CHAPTER II.
FORMATION OF THE "JOLLY CORKS."

POPULARITY OF MINSTRELSY.

HE BEGINNING of minstrelsy dates back to January 31, 1843,
at the old National Theatre, Chatham street. New York. The
second night was at the Bowery Ampitheatre, February i.
There were four men in the company—Frank Brower, Dick
Pelham, Billy Whitlock and Dan Emmett, author of "Dixie."
These men traveled with a circus, and, meeting in New York,
formed a melange of songs, dances, etc., for the benefit of R.
W. (Dick) Pelham. In those days two black faced performers
traveled with a circus, one playing banjo or violin, the other
dancing or beating tambourine.

The four rivals combined for this benefit performance,
and thus gave birth to minstrelsy, adding siiigers and a few
more musicians later on.
The above four went to England and made a terrific hit everywhere.
The Buckleys seized upon the idea and elaborated the performance with
real instruments in a musician-like manner. The Christys did not come into
notice much before 1846, or, possibly, 1845. The Buckleys date their origin
to 1844, and are correct, according to old bills—^best of proofs. Minstrelsy
flourished before and during the war, as the black man was much in evidence,
and up to 1870 was perhaps the greatest institution in the United States. At
the time when the "Jolly Corks" were instituted in New York city, in November
and December, 1867, and up to the spring of 1868, the popularity of minstrelsy
was evident, and manifest by the thriving business done by the three Ethiopian
minstrel bands then located in New York city, viz.: Bryant's Minstrels, Kelly &
Leon's Minstrels, and the San Francisco Minstrels. The former, although the
oldest in name, was at that time the latest in organization. Bryant's Minstrels
was a name as popular with the lovers of minstrelsy in.the days of 1868 as had
been the name of the Christys twenty years before. For several years they held
undisputed sway in New York city, but lost their grip with the advent of the
San Francisco Minstrels, when they retired from the field; but now, in 1868,
after a retirement of three years from the Ethiopian drama, Dan Bryant came
back once more, and had built for him in New York city one of the best adapted
halls for the business in the country. He collected one of the best organized
bands in America, which numbered seventeen performers, including thirteen in
the first part.

Kelly & Leon's Minstrels located in New York city, and having secured
Hope Chapel—a place that had swamped nearly every manager that had pre¬
viously occupied it—fixed it up in good style, and opened October i, 1866, where
they continued to flourish up to this same period in 1868. There were seventeen
performers in their first part besides the pianist.    Several of these were choristers

23