Fred Walz was born in Philadelphia about 1852; he died there September 7, 1884.
James H. Cummings was one of minstrelsy’s best dancers. He formed a partnership with John P. Hogan late in 1871, and played an engagement at Moran and Dixey’s Minstrels in Philadelphia, terminating about February 1, 1872.
Later his partner was W. H. Delehanty, whom he joined August 23, 1875; the alliance lasted about fifteen months.
Mr. Cummings subsequently did an act with Harry Orndorf while with the Emily Soldene Company, where he remained two seasons. He left the profession for a time, and embarked in business in Indianapolis, Ind.
Mr. Cummings married one of the Stanley Sisters, well known performers of three decades ago. James H. Cummings was born in Rochester, N. Y.; he died in San Francisco, February 15, 1889; age 37 years.
Welby and Pearl are not exactly the pioneers of song and dance teams, but they have been associated as partners since 1874, which is enough to make them qualify.
They have been with several first-class organizations, including Al. G. Field’s Minstrels, with whom they were with in 1899; subsequently they joined Gorton’s Minstrels, and continued with them almost to date. Mr. Pearl, of recent years, was manager of the company.
Jake Welby (Bucher), was born October 13, 1852, at Syracuse, N. Y.
Charles C. Pearl (Fell), was born in West Chester, Pa., December 4, 1858.
Dan Collyer (McAnerny), the well known comedian of Broadway fame, was one of the Collyer Brothers as early as 1872, doing black-face acts. Doesn’t look it, does he? November 16, 1889, he opened in New York with “Running Wild,” in which he played the wench.