Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-04-10

of similar companies touring the coun-
try. The second company organized
was called the Kentucky Ministries"
and was composed OF T. G. Booth, Har-
ny Mestayer, Frank Lynch. Reorgan-
izing they took in Whitlock, Barney
Williams and Charley" White. Sue
ceeding troupes were the Ring and
Parker minstrels," the Congo min
strels," afterwards known as Buck
ley's New Orleans serenaders," and K.
p. Christy's minstrels, consisting of
f. p. Christy, George N. Christy,
Thomas Vaughn, l.. Durand, Enom
Dickerson and 'Zeke" Backus The
latter company first appeared in Pal
mos opera house Cartons theater),
New York, in 1886. The Ethiopian
serenaders." with ]. Dumbolton as
great was their success that they were
summoned to sing before Queen Vic
toria. and each performer received a
beautiful crest ring as a token of her
majesty's approval. Dumbolton took
a second company to England shortly
afterward.
A company organized about that
time in Philadelphia and calling them
selves the Virginia serenaders," was
composed OF Jim Sanford Cool
White). Richard Myers cole Bull My
ers) and Robert Edwards. The "Har-
monians." containing Frank Lynch
and l.. " II. Crosby, Whites Serena
ders, who remained in New York from
1916 until 1857; the Sable Brothers,
of which Cleveland, Turpin and Evans
were members, and the sable Har-
monians," including Plumer. Archer,
Jim" Farrell. Nelson Kneass. the au-
thor of Ben Bolt, and Joe" Murphy,
were well known companies of that
time. The best known and perhaps
Original Campbell minstrels,' as It
became known later to distinguish 1t
from the many companies which took
the name Campbell. John Campbell.
a hotelkeeper of New York, who Or
ganized the troupe, finally went to law
to protect his name. In his company
were William B. Donaldson, Jerry
Bryant, John Rea, later Judge Rea OF
Paterson, N. j., James Carter, Harry
Mestayer and David Raymond.
The First Performances.
BanJos. tambourines and bones
were the principal musical instru-
ments of the first minstrel companies.
Some one invented the "jawbone"
which at first was in fact the jawbone
of horse or mule to which small
bells were affixed The performer
scraped upon the loose teeth in the
jaw with file or small piece of
iron, and the grating of the iron on
the teeth mingled with the jingling
of the bells was the music" Negro
comic songs, sentimental slave songs
and a series of wild negro chants were
the principal songs of the original
Ministries.
Performances. at first consisting of
a few songs, jokes and humorous sto-
ries. were improved by the addition of
jig dancers. The bone player. usually
an Adonis and the much admired
member. was called 'Brudder Bones,
while the tambourine player answered
to the name of Julius" The middle
man was always Sam Johnson" The
style and dress of the minstrels soon
changed, the plantation darkies of
the south" in checked shirts, striped
trousers and straw hats of the first
part being replaced by the dandy ne
groes of the north" in fun evening
pf a arf I Ut hn
plantation costume gave way entirely
to the evening dress, being retained
only for the comic sketches and
farces in the olio.
With other improvements cor1ets.
flutes, double basses, violonCellos aud
accordeCns We're added to the orches-
ira One instrument whose use was
strels and which disappeared with the.
fall of thnt amusement was the melo-
phone, II resemhled a guitar. with
ACCORDION reeds inside and bellows
within to furnish the power for the
reeds, Most of these instruments. of
| which, perhaps. not more than one
I hundred were ever made, occupy
melophone is now owned by Frank
| Dumont, who still uses it,
Fosters Songs Win Popularity.
About 1850 Stephen c. Foster began
to write his famous songs. which. sung
by Il. p. Christy and other popular
MINISTRIES, took the country by storm
Nelly BLY,, Nelly Was a Lady. oh, SUI
sauna. Nancy Trill. Way Down Upon
the Swanee Ribber. Massa's in the
! Cold. Cold Ground, Old Dog Tray. Old
| Uncle Ned. Old Kentucky Home, Will
| lie, We Have Missed You, Old Black
/ Joe. Come Where My Love iAes
/ Dreaming. and Hard Times Come
/ Again No More were all favorites
which added to the popularity of the
minstrels who sang them. Foster
who was the author of about one hun
| dred songs, died in poverty and with.
out care in 1864 at the age of 81,
Since then many of the popular sing
ers who made his songs famous have
like him died In DOverty and neglect