JOHN H. COLLINS was a well-known vocalist with various minstrel companies. He was the husband of Julia Gould, the prima donna of Buckley’s Minstrels. In the Spring of 1860 he was with Wood’s Minstrels, and in the Fall of that year he joined Rumsey and Newcomb’s Company, going to Cuba with them, where he died in December, 1860. “PICKANINNY” (Thomas E.) COLEMAN was one of the early black-face performers ante-dating minstrelsy proper. [Illustration: JOHN HART EMIL AMES WILLIS P. SWEATNAM BILLY EMERSON (1869) DAN. WALDRON (Of Original Big 4) GEO. M. DE VERE--MATT McELROY 1878.] He played many engagements in New York in the early 40’s, with John W. Smith, with whom he made a trip to England in 1840. He died in Newark, N. J., July 5, 1859. JOHN LANDIS was one of the old-time minstrels and general black-face performers; he was with Sam Sanford’s Minstrels in 1859, and at one time was prominently identified with his own company. He died in Philadelphia, September 19, 1863. S. E. CLARK was one of the early interlocutors, or “middle-men” of minstrelsy; he was rated an excellent bass vocalist, and was with the Bryant’s in New York in 1857. He died in New Haven, Conn., February 3, 1860. JULIUS A. VON BONHORST was one of the early banjo players of minstrelsy, and practically his entire career was spent with Sanford’s Minstrels in Philadelphia. He married a Miss Luther about 1854, and three years later retired from the profession. He died at Reading, Pa., February 16, 1869, aged 40 years. JIM CARTER, one of the earliest of black-face performers, and whose portrait may be seen on another page, was also one of the original Campbell’s Minstrels, organized June, 1847. He died many years ago. PHILIP RICE was one of the pioneer banjo players of minstrelsy. In the very early days he constructed an instrument by tacking a skin over a peck measure that had been sawed in half; this attracted wide attention. June 18, 1856, he was with Dave Reed’s Minstrels on board the steamer “James Raymond,” which traveled on the Mississippi River. He died at Grand Lake, Ark., December 4, 1857. TOM RALEIGH (T. R. Mahan), one of the musicians of the real early days of minstrelsy, was accidentally shot and killed by Frank Hussey, comedian, in San Francisco, December 5, 1859. GEORGE LEA, one of the pioneers of the variety theatre business in New York City, was the proprietor of Lea’s Minstrels at 185 Chatham Street, in the Fall of 1853. He died at Port Jervis, N. Y., August 20, 1902. “PICAYUNE” BUTLER (John Butler), one of the best of the early banjoists, and who made famous the song “Picayune Butler’s Comin’ to Town,” had considerable vogue in the 50’s. He died in New York City, November 18, 1864. GEORGE A. HARRINGTON was one of the members of the Ethiopian Serenaders who appeared in New York, September 15, 1845. The following year they appeared in London, England.