November 14, 1842, he appeared at the Franklin Theatre in New York, and on January 16, 1843, he had a benefit at the Amphitheatre, on which occasion he appeared in sixteen songs and dances, and played in the farce “Negro Assurance;” yet we think continuous performances are of recent origin. After the dissolution of the original four in England, Mr. Pelham played an extended engagement at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London. April 22, 1844, in conjunction with Dan. Emmett, Frank Brower and Joe Sweeney, they reorganized their little band and opened in Dublin, Ireland; at the Theatre Royal, afterwards, appearing in Cork, Belfast, Glasgow and Edinburgh, after which they disbanded. Mr. Pell subsequently organized Pell’s Serenaders, and played all the large cities in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. His last appearance was at Birmingham, England, August 19, 1856. [Illustration: BILLY WHITLOCK DICK PELHAM DAN. EMMETT FRANK BROWER] The above four performers gave in New York City, February 6, 1843, the first minstrel performance ever given; they were known as the Virginia Minstrels. [Illustration: R. BISHOP BUCKLEY JAS. BUCKLEY SWAINE BUCKLEY FRED. BUCKLEY THE ORIGINAL BUCKLEY SERENADERS.] Dick Pelham was born in New York City, February 13, 1815; he died in Liverpool, England, October 8, 1876. DAN. EMMETT (Daniel Decatur Emmett) was better known to the general public than any of his associates, from the fact that he outlived nearly all his contemporaries, and the more important one that he was the author of “Dixie,” which will live forever. [Illustration: TOWN HALL TO-NIGHT--MINSTRELS.] Mr. Emmett first blacked up at the age of sixteen, and two years later joined Sam. Stickney’s Circus. At the age of twenty-five, he learned to play the banjo, and traveled with Angevine’s Circus until he reached New York, in 1842. In 1843, after leaving his three associates in England, he performed at Bolton, Lancashire; he rejoined Pelham and Brower in Dublin, Ireland, April 22, 1844, and played with them and Joe Sweeney for several weeks. Returning to the United States, he appeared with various circus and minstrel companies. In 1853-54 he was part proprietor of White’s Minstrels in New York; in 1855 he opened the first minstrel hall in Chicago, at 104 Randolph Street. Emmett’s Minstrels opened at St. Paul, Minn., April 26, 1858; he was also associated with Frank Brower in a minstrel company in the 50’s. Mr. Emmett joined Bryant’s Minstrels in New York City in 1858, and remained several years; after Dan Bryant’s death in 1875, he accepted a position as leader in the Star Varieties, Chicago. In the Fall of 1881 he went out with Leavitt’s Minstrels, where in conjunction with several old timers, they gave a reproduction of the original Virginia Minstrels of 1843. His last engagement was a tour of the country with Al. G. Field’s Minstrels about ten years ago.