Fannie Charles Dillon served as a mentor and a teacher to John Laurence Seymour. Both Californians and musicians, the two shared a special bond. Seymour gave great credit to Dillon’s composing and teaching. These accolades can be seen in a letter to the editor Seymour sent to the Pacific Coast Musician in 1947, just after Dillon’s death (letter below).
Seymour kept numerous mementos from Dillon, including a large collection of her sheet music, many of which she signed and inscribed with notes to Seymour and his mother Rose (autographed sheet music below). The black and white photograph below is of Seymour and Dillon, taken only a few months before her death. In the collection is also a film negative of Dillon with Seymour’s Mother, Rose.
Dillon did not just teach Seymour, she also taught at a number of institutions in Southern California, including Pomona College. Dillon taught at Pomona College from 1910-1913, and she was also a Pomona College Graduate. Today, her personal papers are kept in the UCLA Special Collections under the title Fannie Charles Dillon music manuscripts, 1881-1961. That finding aid can be found in the Online Archive of California (OAC).
