| Allen Driver Stafford was Dorothy's first husband, and according to one magazine article, her high school sweetheart. They were married by and at the home of the Rev. J.R Partridge on Tuesday evening November 9, 1920. Afterwards they went to New Orleans for their honeymoon. According to the marriage license Al was 21 and Dorothy was 18 at the time of their marriage in November of 1920. That would make her birthday April 26, 1902. Here is the newspaper announcement from 1920. After their honeymoon they settled in an apartment in Birmingham. Al worked as an assistant manager early in their marriage and eventually worked his way up to management, treasurer and owner of the White Swan Laundry in Birmingham. One 1931 movie magazine story tells how in time the couple eventually had to move in with Al's mother who was dependant on her son for care. The stress of living with a dependant mother-in-law was too much and Dorothy needed Al to choose who his priority was. This revisionist version of the marriage break-up was printed after Dorothy's very public second marriage. But the story was in stark contrast to her divorce decree. Dorothy received her final divorce in February of 1924 and according to that, she was in fear of her 'life and health'. |
| Allen Driver Stafford |
| Obituary from an Alabama newspaper dated April 9, 1952. |
| What ever became of the White Swan Building? Here are two recent photos, the building now houses a window company called J. F. Day Company. The picture to the right shows the brickwork. |
| Many thanks to Warren Reed for letting my use his pictures of the White Swan Laundry. Check out his wonderful website with over 500 vintage postcards from Birmingham Alabama. |
The White Swan Laundry Building in 2007
| A White Swan Laundry postcard ca. 1920 |
| Al moved on after the divorce and in 1926 or 1927 he married Margaret Johns and they had a son named Edwin. Father and son were in business together in Houston, Texas when Al passed away, I have included here his obituary that tells a little more about his life. He died on April 6, 1952. |
| No mention of Al was ever made until his existence was revealed when Dorothy filled out a marriage license application to marry William Boyd in 1930. When the press got hold of that marriage license, Dorothy refused to name her first husband and had "Do Not Publish" written on the official copy of her first marriage license so it would not be released to the public. |
