Milt G. Barlow
Encyclopedia
Milt G. Barlow was an American blackface
comedian
and actor
popular in minstrel
and vaudeville
shows over the latter half of the 19th century.
was the son of James Madison and Elizabeth Susan (née Barlow) Barlow. He was probably raised in the household of an uncle in Harrison County, Kentucky
after his parents divorced and his father, a silversmith, relocated to Salt Lake City. At the age of twelve Barlow began working as a printer's devil
for a newspaper in Cynthiana, the county seat of Harrison County some thirty miles north of Lexington. A job he would be forced to abandon at age fourteen when it began to affect his health. Barlow would spend the next few years working on a Missouri farm (possibly a relative's) before moving on to Louisville, Kentucky
where he would resume working as a printer.
enlisting on April 23, 1861 at Louisville as a private with Company C of the First Kentucky Infantry. He would later serve with several Virginia cavalry companies before surrendering at Appomattox Court House
in April 1865 along with the remnants of General Robert E. Lee
’s army.
with his wife Molly and one year-old daughter Lillie. Ten years later census records have him living at his mother’s boarding house in Toledo, Ohio
with his wife Mary and children, Lillie, age eleven and Harry, age nine. Molly and Mary were both born in Kentucky around 1847 and are possibly the same person, Mary Muir, a daughter of Samuel and Mary Cory Muir of Paris, Kentucky
. Milt Barlow would later spend much of the year 1887 as a guest of New York’s Ludlow Street Jail
after a judge charged him with contempt of court
for failing to make his alimony
obligations. Barlow married next actress Lilly (Lillie) Hall on March 14, 1888, a union that ended in divorce on January 20, 1899 after allegations of drunkenness and battery.
would find success as a character actor on Broadway and in Hollywood. Harry Barlow’s career mirrored more his father’s, but was cut short by his untimely death in 1909. Harry’s daughter, Violet Muir Barlow (1901–1963) was a vaudeville and nightclub entertainer known for her comedy dance routines. Violet also appeared in several motion pictures in the 1930s and 40s.
Blackface
Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used in minstrel shows, and later vaudeville, in which performers create a stereotyped caricature of a black person. The practice gained popularity during the 19th century and contributed to the proliferation of stereotypes such as the "happy-go-lucky darky...
comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
popular in minstrel
Minstrel
A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty...
and vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
shows over the latter half of the 19th century.
Early life
Milton G. Barlow was born on June 29, 1843 at Lexington, KentuckyLexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
was the son of James Madison and Elizabeth Susan (née Barlow) Barlow. He was probably raised in the household of an uncle in Harrison County, Kentucky
Harrison County, Kentucky
Harrison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1794. As of 2010, the population was 18,846. Its county seat is Cynthiana...
after his parents divorced and his father, a silversmith, relocated to Salt Lake City. At the age of twelve Barlow began working as a printer's devil
Printer's devil
A printer's devil was an apprentice in a printing establishment who performed a number of tasks, such as mixing tubs of ink and fetching type...
for a newspaper in Cynthiana, the county seat of Harrison County some thirty miles north of Lexington. A job he would be forced to abandon at age fourteen when it began to affect his health. Barlow would spend the next few years working on a Missouri farm (possibly a relative's) before moving on to Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
where he would resume working as a printer.
Military Service
Barlow served in the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
enlisting on April 23, 1861 at Louisville as a private with Company C of the First Kentucky Infantry. He would later serve with several Virginia cavalry companies before surrendering at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
in April 1865 along with the remnants of General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
’s army.
Career
One of Barlow’s earliest performances was in 1867 when he teamed up with James and William Arthur, a song and dance duo who called themselves the Barlow Brothers. Beginning in 1871 Barlow would play in such minstrel shows as the Jackson Emorsonians, Harry Robinson’s Minstrels, Benjamin’s New Orleans Minstrels, Haverly’s Minstrels and Sweatman and Frasier’s Minstrels. In 1877 he formed with George Wilson, George H. Primrose, and John T. West, the very successful Barlow, Wilson, Primrose and West Minstrels. In later years he would form shows with George Wilson and later yet with Wilson and Carl Rankin. Barlow also toured in a number of plays, usually playing African American slaves or former slaves. His most notably performances were in Uncle Tom’s Cabin where he played the title role and in productions that he played Old Black Joe, a character he had created over the years. Milt G. Barlow was, for better or worse, considered one the best "burnt-cork" actors of his day. His finale performances were in 1903 playing the Minister to Dahomey, in A Texas Steer productions.Marriages
Barlow’s first marriage to Martha Giles is something of a mystery for neither her nor their son Reginald’s names appear in any early public record available to this writer. One source has suggested that Martha may have been a Canadian actress, though it is worth noting here that a large Giles family lived near his uncle William Barlow’s farm in Harrison County, Kentucky, thus not far from Cynthiana. In the 1870 US census Barlow is listed as a resident of Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
with his wife Molly and one year-old daughter Lillie. Ten years later census records have him living at his mother’s boarding house in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
with his wife Mary and children, Lillie, age eleven and Harry, age nine. Molly and Mary were both born in Kentucky around 1847 and are possibly the same person, Mary Muir, a daughter of Samuel and Mary Cory Muir of Paris, Kentucky
Paris, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,183 people, 3,857 households, and 2,487 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 4,222 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 84.23% White, 12.71% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.16%...
. Milt Barlow would later spend much of the year 1887 as a guest of New York’s Ludlow Street Jail
Ludlow Street Jail
The Ludlow Street Jail was New York City's federal prison, located on Ludlow Street and Broome Street in Manhattan. Some prisoners, such as soldiers, were held there temporarily awaiting extradition to other jurisdictions, but most of the inmates were debtors imprisoned by their creditors. The two...
after a judge charged him with contempt of court
Contempt of court
Contempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority...
for failing to make his alimony
Alimony
Alimony is a U.S. term denoting a legal obligation to provide financial support to one's spouse from the other spouse after marital separation or from the ex-spouse upon divorce...
obligations. Barlow married next actress Lilly (Lillie) Hall on March 14, 1888, a union that ended in divorce on January 20, 1899 after allegations of drunkenness and battery.
Death
Milton G. Barlow died of throat cancer on September 27, 1904 at the Home of the Incurables in New York City. He was survived by his former wives and children, though curiously Reginald is not mentioned in any of his obituaries. Both Harry and Reginald would follow their father's lead and take to the stage. After a distinguished military career Reginald BarlowReginald Barlow
Reginald Harry Barlow was a veteran stage and screen character actor, author, and film director. He was a busy performer in Hollywood films of the 1930s.-Early life:...
would find success as a character actor on Broadway and in Hollywood. Harry Barlow’s career mirrored more his father’s, but was cut short by his untimely death in 1909. Harry’s daughter, Violet Muir Barlow (1901–1963) was a vaudeville and nightclub entertainer known for her comedy dance routines. Violet also appeared in several motion pictures in the 1930s and 40s.