He joined Ordway’s Aeolians in Boston in 1852, and continued with them until December, 1857, when Johnny Pell, Lon and Billy Morris and John T. Huntley, organized a company bearing their names, and opened in Boston. Mr. Trowbridge was with them. Mr. Huntley withdrew about March, 1859, and the company was thereafter known as that of Morris Bros., Pell and Trowbridge, and as such it continued until 1867. He later became identified in the management of two Boston theatres. About 1872 he retired from active business.
Jos. T. Trowbridge was born in Newtonville, Mass., September, 1823; he died in Chelsea, Mass., Jan. 11, 1891.
Hank Mason was familiarly known as “Hank, the Mason.” He was one of the foremost jig dancers in the early days of minstrelsy. He was born April 18, 1823; he died in Brooklyn, N. Y., October 9, 1885.
W. W. Newcomb (Coomb) was one of the best known performers of minstrelsy.
As a boy he traveled with circuses. In the late 40’s he formed a partnership with Bije Thayer, of Boston, and successfully conducted a minstrel company about four years.
He made his first New York appearance in December, 1851; subsequently playing with Fellowe’s Minstrels, and later Wood’s Minstrels, in New York, with whom he remained until July, 1853. That same year he went with Campbell’s Minstrels, and continued four years with them.
In 1857 with Hy. Rumsey he organized Rumsey and Newcomb’s Minstrels, playing in the United States, Canada, Cuba, England and Germany. The organization broke up in London in the Spring of 1862.
Mr. Newcomb and Eph. Horn organized a company the following year; Mr. Horn soon dropped out, and Newcomb’s Minstrels continued until 1871.
April 17, that year, Newcomb and Arlington’s Minstrels opened in New York, on the present site of the Fifth Avenue Theatre.
Mr. Newcomb subsequently appeared with various companies, his last appearance being at Hooley’s Theatre in Brooklyn, N. Y., February 17, 1877.