BIOGRAPHIES OF MINSTREL FOUNDERS
AND MEMBERS, No. 4
 

BILLY RICE, the veteran minstrel, whose
right name was William H. Pearl, was born
in Sand Lake, N. Y., on December 12, 1845.
He began his career in 1865 at the New York
Varieties, in New York city, arid later joined
Hooley's Minstrels. In 1870 he went to Chi¬
cago, where he scored a great success. In
1874 he became the partner of Leonard
Grover, and eventually became associated
with J. H. Haverly, with whom he made
several tours of the continent. He was after¬
wards associated with Billy Emerson, Charlie
Reed and W. S. Cleveland. He accumulated
considerable property and invested in a sum¬
mer garden ifi Denver. This was destroyed
by fire and he lost everything. At the time
of his death, which occurred at Hot Springs,
Ark., March i, 1902, he was practically desti¬
tute. He had lived at Hot Springs for nearly
a year before his death. Aged fifty-six. Brother Rice y^^as a member of the
New  York  Elks   (single  organization) ;   was   initiated >January   24,   advanced

April 3, 1869, being No. 80 on the member¬
ship roll. Was E. Leading Knight and.First
Assistant P. of Chicago Lodge, No. 4, at insti¬
tution, and held that same office for three
weeks thereafter, until the first regular set of
officers of No. 4 were elected and installed.
He was chairman of the first social session of
No. 4, and was one of the group of Elks con¬
nected with Hooley's Minstrels in the fall of
1876 who helped to organize and institute Chi¬
cago Lodge No. 4, B. P. O. E.

HER  FRONT  NAME  WAS  HANNAH.

As sung by Billy Rice.

The heart in this bosom has lately been stole
By a sweet little charmer scarce sixteen years
old.
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