Charlie Drace

There is an article on Charlie Drace on our Omeka site (note that it has no sources listed, so it should be considered unverified information for now). There is also an article on his Drace Theatre.

He was reportedly born in Ohio, but came from Pennsylvania.

Birth: 25 August 1869 (death certificate)

Death: 25 September 1928 (obituary; Gettysburg obituary)

Family:

Parents Felix MacIlhenny Drace and Laura Virginia Will Drais. Felix fought for the U.S. Army in the Civil War; he died in 1915 and is buried at Gettysburg, though he was not killed there.
Six brothers and two sisters survived his death.
Married Fannie Miller of Greenville
- father: John M. Miller, Confederate veteran. Dec 21 1928 article that he's critically ill and daughter Fannie is also ill in Greer
- mother: Mary Miller; died April 3, 1927
Daughter Pearl, born 1898, married B.S. Peeler; two boys, Drace and B.S. Jr.
Son Kramer Paul Drace, eldest son, born June 1, 1900; married Willie Mae Putnam May 12, 1929
Son Lee, born about 1906, died from a swimming accident July 21, 1925 at age 19
Son William (Bill) Monroe Drace, born Jan 2, 1911. Married Helen Cox Drace. According to Leland Burch conversation May 21, 2022, they had no children.

There's an interesting "error" in the 1910 census. It shows the household of Charles Drace as being himself as head, wife Fannie, number of children: 3 — but only two listed, being sons Kramer (10) and Lee (4). However, just a few lines up on the page (meaning just a few houses up the street), is a listing for John and Mary Miller, and in the house is Pearl (12), listed as granddaughter. The Millers were Fannie's parents. It's unclear if Pearl lived with them for a while, or if she was just visiting when the census-taker arrived.

From Greenville News articles (and a few other sources, noted):

Feb 26, 1901 — CW making a specialty of photos in Japanese oil paintings
Feb 6, 1903 — elected as 1 of 4 wardens on city council
Mar 25, 1917 — Dr. C. W. Drace, photography and art store including books, postcards, paper, etc.; operates both the Grand Theatre and the Dixie Theatre
Nov 1, 1917 — ad for the Grand Theatre at Paris, SC
Draft registration: in September 1918, Kramer registered for the military draft at age 18. His occupation is listed as fireman for the Southern Railway. His residence is listed as 46 Arlington in Greer (his parents lived at what is now 109 E. Arlington; there is not now a 46 Arlington. I haven't researched where 46 was, or even if the street has been renumbered and he was still living with his parents).
Dec 22, 1918 — ad for the Grand Theatre at Greer
Mar 30, 1920 — Planter's bank will purchase Drace's studio to expand their own building
Aug 24, 1921 — J.C. Dreher leased the Grand in Greer, intending to show only the best pictures released
Sept 10, 1922 — Grand Theatre ad for a showing of Storm. Children 10c, adults 25c.
July 12, 1925 — son Lee, age 19, dies. He was injured in a swimming accident 11 days earlier that left him fully paralyzed.
April 30, 1928 — the Grand burns down, totally destroyed
July 4/5, 1928 — CW rebuilding the Grand
July 5, 1928 — new building will be much bigger than the one it replaces; 25' x 125', with a balcony 25' x 45'. Main floor seating capacity is 525; balcony capacity is 125. Includes cooling and heat. Rebuilding the sign shop in the back.
July 20, 1928 — will open on Aug 1 with Kramer as the manager. Projectors being installed. Seating capacity 625. System of cooling and heating is among the best in the country.
Aug 1, 1928 — Kramer Drace opened an all-new Grand
Aug 20, 1928 — CW is resting well at the Sanitarium
Sept 22, 1928 — CW has been very ill, returns to Chick Springs Sanitarium
Sept 26, 1928 — CW died. From Pennsylvania; lived in Greer 35 years. Member of Memorial Methodist Church. Member of Bailey Masonic Lodge. Interred at Mountain View Cemetery.
April 30, 1929 — Kramer, age 28, marries Willie Mae Putnam, age 20; is manager and owner of the Grand; and is interested in a chain of theatres in the Carolinas
May 13, 1929 — Kramer is in charge of his father's business (assuming the Grand Theatre)
1930 census: Kramer and wife Willie Mae are listed as boarders at a hotel on Trade Street in Greer. Kramer was 29, Willie was 21. Kramer is listed as manager of a motion picture theatre.
1938: Kramer and Willie go to Newton to manage three theatres (noted in his obituary).
1940 census: Kramer and wife Willie Mae, now 39 and 31, are listed as renting a house in Newton, NC. He is the manager of a theatre and she is a cashier of a theatre. His income is listed at $2,600 and hers at $350; he is marked as having an additional source of income.
Mar 28, 1941 — Fannie Drace placed an ad to sell pit bull puppies.
Mar 30, 1941 — Grand gets some upgrades. Bill Drace lists for sale 200 veneer theatre chairs, plus a theatre marquee 8’x11’x8’ with “plenty of neon.”
Linda Kay Drace born to Kramer and Willie on April 29, 1941 in Catawba Co., NC.
Kramer worked as manager of theatre until August 1941, when four months of illness struck.
Dec 8, 1941 — Kramer Drace died (death certificate: cerebral hemorrhage from chronic hypertension). Buried in Mt. View Cemetery. For several years he was manager of the Grand in Greer; in 1938 he went to Newton to become manager of three theatres there. Like his father, member of Memorial Methodist and Bailey Masonic Lodge. Survived by daughter, Linda Kay Drace.
Aug 28, 1948 — Bill Drace’s application for a new radio station is denied.
Aug 24, 1960 — Bill Drace ad listing the Grand for lease starting Sept 1. Latest stereo sound and air conditioning. Approximately $8 per day rental.
Aug 17, 1964 — Bill Drace dies suddenly after a couple weeks of illness. Obituary says he had been owner/operator of the Grand until 5 years ago, and operator of Progressive Devices Co.
Aug 26, 1986 — Willie Drace died. She was a retired textile employee.

"Drace's Theatre" in Greenville, mentioned several times in the Gville News from July 1929 through January 1930.

Living descendants:

Pearl's family line has ended; both sons died with no known spouses or children.
Bill and wife did not have children.
Lee died at age 19, no know spouse or children.
Kramer had one daughter, Linda Kay Drace:
- born April 29, 1941, Catawba Co., NC (county birth records). FATHER DIED IN SEPTEMBER — she never knew him.
- June 11, 1954 (about age 13) participated in a recital of the Theo Dyer School of Music
- Photo in 1958 Greenville High School yearbook, page 64, as a Junior:
- Photo in 1959 Greenville High School yearbook, page 30, as a Senior:
- Married Samuel "Sam" P. Lollis
- Live at 101 Hawthorne Ln, Greenville, SC 29605; phone: (864) 233-3958. I called and spoke with Linda on Friday, May 27, 2022. She said she knew very little about her grandfather or father, didn't seem interested in talking about them, and quickly ended the call saying "I'll think about it and get back to you."
- Mother, Willie, died Tuesday, August 26, 1986. She was a retired textile employee. At that time, Linda was in Easley.
- Son, Ronald "Ronnie" Lollis of Greenville, born June 7, 1963, passed away on May 23, 2018, at the age of 54.
- Son, Donald Brian Lollis
- Daughter, Teresa Lollis Lozano
- Donald Lollis found by a people search at 223 Kondros Cir, Greenville, SC 29611, (864) 295-3892
- Possible daughter of Donald: Ashley Lollis, Approximate Age: 27, Current Address: 135 Margaret St; Easley, SC 29640-1026; Related to: Cynthia D Lollis David G Lollis David G Lollis Sheila S Lollis Donald Brian Lollis