Lillian Dobbs

This charming, serious little girl was born Lillian Dobbs, May 18, 1881, in Creston, Iowa.She was the daughter of Edward O'Hail Dobbs and Cora Belle Henkle.On the first page of her personal scrapbook she preserved a genealogy which traces her familial roots back to Ireland.

Her father, an investment banker, died of tick fever when Lillian was just an infant.
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Candace and the young child were "inseparable", and Lillian believed any success which came to her should be credited to her grandmother.
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Lillian continued her music studies while she attended Lincoln High School.While she was there she was given permission to study French and German at the University of Nebraska; this served her well in her later vocal career.She graduated in piano from the Nebraska Conservatory of Music in 1896.She was fifteen years old.

From 1897 to 1899 Lillian was an accompanist and voice coach in the Voice Department of the Conservatory.Some of Lincoln's outstanding musicians of the time began to take notice of her.
...
Lillian had hoped to graduate from the University in 1905, but music made many interruptions in her academic schedule.She was invited by her aunt in Chicago for visits so she could hear fine music.She was in high demand as a performer at many local venues including the ProCathdral, St. Paul's Methodist Church, Trinity Methodist Church, Wesleyan University, First Presbyterian Church, the Unitarian Church, the Jewish Synagogue, and the First Church of Christ Scientist.Like many musicians, she performed at various religious institutions without regard to their affiliations.It was the music that was important.

She was always described as a charming performer with a particularly pleasing stage presence.This contemporary newspaper account of an incident during a concert serves to illustrate her public persona:

"The value of quick wit and a sense of the humorous in saving the situation was illustrated at a recent musicale during the singing of a dainty lullaby.The vocalist [i.e., Lillian] had artistically modulated her voice until her audience felt that the cradle was about to stop, when an awful commotion suddenly arose at the door in the arrival of some late comers, who were not aware that a program was in progress.Everybody looked at the singer, who was obliged to stop, but instead of showing signs of irritation she laughed spontaneously and said quickly, "I hope the baby won't wake."As soon as the fresh guests were seated she began the song over again and sang without loss of effectiveness."

Everywhere Lillian performed she was received with great enthusiasm.All of the reviews emphasize the beauty and clarity of her voice as well as her personal charm.She was quite a lovely young woman, with the red hair and blue eyes indicative of her Irish heritage; she stood just over five feet tall.

In 1902 an additional interruption to her career occurred.She met young H. Finley Helms, a popular young dentist and teacher on the faculty of the University Dental College who also had a private practice located in the Burr Block on O Street.
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After her husband's death, Lillian went back east to study with William Nelson Burritt in Carnegie Hall.
...
In 1910 Mr. Crancer, of Crancer Music Store in Lincoln, took Lillian to meet Willard Kimball who was the owner and director of the University School of Music.
...
Lillian was in her element.

This charming, serious little girl was born Lillian Dobbs, May 18, 1881, in Creston, Iowa.She was the daughter of Edward O'Hail Dobbs and Cora Belle Henkle.On the first page of her personal scrapbook she preserved a genealogy which traces her familial roots back to Ireland.

Her father, an investment banker, died of tick fever when Lillian was just an infant.
...
Candace and the young child were "inseparable", and Lillian believed any success which came to her should be credited to her grandmother.
...
Lillian continued her music studies while she attended Lincoln High School.While she was there she was given permission to study French and German at the University of Nebraska; this served her well in her later vocal career.She graduated in piano from the Nebraska Conservatory of Music in 1896.She was fifteen years old.

From 1897 to 1899 Lillian was an accompanist and voice coach in the Voice Department of the Conservatory.Some of Lincoln's outstanding musicians of the time began to take notice of her.
...
Lillian had hoped to graduate from the University in 1905, but music made many interruptions in her academic schedule.She was invited by her aunt in Chicago for visits so she could hear fine music.She was in high demand as a performer at many local venues including the ProCathdral, St. Paul's Methodist Church, Trinity Methodist Church, Wesleyan University, First Presbyterian Church, the Unitarian Church, the Jewish Synagogue, and the First Church of Christ Scientist.Like many musicians, she performed at various religious institutions without regard to their affiliations.It was the music that was important.

She was always described as a charming performer with a particularly pleasing stage presence.This contemporary newspaper account of an incident during a concert serves to illustrate her public persona:

"The value of quick wit and a sense of the humorous in saving the situation was illustrated at a recent musicale during the singing of a dainty lullaby.The vocalist [i.e., Lillian] had artistically modulated her voice until her audience felt that the cradle was about to stop, when an awful commotion suddenly arose at the door in the arrival of some late comers, who were not aware that a program was in progress.Everybody looked at the singer, who was obliged to stop, but instead of showing signs of irritation she laughed spontaneously and said quickly, "I hope the baby won't wake."As soon as the fresh guests were seated she began the song over again and sang without loss of effectiveness."

Everywhere Lillian performed she was received with great enthusiasm.All of the reviews emphasize the beauty and clarity of her voice as well as her personal charm.She was quite a lovely young woman, with the red hair and blue eyes indicative of her Irish heritage; she stood just over five feet tall.

In 1902 an additional interruption to her career occurred.She met young H. Finley Helms, a popular young dentist and teacher on the faculty of the University Dental College who also had a private practice located in the Burr Block on O Street.
...
After her husband's death, Lillian went back east to study with William Nelson Burritt in Carnegie Hall.
...
In 1910 Mr. Crancer, of Crancer Music Store in Lincoln, took Lillian to meet Willard Kimball who was the owner and director of the University School of Music.
...
Lillian was in her element.