The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-24
Billy Birch'S Career.

Billy Birch, tine old-time minstrel, died
Tuesday afternoon in a small room on
tho top floor OF 76 Seventh avenue, New
York. Ee Lad been sick with paralysis
for more than n mouth. and 10 was
known that no could not survive the at
tack Ia 1915 he YVES first stricken. He
recovered. and about two months ego he
had anJtacr stroke whiio walking OH the
street. H. was arrested on the supposi-
ton that he WIS Intoxicated, and was
taken 20 ICi.e court next morning. lie
was discharged.
Follr weeks ago Sunday night Birch
sustained third st,usa. II was attend
ing a meeting cf TIE E4ks and had to be
,asen home in u carriage from the lodge
room. He was conscious to the last and
died at 3 O'CLOCK His wife was with him
and some of his fellow Elks, who bore
the expenses Of his illness. Birch will be
buried by tEem from their hall probably
OH Sunday.
Billy Birch was truly the veteran of
1ninstrelsy. Forty years of his life were
spent as a bore rattIer, tamto shaker
and general funny man. He made for
tune in the business, although he was
never regarded as a great humorlst his
success being due To the fact that he wus
far sighted enough to surround himself
with company OF clever people. He
lived to see the rise and fall of min
strclsy, but died poor man, speculation
during his career on the stage.
Birch was born in New Hartford near
| Utica, n. Y, i'm February 1881. He
pAvc evidence of talent as an entertainer
| when be was IL years old, and at the age
| OF l3 he played the bones in an amateur
minstrel company which played at New
| Hartford. A little later he got u chance 10
| handle the bones in Raymond's Minstrel
| Company. and Birch opened with IL at
| Stamford, Conn, in ls46 His first
| apr earanco in New York was with John
| Gampbell's Minstrols at IA little hall In
Grand street, near the ferry. Later ne
made tour of Jersey with Campbell =
brother Dave, next appearing at the
Sansom Street Theater In Philadelphia,
| and later at the Chestnut Street Iheater
| i'm the same city. At the latter theater
they succeeded famous old company
known as the Virginia Sorcnadors, the
first minstrel organization ever got to-
| gether.
Dave Campbell and Birch reorganizcd
| their company after the Philadelphia
| enlargement and made u tour OF the
south under the name OF the Virginia
| Serenaders A few years later Birch
| went TO New York and performed at a.
Broadway with the Fellows organization
IN 1852 he and Sam Wells proprietor
Wells Minstrels located at Cincinnati
and made money there. In 1854 Bircl
came back to New York To take George
| Christy's place at 4A broadway. In 100
Sitter. Wells 4 Birch's Minstrels wer,
organized. A trip 20 Californ and bacl
was made, and during the yea. he com
bination cleared over $lOO,00O
After another trip 10 California, which
was almost as profitable, Birch formed
Partnership with wambold, Backus, ont
bernard They organized tho San Fran
cisco Ministries, and opened In New
York at 5S5 Broadway. They playc,
there for eight years, and then bough
| the lease of the St. james Theater
Later the Gilsey estate built theater oi
Broadway, near 2ath street, for the com
bination, and they played in Il for 4
years In their career Of 20 years the Sal
Francisco MinstrcIs made close on T.
81, coo, COO Birch squandercd his share o
this In Wall street.