The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1895-08-30
EARLY MINSTRELSY.
GEORGE CHRlSTY, ONE OF THE oRiGH
MAJORS OF TIE SHOW.

Mrs. Edwina Forrest Fair, daugh
ter Of the famous Gsorge Christy, VIII,
established negro minstrelsy in New
York in 1847, chatted with me the 9th
er day very entertainingly regarding hel
fathers career. She gave me his ole
scrapbook to refer to and several excel
lent photographs and some old fashioned
engravings
1t seems so long since the days Of the
Christy Ministries that rather expected
TO see an older looking woman thar
George Christy's daughter appears to be
She is an enthusiast over her father
memory She has another sister living,
and also brother. George Harrington,
who, instead of perpetuating the family
trademark, has been known chiefly
through his "beefsteak linners'' at the
old Morgue club.
my father, known in private life as
George N. Harrington, was young
man when he died" said Mrs Fair,
"He was only 40. He had fine constt-
tuition, it was thought, but he wore his
heart on his sleeve and put a year IN
every day. Being jovial, hearty and
generous with every one, even his most
humble employee, he was persistently
sought by we'll known persons, and hA
nature could not resist the compliment
he felt their companionship to be.
Zone of his very particular friends
was Edwin Forrest. A few days before
Twas born my father declared he would
name his child for him. What if it's q
grip asked my mother. Then we'll
call her Edwina, replied my father. Sc
you see was named beforehand. An
other friend of his, my brother tells me,
was Theodore Thomas, who used to
black up and do niger business
''And why not? Didn't Edwin Booth
try it? 1t was pity that my father did
not live to make great name as an
actor in white, for he was considered
remarkable low comedian. In burlesque
he used to sustain from one to half a
dozen characters in piece and exhibit
wonderful versatility. He made great
hit with his Topsy in a burletta on
Uncle Toms Cabin He had singu-
larly sweet singing voice, and as a
dancer he had few equals. He was also
a contortionist and seemed blessed with
every physical possibility.
IT was Is years old when last saw
him, and that's most impressionable
age for a girl think Billy Birch copied
few of his characteristics, and George
Thatcher has given some good imita
tons Of him, but they and such other
men as Schoolcraft and Sweatnam are
different in general style "
Although 1 think it is generally IN
derstood that the Christy minstrels were
the originators of that sort of entertain
ment, individual negro delineation was
done as far back as 1899, at the Federal
Street theater, in Boston.
The first idea of minstrelsy in its
present shape, or before Mr.. Haverly in
troduced his ''Mastodous, =" came forth
In the spring of 1841, for one night
only, at the Chatham theater. The COM
pany was called the Virginia min
strels" and was made up by Dan EN-
met, Frank Brewer, Billy Whitlock
and Dick Pelham. The entertainment
met with astonishing success. 1t was
repeated subsequently at the Bowery
smphitheater and at the Park. Fearing
quick opposition here, the company,
with G. B. Woodbridge at its head,
went to England.
In London it performed for six weeks
at the Adelphi in connection with Pro
fessor Anderson, then known as ''the
wizard of the north" A misunderstood
ing arising, a second company was or.
ganized by Pelham and Whitlook in
connection with Joe Sweeney, and ii
travelled through Ireland and Scotland |
with success.
Another company, called the 'tRing
and Parker minstrels from Boston,"
now came along, and while in Liverpool
one of the members introduced the char
aoter Lucy Long, which became imme
diately popular.
simultaneously minstrel companies |
were being organized in nearly all the
American cities, and on the return home
Of these two organizations they not only
found plenty of rivalry, but much i'm
provement on their plan.
Now followed in notable favor the
Kentucky minstrels, )" the Congo
and Buckley serenaders.
Then was organized the famous Chris.
rs, consisting Of E. P. Christy, George
N. Christy, L. Durand and T. Vaughn
George, who afterward became the
leader and was the joyous spirit of the
show, bad previously appeared at the
Did Eagle Street theater, in Buffalo, in
1889, and in 1912 the company started
On it's existence in the same city in a
hall on Water street. George Christy
was Clones" and Lansing Durand was
'tambo." 1t is asserted that Georg3
was the original Lucy Long, the frss
to do the "wench business. . He also
made hit as Cachuca.
The first appearance Of the company
n New York was at the Palma Opera
House, in Chambers street After vari~
ous visits to other localities it finally
settled at 472 Broadway, in l847, where
It remained II years. George finally
withdrew from the care of his foster ia
her, E. P Christy, and with Harry
Wood opened another hall at 444 Broad
way, and year later the original party
vent to California and George became
master of the situation. -
After several years of great success
Messrs. Wood and Christy opened the
Fifth Avenue Opera House, il Twenty
ourth street Christy's last appearance
N the stage was with Hooley's min
trels, in Brooklyn. on May 2, 1867. He
lied on May 10 at his home and was
,uried from Trinity chapel three days
alter. His body is in Cypress Hills GENE
any. New York Herald