Woman of the Century/Kate Claxton

KATE CLAXTON. CLAXTON, Kate, actor, born in New York City, in 1848. Her father, Col. Spencer H. Cone, commanded the 61st New York regiment during the Civil War. Her grandfather, Rev. Spencer H. Cone, was a Baptist clergyman, who for a short period was an actor. Kate Claxton first appeared with Lotta in Chicago, soon afterwards joined Daly's Fifth Avenue Company, and then became a member of the Union Square Company. She attracted no special notice until she appeared as Mathilde in "Led Astray," in 1873, in which character she won considerable popularity. Her greatest success was Louise in "The Two Orphans" first brought out in the Union Square Theater, and afterwards produced throughout the United States. While acting the part in the Brooklyn Theater, the building was destroyed by fire, 5th December, 1876, with much loss of life. Miss Claxton's coolness on that occasion, and at the Southern Hotel fire in St. Louis, Mo., shortly afterwards, won for her much praise. She has more recently played in Charles Reade's "Double Marriage," in the "Sea of Ice" and in "Bootles' Baby." Miss Claxton was divorced from her first husband, Isidor Lyon, a merchant of New York. In 1876 she became the wife of Charles Stevenson, a member of her company.