Mr. Chace was married to Miss Kitty Elzel, at Worcester, Mass., April 18, 1882; subsequently he became the husband of Henrietta St. Felix, of the 4 St. Felix Sisters, at Bainbridge, Ga., February 1, 1893.
Mr. Chace says that he is of the opinion that Chace and Davis at the Wigwam Theatre, Paterson, N. J., February, 1873, were the first to do a black-face “gagging” turn; I place it up to my readers.
Billy Chace was born May 31, 1856; at Providence, R. I.
LEW DOCKSTADER (Geo. Alfred Clapp).
Minstrelsy didn’t commence with Lew Dockstader, but Lew Dockstader commenced with minstrelsy, and has been associated with it ever since, always appearing in black face, a distinction enjoyed but by few burnt-cork artists. Mr. Dockstader’s success is due to many things, the most conspicuous being his ability to ascertain just what the public wants and when it wants it; and then giving it to them.
The name of Dockstader has been a household word for many years; the fame of Dockstader will live forever.
Mr. Dockstader’s initial appearance dates back to 1873, when, in his native city he was a member of an amateur organization by the very minstrel name of Earl, Emmett and Wild’s Minstrels; with Frank Lawton he did a song and dance act under the team name of Lawton and Clapp. That there was some class even at that early date to the great artist in embryo, is evinced from the fact that the late Harry Bloodgood, who was at that time organizing a company, engaged young Clapp, and he forthwith became a member of Bloodgood’s Comic Alliance, opening in Springfield, Mass., about September 1, 1873, and continuing the season.
The following year he formed a partnership with Johnny Mack, and as Mack and Clapp joined Whitmore and Clark’s Minstrels, remaining until the Spring of the next year.
From 1875 to 1876 he was associated with Mart Healy, also Healy and Ella Saunders, playing the variety houses, and billed as the “Big Three.” Then something happened. Mr. Dockstader fell into some money; but how fall out? Have a theatre of your own, someone suggested. Accordingly, on the 11th day of September, 1876, Newton’s Varieties, in Hartford, Conn., was opened under the management of Lew Clapp; four weeks later the name of the theatre was changed to the Adelphi and as the Adelphi it continued until January 13 following, when Mr. Clapp surrendered the reins of management to the more venerable Ad. Weaver.
