About 1857 Mr. Wild met Billy Arlington, and became a member of Arlington and White’s Minstrels; the company consisted of the three already named, and lasted one week. The next three years were mostly circus and variety engagements. Early in 1863 he went to Carncross and Dixey’s Minstrels in Philadelphia, occupying the tambo end; he subsequently played the variety theatres with Blanche Stanley in an act called “Nerves,” in which he created a sensation.
Mr. Wild afterwards was with the minstrel companies of Emerson, Allen and Manning’s, and the Morris Brothers in Boston, which company he left to become one of the proprietors of Dougherty, Wild, Barney and Mac’s Minstrels in 1869. He joined Harrigan and Hart’s Company, January 28, 1878, and continued with them until and after Tony Hart left the organization, remaining until 1889, when he starred in “Running Wild.”
The following year he was with George Thatcher’s Minstrels, and on December 29, 1890, he rejoined Harrigan, continuing with him until 1895.
In conjunction with Mrs. Annie Yeamans and Dan Collyer, he began a tour in vaudeville, January 10, 1898.
John Wild’s death was a distinct and irreparable loss to the profession he so ably graced.
Mr. Wild was twice married; his second wife, Ada Wray, was well-known in the profession several years ago.
John Wild was born in Manchester, England, December 29, 1843; he died in Averill Park, N. Y., March 2, 1898.
George W. Rockefeller, well-known as a vocalist and banjoist, opened with the 5th Engineer Minstrels at Auburn, N. Y., September 4, 1865; shortly after this company was known as Wagner and Hague’s Minstrels. Subsequently he was with Lloyd’s Minstrels in New York, and Tunnison’s Minstrels in Philadelphia; he joined Bryant’s Company in New York in 1868, and was with them for quite a while.
He was with Buckley’s Serenaders, also in New York, in the Summer of 1870; in the Fall he joined the San Francisco Minstrels, likewise in New York.
He opened with Emerson’s Minstrels in San Francisco, August 19, 1872; May 12, following he sailed for Australia with that company, and remained in the Antipodes after leaving Emerson, finally returning to the United States in the Summer of 1879.