His first appearance was with Birch, Bowers and Fox’s Minstrels in California, about 1857; later he was a performer on the steamer “Banjo,” which plied the Mississippi. Mr. Boyce afterward appeared with such well-known organizations as Woods, in New York; Hooley’s, in Brooklyn, and Sanford’s.
May 7, 1866, with Hank Mudge, he launched Boyce and Mudge’s Minstrels, and later was a member of Griffin and Christy’s Minstrels.
His last appearance was in June, 1867.
John T. Boyce was born in Covington, Ky., about 1839; he died in Brooklyn, N. Y., June 11, 1867.
“Marsh” Adams (Marshall Anderson), an excellent and most natural delineator of the old Southern darky, began his stage career at the Race Street Varieties, Cincinnati, in the late 60’s; he remained there until 1871, when he joined the Hart, Ryman and Barney Minstrels; for a brief period he did an act with Milt. Barlow. In 1873 he went to the Metropolitan Theatre in Indianapolis, remaining until 1878; subsequently he was identified with various circuses, also Haverly’s Minstrels; and for a time with Walter Le Roy.
It is said that he was the first to sing “Old Black Joe” as a character song.
His last appearance was April 15, 1885.
Marsh Adams was born in Louisville, Ky., January 11, 1839; he died in Indianapolis, Ind., May 11, 1885.
Charles E. Dobson was one of the great banjoists of minstrelsy.
His first appearance was at Winsted, Conn., in 1856, with Sam Hague’s Concert Company.