At a very early age he gave evidence of the wonderful talents he possessed, but it was not until the late P. T. Barnum took him in hand, and at Vauxhall Garden, New York, in the Spring of 1840, and brought him out, and subsequently took him all over the Union, and later to Europe, that he achieved the recognition he so richly deserved. After the original four had given their first minstrel performance in February, 1843, Diamond was called upon to strengthen the quartette at a subsequent performance, a very short time later. [Illustration: JOHN MULLIGAN MILT. G. BARLOW LEW. PARKER JOHN PENDY BILLY ARLINGTON DAN. SHELBY GEO. EDWARDS HUBERT W. EAGAN BILLY McALLISTER PROMINENT PERFORMERS OF THE PAST AND PRESENT.] On July 8, 1844, he danced a contest with Master Juba, the colored dancer, and the greatest his race ever knew. He was feted and courted for many years, but dissipation and riotous living carried him to an early grave. John Diamond was born in New York City, in 1823; he died in Philadelphia, October 29, 1857. J. A. HERMAN (Simonson) was one of the very earliest ballad singers in minstrelsy; he was the possessor of a sweet tenor voice which he used in rendering the old songs to excellent advantage. Mr. Herman’s first appearance was in New York, at the Olympic Theatre, in 1839, singing “Norah McShane.” His first minstrel engagement was with the “Campbell’s”; he was with this company in New York as early as October 17, 1848. Subsequently he was associated with Wood and Fellowe’s; Henry Wood in 1852; Wood and Christy from 1853 to 1858; in the Fall of that year he joined Sniffen’s “Campbell’s” Minstrels, and when George Christy returned from California in the Summer of 1859, Mr. Herman went with him, and continued with Christy for a long period. About 1863 he joined Hooley’s Minstrels in Brooklyn, and remained with them several years; barring the time Hooley was in Chicago. Mr. Herman’s two brothers, George W. and William H., were both old-time minstrels. Mr. Herman retired from the profession a great many years before his death. J. A. Herman was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., January 1, 1823; he died at Wood Haven, Long Island, N. Y., January 23, 1901. DAN RICE (McLaren), the world-famous clown, in conjunction with Sam Sanford and others, in blackface, appeared in New York City at Palmo’s Opera House in the spring of 1843. He was born in New York City, January 25, 1823; he died in Long Branch, N. J., February 22, 1900. JOSEPH D. MURPHY (Donnelly) began his minstrel career in the middle 40’s as a member of the Sable Harmonists: he was then a ballad singer. On the 17th day of July, 1850, Mr. Murphy, Luke West, Matt. Peel and James Norris formed an organization known as the “Original Campbell Minstrels;” subsequently Mr. Norris retiring, the company flourished for several seasons as Murphy, West and Peel’s Minstrels.