William Schuyler Cleveland
(1860 - 1922)
Page 2053, # 15937
WILLIAM SCHUYLER’ CLEVELAND was born in Chillicothe, Ohio on March. 31, 1860, and received an academic education in the schools of Chillicothe. Started out in life at the age of 13. When 15 he entered the Scioto Gazette printing house, Chillicothe to learn the printer’s trade, at which he worked until 18. During these years he became acquainted with many showmen who did business with the Gazette, etc.
They offered him positions with their companies. He finally accepted the advertising agency of O’Brien’s Circus, traveling with this and other circuses to July, 188 1, when he left Coup’s Hippodrome and joined Barlow, Wilson, Primrose & West’s Minstrels as Advertising agt. to June 10, 1882, then became Press and General agent of Barlow, Wilson & Co.’s Minstrels to Dec. 1, 1883. He was Business manager of Leavitt’s Minstrels Dec. 10, 1883, to July, 1884, and of Cal. Wagner’s to Oct., 1884, with Hallen & Hart’s Ideals to May 15, 1885.
In the meantime he was engaged day and night in organizing the celebrated Mc Nish [Frank E.], Johnson [Carroll] and Slavin [Robert] Minstrels until the opening night, July 30, 1885, was their manager (working very hard steadily), Feb. I, 1885, to May 17, 1887; their success was largely due to his indomitable will and fertile brain. He joined J. H. Haverly, May 18, manager of his enterprises. Commenced May 18 to organize an entire new company to open July 18, 1887,
Mr. Cleveland is sole Proprietor and Manager of W, S. Cleveland’s Magnificent Mastodon Minstrels, the largest and most complete minstrel organization in existence. Address : Buffalo, N. Y., 1892-5.
Mr. Cleveland is (since Dec, 1885) a member of Hartford, Conn., Lodge of Elks.
William Schuyler Cleveland is a subscriber for this Genealogy.
Minstrel shows became popular American entertainment from the 1840s through the turn-of-the-century. Some shows featured white actors wearing blackface in a standard three-part musical comedy, while others starred black performers. One of the best was W. S. Cleveland’s Colossal Colored Carnival Minstrels. His shows were known for their “beautiful and costly stage settings, exquisite costumes…and the originality and genuine merit of every artist.”
NOTE : William SchuylerCleveland lived for 22 years after this genealogy was published. If you are a direct relative and have additional data or photos you would be willing to share with others, please contact me using the contact form.