Since that period Mr. Primrose has headed his own organization, with an occasional season in vaudeville.
On August 2, 1879, Mr. Primrose married Miss Emma Catlin, at Buffalo, N. Y. The first Mrs. Primrose died some years ago. On April 24, 1904, he married Miss Esther Nerney, at Mount Vernon, N. Y.
George H. Primrose was born in London, Canada, November 12, 1852.
J. Marcus Doyle, the accomplished dancer, producer and comedian, made his first appearance at a concert hall in Buffalo, N. Y., as boy, in the middle 60’s, subsequently joining a circus, and later forming one of the team of Baker and Doyle.
 |  |  |
| BILLY EMERSON | WM. HENRY RICE (1870) | BILLY MANNING |
| SHINING LIGHTS OF MINSTRELSY. | ||
His best work was done in minstrelsy, and he was identified with such organizations as Barlow, Wilson, Primrose and West’s; Hi Henry’s; Cleveland’s and Barlow Brothers.
About 1896 he joined the May Russell Burlesque Company.
J. Marcus Doyle was born in Elyria, Ohio; he died in Buffalo, N. Y., December 23, 1899; age 47 years.
Harry Woodson (John Archer Shields), considered by many as the greatest delineator of the “aged darky” that the stage ever knew, began his professional career as an amateur in his native city. His first professional engagement was with the Buckley and Morris Minstrels singing in character “Old Black Joe.”
September 2, 1878, he began an engagement at Carncross’ Minstrels in Philadelphia, and in the Spring of 1881 he played another engagement in the same city with Thatcher & Ryman’s Minstrels. Commencing in 1880 he was one of the proprietors of Woodson and Allen’s Minstrels, which made tours off and on until October 28, 1883, when the last performance was given at Cynthiana, Ky. Season of 1886-87 he created the part of “Rufus,” the old negro in “Held by the Enemy.”