Rowland H. Mayland was well known as a flute soloist with many of the best minstrel organizations.
His first professional engagement was at Mrs. John Wood’s Theatre, New York, in 1864. Subsequently he joined M. C. Campbell’s Minstrels, later appearing with Hooley’s in Brooklyn, N. Y.; Buckley’s; Kelly and Leon’s; Geo. Christy’s, and Seaver’s Minstrel Hall, Brooklyn, N. Y.
He last appeared professionally with Neil Bryant’s Minstrels about thirty years ago.
Rowland H. Mayland was born in New York, February 16, 1848.
Lew Parker, the present manager of the Crescent Theatre in Brooklyn, N. Y., 1910, was an acrobat in 1860. Doesn’t time fly?
This 1860 “affair” was with the Myers and Madigan Circus, which, Mr. Parker declares, was the first railroad show in America.
About 1863 he joined Skiff’s Minstrels; subsequently Mr. Parker was with the Oriental Minstrels; as might be surmised, this was a “turkey” show.
A tour of South America with Pickering’s Minstrels followed.
Other black face organizations that were graced by the presence of Mr. Parker were Johnny Thompson’s Minstrels, and the California Minstrels; with the latter he sat on the end opposite “Kerry Gow” Joe Murphy.
The team of Lew and Pauline Parker played the variety houses from 1873 to 1885.