Early American Plays Part 8

FRISBIE, NOAH, JR.

NOAH FRISBIE, JR., born in Woodbury, Conn., Jan. 23, 1758, was the oldest son of Noah Frisbie, of the same town, who married Margery Post in 1752, and was in 1757 a member of Captain Ebenezer Downs's company of volunteers in the expedition for the relief of Fort William Henry on Lake George against the French. On the "Alarm of Lexington," Noah Frisbie with his two sons Noah and Jonathan, and their kinsmen Asabel, Abiel, David and James, joined the Continental forces. Noah Frisbie, Jr., appears on the army list at the end of the war as a lieutenant. No further information, except the printing of the under-mentioned play, is available.

THE HISTORY OF THE FALCOS. A Comedy in Four Acts. Part First.

Walpole, N. H.: Printed for the author, at the Observatory Press, 1808. 12mo, pp. 137.

GARDEN, ALEXANDER

KOSCIUSKO; OR, THE FALL OF WARSAW. A Play in Verse.

Published in _The Soldier's Wreath, or The Battle Ground of New Orleans, and Other Poems_, by Oliver Cromwell, of South Carolina.

Charleston, W. Riley, 1828, pp. [37-72]. The volume is supposed to be by Alex. Garden, author of _Anecdotes of the Revolutionary War_. This I am, however, in doubt about, as the author calls himself "an almost beardless youth." The play is in three acts.

G.o.dFREY, THOMAS, JR.

THOMAS G.o.dFREY, who was born in Philadelphia on December 4, 1736, and died near Wilmington, N. C., August 3, 1763, was a son of Thomas G.o.dfrey, the inventor of the quadrant. He was apprenticed to a watchmaker and remained at that trade until 1758. He was an officer in the expedition against Fort Du Quesne. He removed to North Carolina and remained there three years. He then went to Philadelphia and sailed as a supercargo to the Island of New Providence, returning from thence to North Carolina, where, a few weeks after his arrival, by exposure to the sun on horseback, he contracted a fever which terminated fatally.

JUVENILE POEMS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, AND THE PRINCE OF PARTHIA. A Tragedy. Philadelphia: Printed by Henry Miller, in Second Street, 1765. 8vo, pp. XVI, 223.

_The Prince of Parthia_ is the earliest known tragedy that was written by an American. The play was offered to the company then performing in Philadelphia, but was not accepted.

GRICE, C. E.

THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS; OR, GLORY, LOVE AND LOYALTY; an Historical and National Drama in Five Acts. New York, 1816. 8vo, pp. 59.

Played at the Park Theatre, New York, July 4, 1816.

HALL, EVERARD

NOLENS VOLENS; OR, THE BITER BIT. Newbern, 1809. 12mo, pp. 92, [2].

HARBY, ISAAC

ISAAC HARBY, born in Charleston, S. C., November 9, 1788, died in New York City, November 14, 1828. First studied law under Langdon Cheves, but soon gave this up to become the princ.i.p.al of a school on Edisto Island. His first literary work was the editing of a weekly paper called _The Quiver_. This paper had but a short existence, and he purchased _The Investigator_, which he changed to _The Southern Patriot_. In 1822 he conducted _The City Gazette_ and wrote for _The Charleston Mercury_.

The second representation of _Alberti_, in Charleston, 1819, was honored by the presence of President Monroe. _Alberti_ was written for Cooper, but he never appeared in the character. Harby is said to have been the finest dramatic critic of his time in America. He came to New York in 1828.

ALBERTI. A Play. Charleston, 1819. 12mo, pp. 55.

Republished with a selection of his writings, Charleston, 1829.

pp. 3-54.

This play was performed at the Charleston Theatre, 1818.

THE GORDIAN KNOT; OR, CAUSES AND EFFECTS. [1807].

"I had the gracious alternative of making a bonfire or of making a publication [of the _Gordian Knot_]. I decided for the latter--how wisely time will show."--Harby's _Works_, p. 20.

HATTON, ANN JULIA

ANN JULIA HATTON was a member of the Kemble family and a sister of Mrs. Siddons. She was the wife of William Hatton, a celebrated musical instrument maker, at 3 Peck Slip, New York City.

THE SONGS OF TAMMANY; OR, THE INDIAN CHIEF. A Serious Opera, by Ann Julia Hatton. To be had at the printing-office of John Harrison, No. 3 Peck Slip, and of Mr. Faulkner, at the box-office of the theatre. [Price one shilling.] New York, 1794. 16mo, pp. 16.

The opera from which these songs were taken (_Tammany; or, The Indian Chief_), was written for the Tammany Society, and was first played at the John Street Theatre, March 3, 1794, and "had a great run."

No trace can be found of the play itself being published.

The prologue to _Tammany_ was published in a volume of poems by R.

B. Davis, New York, 1807, pp. 120-1.

HAWKINS, MICAH

THE SAW MILL; OR, A YANKEE TRICK. A Comic Opera. New York, 1824.

12mo.

Played at the Park Theatre, New York, November 29, 1825.

HENRY, JOHN

JOHN HENRY was a native of Dublin, and made his debut at Drury Lane, in 1762, with little success. He joined Douglas's Company in the West Indies, and coming to New York from there made his first appearance on the American stage at the John Street Theatre, New York, December 7, 1767, playing in America until the close of the year 1794. He died in 1795, on a vessel bound for Newport.

"It is recorded that for many years after the Revolution, Mr. Henry was the only actor in New York who kept a coach, and that in his case frequent attacks of the gout rendered it a necessity." The panels of the coach were decorated with a representation of two crutches crossed, and the motto, "This or These."

A SCHOOL FOR SOLDIERS; OR, THE DESERTER. A Dramatic Poem. Printed at Kingston in Jamaica [W. I.] 1783. 8vo.

This piece was first played in Kingston.

Played at the John Street Theatre, New York, April 24, 1788.

HILLHOUSE, JAMES ABRAHAM

JAMES ABRAHAM HILLHOUSE, born in New Haven, September 26, 1789, died there January 5, 1841, son of Hon. James Hillhouse, was graduated from Yale in 1808. He came to New York and engaged in business as a merchant, but soon retired, and gave his time to literary pursuits.

PERCY'S MASQUE. A Drama in Five Acts, from the London edition. New York, 1820. 12mo.

It is doubtful if a London edition of this piece was published.