John T. Ford

Born in 1829 into a Baltimore-based family of theatrical producers, Ford eventually followed in the family’s footsteps. Along with his brothers, he managed theatres in other cities before deciding that with the influx of soldiers, entrepreneurs and job seekers entering Washington in 1861, it was time to open a grand theatre in the capital. (The brothers later managed other theatres, including Thalian Hall in Wilmington, NC.)