New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-23

ANCESTRY AND or THE JEFFERSsoN
FAMILY or ACTORS BY William WINTER.
Svo PIP. Ky. $40 Macmillan & Co
For more than a century the name of Jefferson
has beer identified with comedy Thomas Jefer-
son was a Yorkshire rustic, who about the md
die Of the last century. found his way to the
stage. and attained and held good rank for many
years Though he never reached the highest
fame as an actor ne was popular ana success
full He was clever. versatile a follower Oh the
natural style of Clr"ick, scrupulously honest III
dependcnt amiGhla and droll. His son. Joseph
Jefferson who became greater man imam ne
was born I'm 1774 in Plymouth. England where
his father was for many years manager Inc
vouth came to America before he was OF age
under contract to play in Boston but on HIS ar
riva, no found the theatre closed. and coming
~ New-York be gan his theatrical! career al the
Jorr Street Theatre in 1876. Several successful
.oosors ~ tho PARK Theatre followed, and then
young jefferson went 10 the chestnut street
Theatre PHILADELPHIA where he became leading
comedian in company then the strongest IN
America. His reputation was high ana his
,rospertv continued until old age and disease
and the rise Of young actors caused MN u oe
neglected. He was hurt by the change III puphc
feeling determined to leave Phladelphia' ana
tried to retrieve his fortunes by theatllcai
tour in the South and West. Death overlook rim
in Harrisburg Penn. in 1882. His Conspicuous
Lifts even at an early age were In ella men
characters.
, svmpathetic lady called at the John Street
Theatre with a subscription list to entreat TIE
managers ''tO withdraw that poor ola Nj. 5elivt
son from the stage. She SAID she hdu ser
him play Item in THE Steward "a Wohueilul
perfornance-and she thought it would De OLE
. Christian charity to remove such an aseu
person from public life, and to pfoVlde LOT MN
She had headed her list with liberal gltt' ana
n "A
scribers i'm order t. provide q respectable nome
for the infirm actor Cooper. VINO CHANGED 10 ne
present, told her in reply that suGh sc GILL
h.d been considered. and that the rnanaEr:
would gladly cooperate in any charitable eHo:l
t. relieve the hardships Of the aged Jefferson
cor diion Just tn IN jefferson entered tne TO ',i
and Cooper s,raightway intro1uced him to the
I.dv calling her his kind friend and protector
VINO had charitably undert%en to find MN
rome" Her amazement at seeing slender,
handsome young fellow instead of a senile
rnmmmv was excessive. She stammered out
word Of explanation. and tore her surs,.IiPuu"h
raper in pieces, and the scene ended III laugh
He was less sturdy than his father less dun
and companionabe. but more brilliant and more
ambitious From early life he devoted himseh
with intelligence to his profession and moved
steadily to the highest success. He was unsehlsh
and unaffected. an honorable and virtuous man
Az an artist his shortening was lack Of pas
sion but he was comedian of rare talent and
nerfect artifce. concededy the best Of the age in
which he lived. Until nirmties Of age left the
public Indifferent to him. he was a great idNoi''e'
His daughter relates this story:
One night. when it CHANGED that his first child
was very ILL he had gone TO the theatre much ue-
dressed, though Tot apprehenslNe OF DeredNeheII';
While dressing himself for a farce ne receives
news that his chyd was dead The love OF emil
dren was a ruling passion with my lathef' anu ~
lose his own and (then) only one va az w.
whelming grief. Hodgkinson went before the cur
tain IN state the reason Of the delay that hau oee
caused by this news and 10 beg or the audience 70
allow another farce 70 be substituted for the one
announ ced: but the whole house rose anu with
cry Of mo farce left the theatre.
Jefferson had nine children This died in in
fancy OF the others seven went on the stage
Thomas and John made good regulations. but died
Young Mrs Anderson herself an actress
and the mother Of theatrical FAMILY MIS-
hapnan-Richardso Fisher was in her time one
Of the most famous women on the American stage
The second son. Joseph was the father OF our ZIP
Van Wrinkle. His natural tastes led him TO aren't
lecture and painting, but when small boy he was
set for Juvenile parts and later became a good
though never a great actor in the line Of old men,
wherein the other members Of his family eXceled
He was winning. dreaming. serene philosophic
When he met with a great business misfortune
friend went TO mis- house 10 cheer him. Learning
that he had gone fishing the visitor, with some
apprehension rushed off to the river. The OBJ
iect of his solicitude found. sitting COM
posedly in a shady nook on the bank OF the
Schuylkill hummng a tune. and sketching the
ruins Of a mill the shore. Cordial greetings
having been exchanged the sympathetic visitor
could not conceal mis- establishment that a crush
ing trouble should be accepted 50 cheerfuly. Not
at ALL said jefferson; L have lost everything and
am 80 poor now that really cannot afford 70 let
anything worry me-" He married Mrs. Thomas
hrilIi .,,s
young actor whose career was cut short at the age
Of thirty-two. jefferson lived to be only thirty
eight and died OF yellow fever.
His son is the greatest actor Of the family. His
own Autobiography" records his experiences
and recollections and in that field nothing more
was needed. But in other ways something was
lacking which has been supplied by Mr.. Winter.
jefferson not the exponent OF mis- own sue
cesses nor the critic Of his own performance. He
has made characters in the drama and re-
habilitated old ones In the face of morbid stage
tendencies ne has stood for pure and poetic
treatment of character. The clumsy machinery
Of RIP Van Wrinkle is forgotten for the feeling
and Imagination with which he fills the scene,
and the impossible hero Of an impossible expert
ence is made the medium Of spiritual limitations
and unerring revelation OF character. Jefferson's
Rip has been before the public for thirty years,
but it Is not hackneyed and does not grow tire
some The comedian is a master Of stage art
and by no means a dramatic rcalist. But 1t Is
something more than technique and clever man
agenent of properties that makes this continued
popularity. That is due to the uplifting power
OF Imagination which carries the wel-acted char
acter beyond the intelligence and into the heart
OF the spectator. The same faculty has made a
new Bob Acres and given TO what its author
thought "one OF the worst plays in the Ian
euage" popularity that It never had before.
Now his youth is gone. but not his enthusiasm
or his sweetness. His romantic ardor has not
vanished. THE spontaneous drollery, the Wild
wood freedom, the endearing gentleness, the