There is a difference of opinion as to when and where he made his first appearance, but it is certain he was with Sam Sanford’s Minstrels, traveling in 1859; and equally certain that one evening during a performance with that company, a man in the audience became so enthused with Hughes’ dancing, that he took his watch from his pocket and gave it to him (Hughes); he finished the season at Sanford’s Theatre in Philadelphia in the Spring of 1860. About June following he joined Mrs. Matt Peel’s Minstrels; subsequently returning to Sanford’s in Philadelphia.
September 29, 1862, he opened with Hooley’s Minstrels in Brooklyn, at the initial performance of the organization.
In November, 1864, he began an engagement with Wood’s Minstrels in New York, and the following year was one of the proprietors of (Cool.) Burgess, (Tom) Prendergast, Hughes and (D. C.) La Rue’s Minstrels.
May 28, 1866, he returned to Hooley’s, and at the ending of the season of 1868-69, he went to England with Smith and Taylor’s Minstrels.
September 12, 1870, with Fayette Welch, and Cool. White, he opened Welch, Hughes and White’s Minstrels in Brooklyn, on the site now occupied by a large carpet store; the organization continued there for several months. In 1873 Mr. Hughes was with Sharpley, Sheridan and Mack’s Company, and two years later he rejoined Hooley in Brooklyn.
In December, 1880, he was a member of Kyle’s “Christy” Minstrels in Boston, and in September, 1881, he began his last engagement with Leavitt’s Gigantean Minstrels.
Mr. Hughes was a splendid comedian and a fine dancer; he specialized singing Irish songs on the end.
Archie Hughes was born in Albany, N. Y., about 1830; he died in Buffalo, N. Y., October 18, 1881.
P. B. Isaacs was one of the early minstrel leaders, and a fine musician. He was one of the original members of Bryant’s Minstrels in New York at their opening, February 23, 1857.
He was born in London, England, 1831; he died in San Francisco, September 6, 1865.