USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee county, Michigan. With illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 43
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An enthusiastic reception awaited them on their return home. They were met at the station by a large concourse of citizens, the Fiint Cadets receiving them with military honors, and Col. E. HI. Thomson welcoming them as fol- lows :
" Mr. Gardner, and Gentlemen of the Band :- I have been deputed in the absence of our worthy mayor, and also in behalf of the citizens of Flint, to welcome yon home again-to the home where loved ones, together with gen- crous and confiding friends, have watched your every move- ment from the time of your departure. In the providence of heaven you are permitted to return after having traveled from the lakes to the Atlantic seaboard without a casualty of any kind, and, I may add in this connection, covered with glory and honor. A wise man bath said, ' Ile that hath no music in his soul is fit for treason, stratagems, and spoils ;' and I am afraid that if in your travels such an one had ventured into your presence, that by the power of music, guided by your master-leader, you would have taken him captive and made him confess to the skill and potency of your marvelous proficiency. It is due to you to say that when you left Flint no lingering doubt remained that you would in any manner fail in your high mission either as gentlemen or musicians, but with all that pride and high character of your musical organization you would honor the noble commandery of Detroit Knights Templar, and stand like them at the very head of your profession. A noble Roman was once raised from moderate circumstances to the pinnacle of prosperity. Cicero, the great orator of the imperial city, called on him and told him that Rome would now watch hin with more than argos eyes in order to learn whether he could bear prosperity as well as he did his for- mer humble state. Mr. Gardner, and gentlemen of the band,-again I bid you welcome in behalf' of this youthful and prosperous city, and soon again do we hope to hear from you those strains that have gladdened the hearts of millions in all Christian lands,
' There's no place like home.' "
In the summer of 1878 a grand State Band Tournament occurred at the capital, Lansing. Twenty leading bands of the State participated, and after a severe and very spirited contest, which excited the most intense interest, Gardner's Flint City Band bore away the prize, consisting of $100 in gold and an elegant gold-plated cornet. Congratulations poured in upon them from all quarters, and the city of Flint was wild with enthusiasm over their victory. Mayor Eddy welcomed them in an exceedingly complimentary address on their return, and amid banners and streamers they marched through the streets to their quarters. In the evening a reception was tendered them by the citizens. Thus, briefly, has been sketched the history of an organi- zation which has not more by its musical skill than by the high character of its members reflected honor upon the city to which it belongs.
The following is very nearly a full record of the names of all the persons who have been connected with the band as musicians, from its first inception in 1848 to 1879 :
Geo. Andrews, bass drum; Marcas Andrews, horn ; James Armstrong,* E flat cornet ; Jas. Armstrong, Jr., cornet ; Harry Armstrong, cornet ; Jas. Austin, clarionet ; L. T. Adams, E-flat tuba; Wmn. Barnes, clarionet ; Dexter Cowman, E-flat cornet ; Franz Barnhardt, corno- pean ; Melvin Bowman, solo baritone ; Henry Baker, trom-
% Band-leaders.
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IHISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
bone; - Bagley,* cornet, clarionet, etc. ; Delos Buz- zel, flute and horn ; Fred. Bort, cymbals; Wm. Burr, B- flat bass ; W. R. Beach, B-flat cornet ; Bernhardt Berger, clarionet ; Miss Anna Berger,* E-flat cornet, violin, etc. Fremont Brown, cornet; L. D. Clock, B-flat cornet, flute ; Milo Clock, tuba ; Sam Clay,* E-flat cornet ; Maitland Corliss, solo alto; Dr. Frank Currey, solo clarionet ; Abram Conant, E-flat cornet ; Wm. Charles, cymbals and alto-horn ; Chauncey Cumings, cornet ; H. D. Crim, bari- tone and violin ; - Case, horn ; Wm. Colbrath, clarionet ; Thos. Collins, B-flat tenor, violin, and 'cello; Capt. Cum- mins, B-flat bass; J. P. Curran, E-flat tuba; John A. Dibble, -; Jas. Deary, violin and alto-horn ; Charles Dewstoe, trombone, bass-horn, ete. ; - Decker, B-flat soprano ; Erastus Dodge, violin, horn ; Chas. Draper, cym- bals; Geo. Dukeland, solo baritone and violin ; Robert Dickson, B-flat cornet ; Merritt Elmore, flute and horn ; Frank Farrar, tuba; Johnny Fields, cymbals; Henry Fairbank, horn ; Frank Fish, side-drum; E. F. Frary,* E- flat cornet ; Chas. Fellows, flute, B-flat soprano ; J. Henry Gardner,* E-flat cornet, violin, 'cello, guitar ; Dr. Goodale, horn ; F. C. Gamester, B-flat bass ; Geo. W. Hill, trumpet, bass-horn, 'cello, ete. ; Geo. II. Hazelton, slide-trombone ; Homer Hazelton, French horn ; Wm. Hamilton, cornopean ; Fred. Humphrey, tuba, violin ; Cassius Henderson, cym- bals; Wm. Hesler, E-flat cornet ; C. F. Johnson, trom- bone ; Rollin Jenny, alto-horn ; N. J. Kreusen, cornet ; Dr. L. D. Locy, clarionet ; L. J. Locy, clarionet ; Chas. D. Little, flute, ophicleide ; John Lewis, tenor-horn ; - Luckow, double-bass, alto-horn; Wm. Lyon, tenor-horn ; Chas. MeAlester, flute, violin, viola, double-bass, horn; Dr. Orson Millard, -; Dr. Manley Miles, baritone-horn ; Joaquim Meyrelles, -; T. D. Nutting,* flute, clarionet, oboe, organ, bugle, ophicleide, violin, cornet, guitar, bassoon, etc. ; Jos. Philp, solo clarionet ; Willard Pettee, bass-drum ; Jefferson Powell, tuba ; Eugene Parsell, tenor-horn ; Ira F. Payson, slide-trombone ; Julius Rice,* violin, E-flat and B- flat cornets ; Dell Raymond, side-drum ; Walter C. Rans- ford, piccolo ; L. B. Smith, E-flat clarionet ; Wmn. Steven- son, alto; John (" Jack") Stevens, solo alto; Henry Ste- vens, horn and bass-drum ; Wm. (" Billy") Shepner, alto; O. W. Smith, cornet ; Will Stewart,* E-flat cornet ; Stewart, alto ; Thos. Symons, flute, alto-horn ; David E. Shaw, baritone; Ozias W. Seymour, tenor ; Dr. M. M. Smith, clarionet; Jas. Sealey, E-flat cornet; Marvin L. Seeley, B-flat cornet ; Dr. A. J. Watling, B-flat tenor; Andrew J. Ward, bass-drum ; Chas. Ward, side-drum ; Leonard Wesson, clarionet; Dr. S. S. Wheeler, -; Wheeler, alto; - Wagner, -; Robt. Young, B-flat cornet ; - Young, tenor.
THE FUGUENOIDS.
It may safely be coneeded that for the past four years no musical entertainment in the city of Flint has been considered complete that lacked the presence of the ever- popular " Fuguenoids." This organization, which was founded in 1875, and whose fate hung for a brief season in the balance in 1879, is a glee club composed of eight male voices. The original membership was as follows : First
tenors, Jerome Haver, M. G. Wood ; second tenors, H. M. Sperry, A. J. Watling; first bass, M. Bowman, William French ; second bass, Deloss Full, Willis Parker ; II. W. Fairbank, director.
Their first appearance was at the annual meeting of the I. O. O. F., where, by their excellent drill and perfect har- mony, they at once established themselves in popular favor. They have assisted at all the Band and Choral Society concerts and at many private entertainments. Their reper- toire consists of the well-known Arion collection and several operatic arrangements, besides much manuseript music.
A portion of the club have visited the larger cities throughout the State, while all the members have from time to time invaded the rural districts, where they have invariably met with immoderate applause and (very) mod- erate financial success. It is their practice always to de- vote the first day of the new year to convivial pleasures, on which day in a body they pay their respeets to their many friends. On these occasions they have established a repu- tation no less for the excellence of the musie they discourse than for their brilliant social qualities. They have not as yet essayed the rendering of any important work, though a descriptive piece written especially for them is in course of preparation. The club has some tenor voices of which it is justly proud, while the other parts are admirably filled.
The citizens show a just appreciation of their acquire- ments, and warmly express their indebtedness to the elub for their cheerful response to both publie and private de- mands upon their time. An Eastern musician of repute expressed a very general sentiment in the following toast given at a recent social gathering: " Those jolly Fugue- noids-may they ever be as successful as they are happy !"
THE FLINT CHORAL SOCIETY.
This musical organization was the outgrowth of a young people's singing-class which had for its nucleus the scholars of the high-school. It existed for about one year without a formal organization, rendering a simple class of music at concerts and on various publie occasions, during which period it numbered about 100 members. It was deemed best to effeet a more permanent organization, and a coul- mittee was appointed to draft a constitution and by-laws.
The first officers were William Stevenson, President ; William French, Vice-President; E. K. Jenkins, Treasurer ; Miss C. Parker, Secretary ; II. W. Fairbank, Musical Diree- tor ; and the usual executive committee, librarian, etc.
The society from time to time has rendered some of the heavier oratorio choruses, and a number of Mendelssohn's part-songs, besides many operatic choruses. It has given Stearns' Mass in D on two occasions, and also preseuted the Cantata of Esther very successfully, there being consider- able dramatic as well as musical talent among its members.
It has bought and presented to the high-school an ex- eellent chapel-organ, has a fine collection of musie pur- chased from its revenues, and has given quite liberally from its funds to charitable objeets.
The society is held in high esteem by the citizens, and its influence in developing the vocal talent which abounds in Flint has been very apparent.
Its preseut officers are H. M. Sperry, President ; H. R.
Band-leaders.
ELIAS J. BUMP.
MRS. E. J. BUMP.
ELIAS J. BUMP.
Elias J. Bump, born at Smithfield, Madison Co., N. Y., July 2, 1812, is the son of Gideon Bump and Sarah Anderson, early settlers of that county; they came to Genesee Co., Mich., in 1840, where they died at a mature old age.
The immediate subject of this sketch was married in 1838 to Miss Nancy Stewart, daughter of Lem- uel and granddaughter of Capt. William Stewart, who lived in New York City before the Revolution, and served seven years in that war.
Lemuel Stewart was a farmer in Madison County, where he died in 1849, aged seventy-six years.
In 1840, Elias J. Bump and his wife came to Michigan. Spending the first winter at Jackson, they came to this county the following summer, and purchased eighty acres of timber land some five miles from Flushing, where a flouring-mill had been built. Thinking this would be a good point for busi- ness, he purchased a stock of goods, and erected an ashery, which he carried on for two years, when the building was destroyed by fire. His goods being distributed among customers who had no money, he fell back to the eighty acres of land, and commenced the hardy task of cutting himself a home from the
unbroken forest. The first year a log house was built and a small clearing made; the next season a frame barn, and the clearing enlarged ; and so on, year by year, the improvements were made, and the forest pushed back, until broad and well-cultivated fields appeared, and the original eighty acres ex- panded to a fine farm of four hundred acres, the log house gave place to one of the finest farm-houses in Genesee County, with such surroundings as indicate the thrifty, wealthy farmer.
In 1870, Mr. Bump's health had so failed that he could not continne the management of so large a farm, and having a large family (one son and six daughters), he sold the farm and moved to Flint, in order to give his children good educations and the benefits of society.
The winters of 1870 and 1871, Mr. and Mrs. Bump spent in the South for the benefit of his health, but found no relief. But by careful study of the laws of health, a strictly vegetable diet, and avoiding stimulants, he has recovered his health, to enjoy the abundance of this world's goods which he has secured by frugal habits, persistent industry, and good judg- ment.
101
FLINT CITY.
Clark, Vice-President ; William Stevenson, Treasurer ; H. W. Fairbank, Director.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
Long prior to the organization of any religious society, the early settlers in the little hamlet at the Grand Traverse were visited occasionally by clergymen, who held regular services at Grand Blanc and the " Coldwater Settlement." John Todd's tavern, for want of a more convenient and ap- propriate edifice, afforded shelter to those assembled. It is believed that Elder Benediet, a Baptist, who began preach- ing in Grand Blanc in the summer of 1833, had appoint- ments here at irregular intervals. In 1834, Rev. Joseph Gambell, a Close-Communion Baptist of the Grand Blane church, was invited to Todd's Ferry to hold meetings and administer the sacrament. He came, as he said he was willing " to let the bars down."
Rev. Isaac W. Ruggles, a Presbyterian minister from Pontiac, was the first of that persuasion to visit this locality. Ile also was here in 1833. Revs. Bradford Frazee, William II. Brockway, and Osear F. North were the pioneers among the Methodists. Mr. Frazee was ap- pointed by the Ohio Conference to the Saginaw mission, and preached here on his journey North, in 1834. He be- came obnoxious to the wild Saginaws of that day, who shaved his horse's mane and tail, and committed other acts of vandalism. In 1835, the Rev. Wm. H. Brockway was appointed by the same authority to the same mission. Unlike his predecessor, he became a great favorite with the Indians and carly settlers throughout this whole region, and was warmly welcomed alike by Presbyterians, Metlo- dists, Baptists, and non-denominationalists. In 1836 his circuit comprised the territory included in the counties of Genesee, Lapeer, Shiawassee, and Saginaw. 1Te traveled on foot, and preached at Flint River about once in four weeks. It is related that he was an adept at shoeing horses and building chimneys, snel services being frequently ren- dered gratuitously.
In 1836, after the completion of Stage & Wright's store, all religious and other public meetings were held in the hall over the store. The Congregationalists built the first church edifiee, in the fall of 1837, and for several years this building was used by other denominations.
THE COURT STREET METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI.
The Ohio Annual Conference, at its session in 1834, ap- pointed Bradford Frazee to the Saginaw Mission. On his way to his work he stopped in Flint and preached. This was the first Methodist service in this region of which there is any account, and was probably the first ever held in this part of the State. The following year-1835 -- the same Conference appointed Rev. Wm. 11. Brockway to the same mission, and he was the first to establish preaching at Flint. In answer to a letter of inquiry addressed to him, he says : " I think at that time there were not more than four or five families on the ground now embraced in the city of Flint. I generally came from Saginaw every third week and preached at Flint, and also five miles north, at Mount Morris, then called the ' Cold Water Settlement.' (The carly settlers of that neighborhood were nearly all
strict temperance people.) At Flint my home was gen- erally at the tavern of Mr. Beach, and my preaching-place his little bar-room." Mr. Brockway always traveled on foot, carrying his bundle, his Bible, hymn-book, and Disei- pline of the Methodist Episcopal Church. " During the summer of 1836 a frame store was built by Messrs. Stage & Wright, opposite Beach's tavern. When the floor was laid we got permission to use the upper story, and I preached there once, I think, in July, 1836; and then and there the first class was organized. (The names of mem- bers were taken at this time, but the class was fully or- ganized by the appointment of a leader by Rev. O. F. North, a few months later. ) To the best of my remembrance, it consisted of nine persons; most of them were from the settlements near Flint." The following are the names of the persons who composed this first class, of whom Daniel S. Freeman was appointed leader : Daniel S. Freeman and wife, James MeAlester and wife, Benjamin F. Robinson and wife, Mrs. Miller, the mother of Mrs. MeAlester, and John Martin and wife. "The whole of Michigan was in one district, and the Rev. James Gilruth was presiding elder; but he never came farther north than Pontiac." The General Conference of May, 1836, organized the Michigan Conference, comprising the whole of Michigan and a portion of Ohio. At the first session of the Michi- gan Conference, in the autumn of 1836, the territory now comprising the State of Michigan was divided into two districts, Detroit and Ann Arbor. Rev. William Herr was appointed presiding elder of the former, and Rev. Oscar F. North was sent to the Saginaw Mission, within its bounds. The first quarterly meeting seems to have been appointed for the autumn of that year, but for some cause was omitted. The second was held at Flint, Jan. 14, 1837. The following official members were present, and their names appear upon the minutes : Oscar F. North, Preacher in Charge ; James MeAlester, Local Preacher ; Joel Fairchild, Jr., Exhorter ; and Daniel S. Freeman and Benjamin F. Robinson, Class-Leaders. A board of stew- ards was appointed, consisting of John L. Gage, John Martin, John Hiller, and Joel Fairchild, Jr. Rev. Luther D. Whitney presided at this meeting, in the absence of the presiding elder. The steward's financial report for these two quarters shows the whole amount of money received, including publie collection, to have been $14.623, which was by the stewards divided between the presiding elder and preacher. Ou the 1st of April, 1837, the third quarterly meeting was held, at which time a missionary society was organized. A committee of five was also ap- pointed to locate a site for a church and parsonage. The fourth quarterly meeting was held at the village of Flint, July 30, 1837. Rev. William Herr, presiding elder, was present, and officiated. This was the first time that the place was ever visited by a presiding elder.
At the Conference of 1837 the name of " Flint River Mission" appears on the minutes for the first time, with Luther D. Whitney for preacher in charge, and Samuel P. Shaw presiding elder. At the following annual Conference in 1838, Rev. L. D. Whitney was returned to the mission, and Rev. George Smith* was appointed presiding elder.
# Sin 'e diel in the work.
21
162
HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
During this year the meetings were removed from the upper story of Stage & Wright's store to the district school-house, then just completed, on the corner of First and Clifford Streets. At the close of this year the preacher presented the first Sunday-school report for Flint, as fol- lows : one school, one superintendent ( Daniel S. Freeman), four teachers, ten scholars, and 150 volumes in the library. During his administration the work was greatly enlarged, a number of new classes were organized, and the membership of those formerly organized considerably increased. Hle names in his journal the following preaching-places : Flint, Genesce, Pine Run, Kearsley, Atherton Settlement, Grand Blanc, Miller Settlement, Torry Settlement, Carman Settle- ment, Richard Johnson's, and Stanley Settlement. The Conference of 1839 appointed Rev. Larman Chatfield preacher in charge, and Samuel Whitwam assistant, George Smith still presiding elder. At the first quarterly meeting this year, held at Flint December 21st, it was resolved that. it was advisable to build a parsonage, and James Me Alester, G. W. Fish, Alonzo Ferris, Benjamin F. Robinson, and Ogden Clark were elected trustees, and were authorized to secure a suitable location for a building. On June 1. 1840, James MeAlester. Isaiah Merriman, and Harvey C. Weston were appointed a building committee.
At the Conference of 1810, Ebenezer Steel and Jonathan Blanchard were appointed to the Flint River work, and George Smith presiding elder. During all these years the Saginaw and Cass River Settlements were included in this work.
Blanchard remained only a part of the year on his work, being removed by the presiding elder to supply another appointment. The principal item of interest during this year was the holding of a camp-meeting in Grand Blanc in July, 1841, in lien of the fourth quarterly meeting. Among the preachers present at this meeting were George Smith, presiding elder on the district ; E. Steel, James Shaw. J. Brakeman,* William Mothersill,* William E. Bigelow, H. W. Ransom,* O. F. North,* Abel Warren,* J. Blanchard,* and other traveling preachers, and James Me Alester and Samuel Whitwam,* local preachers. The attendance was large. The people came up on foot and with their teams to hear the word and to worship the God of their fathers.
At the Conference held in the autumn of 1841 the Rev. F. B. Bangs was appointed to the Flint work. George Smith still continuing presiding elder. During the first year of his labors the ground now occupied by the parsonage and church was secured for the use of the Methodist Episcopal Church, it having been originally deeded to the county for church purposes by Wait Beach. At the solicitation of the trustees the county commissioners, by resolution, gave the lots to the Methodist Episcopal Church in perpetuity to be by them used for church purposes. During Rev. Bangs' administration of the church a parsonage building was pushed forward to completion. It was built on the lot donated to the society by Wait Beach, on the southwest corner of Beach and Sixth Streets. now in the Third Ward.
During the winter of 1841 and 1842 a meeting was held at the court-house to arrange for the building of a church.
There were present the presiding elder (George Smith), Rev. F. B. Bangs, James Me.Alester, D. S. Freeman, Isaiah Merriman, Samuel Whitwam, George W. Fish, and H. C. Weston. A subscription was opened, and it was determined to commence the building the following spring. During the summer of 1842 the building was raised and covered.
Conference at its session in the fall of 1842 returned F. B. Bangs to the work as preacher in charge, with Rev. Joseph Jennings* as junior preacher, Rev. E. HI. Pilcher as presiding elder. Jennings remained on the work only a portion of the year, being taken by the presiding elder to supply some other work. Towards the close of this year the presiding elder employed Israel Cogshall to assist the preacher in charge. During the second year's continuance of Rev. Mr. Bangs on this work the church building was inclosed and painted. At the fourth quarterly meeting held at Flint, June 24, 1843, the trustees reported the parsonage completed, with a debt remaining unpaid of 862.47. At this quarterly meeting William Blades and Daniel S. Freeman were licensed to preach.
The Conference of 1813 sent the Rev. Ww. Mothersill and Alfred Allen to the Flint River work. The Grand River district was organized, to which Flint was attached, and the Rev. Larman Chatfield was made presiding elder. During this year the church building was advanced towards completion. Francis Asbury Blades was licensed to exhort, and at the third quarterly Conference he received a license as local preacher. At the fourth quarterly meeting Con- ference for this year, held in Richard Johnson's barn, in the town of Genesee, he was recommended as a suitable person to be received into the traveling ministry. At this quarterly Conference the trustees reported the parsonage debt paid.
The extent of the work on the circuit at this time may be judged by the number of societies, preaching-places, and classes. There were 16 classes, exclusive of the Sagi- naw and Cass River country, as follows: Flint Society, Grand Blane, Atherton Settlement, Pine Run, Johnson's, Stanley Settlement, South Grand Blanc, Flushing Mill, Stothard's, Ottoway's, Calkins', Miller's Settlement, Mundy, Torry's Settlement, Kearsley, and Richfield. All these were visited regularly by the preacher, besides other places where there were no classes.
The Conference of 1844 returned William Mothersill to the circuit, with William E. Bigelow as junior preacher, L. Chatfield, presiding elder. The first quarterly meeting for this year was hell at the new church in Flint on the 21st of December, and the church was dedicated on the evening of that day. The sermon was preached by Rev. William Mothersill, the presiding elder being unable to officiate on account of indisposition. There remained a debt of about $300 on the church after the opening ser- vices. The size of the building was 35 by 55 feet, with a small gallery in one end. The building of this church was a great achievement. Several times the work was diseon- tinned for the want of funds, then little collections would be made and the work resumed. The ability of members and friends was taxed to the utmost.
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