Biography:George H. Coes

Biographical notes
 E. Le Roy Rice, in Monarchs of Minstrelsy (1911) records: George H. Coes was a splendid "straight man," possessed a fine voice, and was an excellent banjoist. He went to California about 1852 from the east, and identified himself with several minstrel companies ''there. He remained for several years, then returned to New York, where he opened with Wood and Christy's'' ''Minstrels, October 15, 1857. In the Spring of the following year he again went to California, where he'' ''appeared with George Christy's Minstrels. In 1859, with Sam Wells, he organized Coes and Wells' Minstrels'' ''in California. A few years later he again came East, subsequently joining the Morris Brothers' Minstrels in Boston. He left them February 13, 1866, and on the following March 5, he was at the opening of Seaver's Minstrels ''in Brooklyn, N.Y., in the theater now known as the Novelty. A year later, with S.S. Purdy, and Frank'' Converse, Purdy, Coes and Converse's Minstrels were organized. Mr. Coes played stock engagements at Pastor's, Bob Butler's and John Hart's theatres in ''New York City for many years. He formed a partnership with Luke Schoolcraft in 1874,'' which terminated in 1889. George H. Coes was born in Providence, R.I., about 1828; he died in Cambridge, Mass., March 16, 1897.