On February 6, Mr. Eugene opened with Hooley and Campbell’s Minstrels in Boston, at their inaugural performance there; with this company he met James Unsworth, and the two formed a business alliance that continued until the death of the latter, just fifteen years later.
Early in 1861, Eugene, Unsworth and J. B. Donniker organized Unsworth’s Minstrels; they disbanded at Ogdensburg, N. Y., in the Spring; shortly after, Eugene and Unsworth sailed for Europe. On August 5, 1861, they opened with Rumsey and Newcomb’s Minstrels in Liverpool, Eng.; subsequently they played through the provinces and Germany.
Later they returned to London, where they played the music halls for three years; after which they joined Wilsom and Montague’s Minstrels in Liverpool, and played there for four years; their last engagement there was April 7, 1868. Mr. Eugene and his partner arrived in the United States on April 28, and a few weeks later opened the season of 1868 at Bryant’s Minstrels in New York, and continued there for two years.
In the fall of 1870 he joined Hooley’s Minstrels in Brooklyn, and on January 2, 1871, when the latter opened in Chicago, Mr. Eugene was with him, and continued for several months.
September 2, 1871, he opened at Paterson, N. J., with Unsworth’s Minstrels at their first performance. December 18, they reopened with Hooley’s Minstrels in Brooklyn, remaining several weeks.
February 26, 1872, he began an engagement with Moran and Dixey’s Minstrels in Philadelphia, and remained until the end of the season.
In August he opened a three-months’ engagement at the Howard Athenaeum, in Boston, and on November 25, joined Frank Moran’s Minstrels in Philadelphia. At the conclusion of the regular season, the company went on tour; it was known as Moran and Manning’s Minstrels, and “Eugene” was a member of the company.
The season of 1873-74 was spent with Bryant’s Minstrels in New York; in 1874 he went to England and opened with Sam Hague’s Minstrels in Liverpool, where he remained until the death of his partner, February 21, 1875.
“Eugene” returned to New York the same year, and on September 13, commenced a short season there with Cotton and Reed’s Minstrels. November 15 he began an engagement with Carncross and Dixey’s company in Philadelphia, and continued there for four years; the last season the company was known as Carncross Minstrels.
June 4, 1879, he sailed for England for a period of much needed rest, playing but a few engagements.