Evening star., 1896-11-07
CRlSP'S FATHER AN ACTOR
Recollections of the Family of the Late Ex-
Speaker.
They Were All on the Stage bu,
Charles Crisp-Trained to Other
Occupations.

"In the year 1852" said Mrs Ella Wren
Blair to a Star reporter, Il was PLAYING an
engagement at the Richmond, Va, theater
ard was living at the Capitol Hotel. Will
lam II. Crisp. the father of the late ex-
Speaker of the House, and family, con-
sistlng of his wife and two daughters came
to Richmond from Fredercks ksburg Va,
having been driven away from that place
by the federal troops. VIM. H. Crisp was
then 4 captain in the confederate army
He was soCn afterward mustered out being
over age. and he and his family lived at
fhe Capitol Hotel. The two daughters
Eere soon engaged by the Richmond Thea
Der management, Jessie as soubrette Ce-
Nlia as walking lady.
The morning that Stonewall Jackson's
Brigade marched through Richmond Harry
and Charley Crisp were in the ranks
They saw their father and mother on
the balcony of the hotel. so left the ranks
and ran upstairs to speak to them. At
that time Charley Crisp was a mere lad.
not more than nineteen years of age or
thereabouts. Both he and Harry left the
army before the war was over. Charley
l believe, re-enlsted after time. Harry
made his first theatrical appearance i'll a
leading part In Montgomery. Ala, in 1853
playing Romeo to my Juliet. Charley
made a few appearances with his father
lanta Theater. L believe. in 1864, but he
was poor actor and did not care for the
stage The father bought a place in
Americus. Ga, as a home for his family
ana there they lived for some years. Jes-
sit s marriage was very unfortunate She
had two children. Charles Crisp took one
OF them. a boy, to bring up. Cecilia also
married an actor. who was killed. Harry,
the eldest son. died in Chicago when he
was playing in The World a melo-
drama. He caught cold and died of pneu-
monia. He took dinner at my house in
Chicago just six weeks before his death
Jessie | also met in Chicago. The father
and mother left their place in Americus.
Ga, to play an engagement under my man.
agement in Augusta, Ga, in 1Sf.i the last
time / ever saw them.
Previous to buying the home in Ameri-
Gus. VIM. II. Crisp became manager of the
Mobile, Ala. Theater. Il played several star
ensagements under his managemenD. Mrs.
Crisp. his two daughters, his Harry
ard himself We're the nucleus of the com
pany- He also managed the Atlanta thea
ter He wrote me while l was at Whining
ton. NC, in rs. sayirg: My family an1
self are played cut in Mobile; We have been
here s. long. VIII you bring a new COM
pany. and l will move my family and self
to Atlenta-" l replied that l would. l
passed through Montgomery, where he was
playing a short engagement, met him there
and made all arrangements to manage the
Mobile theater which i did, opening In
Tine Love Chase and Betsy Baker,
Il continued the management until the
end of the war i never met Charles Crisp
again until three years ago, when | called
upon him at the House, while he was
Speaker We spoke of his family 1 told
him how much he resembied his father l
also told him a little anecdote of VIM. H..
to wit: L was playing with him in Column
bia. 5. c. He was short of people one of
the members of the company being ILL., He
was compelled 10 play 'GeHaro' in Lucre-
tia Borgia. 1t was rather a trial of the
imagination to fancy him the fiery young
Genaro only twenty years of age. He was
sixty then. or thereabout.
"A MIR Burrows, son of the Rev Mr. Bur-
rows OF Richmond, Va. who always seized
every opportunity to preach against the
theater was goirg to enact the Duke AL
pfonse. He was not a good actor Ac-
oording to the book he was to ask Genaro
his age. Genaro's reply was. Twenty. nv
lcrG-' VIM. HI. Crisp told him at rehearsal
rot to ask the question. He said if you do
will answer Sixty, my lord which win
be more like 1t. l don't look twenty. do L?
Wen. don't ask me- but Burrows did ask
him. Crisp replied. Sixty, my lord. I'M
asine my feelingsI was young woman.
Lucretia is supposed to be Genaros
mother. When / demonstrated with Mr..
Crisp he said. Why did he ask me. the