The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1897-03-06
Christy's Reimbursement
Kanaas cii,. sIar

ny star. gEn3a ~ Ef f ~
Only q few days before his death
CHARLEY christy. the veteran minstrel
was BURIED On Tuesday last, begin
writing some "Reminiscences or tf,e early
days Of blackface singing. The reaper.s
scsthe cut short his task, He had, how
lsssf' completed a few pages. His was q
long life stored with memories.
Thomas D. Rice he wrote, was, 1
taink, the first man VINO made a feature
OF blackface eccentricities. He appeared
IN etheaters OF Philadelphia and New
York as Dandy Jim of Caroline, and
jim Crow. Then he went to London and
Liverpool ard made a great deal of mon
ey. He was the author of many farces,
Bones Squash and The Virginia Mum
my being the most successful. The
Virginia Mummy was a farce lasting
ioflN-five minutes. I have played in 1t.
sMinstrelsy proper 1sas put on by the
A'umbieton S~erenadeIs' and Virginia
l~avenders' in 1892, These consisted OF
Dan Emmett, Frank Brewer, Billy
Whittoek. Dick Pelham. John Domi-
neker and Luke West. This company
played at the old Chatham theater. If I
am NOT mistaken Charley White was
with this troupe, and also Jack Smith,
the original Bob Ridley'-the first song
ana dance done in America.
The first jig dancing was done by a
negro called .Juba.' The old question,
can you dance, Juba?' came from his
name and performances. After him
came numerous imitators who called
their work Jig dancing. Among this
dancers of those days were Master
Marks, Tommy Peel, Charlie Paine.
Mickey Warren. Johnny Diamond, Dick
SITTER, Hun the Mason, Dave Ford,
Tommy Ryan, Joe Brown, Jake Hamil-
Ton n 'Juba,' the two last being ne
groes.
The Christy MINISTRIES proper began
their metropolitan career at the hall of
the Mechanics society, No. 472 Broad
way, in 1916. In that yea Charley White
opened also the theater known as
Whites Melodion' on the Bowery, just
above the Bowery amphitheater.
l lS46 George Christy left E. P.
chrlsty, and, with Heney Wood, opened
az No. 444 Broadway, then known as
A~itchelfs Olympic theater. L. P,
Christy died in May. 1862, and George
Harrington, known on the stage as Geo.
! christy, died in May, 1858.
The Buckley MINISTRIES were organ
llZed in Boston, being the first troupe to
give operate burlesque. Its founders
We're George Swaine and Frederick and
lSishop Buckley, They We're called the
New Orleans Serenaders.' and were
very successful.
Foster was the minstrel sons
writer OF the old times. Among his song:
We're 'Silvery Midnight Moon 'Suwa
nee River 'Massa's in the Cold, Cold
Ground old Dog Tray Uncle Ned,
Old Folks at Home old Kentucky
Home, Willie, We Have Missed You,
Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming,
Nellie Was a Lady and Hard Time.
Come Again No More Nelson Kneass
who composed Ben Bolt, was a warn
friend of Foster.
Some of the most popular songs o
the long ago were Dandy Jim Of Caro-
line. Meet Me in My Long Tailed Blue,
Walk Along. john Dance, the Boat
man, Dance Old Zip Coon .Old Aun
Sallie' and The Floating scow of OIL,
Virginia.
Leaders OF the old timers were Ma
Peel, Luke West, Jack Smith, Charlie,
White, Ned Gray, Ned Davis, Milk
Mitchell, Frank Lynch, Eph Horn, Bel
Cotton, Kelley and Leon, Sam Sharpley
Dlck Hooley. Bob Linley, Dave Reed
Cool White, Billy Burch, Tom Allen
Fatty Stewart, Horny Homer, Johnn,
Bucker, Billy Bucker, Joe finger, Ca
Wagner, Lee Russell, Sam Devere, Dal
Neal, Charles Fox, Barnard. Baekus
Dan Gardner, Nelse Seymour, Dav
Wamboid, Horace Wambold and Jerr,
Bryant, whose name was o'Brien."