August 25, 1884, he opened with the Standard Minstrels in San Francisco for a few weeks, closing October 4.
July 30, 1885, he began the season with McNish, Johnson and Slavin’s Minstrels; he was with this company part of the season of 1886-87 also. September 12, 1887, in conjunction with John Hart and Add. Ryman, he organized a company bearing their names.
December 24, 1888, he assumed the business management of the Star Theatre in Buffalo, N. Y., on the opening of that theatre; he resigned the position and soon after joined Johnson and Slavin’s Minstrels.
In 1890 he organized the World’s Fair Minstrels, opening July 17, at Elizabeth, N. J. Season of 1891-92 he was with George Wilson’s Minstrels. May 16, same year, he played his first performance with Cleveland’s Minstrels, and continued with them intermittently until May 1, 1896.
In November, 1898, he opened with Bartlett’s California Minstrels for a brief season.
July 31, 1899, he began a special engagement of four weeks with Wm. H. West’s Minstrels; October 9, same year, he opened with Harry Davis’ Minstrels in Pittsburgh, Pa., in an attempt at making a permanent company in that city; he finished the season with Primrose and Dockstader’s Minstrels. About January, 1900, he began a series of annual engagements with Frank Dumont’s Minstrels in Philadelphia.
His last traveling engagement was with the “Great Lafayette” Company in November, 1902.
His last stage appearance was at Atlantic City, N. J., November 30, 1907. The author has no exact knowledge of engagements said to have been played with Haverly, at Chicago in 1892; Kelly and Leon in New York in 1876, and with Duprez and Benedict’s Minstrels.
It is obviously a delicate matter for one to speak of the talents, capabilities, etc., of one’s own father; but a reproduction of some notices from the press of the country, may not be considered bad form.
The Daily Commercial (Cincinnati) of July 29, 1863, said: “The singing of Mr. Lewis surprises us more and more. His imitations of the Prima Donna are superb, and the brilliant qualities of his singular voice are an unfailing theme for wonder among his hearers. The first time he breaks into a song he invariably startles his audience, who are simply prepared to hear the strained falsetto, to which the mock crinoline of minstrelsy has heretofore been committed.”