Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-04


which IL was his duty to guard. Whether
the rain poured down I'm torrents, or the
SHOWS OF midwinter lay deep on the
ground; whether the winds howled and
| beat against his door or the night air
was still and cold. 1t made no difference
10 Peter Jackson; he was at his post and
faced the toughest wind that forced its
way through the lobby and beat upon his
shoulders. as he stood like solitary sem
tinel In front Of that portal beyond which
was the grateful warmth and the radiant
| light of the interior of the playhouse.
There might be mirth and music with
] in, but his business was not with those
gay scenes. Men, women, and children
passed him, with smiling faces, but the
| countenance of Peter Jackson remained
the same. With mechanical-like preci-
| sion and a dizziness acquired by long
years OF practice, he separated the coI-
pom from the ticket and dropped the lat
ter in the box by his side. There his
| business ended, and he allowed the stream
| Of people, all on pleasure bent, TO pass
| him by.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE. y
Peter Jackson was born in this city
February p, 1892, and was consequently
in his 18th year. He was of Scotch pa
rentage. his father being a Mr.. James
Jackson, a confectioner, Of Richmond.
and his mother n Miss Patterson. The
deceased was left an orphan when an
infant, and at the age of years was
taken to Petersburg TO live with his UNI
Gle, George Patterson, who was then
Mayor OF that city. He lived in the
family or Mr.. Patterson until ne attained
his majority, and then returned TO Rich
mond and engaged In business as
baker, being employed by Frank Baptist.
When % years Of age Mr. Jackson mar
ried Miss Anne Clarke, of New Kent
county. In 1853 the deceased was employ
ed at the Marshall ,atre as n stage
hand this being his first connection with
the theatrical business. Later he became
captain Of the supers, and was in this
capacity required 10 play small parts.
This was in the palmy days of the stock
company I'm which were such actors as
Jefferson. Booth, Boniface, Mccullough,
and Florence.
In 1860 the Marshall Theatre was de-
stroyed by fire, and the company then
played i'm what was knoGn as THE Va
rieties." the building which stands next
to the Exchange Hotel, and which is now
used as a house of worship by the colored
race. The new theatre, which was built
on the site OF the old Marshall, was com
pleted in 1853, and was opened in March
with GAS You Like It," in the cast being
Dorsey ogden. Charles Morton, Ida YER
non, Ella Wrenn (mother of Eugene
Blair. and Sally Darlington. the latter
now living in this city. Mr.. Jackson
worked, as usual, at this performance.
having been connected with the Varieties
in the same capacity he filled at the Mar
shall.
Prior to and during the war the de-
ceased, in addition to his work on the
stage. was employed as baker for the
Public Guard at the State Armory, To-
Gated near the Tredegar-W
WAS DOORKEEPER MANY YEARS.
Peter Jackson left his work on the
stage. and went ION the door" for the
first time in 1867, and as doorkeeper he
remained until october LIST last, when on
a Saturday night, at the performance
here OF "Gayest Manhattan" he dropped
his last ticket in the box, and went home
to return TO his post no more.
Mr.. Jackson loved the old Richmond
Theatre, and Il was with a feeling OF re-
greet that he left that playhouse, where
he had passed the best days of his life.
and went to the Academy of Music as
doorkeeper of the latter. While his duties
Were the same, yet he could not feel at
home working on the door of the new
house. However, he had not very long to
pass by the familiar old structure on the
corner OF Seventh and Broad streets, for
the old Richmond Theatre was soon a
heap OF ruins, and a large store was
erected on its site.
MR.. JACKSON'S SICKNESS.
The deceased was taken sick Sunday,
October I'd. He came home from the
Academy Saturday night at half-past Q