The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-03-14
JOHN 7. FORD DEAD.
He Was the Oldest Theatri-
cal Manager in This
Country.
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
Built Ford's Theatre, Washington,
Where President Lincoln
Was Assassinated.

BALTIMORE, Nd, March A. 1S94.--John
T. Ford, manager of Ford's Grand Opera
House, and the oldest theatrical manager in
the country, died at his home, No. 1885
North Gilmore street. at seven O'Clock this
morning Mr.. Ford's death was sudden and
unexpected. The immediate cause of death
is thought to be heart disease, superinduced
by grippe. He had been indisposed for the
last three months, but has been out attend
ing to business part of the time He leaves
a widow and ten children-Charles, the
present manager of Fords Opera House,
George B., the Treasurer; John T. Jr., the
advertising agent, Harry NJ, Matte E., the
talented young actress, Mrs. James C. Rich
ardson, and the Misses Lizzie P, May. Lucy
and Sallie.
The death Of John Thompson Ford removed
from the theatrical field of this country, one
of the brightest and most shining hghts;
man whose name was known wherever the
drama had place and whose reputation has
ever been one to which the members OF the
dramatic fraternity could well point with
pride. He was born in 1929.
FoRD's CAREER.
At twenty years of age he became an agent
for an opera company and shortly afterward
formed partnership with George Kunkel
and Thos. Moxley, which resulted in the
leasing of the Holiday street theatre in Bal
timore.
About the same time they leased the Rich
mond, Va, theatre, and were the first to
start what is now known as a circuit OF tho
atres.
Mr.. Ford early branched out as builder
of theatres and erected three in Washing
ton, one of them, Ford's Theatre, being the
scene of the memorable assassination of
President Lincoln, and in which building
several people were recently killed through
its collapse.
In 1879 John T. Ford secured the lease Of
the Broad Street Theatre in Philadelphia.
He also for time had the Fifth Avenue
Theatre in New York. The present house
of amusement in this city which bears his
name, and which for completeness of detail
and the comfort of both players and audi
ence, is hardly surpassed in this country,
was built under Mr.. Fords personal super
vision in 1871
A POPULAR CITY OFFICIAL.
Mr.. Ford was also well-known and popu-
lar city official. He served in both branches
of the Common Council, and was foremost
in his advocacy of measures for the good of
the city. He has frequently served as fore
man of the Grand Juries; has been city di-
rector of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
commissioner of the McDonough Fund and
member of almost numberless societies and
associations for the aid and comfort of his
fellow men. a.
When Mr. Ford managed the Richmond
Theatre, away back in 1857, Joseph Jefferson
was his stage manager, and his first attrac-
ton was Dion Boucicault and his wife,
known to the stage as Agnes Robertson.
To sum up his life may be well done by the
lines from his favorite tragedy of "Julius
Cesar'':-
His life was gentle, and the elements
30 mix d in him, that Nature might stand up
And say TO all the world, This was q man"
He was q man, take him for all In all,
We shall not look upon his like again.