The Washington times., 1894-03-18
BOTH ACTOR AND MANAGER
Death of the Veteran John 7. Ford, OF
Many Memories.
HIS EARLY THEATRICAL CAREER
Ford Started and Successfully Operated One
of the First Minstrel Troupes Of the
Country-His Early Experience with Stock
Companies at Baltimore and Washington
FORESTS Fondness for Hamilton

The funeral OF the late well-known theatre
Baltimore on Friday last from his residence,
North Gilmor street. Among those in at
tendance were Gov. Brown, of Maryland;
Mayor Latrobe; municipal officers and clerks,
actors and actresses, newspaper editors, Mar
slial Frey, of the police department., tho
police commissioners. and others. Rev. DR..
Smith. OF the Central Presbyterian Church,
conducted the services. The floral tributes
were profuse and magnificent.
Mr. John Gibson, of Gibson Brothers. the
Pennsylvania avenue printers, in this city. has
vivid recollection of the early managerial
career of Mr.. Ford both in Baltimore and
Washington. He remembers when Kunkel's
Nightingale Serenaders. composed OF George
Kunkel, Harry Lehr, J. X. Search and others,
gave their first entertainments in Baltimore
during 1880, in what was known as the
Aisquith Street Garden. The troupe was
then under the management of George W.
Harvey. During the Winter OF 1850 Mr..
Ford became manager and took the Sere-
naders on trip TO Montreal. Upon his re-
turn to Baltimore he displayed that business
tact and managerial ability by having posters
and small bills printed announcing that the
troupe had had the honor Of appearing be-
fore the Governor General OF Canada, a
representative of Her Majesty Queen Victoria.
Mr.. Ford had his printing done at the job
Office of the Baltimore Clipper. Mr.. Gibson
was then in the Clipper job office and ''set
up some of the first bills that Mr.. Ford had
ordered to be printed.
The success of kunkels Nightingale Sere-
naders having been assured. a partnership was
formed consisting of John I. Ford (manager),
George Kunkel aud Thomas Moxley, the lat
ter deineating female characters. The troupe
alternated their performances at the old Ma
tional Theater, Washington, and Holiday
Street Theater, Baltimore. They travelled
throughout the South, Pittsburg and else
where. 1t was among the first minstrel
troupes organized in this country, and every
where it appeared it gave successful perform
anceS.
Mr.. Ford, with his partners, Messrs. Kunkel
aud MoNlev. from 1853 TO 1850 were managers
of the old National Theater. Washington;
Holiday Street Theater. Baltimore, and the
Richmond Theater. ut which regular perform
anees were given under the stock company
system. At the old National Edwin Forrest.
Dolly" Davenport and other histrionic stars
well known to fame appeared. The old Ma
venturous aspirants of the sock and buskin,
and among the number was Theodore Hamil-
ton.
Mr.. Gibson relates this auecdote OF Hamil-
ton in connection with Mr.. Forrest. Forrest
formed a great fondness for Hamilton, and
would Of times Familiarity pat him upon the
back and predict "a brilliant future for him as
an actor. Forrest. however. would sometimes
get into his .tantrumsH and when so would
frighten every one who played with him in his
respective impersopations. He so frightened
Hamilton on one occasion when he became
stuck in his part that he remained away from
the theater for three nights. it taking that
length of time for him to recover his nervous
equilibrium and fine courage again to face
the modest Roman of the OF them all Ham,
ilton had formerly been printer in the Balti-
more Sun job office. Upon the site where
now stands Ford's Theater on Tenth street
was formerly Baptist church. This church
had been converted into playhouse, at
which George Christy's minstrels gave per-
formances. This was in the fall of 1861 and
the spring OF 1862. The property was pur-
chased by Mr.. G.. W. Riggs, Mr.. Polkinhorn.
and others as a company in the interest Of
Mr.. Ford. and demolished for the erection
upon its lot of the present Ford's Theater, the
scene of two tragedies.
Mr.. Ford became manager of the theater in
1862. It was closed after the death of Presi-
dent Lincoln. and was up to within nine
months ago occupied as government build
ing. 1t is ut present unoccupied. and has
been since the tragedy involving loss of life
and injuries TO many by the collapse OF the
building in June, 1893