ABSTRACT
American humorist, born in Virginia. He was a favorite recording artist from ca. 1897, beginning with Edison and Berliner, then going to Columbia, Victor, and other labels. He was most famous for his series of monologs and skits about Uncle Josh. The Columbia 14000 series had 32 cylinders about that colorful character (1898-1900), beginning with “Uncle Josh’s Arrival in New York.” There were 14 Uncle Josh items in the Victor 1902 catalog, and 42 in the Victor 1917 catalog. Edison had 15 records by Stewart in 1898, and 57 by 1912. A special favorite was “Uncle Josh Rides a Bus on Fifth Ave.” (Edison #3883; before 1899). Victor records often identified the hero as Uncle Josh Weathersby; but it seems that he was drawn from a creation of Denman Thompson, named Uncle Josh Whitcomb.
