Fanny Lockett Marks

b. 8 February 1884, d. 16 May 1975

  • Fanny Lockett Marks was born on 8 February 1884 in Montgomery, Alabama.
  • A photographic portrait was made of Fanny Lockett Marks and her violin, about 1895.
  • George Mathews Marks and Hettie Minor Lockett appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in Montgomery, Alabama, at 615 South Perry Street. Other members of the household included Fanny Lockett Marks, George Mathews Marks Jr., Mary Louise Marks, Hettie Marks and Agnes Cary Marks.
  • The following appeared on 22 December 1901 in The Montgomery Advertiser: Christmas Music at Court Street Church. An excellent program of Christmas music has been arranged for the morning service at the Court Street Methodist Church today.
         The excellency of the choir has been greatly enhanced by the acquisition of Mrs. Minnie Fish Griffin, who for two years was soloist of the Thomas Orchestra. Mrs. Griffin possesses a superb soprano voice and she will sing a solo today with violin obligato by Mr. Bennett Griffin. . . .
  • The following appeared on 20 June 1902 in The Montgomery Advertiser: The second anniversary of Montgomery Lodge No. 596, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, was observed last night in a way that made the occasion memorable in the annals of Montgomery Elkdom. The scene of the celebrative exercises was the pavilion at Oak Park and a most delightful evening was spent by the Elks and their lady friends. . . .
         The next number on the program was a violin solo by Miss Fanny Marks, Montgomery's popular violinist. She showed a perfect mastery of the instrument and her audience was held spellbound with the strains that she drew from it. Her audience was insatiable in its demands for more and in response to repeated encores she gave two popular selections and retired amid a storm of applause. Miss Marks's participation in last night's program strengthened her position in the esteem of the music-loving public of Montgomery.
  • The following appeared on 6 June 1903 in The Montgomery Advertiser: Miss Fannie Marks has returned form Marion, where she has been the past year giving violin instruction at the Judson.
  • The following appeared on 30 June 1903 in The Montgomery Advertiser: Miss Fanny Marks left for Chicago last night. She will spend some time there with Mrs. Bennett Griffin and will pursue her studies on the violin.
  • The following appeared on 2 June 1905 in The Montgomery Advertiser: Miss Fannie Marks has returned home from Chicago, where she has spent the past winter and spring studying the violin.
  • George Mathews Marks and Hettie Minor Lockett appeared in the US federal census of 15 April 1910 in Montgomery, Alabama, at 615 South Perry Street. Other members of the household included Fanny Lockett Marks, George Mathews Marks Jr., Mary Louise Marks, Hettie Marks and Agnes Cary Marks. Also in the household was.
  • The following appeared on 4 September 1910 in The Montgomery Advertiser: Violin Instruction - Miss Fannie Lockett Marks will receive pupils at 615 S. Perry St., having just returned from Europe from a course of study under the greatest living teachers, viz.: Leopold Auer, Alexander Fiedermann (both teachers of Mischa Ellman), Theodore Spiering (Concert Meister of N. Y. Philharmonic Society).
  • The following appeared on 22 July 1911 in The Montgomery Advertiser: The Mobile Register says: "Miss Fanny Marks of Montgomery who came to Mobile at the time of the Southern States Musical Association, and who was the guest of Miss Bester , now Mrs. W. B. Inge, at the time of the musical convention here, will go to Chicago for the musical season there in December. She will remain there some months and will fill several engagements for which she is already booked. Miss Marks is a talented musician and her mastery of the violin is remarkable. she has had the advantage of studying with the best masters in Berlin and this fact added to her natural gifts, makes her a success as a teacher and soloist. Her friends throughout the State predict for her a brilliant future."
  • She married Robert Emmet Seibels, son of Emmet Seibels and Anne Goldthwaite, on 26 November 1912 in Montgomery, Alabama, at St. John's Episcopal Church, with Rev. E. E. Cobbs officiating.
  • The following appeared on 27 November 1912 in The Montgomery Advertiser: A marriage of unusual interest throughout the South, as both bride and bride-groom are members of old and distinguished families, was that of Mr. Robert Emmett Seibels and Miss Fannie Lockett Marks, which was brilliantly solemnized at 8 o'clock Tuesday evening at St. John's Episcopal Church. The decorations were characterized by simplicity, ferns, palms and snowy-white chrysanthemums being used in the chancel and about the altar. Before the ceremony a beautiful musical program was rendered by the organist, Mr. William Bauer, and by Miss Nellie Wolff, violinist. Miss Wolff gave a most artistic rendition of "Meditation" from "Thais."
         The bridal party entered to the strains of the bridal chorus from Hohengrin, sung by the full vested choir. The ushers, Mr. A. N. Catrevas, Mr. Hardy McGehee, Mr. Atlee Jordan, Mr. Boyd McGehee, Mr. Gilbert Johnson, Mr. Winter Thorington, Mr. A. H. Arrington, Mr. Burgin Fuller, Mr. A. P. Tyson, Jr., and George Marks.
         Miss Virginia Bragg Smith, the young cousin of the bride, entered next. . . . Mrs. Temple Seibels, matron of honor, entered next. . . . Mrs. William Bauer, sister of the bride. . . Mrs. A. K. McKemie, another sister of the bride . . . . Just preceding the bride was her maid of honor, Miss Eunice Semmes. . . .
         The bride entered with her father, Mr. George M. Marks by whom she was given in marriage. . . Mr. Seibels was attended by his brother, Mr. Henry Seibels of Birmingham as best man, and the ceremony was performed by Rev. E. E. Cobbs.
         Immedicately afterwards, Mr. and Mrs. Seibels left for a bridal trip to New York and other points North. . . .
         From New York they will go to Chicago and Evanston, Ill., where they will be tendered a brilliant reception by Miss Cornelia Lunt.
         After December 15 they will return to Montgomery and will be at home with her parents, at 615 South Perry Street.
         The bride is a girl of unusual beauty and possesses a sweet, lovable nature which has endeared her to a wide circle of friends who wish for her every happiness. In addition, whe is a violinist of note, having spent several years in Europe, studying. She has appeared in concerts throughout the North and South, each time receiving an ovation, and her playing has received the most complimentary notices from the press.
         Mr. Seibels is one of Montgomery's most prominent and successful young business men and is popular in club, business and social circles. He has a host of friends who extend to him sincere congratulations.
         Mr. and Mrs. Seibels will spend Thanksgiving in Lynchburg, Va., with their sister, Miss Agnes Marks, who is a student at Randolph-Macon College.
  • The following appeared on 22 December 1912 in The Montgomery Advertiser: Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Seibels have returned from their briday trip and are at home with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Goerge Marks.
  • The following appeared on 3 December 1914 in The Montgomery Advertiser: Mrs. Minnie Fish Griffin, of Chicago, Mrs. Fannie Marks Siebels and Mr. William Bauer will give a "Puccini Hour" Friday at 12 o'clock at the Margaret Boot School.
  • Robert Emmet Seibels and Fanny Lockett Marks appeared in the US federal census of 1 January 1920 in Montgomery, Alabama, at 629 South Perry Street. Other members of the household included William Temple Seibels and Robert Emmet Seibels Jr.
  • She was self-employed as a music teacher, according to the 1920 census.
  • The following appeared on 13 May 1921 in The Columbus Ledger: The marriage of Miss Emily Pitts and Mr. Jule C. Mitchell, of Columbus, Ga., was solemnized Wednesday evening at 8:30 o'clock at the home of the bride, 116 Grove street, Montgomery, Ala. Miss Pitts is the daughter of Robert N. Pitts, and because of his serious illness at an Atlanta hospital, the wedding was very quiet, with only a few close friends of the family and relatives present. Mrs. Oneita Green Saffold and Mrs. Fanny Marks Seibels played the wedding music. Mrs. Seibels playing the violin, accompanied by Mrs. Saffold. The home was beautifully decorated for the occasion. A large altar with cathedral candle sticks on either side, holding burning candles, was the only lights used during the ceremony.
         The bride and groom stood directly under a magnificent portrait of the bride's mother while the ceremony was being performed and immediately after the ceremony the young couple were tendered a reception, leaving soon afterwards on a wedding journey. Miss Pitts is one of Montgomery's most popular and lovable young women and has any friends throughout the state, who will be interested in her marriage. Mr. Mitchell is a member of a prominent Columbus family and has many friends both in business and musical circles.
         Among the out of town guests present at the Mitchell-Pitts wedding were the mother and brother of the groom of Columbus, Ga., and Miss Julia Pitts and Miss Mary Pitts of Pittsview, Ala.
  • Robert Emmet Seibels and Fanny Lockett Marks appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1930 in Montgomery, Alabama, at 619 South Perry Street. Other members of the household included William Temple Seibels and Robert Emmet Seibels Jr.
  • She was self-employed as a music teacher at home, according to the 1930 census.
  • She was a music teacher, according to the 1940 census.
  • Robert Emmet Seibels and Fanny Lockett Marks appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1940 in Montgomery, Alabama, at 619 South Perry Street. Other members of the household included Robert Emmet Seibels Jr. and William Temple Seibels.
  • In 1958 Fanny Marks Seibels published Wishes Were Horses.
  • The following appeared on 18 January 1966 in The Tuscaloosa News: (Birmingham) The City of Montgomery has given a plaque of appreciation to Mrs. Robert Seibels, described as Alabama's "first lady of the violin."
         The plaque was presented by Miss Margaret McFall, representing Montgomery Mayor Earl James, during a combined concert staged by the Montgomery Youth Symphony Orchestra; Birmingham Youth Symphony and birmingham Youth training Orchestras.
         Mrs. Seibels, widely known as Fanny Marks Seibels, was a child prodigy but gave up a promising concert career to marry Seibels. She continued her musical pursuits, however, and taught private lessons, conducted the Sidney Lanier High School Orchestra and formed the Fanny Makrs Seibels Orchestra, retiring at age 70.
  • Fanny Lockett Marks became a widow at the 8 June 1966 death of her husband Robert Emmet Seibels.
  • Fanny Lockett Marks died on 16 May 1975 at age 91.
  • She was interred at Oakwood Cemetery, Montgomery, Alabama.
  • The following appeared in in the Sidney Lanier High School yearbook Oracle: Mrs. Fanny Lockett Marks Seibels (Orchestra 1940-1954) was born on February 8, 1884, in Montgomery, Alabama, to George and Hettie Lockett Marks. She studied violin in New York City, Chicago, and in Europe. Fanny married Emmet Seibels, and they had two sons. She later taught violin at Judson College; and led the Music Appreciation Club and the Lanier High School orchestra in Montgomery. Her autobiography, Wishes Are Horses, was published in 1958. Fanny passed away in May of 1975.
  • The following appeared on 7 December 2012 in the Mobile Press-Register: Ruth Virginia Lidden Seibels departed this life on December 2, 2012 after a brief illness. She was born on August 31, 1920 and was preceded in death by her husband William Temple Siebels. The couple lived for many years in Montgomery where Ruth worked for the Alabama Cattle's Association. The couple later moved to Mobile where Temple served as the Entomologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Theodore. Ruth met Temple when she took violin lessons from his mother, Fanny Marks Seibels. Ruth became an accomplished violinist, and would later play in the Mobile Symphony. Ruth was also the inspiration for Mrs. Seibel's book Wishes are Horses, which tells of Mrs. Seibel's life as a concert violinist. The first female conductor of the Montgomery Symphony, Mrs. Seibels began each chapter of her book with "Dear Ruth Virginia" and structured the book as a series of letters to her daughter-in-law. Ruth, with her husband Temple, who was an expert horticulturist, sold flowers at the Montgomery Curb Market. Temple later cultivated a new camellia he named "Japonica Ruth Seibels" after Ruth. The camellia first appeared in the Camellia Handbook in 1975. After Temple's death Ruth moved to Westminster Village in Spanish Fort where she continued to play her violin, and share her skills with others. She donated and extensive shell collection of her husband to Weeks Bay Foundation where it is on display at the Foundation office. Later Ruth resided in the Brennity in Fairhope and remained there until her death. She is survived by her niece Julie Temple Seibels Northup of Ashville, North Carolina, her nephew Robert Emmet Seibels, III of Montgomery, Alabama, cousin Priscilla Scholes of Plant City, Florida and a cousin Donald Benton Finely of Parkton, North Carolina, as well as numerous other cousins. Graveside funeral services will be held on December 12, 2012 at 2:00pm at Greenwood Cemetery in Montgomery and a Celebration of Life for Ruth will be conducted at Westminster Village in Spanish Fort on December 21, 2012 at 10:00am. The family request in lieu of flowers donations should be made to St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Daphne, St. John's Episcopal Church in Montgomery or the Montgomery Symphony.
  • Last Edited: 26 Jun 2016

Family: Robert Emmet Seibels b. 25 March 1875, d. 8 June 1966