Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-05-01
Saturday Evening, May i, 1850
Colonel Dan Rice.

nan hbIccs
The recent conversion Of Dan
Rice, the worldwide famous circus
manager and clown, has attracted SO
much attention, and suggested so
many erroneous attempts at biography,
that he may we'll exclaim with the
jealous Moor, Speak of me as l am"
THE MAN OF MOTLEY
may render some jottings by one who
knows him intimately acceptable to
your readers.
The arenic brand just snatched from
the burning by the hand Of the
evangelist at St. Louis, was born in
the city of New York, about the year
1923 or "a. His father, Daniel Nc
Laren, (who was educated for a
lawyer was for a number Of years a
prominent merchant, and SO was his
father before him, who was a partner
Of John Jacob Astor and were the
first merchants engaged in the import
alton of Teas, and were wealthy
nabobs. Young McLaren, in one of
his summer visits to Long Branch, at
q party, one evening, won the affec-
tions of a young and accomplished
young lady, a farmers daughter. Her
father was revolutionar soldier blythe
name Of Richard Crum, and was for
many years a Methodist preacher.
Young cLarenin due time captivated
and had a clandestine marriage at
HightoWer, New Jersey, and took his
young bride to his fathers house in
New York, corner of Orange and what
is now known as Chatham street. The
outraged father of the runaway
daughter, after two years of dill
gent search, found her, and the heart
broken parent, armed with the law took
his daughter, she being under age,
backto his home in ocean township,
New jersey. Young McLaren, after
a protracted lawsuit was made to pay
heavy damages. $1,000 of which was
set apart for the rearing and education
of young Dan, who was baptized Dan
Rice, the latter being his grandmoth-
er's middle name, who was raised in
Rockland county, New York state, as
was also his grandfather, Mr.. Crum.
They were Hollanders, or North river
Dutch. Daniel McLaren, learning the
fact that his son was not to bear his
name, disinherited him, he at the time
being immensely wealthy. He retired
from mercantile pursuits and eventu-
ally became a lawyer Of fine attain
mepts, and was private counsellor of
Aaron Burr, Chas. 0'Connor, Nelson
Chase, and other lawyers who we're IA
nous in their day, and finally became
president Of the Lombard banking
association, and after its affairs were
wound up he retired to his estate at
Saratoga Springs where Dan Rice found
him in 1849, having never before seen
him to know him. The meeting wa!
said to be very affecting. Eventually
McLaren became poor, it was then
the exiled and disowned son gave {
rare illustration of flial duty and
christian forgiveness, by making
ample provision for his support.
While yet a mere boy, Dan wan
dered as far west as Marietta, Ohio
and became famous the entire lengtI
ofthe Ohio river as a daring jockey
and remarkably successful quarter
horse rider. He subsequently reside
at Pittsburgh, and there becam
identified with the first negro min
strel troupe ever organized. The ex
hibition of a learned pig was his frs
venture in the show business on hi
own account. Next he successful
appeared in the more pretentious rol
of
THE MODERN SAMSON"
giving extraordinary illustrations
strength. This served as his intr,
duution into the ring in his origin.
and unrivaled role Of clown, {
"Shakspearean Jester" as he WI
loudly lined on the bills. He speec
lily eclipsed all rivalry, an
achieved unparalleled popularity an
success, and for years his name alor
was a terror to opposition, and suffice
to draw crowded houses. Strange
it may at first appear, to this latter fa'
bis subsequent misfortunes are part