Researching select families from: Northampton County Pa; Bucks County, Pa; Sussex/Warren County, NJ
Family Notes

Milton Joseph Amey

(06/08/1853 - 9/11/1948)

branch.gif (1966 bytes)John Amey
Milton Joseph Amey
Marriage(s)Hannah Mickley
 1 Amanda Hamman on:
   Children:
  - Kerri Amey
  - Charles L. Amey
  - Anna Amey
  - Mary Adelaide Amey
 
  Siblings:
  - Maria Catherine Amey
  - Son Amey
  - Franklin Peter Amey
  - Sarah Jane Amey
  1/2 Annie S. Amey
  1/2 Ellen Margaret Amey
 
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Notes:
Allentown Morning Call, Sunday, September 12, 1948, page five
Milton J Amey, minstrel, Saylor, Artist, Raconteur, and Mason dies, at a ge 95
The veteran minstrel Milton J Amey, answered his last curtain call last ni ght.
Death struck the vernervable show man at 7:15 o?clock at the home of his d aughter, Mrs. Anna Jordan, 36 souths and West Street, where he resided fo ur to last several years. He was in his 96 year.
Milt Amey is better remembered by the younger people of Allentown in th is city as the ?Attendamt at the entrance of the Paddock of the Allento wn fair.? It was at that spot where for 40 years old timers would gath er to reminisce. Middle aged and young people would assemble to hear tal es of the sea and the old minstrel days from the man ?with the big straw h at and the cane.?
To art lovers the name of Melvin J. Amey will live long for it symboliz ed one of the forefathers of portrait painting in this locality.
In church circles, Mr. Amey is remembered as the oldest member of Saint Jo hn?s Lutheran church and one of the first confirmations in the church?s hi story.
The nonagenarian was born in a little home at 130 north fifth street, Ju ne 8, 1853, a son of the late John and Hannah (Mickley) Amey. The home wh ich the veteran performer was born was later known as a Christmas hous
At the age of 17, Milt Amey left h is home, with his parents? permissio n, to join the Navy. Many times, since he returned to civilian life in h is native Allentown did he tell of the day?s when ?hips are made of o ne in man of iron?. He often reviewed the first cruise made as a sailo r, the one which took him to Algeria, thence to Rio De Janeiro and th en to the Pacific Coast, via Cape Horn. Returning to Allentown after h is ?Hitch in the navy.? Mr. Amey became associated in minstrels with t he next door neighbor, the late Ellen M. Newhart. Both men took a great i nterest in the minstrels and the light opera in which each had leading rol es and the outstanding productions of their day..
It was as a minstrel that the ?great entertainer. Milt Amey. ?made countle ss headlines in newspapers and theater publications.
As a tribute to the entertaining days the one 100th anniversary of the fi rst formation of a minstrel troupe in the United States was celebrat ed in Allentown?s West Park, July 20, 1943, with the ex-blackface comedia n, Milt Amey as the honored guest.
Speaking of Amey?s contribution to the morale of Allentonians, Charles Kli ne, veteran Allentown merchant, said that the celebration, ?He certain ly traveled more as a black face comedian and brought more happiness to A llentownian?s as a minstrel man than any other man I ever knew.?

Old timers in the city recalled with much delight the ?laughing songs? whi ch identified the home-town entertainer.
As a portrait painter, Mr. Amey found great delight with his reproductio ns of the late Judge Edward Harvey and Judge Frank M Trexler, and of Super ior Court Judge Clyde T. Remo.. His paintings also included those of Gen erals Washington, Grant, Sherman and Sheridan and President?s William McKi nley, Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge and Woodrow Wilson.
His most cherished portrait was that of the lifelong friend General Har ry C Trexler seated on his famed white horse.
The portrait of General Washington was given to the trustees of the Mason ic temple and still hangs in the Masonic calls.
Fraternally Mr. Amey was interested in the Masonic order. He became a mem ber of the FAM in Schenectady, New York and later affiliated with the Scot tish Rite temple, Jersey City, the Mecca Shrine of New York City, and w as elected a life member of the Lehigh Valley Shrine Club several years ag o, where his name and his actions were revered by club members.
Mr. Amey had unlimited interest in Lehigh County Historical Society. He o ften spoke to the society members of Allentown?s early days to make especi ally of the city?s population being but 5,500 when he set out to set to s ea in 1870. He watched, with great pride, the growth of his native town t hat claimed his interest in this city expanded as the city grew.
Besides his daughter, Mrs. Jordan, with whom you resided, Mr. Amey leav es four grandchildren, five great grandchildren and one great great grandd aughter. His wife the former Anna Hamman, preceded him in death by 21 yea rs, two daughters and a son, Mrs. Mary A. Bechtel, Kerry E Amey, and Charl es L. Amy, also preceded him in death.
 
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