churches and clubs,^{[8] [9] [10]} and often on radio in the 1920s.^{[11] [12]} "Her limpid, clear, vibrant tone quality, her excellent musicianship, and her serious devotion to artistic ideals have gained for her a widespread demand to sing more songs more frequently," according to a 1924 report.^[13]

She appeared (as an opera singer) on Broadway in The Guardsman (1924-1925). She also taught singing in New York.^[14]

Personal life

Zona Maie Griswold married businessman Edward August Fimmen in 1916. They had daughters, Zona Maie (born 1917) and Florence Lilly (born 1919).^[15] She was widowed when Edward died in 1947.^[16] She died from Parkinson's disease in 1961, aged 71, while living with her daughter in Des Moines, Iowa.^[17] She was buried in Dallas.^[18]

Notes and References

1. https://books.google.com/books?id=xnZFAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22Zona+Maie+Griswold%22&pg=RA17-PA27 "Zona Maie Griswold"
2. https://books.google.com/books?id=vABLAAAAYAAJ&dq=John+Nelson+Griswold+Dallas&pg=RA4-PA64 "Made Traffic Manager"
3. E. D. B., "Two New Organizations Formed in Dallas, Tex." Musical America (July 24, 1915): 8.
4. Sinclair Moreland, The Texas Women's Hall of Fame (Biographical Press 1917): 246-247.
5. https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-may-13-1914-1111927/ "German Singers Win Praise of Critics"
6. https://books.google.com/books?id=x-w6AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22Zona+Maie+Griswold%22&pg=RA3-PA36 "Zona Maie Griswold Winning Success in Texas"
7. https://books.google.com/books?id=x-w6AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22Zona+Maie+Griswold%22&pg=RA11-PA50 "Zona Maie Griswold Scores in Dallas"
8. https://books.google.com/books?id=x-w6AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22Zona+Maie+Griswold%22&pg=PA105 "Zona Maie Griswold, Soloist at Century Theater Club"
9. https://books.google.com/books?id=x-w6AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22Zona+Maie+Griswold%22&pg=RA1-PA91 "Zona Maie Griswold Sings Springtide Songs"
10. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30016834/zona_maie_griswold_1918/ "Woman's Club Starts Season"
11. https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Broadcasting-News/Radio-Broadcasting-News-1922-11-18.pdf "Artists at New York Station JWZ"
12. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30017135/zona_maie_griswold_1923/ "Operatic Soprano On Program of WOR"
13. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30016024/zona_maie_griswold_1924/ "Secure Soprano"
14. https://books.google.com/books?id=AbZLAAAAYAAJ&dq=Zona+Fimmen&pg=PA216 The Musical Blue Book of America, Volume 4
15. Edna Waugh Townsend, The Griswold family, England-America, volume 4 (Griswold Family Association of America 1962): 20. via Internet Archive
16. https://newspaperarchive.com/obituary-clipping-oct-13-1947-82171/ "Edward A. Fimmen, I. W. C. Alumnus, Dies"
17. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30017442/zona_maie_griswold_fimmen_1961/ "Mrs. Fimmen Services Set"
18. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30017342/zona_maie_fimmen_1961/ "Fimmen"