He was associated with many of the famous organizations, including some of his own. In 1854 he was “leader” with Ordway’s Aeolians in Boston; subsequently he went to California, and while there was one of the proprietors of Birch (Billy) and Donniker’s Minstrels, 1859.
In 1861 he was with “Eugene” and Unsworth, proprietor of Unsworth’s Minstrels. In 1862 he had a half interest in Arlington (Billy) and Donniker’s Minstrels; and in 1865 he was associated with Burgess (“Cool”), Prendergast (Tom), Hughes (Archie) and Donniker’s Minstrels.
He was with Morris Bros., Pell and Trowbridge, in Boston, and with Bryant’s, and Wood and Christy’s in New York; likewise for several seasons was he intermittently with the famous San Francisco Minstrels, also in New York.
In the late 70’s he was engaged as leader at the London Theatre, New York City, remaining a few seasons.
Of late years, having lost the use of his arm, he took pupils, giving lessons on the violin.
John B. Donniker died at Penn Yan, N. Y., July 17, 1902; age 69 years.
Tony Pastor (Antonio Pastorius), during his long career as manager in New York City, occupied three different theatres, each of which had previously been used by a permanent minstrel company.
Mr. Pastor’s early days, about 1846-47, were spent as a minstrel.
Tony Pastor was born in New York, May 28, 1832; he died at Elmhurst, L. I., N. Y., August 26, 1908.
“Hank” (Azro) White, a famous old-time minstrel, had been in the profession about forty years; twenty-five of which were spent with Whitmore and Clark’s Minstrels.