Thomas G. Moses wrote, “1882 found me just as restless to do something big, and I drifted along with the regular work, until about May.” When the theatre season closed, he left Sosman & Landis and partnered with Lemuel L. Graham (1845-1914). That year, Graham was also listed as the scenic artist at the Standard Theatre in Chicago. Two years later, Graham would found his own scenic studio in Kansas City. He later moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1899, and then Brooklyn, New York by 1904. He would remain there for the final decade of his life. In Brooklyn he partnered with P. Dodd Ackerman, of Studio Building 1576 to 1580 Bushwick Ave, New York.
Moses and Graham’s first contract was in Kalamazoo, Michigan for the Academy of Music, a 1250-seat opera house. Located on South Rose Street across from Bronson Park, it was built and run as a legitimate theatre from May 8, 1882 to June 4, 1919. After that it was run as a film house named the Regent Theatre until fire destroyed it in 1929. The proscenium opening measured 32’ x 32’ with 31 sets of scenery. Moses wrote, “I did all the foliage and I was astonished on seeing my stuff set, to see how I improved.” The theatre was on the second floor with two stores on ground level.
John McCullough, the celebrated tragedian, was to open the new theatre and the owners wanted to make it a big affair. They paid Graham and Moses a good price for special scenery to accompany the production of “Virginius.” Moses noted that they were all Roman scenes, writing, “We spread ourselves and it was very pleasant work.”
Ella and the children joined Moses for part of the summer, traveling next to Grand Rapids, where Moses and Graham completed their second job at Redmond’s Opera House (later known as the Grand Opera House), built in 1882. There, Moses recalled that Graham boarded at a hotel and fell in love with the head waitress and they eventually married. Moses wrote, “she proved to be a good wife and good mother.” The Moses family boarded at a private house, “met a number of pleasant people,” and “thoroughly enjoying the Summer.” By this time, Pitt was old enough to run away and Moses remembered that “he kept us in hot water most of the time.”
Moses’ share of the profits with Graham amounted in approximately $40.00 per week, minus the expenses to keep his family with him. At this time, John H. Young also joined their team. Moses recorded, “He was then working a candy concern, but was delighted to join us.” After completing their project in Grand Rapids, Moses found work in Elgin and his family returned to Chicago. While working in Elgin, Moses made his first water color sketch from nature. He and Young went out as often as we could.
Next on their journey was Racine, Wisconsin. Even with the onset of cold weather, they still continued to sketch and enjoyed it. In Racine, they painted scenery for the Black Opera House. There, Moses boarded with the widow of Dan Castello, the famous circus clown.
The Castello and Van Vleck Mammoth Show’s began over two decades earlier on May 2, 1863. The story of the Castello and Van Vleck Circus is told in the book “Ins and Outs of Circus Life or Forty-Two Years Travel of John H. Glenroy “and compiled by Stephen Stanley in 1885. The company included: Dan Castello, clown; Frances Castello, rider; Joseph Tinkham; hurdle rider; George M. Kelly and Charles Burroughs, acrobats; Thomas Poland, ringmaster; William Smith, horse rider; Thomas Burgess, clown; Natt McCollom, banjoist and minstrel; Richard Hammon, acrobat; and John Burns, acrobat.
While in Racine, Moses also had the opportunity to do a lot of outside work for traveling companies, including an “H. M S. Pinafore” set. Graham and he were doing much better as they had two good jobs at the same time and money was pouring in. Moses wrote that Graham “was a regular Shylock, a good fellow and a hard worker, but altogether too close to please me.” Graham and Young later departed for Hannibal, Missouri, leaving Moses alone to finish the work. He hired an assistant to complete the project. A lot of time was spent away from his home in Chicago. Moses recalled, “These were lonesome days for Ella and the children. From Racine I would go home each Sunday.”
To be continued…
