Some years ago Mr. Rushby decided to enter the legitimate field, where as Cy. Prime in the “Old Homestead” and John Todd in “Old Jed Prouty” he achieved success.
Horace Rushby was born in Hull, England, November 14, 1840.
John Crosher, a well-known ballad singer who was with Cotton and Murphy’s Minstrels in 1865, and with Simmons and Slocum’s Company in Philadelphia, Pa., from 1871 to 1874; died in Toronto, Canada, January 15, 1880.
Dick Sands (George R. Sands), famous for many years as Barnum’s “Old Woman in the Shoe,” was one of the world’s greatest clog dancers.
His first appearance was made at Pierce’s Varieties in Providence, R. I., in 1857. Late that same year he joined Bryant’s Minstrels in New York, and in February, 1859, reappeared there.
In 1866 he was associated with Jack Haverly in a minstrel company bearing their name. Mr. Sands played important engagements with the Morris Bros., Pell and Trowbridge Minstrels in Boston, and many other high-class minstrel and circus companies.
Dick Sands was born at Mill Bridge, England, May 2, 1840; he died in New York, March 28, 1900.
Charles B. Hicks, one of the proprietors of Hicks and Sawyer’s Colored Minstrels, died at Suraboya, Java, in 1902.
W. H. Hamilton, who was a well-known baritone singer, was with Simmons and Slocum’s, and Frank Moran’s Minstrels in Philadelphia in the early 70’s, and in 1882 was part proprietor of Birch, Hamilton and Backus’ Minstrels in New York. He died in Los Angeles, Cal., April 17, 1897.
Gustave Geary, a well-known vocalist of Hooley’s and other minstrel companies during the 60’s, died in New York, April 25, 1877.