“Bije” (Amidon L.) Thayer was one of the pioneers of minstrelsy; his operations were confined to Boston and contiguous territory chiefly.
Thayer’s Minstrels and Thayer and Newcomb’s Minstrels existed from the middle 40’s to the early 50’s.
To Mr. Thayer belongs the credit of being the first to establish a permanent minstrel company in Boston, although the Buckleys had preceded him in giving entertainments there.
“Bije” Thayer died in Boston, Mass., February 20, 1864; aged 41 years.
Barney Williams (Bernard O’Flaherty), who was one of America’s greatest legitimate Irish comedians, in his very early days was equally prominent as a burnt-cork performer.
July 8, 1845, at the Elysian Fields in Hoboken, N. J., he was advertised as “master of the tambourine.” September 6, same year, at Castle Garden, New York, he portrayed the great black-face part of “Dandy Jim, of Caroline.”
Barney Williams was born in Cork, Ireland, July 20, 1824; he died in New York City, April 25, 1876.
| TOM. VAUGHN | EDWIN P. CHRISTY | GEO. CHRISTY |
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THE ORIGINAL CHRISTY MINSTRELS (Organized about 1844).
The company at its inception comprised Edwin P. Christy (the founder), Geo. Christy, Tom Vaughn and Lansing Durand. The other photos here represent minstrel scenes of that day.