Born Jane Elizabeth Cockrell, daughter of Hiram and Nancy (Oldham) Cockrell. She went by Jennie in her youth. She was married to John Eleazar Bierbower in Crawford County, Ohio, on May 1, 1881.
They had two children, Percy and Elsie. When Elsie Janet Bierbower began to grow in fame as a childhood actress, her mother took over her management, giving her the stage name Elsie Janis, and taking for herself the name Josephine Janis. She and her husband were separated near the end of the 1890s, and divorced some time later. John married Louise Butler in 1910 in New York. When they lost their son Percy in 1907, a memorial was erected in Josephine's family's lot in Delaware, Ohio.
Josephine, or "Ma Janis" as she was known, was the archetypal stage mother and manager, and never left her daughter's side, traveling throughout the country and Europe as part of Elsie's acting career.
Josephine died in 1930 and was laid to rest in a mausoleum in Forest Lawn as Josephine Janis.
They had two children, Percy and Elsie. When Elsie Janet Bierbower began to grow in fame as a childhood actress, her mother took over her management, giving her the stage name Elsie Janis, and taking for herself the name Josephine Janis. She and her husband were separated near the end of the 1890s, and divorced some time later. John married Louise Butler in 1910 in New York. When they lost their son Percy in 1907, a memorial was erected in Josephine's family's lot in Delaware, Ohio.
Josephine, or "Ma Janis" as she was known, was the archetypal stage mother and manager, and never left her daughter's side, traveling throughout the country and Europe as part of Elsie's acting career.
Josephine died in 1930 and was laid to rest in a mausoleum in Forest Lawn as Josephine Janis.
Born Jane Elizabeth Cockrell, daughter of Hiram and Nancy (Oldham) Cockrell. She went by Jennie in her youth. She was married to John Eleazar Bierbower in Crawford County, Ohio, on May 1, 1881.
They had two children, Percy and Elsie. When Elsie Janet Bierbower began to grow in fame as a childhood actress, her mother took over her management, giving her the stage name Elsie Janis, and taking for herself the name Josephine Janis. She and her husband were separated near the end of the 1890s, and divorced some time later. John married Louise Butler in 1910 in New York. When they lost their son Percy in 1907, a memorial was erected in Josephine's family's lot in Delaware, Ohio.
Josephine, or "Ma Janis" as she was known, was the archetypal stage mother and manager, and never left her daughter's side, traveling throughout the country and Europe as part of Elsie's acting career.
Josephine died in 1930 and was laid to rest in a mausoleum in Forest Lawn as Josephine Janis.
They had two children, Percy and Elsie. When Elsie Janet Bierbower began to grow in fame as a childhood actress, her mother took over her management, giving her the stage name Elsie Janis, and taking for herself the name Josephine Janis. She and her husband were separated near the end of the 1890s, and divorced some time later. John married Louise Butler in 1910 in New York. When they lost their son Percy in 1907, a memorial was erected in Josephine's family's lot in Delaware, Ohio.
Josephine, or "Ma Janis" as she was known, was the archetypal stage mother and manager, and never left her daughter's side, traveling throughout the country and Europe as part of Elsie's acting career.
Josephine died in 1930 and was laid to rest in a mausoleum in Forest Lawn as Josephine Janis.
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