A tale of real people finding themselves, dreaming big and never giving up.

 

    One reason I read is to learn from the experience of others. This is why I loved the Maybelline Story (that and the exciting American history backdrop in Chicago and Hollywood). The characters in this story are vibrant and inspiring. I was swept up into their journey and struggles so much that I read the book in 3 days! I love a book that stirs my emotions enough that I actually care about how the lives of the characters unfold. Some face their demons and move into the light, all find their way. This is a tale of real people finding themselves, dreaming big and never giving up. It screams HBO mini-series all over it.

     I saw a woman reading this book on a recent flight so I took a quick look at it. I spent several hours reading it yesterday and did not want to put it down. It is a real page turner for anyone interested in history, Hollywood glamour, self made men and family drama. It has very little to do with makeup and everything to do with building a business, while the family's dynamics and secrets unfold. I'm sure this will be turned into a movie in the future if it is not already in the works. 

     This was the fastest read I've ever done! The legacy, the story, and the drama behind it kept me intrigued! its a great story about the uprising of the company and the family of Maybelline. Tom Lyle Williams and the story behind him is truly one of a kind!  I would recommend this read to anyone. Can't wait for the movie! Great Read! 

AMAZON CLICK AND BUY 

Maybelline's Rosie the Riveter during World War ll was the Wonder Woman of her time

Long before the Women's Movement, Rosie the Riveters of
WW11,  built all the planes, ships, tanks and all necessary equipment that our country needed to win the war.  They were
the ones who knocked down the doors for women's rights. 

It was a mans world up until 1941 when Pearl Harbor was

bombed. It was Rosie the riveters who built the B-17s and the

B-29. They found that the women were every bit as good at

these jobs as men were, some of us were better.  worked hard to promote Rosie.

Krier has had Congressman, Mike Fitzpatrick propose to make

May 23rd National Rosie the Riveter Day. She is working on

trying to get a statue of Rosie in the WW11 Memorial in

Washington D.C. There were between 16 and 20 million

women who went to work during the war. It is time for these

amazing women to get due recognition.

Krie goes to different groups to tell the Rosie Stories. Some

are really outstanding. Krier often said that "if it hadn't of been

for Rosies role in WW11, we may be speaking German or

Japanese today."

"ROSIE THE RIVETER WAS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL RECRUITMENT TOOL IN AMERICAN HISTORY."

" I think they were right,"  Mae Krier

It's officially Fall and the Holidays are around the corner. I'm happy and sad at the same time to see Summer go this year. I was thinking about Maybelline's new Wonder Woman line of make up and realized that during WW11, Rosie the Riveter was the Wonder Woman of her time. Our strong mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers were the Wonder Women who inspired the Super Women of today. Here is Maybelline's Rosie the Riveter from the 1940s.

The Maybelline Story takes you on a journey through 20th century America, and into the 21st as the worlds largest Cosmetic Brand

The Maybelline Story starts almost a century ago and takes you though the interesting life of founder Tom Lyle Williams and his fascinating family as he climbs his way to achieving the all American dream. Cross country it will take you from Chicago to Hollywood, mingling with the who's who in each era and location. Read how a fluke turned into a simple product, and how it turned into an international sensation and empire. Follow their lives and families lives for almost 80 years.        

The Maybelline Story is one that has left a lasting impression upon America, yet not many realize just how vital a role the cosmetic brand has played in shaping idealism today.  The obsession with perfection is widely seen throughout Hollywood, as it was nearly 100 years ago.  However, the obsession at that time did not reach the rest of society as it has today.  Early cosmetic developers, such as founder Tom Lyle Williams of the Maybelline Co. brought cosmetics to the everyday woman, pushing the idea that every woman, young and old, regardless of class, can obtain glamour and beauty with a simple swish of the eyes.  That’s where Maybelline got its start.  Developed in a time where women were breaking away from being modest and obedient housewives, and starting to seek their right as legal voters and equals in society.

The Maybelline story captivates all audiences by its incredible survival through economic, social, and personal turmoil.  The Maybelline Story takes you on a journey through 20^th century America, and into the 21^st century where Maybelline New York, now owned my L'Oreal,  thrives as a billion-dollar Icon and still the world’s largest cosmetic brand.

Maybelline Roots, in Morganfield Kentucky.

Growing up loving Gunsmoke, my first glimmer of romantic thoughts, came in the form of Marshal Dillon an Miss Kitty.

In all the research I did for The Maybelline Story, I found our family had it's own romantic past, in the late 1800,  including a country Sheriff and his pretty lady.

Both being my great-grandparents. Sheriff Thomas Jefferson Williams and his wife, Susan Anna Alvey of Morganfield Kentucky were the real deal.

Susan Anna Alvey, in 1877 only 16 years of age was considered a great beauty for the times.

Sheriff TJ, as he was called, was also the local tax collector, and fearless when it came to doing the right thing.  He lost his right eye in a fight, and often teased his grandchildren by pulling it out and handing it them.  He'd laugh as the kids screamed and ran to their mothers, but never stopped getting a big kick out out the joke.

Susan Anna Alvey Williams had 6 children with Sheriff TJ, the most famous being Tom Lyle Williams, owner of the Maybelline Company.  She died of the great flu in 1919 leaving Sheriff TJ to help with the books in the early years of Lash -Brow-Ine, and Maybelline. 

On the farm as children, my grandfather Preston and his little sister Eva, 1909. 

The 500 acre family farm and homestead was over 100 years old, by the time the Williams kids were born.  By 1916, the farm was being sold, and the family moved to Chicago, to assist Tom Lyle with his little Maybelline Company.

TJ and Anna's third grandchild, and their son, Noel James and Frances Williams second child, Annette Williams, plays with the chickens before the farm was finally sold.

The country story wore many hats in the early day's, including being the local post office, photography studio, soda fountain, and supply store. How knows it may have even acted as a saloon at one time, before Prohibition was passed in 1920.

Noel James, wife Frances, with their two girls, Helen and Annette, in Morganfield, visiting the homestead.  The family was now prospering in Chicago, as the Maybelline Company continued to grow.

Little Helen, with the chickens in Morganfield.

                   Little Annette in the chicken coop.

Sheriff TJ with my father William Preston Williams, in 1924.  Bill was his fourth grandchild.

And finally the Big Three, Sheriff Thomas Jefferson with his son, Tom Lyle Williams, and his first grandchild, Tom Lyle Williams Jr. in Chicago, 1934.

It may not have been the Old West, exactly, but I have to say I'm pretty proud of my roots in Morganfield Kentucky, and having a real-life, gun-toting Sheriff, with a pretty little wife, as my great grandparents. 

Gunsmoke, still lives on in my heart, with wonderful memories of my earliest romantic fantasies and Miss Kitty is still the prettiest lady in the Old West.

Read more about Morganfield and the early days of Maybelline in my book The Maybelline Story.

The Maybelline Story is a stunning piece of nostalgia and an invaluable historical treasure.



1933 Maybelline Ad.

Tom Llye Williams, Maybelline's founder believed that a woman’s greatest asset was her ability to capture a man’s imagination through her expressive eyes.

Empowered for the first time since the Victorian era, women discovered a passion for imitating stars who exuded sex appeal on the screen.

Maybelline provided an inexpensive eye beautifier that enhanced a woman's sex-appeal while movies mirrored  celluloid forgeries professing  nonconformity with old world standards.  As Movie stars became models for America's changing values, Tom Lyle threw Maybelline in the dime stores in 1933 and as little cosmetic companies fell by the wayside or were bought out by Maybelline, The Maybelline Company went on to be the undisputed giant in its field during the Great Depression.

Please leave a comment, I'd love to hear your take on my post.  Also check my events on the right of this page, and come meet me at Book Soup in Hollywood Feb 23 at 7pm or at Pages a Book Store in Manhattan Beach, Feb 24th at 7pm. 

If you love nostalgia, history and a stunning American treasure of vintage pictures and Maybelline ads, buy an autographed copy of the Maybelline Story from me for $14.99 at maybellinestory.com.

Benjamin Franklin, Patriots in the Maybelline family.

Excerpt from a letter written by Tom Lyle Williams' partner, Emery Shaver, to Tom Lyle Jr. in 1932 discussing the Williams family's roots in American history.

Dear Tom Jr,


Ann Franklin Harris was the half sister of Benjamin Franklin, the celebrated patriot and philosopher, and your great grandmother, many times over.

[Ann Franklin’s father Josiah Franklin, Born December twenty third, sixteen fifty-seven, in Ecton, North England, married twice. First to Ann Child, born sixteen fifty-two, who had seven children, the fifth, Ann, your direct descendant.  When Ann (Child,) Franklin died in childbirth on July forth sixteen eighty-nine, in Boston  Mass.  Josiah married a second time to Abiah Foulger on November twenty fifth,  Sixteen eighty-nine, and produced ten more children, seventeen in all and among  them the great Benjamin Franklin.  If you will pick up Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography, you will be able to red part of your own ancestry. Since his father was your many times great grandfather, and in his story of his life, Benjamin tells all about it.  I hope all this does not confuse you, but I had to get off the main story of your descent to mention how you are descended from the Franklin line, for I know you will be interested.]

    

Deacon Jonathan Williams Jr. was a patriot of the “First Water” during our unpleasantness with Great Britain, the Revolutionary War. I know for certain he presided over the meeting held in Faneuil Hall directly after the Boston Massacre, to protest against that slaughter, and he headed the famous “Boston Tea Party,” when that group of men disguised themselves as Indians and went down to the wharves and threw the tea into the Harbor!  This should give you a new interest in history.

Deacon Jonathan Williams Jr. and his wife Grace (Franklin Harris) Williams, had many children but we have complete records of only two, Nancy and another Jonathan!  Jonathan Jr. and Grace (Franklin Harris) daughter Nancy married Samuel Bradford, the Marshall of Massachusetts, and your ancestor, her brother Jonathan 111, became the well-known Col. Jonathan Williams of the War of 1812. 

As a youth Jonathan 111, visited his grand-uncle Benjamin Franklin in England and through him secured a berth on several cruses to the West Indies.  Later, during the Revolutionary War, he was entrusted with several important commissions by Benjamin and was finally appointed Commercial Agent for the Colonies in Nantes, France, at the time that Franklin was Ambassador to France.  Later, through enemies of Franklin, Namely John Adams and Henry Lee, he was accused of dishonesty in an attempt to discredit Franklin, but he cleared himself, although it caused him the embarrassment of having to go into bankruptcy. 

    

Political enemies of Franklin rejoiced when they succeeded in humiliating him and his grand-nephew, however, it did them no good as Jonathan Williams 111 became famous as first Major, then Major General and finally Colonel Williams, organizer and first superintendent of West Point Military Academy.  I have a Photostat of an engraving made from his portrait that I shall also give you.  

While Jonathan 111, was Commercial Agent at Nantes, he fell in love with Marianne Alexander, the daughter of William and Christian (Aitchison) Alexander, of Scotland, of noble family and very rich (The Sheriff of Edinburgh.) A It seems William Alexander did quite a bit of select spying for Benjamin and was one of his closest friends, so you may be sure that it proved a brilliant match when Franklin’s grand nephew and Alexander’s daughter were married at the home of the Dutch Ambassador in Paris, and Franklin was present at the ceremony of course. 


Love, Uncle Dutch