The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1895-06-10
EARLY MINSTRELSY.
GEORGE CHRISTY, ONE OF THE oRfGI-
MAJORS OF THE SHOW.

| Negro MinstreIsy In Great Britain.
Mrs Edwina Forrest Fair, daugh
ter of the famous George Christy, who
established negro minstrelsy in New
York in 1S47, chatted with me the 9th
er day very entertainingly regarding her
fathers career She gave me his old
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 l rather expected
TO see an older looking woman than
George Christy' g daughter appears to be-
She is an enthusiast over her fathers
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 dinners" at the
old Morgue club.
My father, known in private life as
George N. Harrington, was a young
man when he died, said Mrs. Fair.
HE was only 40. He had a fine consti-
tuition, it was thought but he wore his
heart on his sleeve and put year into
every day. Being jovial, hearty and
generous with every one, even his most
humble employee, he was persistently
sought by well known persons, and his
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 a
grip asked my mother. Then we'll
call her Edwina, replied my father. So
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 a
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 a singu-
larly sweet singing voice, and as
dancer he had few equals. He was also
a contortionist and seemed blessed with
every physical possibility.
81 was Is years old when last saw
him, and that's a most impressionable |
age for girl. think Billy Birch copied |
q few of his characteristics, and George |
Thatcher has given some good imita-
lions of him, but they and such other
men as Schoolcraft and Sweatnam are
different in general style"
Although think it is generally IN
lerstood that the Christy minstreIs were
5he originators of that sort of entertain
nent, individual negro delineation was
lone 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
his ''Mastodons, came forth
n the spring of 1871, for one night
,nly, at the Chatham theater. The COM
ANY was called the Virginia min
trels" and was made up by Dan En-
net, Frank Brewer, Billy Whitlock
md Dick Pelham. The entertainment
net with astonishing success. 1t was
epeated subsequently at the Bowery
and at the Park. Fearing
uick opposition here, the company,
With c. B. Woodbridge at its head,
vent to England.
In London it performed for six weeks
t the Adelphi in connection with Pro-
essor Anderson, then known as "the
lizard of the north. - A misunderstood
lg arising, a second company was or
anized by Pelham and Whitlock in
with Joe Sweeney, and it
raveled through Ireland and Scotland
18th success.
Another company, called the Ring
nd Parker Ministries from Boston, y
ow came along, and while in Liverpool ,
ne of the members introduced the char
,ter Lucy Long, which became imme-
lately popular.
simultaneously minstrel companies ,
ere being organized in nearly all the I
merican cities, and ON the return home !
these two organizations they not only ,
'und plenty of rivalry, but much i'm
rovement on their plan.
Now followed in notable favor the
Kentucky minstrels," the Congo !
elodists'' and ''BuckIey's serenaders. -
he'll was organized the famous Chris
IS, consisting of E. P. Christy, George
. Christy, L. Durand and T. Vaughn
George, who afterward became the !
adler and was the joyous spirit of the
low, had previously appeared at the +
d Eagle Street theater, in Buffalo, in Z
'39, and in 1912 the company started
| its existence in the same city in
Ill on Water street. George Christy
as "bones" and Lansing Durand was I
5ambo." 1t is asserted that Georg, 8
as the original Lucy Long, the first
do the ''wench business. . He also
ade hit as Caohuca
The first appearance of the company I
New York was at the Palma Opera
luse, in Cham ers street After vari-
S visits to other localities it finally
tiled at 472 Broadway, in 1847, where Y
remained II years. George finally
thdrew from the care of his foster IA I
er, E. P. Christy, and with Harry
God opened another hall at 444 Broad q
~, and year later the original party i
mt to California, and George became
aster of the Situation. Il
After several years of great success C
essrs. Wood and Christy opened the u
fth Avenue Opera House, Ia Twenty G
nth street. Christy's last appearance I
the stage was with Hooleys min
els, in Brooklyn, on May 2, 1867. He
ID on May ~ at his home and was
ried from Trinity chapel three days
er. His body is in Cypress Hills GENE.
New York Herald