Grogan, Emma Moses

Surname Grogan
Given Name Emma Moses
Sex Female
Born ~1904 in Louisiana
Died 29-JUN-1957 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana (recorded as Emma M. Morlet)
Father George H. GROGAN (26-MAY-1864 - 12-MAY-1924)
Mother Emma W. ANGLE (~1890 - )

Marriage

~1917 (age 15) to Emile MORLET (18-FEB-1889 - 01-JUL-1947),

Children

Club My-O-My

Club My-Oh-My
Club My-Oh-My

1972: Fire destroys famous nightclub

RALPH URIBE / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE ARCHIVE

With Southern Decadence extravaganza in town this weekend, we offer this reminder of a sad day for New Orleans' female impersonators and their fans. Early on the morning of Jan. 5, 1972, fire destroyed Club My-O-My on Lake Pontchartrain, along with Kirsch's Seafood Restaurant next door. The history of the club can be traced to the Wonder Bar, which opened at 125 Decatur St. in the French Quarter shortly after Prohibition ended. In 1936, that bar's owner, Emile Morlet, asked for an injunction against police raids on his club, where he employed male entertainers to "impersonate various people in the theatrical world." The court refused his request after the city attorney said the club attracted young people and posed "a menace to their morals." Afterward, Morlet relocated his bar, renamed the Wonder Club, on pilings out on the lake at the Jefferson-Orleans parish line to get as far away from the police as possible. In the late 1940s, Club My-O-My took over the business. An earlier fire on May 4, 1948, destroyed the new club, which rebuilt at the same location. Unfortunately, this 1972 fire proved the death knell for drag shows on the lakefront, ending a tradition that had lasted more than 40 years.

Notes

Obituaries: Times-Picayune, 1957-06-30, Pg. 16 col. 6, States, 1957-07-01, Pg. 4 col. 2, Times-Picayune, 1957-07-01, Pg. 2 col. 7, States, 1957-07-01, Pg. 4 col. 2.


1 Church card for Emma's service in Helen May (Grogan) Patin's belongings (shown as Mrs. Emma M. Morlet)

2 1920 United States Census->Louisiana->Orleans->New Orleans Ward 3->District 29->Image 24/30 (Ancestry.com) Image ...

Name Age Sex Race Relation Marital Status Birthplace Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace Occupation Industry
Morlet, Bertha 36 Female White Head Single Texas Switzlerland France Keeper Rooming house
Morlet, Emile 30 Male White Brother Married Mississippi Switzlerland France Chauffer Own car
Morlet, Emma 18 Female White Sister-in-law Married Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana None  
Morlet, Cecile 4 Female White Adopted daughter Married Louisiana United States United States None  

3 1930 United States Census->Louisiana->Orleans->New Orleans->Precinct 1-250>District 20->Image 9/41 and 10/42 (Ancestry.com) Image ... Image ...

Name Age Sex Race Relation Marital Status Birthplace Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace Occupation Industry
Morlet, Emile 40 Male White Head Married Mississippi France France Ran resturant Self-employed
Morlet, Emma 26 Female White Wife Married Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana None  
Fontenot, Betty 7 Female White Adopted daughter Single Louisiana Mississippi Mississippi None  
Fontenot, Joseph 6 Male White Adopted son Single Louisiana Louisiana Mississippi None  

4 1940 United States Census->Louisiana->Orleans->New Orleans->District 36-45->Image 2/40 (Ancestry.com) Image ...

Name Age Sex Race Relation Marital Status Birthplace Occupation Industry
Morlet, Emile 50 Male White Head Married Mississippi Proprieter Night club
Morlet, Emma 34 Female White Wife Married Louisiana Manager Retail liquor store
Fontenot, Elizabeth 17 Female White Adopted daughter Single Louisiana Beautician Beauty shop
Fontenot, Joseph 16 Male White Foster son Single Louisiana None