Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 December 1886 — JOHN E. OWENS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

JOHN E. OWENS.

Sketch of the Famous Comedian, Whose Death Was Recently Announced. JohnE. Owens was born in Liverpool, England, of Welch parentage, in 1823, but was brought to the United States when only three years of age, by his parents, who first settled in Baltimore, Md., but after a residence of ten years in that city, removed to Philadelphia,where Mr. Owens, pere, established himself in business. He made his first appearance under the management of the late Wm. E. Burton, at the National Theater, Philadelphia, where Charlotte Cushman was then start-

ling the public with her manifestations of a powerful genius. On the 20th of August, 1846, Mr. Owens reappeared in Philadelphia at the Museum, in Masonic Hall, as Jack Humphries, in “Turning the Tables,” for the benefit of D. P. Powers. In 1849 he became joint manager of the Baltimore Museum with Haun, and in the succeeding year assumed sole control of the establishment. In 1852,at the earnest solicitation of John Brougham, Mr. Owens consented to inaugurate with his performances Brougham’s Lyceum, New York, then newly built, and met with a cordial reception. On the 26th of June, 1852, he for the third or fourth time sailed for Europe, and, declining a flattering engagement at the Adelphi Theater, made an extended tour of the continent. In 1854 he again entered into the management of the Charles Street Theater, Baltimore. In 1859 he conducted the Varieties Theater, New Orleans. In 1863 he filled a most successful engagement at Wallack’s Theater, New York. In 1865 he visited England, playing “Solon Shingle.” Returning to America he made this part peculiarly his own, playing it in all the large cities. As a comedian he ranks with the highest, and is as great in his parts as Jefferson and Clarke are in theirs. Charlie (gloomily)—You forgot that your father injured my tenderest feelings last evening when I was leaving. Mabel— Yes, darlinu; but he wore his carpet slippers at the time, and now his foot is done up in a bandage and he goes on a crutch. Come in, darling.