A History of the city of Newark, New Jersey : embracing practically two and a half centuries, 1666-1913, Volume II, Part 18

Author: Urquhart, Frank J. (Frank John), 1865- 4n; Lewis Historical Publishing Company. 4n
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: New York, N.Y. ; Chicago, Ill. : The Lewis Historical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1136


USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > A History of the city of Newark, New Jersey : embracing practically two and a half centuries, 1666-1913, Volume II > Part 18


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Mirror in 1842. Its vogue soon died away, to be revived in its author's later years, in the 1890's, with the appearance of Du Maurier's novel "Trilby," in which it is made adroit use of. At one time Dr. English was associated with Edgar Allen Poe in writing for Graham's Miscellany, in Philadelphia. In 1856 Dr. English took up the practice of medicine at Fort Lee, and was a member of the Assembly of New Jersey from Bergen County in 1863 and 1864. For many years after his removal to Newark in 1878 Dr. English engaged in the practice of medicine, but toward the end of his life abandoned his profession altogether and became en- grossed in literary work. He was an editorial writer on two or three different Newark newspapers, including the Newark Journal. He was a member of the National Congress in 1891-1895, from Essex County. Dr. English was a Democrat in politics. He wielded a powerful and trenchant pen and had a superb command of lang- uage, which, together with his rich and varied experience out of which he drew an unending fund of reminiscence, made him a most entertaining and instructive writer. In 1894, several years before his death, a volume of his verse, entitled, "The Select Poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English," was privately printed in Newark, by his daughter, Miss Alice English.


8 THE BEGINNING OF THE THEATRE.


The history of the theatre in Newark has its beginnings in the decade between 1840 and 1850, though previous to that time there had been dramatic performances given here and sporadic attempts had been made to interest citizens of a community not especially receptive of this sort of entertainment in the establishment of theatres in the city. The drama has always had more or less difficulty in Newark and the position of a theatrical center of first rank, apparently due a city of this size, has never been attained. The reasons for this were two-fold. In the early days of Newark there was a distinct survival of the New England puritanical dislike of the drama on wholly ethical grounds. When broader


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sympathies replaced this sentiment, the great theatrical center of the United States was fully established in New York City, a short distance away and easy of access, and consequently the theatre here had a competitor of the first rank at all times.


Tradition of a particularly elusive sort has placed the first dramatic performance in Newark in the days of the American Revolution, has said that the play was "Hamlet," the actors British soldiers, and the theatre Archer Gifford's tavern at Broad and Market street. Apparently there is no basis of record whatsoever for this. [Gifford's tavern was not opened until after the war.] The first performance of which history has left definite note oc- curred in 1792 at the South School or Literary Institution on a triangle of land west of what is now Lincoln Park. The play was written by Captain Jabez Parkhurst, the founder and preceptor of the school and was acted by his pupils to aid in the erection of a school building. The name of the drama has been lost, but it dealt with a certain Gripus, a miser. The quality of success of the piece is not a matter of record.


A church performance now and then, a stray performer or two, the exhibition of some freakish animal, concerts by local societies, and lectures, provided the main entertainment bordering on the dramatic until late in the decade of 1830-1840. Then the stage throughout the country, aided by improved means of communica- tion, began to flourish. Professional players commenced to find their way to Newark, at first only a few at a time, acting little parlor farces in the old hotel at William and Broad street, in some of the earlier halls, Washington Hall, Mechanics Hall, and later Military Hall and Library Hall, both in Market street.


The patronge accorded these ventures apparently was sufficient to embolden further experiments in this line, for by February, 1847, the first building constructed for professional theatrical purposes was finished on the southeast corner of Market and Hal- sey streets, and is standing at the present time (1913), though greatly altered, having been in continuous use as a theatre since its construction. It was opened February 13, 1847, as the Concert


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Hall and later became known as the Newark Theatre. At first the stage and auditorium were on the second floor, but exigencies of theatrical production changed its lines to its present form, placing stage and auditorium on the street level.


From that time to the present Newark's dramatic history has been continuous. For several decades the resident stock company and visiting star system was in use here, the city witnessing the performances of most of the noted players of the time-Booth, Forrest, Charlotte Cushman, Barrett, Florence, McCullough, and others of lesser fame. Later, with the advent of the traveling com- pany, other theatres were built-the Grand Opera House in Wash- ington street, still standing, the Park Theatre, now the home of the New Jersey Historical Society, and in 1886 the first house on distinctly metropolitan lines, the Newark Theatre, constructed by the late Henry C. Miner.


The popularity of other forms of drama than what is pro- fessionally called "the legitimate," burlesque, vaudeville, and re- cently, motion pictures, brought about the construction of other theatres until at the present writing Newark is as well equipped with houses devoted to dramatic entertainment as any community of its size in the country. Its proximity to New York alone has kept it from being a theatrical center of high rank.


THE WAVERLY FAIR.


Thousands of Newarkers still regret the passing of the Waverly Fair. The last was held early in October, 1899, and the ground, used for nearly forty years for the agricultural and indus- trail exhibitions, where politicians from every section of the State were wont to gather on Thursdays of "fair week," where trotting and running races were held, and where thousands upon thousands of visitors used to swarm, became the Weequahic Reservation, under the control of the Essex County Park Commission.


The first meeting looking to the formation of the New Jersey State Agricultural Society was held in August, 1854, at Camden. Organization was perfected at Trenton, on Wednesday, January


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21, 1855. In June, 1855, a public competitive trial of mowing machines was held under the auspices of the new society, on the farm of Obadiah Meeker, near Newark. Prizes were awarded and farmers and others interested in agriculture gathered from all sections of New Jersey. This was the first "Waverly Fair," al- though it was not a fair at all, and was only a more or less informal beginning. It demonstrated the feasibility of holding agricultural meetings and demonstrations.


In September of the same year, the first fair of the New Jersey State Agricultural Society was held, at Camden, that city having agreed to give $1,000 and to provide suitable grounds. The next year a group of Newark citizens offered $3,000 if the fair be held here, and to Newark it came, being given on what were known for more than a generation thereafter as the "Waverly Fair grounds." The third fair was held in New Brunswick, the fourth in Trenton, the fifth in Elizabeth. There were no fairs in 1863 and 1864, and the seventh was held in Newton, Sussex County. After that the annual fairs of the society were held regularly at Waverly, until two or three years before the society disbanded.


The Essex County Park Commission purchased the fair grounds, including over sixty-five acres, in March, 1899, for $75,000.


الإلم جد الكستار المسعود


CHAPTER XXXI. ,


MUSIC IN NEWARK.


CHAPTER XXXI.


MUSIC IN NEWARK.1


I I T was not until the third decade of the nineteenth century that music had any real existence in Newark, apart from the crude singing in the churches. Late in the eighteenth and early in the nineteenth century a few singing teachers came to the city, and even one or two venturesome instructors came to teach the piano student. But these had little encouragement. .. There were no organs in the churches then and few families could boast of the luxury of a piano. Each church had a chorus leader or precentor, as it it now called, who "raised the tune" and led the congregation in the simple music of the day. Around this leader gathered a few young men and women who formed the nucleus of a choir.


AN EARLY CHORUS LEADER.


One of the earliest of these chorus leaders was Amos Holbrook, who led the singing in the First Presbyterian Church for thirteen years and then went to the Second Presbyterian Church. He was born in Wrentham, Mass., in 1777 and was graduated from Dart -. mouth College in 1807. He came to Newark and married Sarah Shepherd in 1814. He died July 26, 1849. He was the father of three sons, two of whom became prominent in later Newark affairs. Amos Stephen, the oldest son, was born November 23, 1817, and died September 1, 1880; Andrew Law, the second son, was born November 20, 1821, studied law, and died October 22, 1847; Albert Marsh, the youngest son and for many years until his death the publisher of Holbrook's Directory, was born April 27, 1824, and died September 4, 1891.


About 1834 Henry Pilcher built an organ in the First Church, and in 1836 William Pease, originally of London, but coming to Newark from Boston, became the organist. After Holbrook went


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to the Second Presbyterian Church, Dr. Samuel H. Pennington suc- ceeded him as choir leader.


After Mr. Holbrook retired from the Second Church owing to increasing age and infirmity, a Mr. Crooks succeeded him there. Before the introduction of an organ Mr. Philip Moore occasionally assisted the singers with his violoncello.


The Third Presbyterian Church was built in 1824. At first it had no organ, but when an organ was put in Mr. Lewis Marsh became the organist. At Trinity Church there was an organ and a choir earlier than in any other Newark church. From 1819 to 1835 the organist was a Mr. Bowden. He was succeeded by Alexander T. Pirsson, who remained till 1849, when he went to St. Patrick's Cathedral to be the first organist there. James W. Alden was the organist in the First Reformed Church, on Market street, and Hiram Quimby the organist in the Universalist Church.


All these organists and choir leaders gathered a number of young men and women and instructed them in the rudiments of singing, and from these young singers came the impetus that finally resulted in the several attempts to establish a choral society in Newark, and it may be added that ever since choral societies have drawn their members chiefly from choir singers, both in Newark and elsewhere.


THE HARMONIC SOCIETY, 1830.


On April 23, 1830, was made the first attempt to establish a choral society in Newark. At a meeting of gentlemen Amos Hol- brook was chairman and John W. Poinier was clerk. It was resolved to organize a singing society and the name The Harmonic Society of Newark was selected. This was a new name then, the only instance of the name antedating the Newark society was the Balti- more Harmonic Society, organized about 1824. Even the London Sacred Harmonic Society was not started until 1832.


HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY, 1831.


This society did not last long or accomplish much, but it pointed the way. On May 10, 1831, the Newark Handel and Haydn


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Society came into existence, and in the names of the organizers and members we meet with many that are familiar to-day. The first officers were the following: President, Charles T. Day; first vice-president, Dr. Lyndon A. Smith; second vice-president, Apollos Stites; secretary, Albert Alling; treasurer, Jabez P. Pennington ; librarian, Abner D. Jones ; assistant librarian, Frederick T. Mygatt ; conductor, Lewis Marsh; board of directors, Samuel H. Pennington, Benjamin Cleveland, Daniel Condit, J. C. R. Smith, Lewis Crane, Daniel Stroud, Dr. A. Camfield, Harvey B. Miller and Lewis Nichols. Later Dr. Pennington became president and filled that office for the last eight years of the society's life.


FIRST ORATORIO GIVEN IN NEWARK, 1837.


This society gave its first concert on May 23, 1832, in Trinity Church and from that time until its last concert on January 1, 1840, the society gave twenty-five concerts. The programmes were at first composed of simple music, mostly church anthems. Occa- sionally a chorus from some oratorio was attempted and at last a sufficient oratorio selection was given to allow it to be considered the first performance of an oratorio in Newark. This was at the eighteenth concert, given on November 30, 1837, in the First Presbyterian Church. William D. Comes was the vocal leader and Alexander T. Pirsson the organist. The oratorio which thus had the distinction of being the first one ever performed in Newark was Handel's "Judas Maccabeus." It was repeated at the nine- teenth concert on December 15, 1837, for charity.


The second oratorio sung in Newark was Matthew Peter King's "The Intercession," at the twenty-third concert of this society on June 28, 1839, in Grace Church. The twenty-fifth and last concert was given in Trinity Church, January 1, 1840.


This society did excellent pioneer work and its programmes were made up of sacred music entirely at first. Occasionally, how- ever, a secular work was sung, but not often.


Success always provokes rivalry, and while the Handel and Haydn Society was in existence several competing societies were


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started. The Mozart Sacred Society was organized in the fall of 1834, and gave two concerts on January 1 and July 2, 1835. The Harmonic Choir was started early in 1836, and gave its first con- cert on July 1 in the Third Presbyterian Church, and its second and last on December 6, in the same place. In 1837 the Newark Amateur Glee Company made its appearance, the first organiza- tion to devote itself to secular music. The company gave a con- cert on September 28 and another on November 6, in Orange, with the same singers and nearly the same programme.


A FRUITFUL DECADE, 1831-1840.


This decade, 1831-1840, saw what was practically the begin- ning of music in Newark. The efforts of the early music teachers and the influence of the Handel and Haydn Society and the other choral organizations, short-lived though they were, combined to create in the people a desire to hear music in public, and that desire was fostered and encouraged by a number of miscellaneous con- certs given by Newark singers and players, and by visiting musicians from New York and elsewhere. At first these concerts were given by the organists, Marsh, Quimby and Pirsson, with their choir singers, and by the teachers, William D. Comes, Daniel Church and others with their pupils. Sometimes a soloist was engaged from New York, and as success came soloists of greater reputation were engaged. It was at a concert in 1836 that the name of James S. Gamble as a singer is first met. For more than thirty years from that time Mr. Gamble, though never a profes- sional, remained a popular church and concert singer. During this year of 1836 there were twenty public concerts given in Newark at which the public was asked to pay an admission fee.


On April 11, 1837, the famous English singer and song com- poser, Henry Russell, made his first appearance in Newark, giving what would now be called a song recital in Trinity Church. In November and again in December of that year Madame Caradori- Allen, an eminent Italian singer of her day, gave a concert in the City Hall, at Broad and William streets. In 1839 Miss Jane Shirreff


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came to Newark and in 1840 the city received visits from William A. King, the organist of Grace Church, New York; Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Horn, and others of lesser fame.


NINETY-TWO CONCERTS FROM 1832 TO 1841.


This was an important decade in the history of Newark. It witnessed the incorporation of the city, the establishment of the first daily newspaper, the opening of a railroad to New York, the establishment of several churches, the organization of the first choral society, and the beginning of an honorable musical history. From 1832 to 1841 ninety-two public concerts were given in the city of Newark, an average of over eleven a year, a good evidence that there was a considerable appreciation of music, and when it is remembered that the city was then less than one-tenth as large in population as it is now, this record will appear very important.


EMINENT SOLOISTS IN NEWARK.


In the decade 1841-1850 many soloists, vocal and instrumental, were heard in Newark. Henry Russell came again three times in 1841, and in 1842 the famous English tenor, John Braham, came and gave three concerts. A concert given in the Third Presby- terian Church on March 1, 1842, is notable from the fact that it was the first one in which the local soloists were named in connec- tion with their songs. Mahlon C. Whittemore was the conductor, Alexander T. Pirsson the organist, James S. Gamble, James W. Alden and Mr. Whittemore the vocal soloists. On October 28, 1844, the new Washington Hall at 314 (number later changed to 809) Broad street, was opened with a concert by Mr. Pirsson with vocal soloists and an instrumental quartet.


Ole Bull, the Norwegian violinist, gave a concert in this hall on December 27, 1844, and a second in the same hall on January 7, 1845. Henry C. Timm, a noted pianist and one of the founders of the New York Philharmonic Society, appeared at a concert on March 18, 1845, with several members of Palmo's Italian Opera Company, of New York. Hermann Adolph Wollenhaupt, pianist,


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came on June 5, 1846, and Henri Herz, pianist; Camille Sivori, violinist, and George Knoop, violoncellist, were heard on November 17, 1847. Maurice Strakosch, a fine pianist, but later better known as an opera manager and the husband of Amalia Patti, came on October 9, 1848; Leopold de Meyer, pianist, on May 23, 1850, and other famous foreign musicians on various dates in this decade.


In 1847 the Ilsley family, so long prominent in Newark musical circles, came to the city. The brothers, Francis L., Ferdinand, Edward and George; the sisters, Elizabeth and Anna, and the son, Francis Granville, and daughter, Harriet, of Francis L., for many years held a high position in music. They came from New York, and their first concert was given in Washington Hall on April 17, 1847.


GENESIS OF GERMAN SINGING SOCIETIES.


In this decade, too, was seen the beginning of the German sing- ing societies. The Eintracht Maennergesang Verein was founded and gave its first concer: on November 11, 1847. Henry Feigl, whose name was connected with musical matters until his death on April 23, 1892, came to Newark in 1849.


The Newark Quartet Club was started in the fall of 1841. It was composed of the four singers, James W. Alden and James J. Carter, tenors, and James S. Gamble and James Ross, basses, all of whom had been members of the Handel and Haydn Society and the Newark Amateur Glee Company. This club became widely and favorably known as "The Four Jims," and for years gave concerts which were among the most highly appreciated of all the musical entertainments in Newark. The Æolian Quartet was organized in 1844. Its members at first were all men, but at the concert of November 27, 1845, Miss Hannah Moore, contralto, took the place of Mr. Wardell, the first tenor. Miss Moore was the daughter of Philip Moore, a member of the Handel and Haydn Society, a fine violoncello player, and the sexton of Trinity Church. Philip's son, Stephen, was a violinist and clarinet player; Stephen's son, Wil- liam, was a violinist and tenor singer; William's daughter, Sarah, was a violinist, and his daughter, Florence, a pianist and organist.


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Hannah Moore had a beautiful voice of a compass of two and a half octaves. She was the most admired singer that ever lived in Newark and remained a concert favorite till her early and much- lamented death on January 6, 1862. She was married to John Sproston in 1852, and her daughter, Hannah Moore Sproston, was also a fine singer.


NEWARK SACRED MUSIC ASSOCIATION.


In the summer of 1850 another attempt was made to establish a choral society. There were memories of the performances of the two oratorios, "Judas Maccabeus" and "The Intercession," by the Handel and Haydn Society and two visits of the New York Musical Institute, at which were performed the "Messiah" and Haydn's "Seasons." Invitations were sent out by Francis L. Ilsley to all amateur singers to join in a chorus to practice and give a public performance of "The Creation." There was no formal organiza- tion, but the chorus took the temporary name of The Haydn Chorus Association. It was not long, however, before a general sentiment developed in favor of a permanent organization. The concert was given on January 15, 1851, with such success that it was repeated on February 12. On February 17 a constitution was adopted, the name, The Newark Sacred Music Association, was chosen and officers were elected. Dr. William T. Mercer was chosen president, and from that time until his death Dr. Mercer was con- tinuously connected with the musical development of the city. John R. Weeks and A. Stephen Holbrook were vice-presidents ; George F. Tuttle, long known as Judge Tuttle, was secretary, and James Ross, treasurer. Henry J. Ufford, Lewis Marsh, Samuel Taylor, Edward Ilsley, John I. Young, Albert G. Cann and Aaron T. Anderson were the board of directors. Francis L. Ilsley was the conductor. A concert was given on November 27, 1851, with a miscellaneous programme of oratorio selections. Neukomm's "David," then a favorite oratorio, was sung on February 11, 1852, and King's "Intercession" and Ries's cantata, "The Morning," formed the programme of the concert on June 9, 1852. These five concerts covered the life of this society.


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FIRST OPERA IN NEWARK, 1855.


The first performance of an opera in Newark was on June 2, 1855, when Weber's "Der Freischuetz" was sung in German in the Newark Theatre (Market and Halsey streets) by a company directed by Julius Unger. "Martha" was sung by the same com- pany on August 5, 1856, and again on August 9, 1858, by another company. "Der Freischuetz" was heard again, conducted by Carl Bergmann, on October 20, 1859, and "Czaar und Zimmermann" was sung on November 14. On February 14, 1860, the Ullman & Strakosch Grand Opera Company, from the Academy of Music, New York, produced "La Traviata" in Italian. On February 27, 1860, the Cooper Opera Troupe began a series of performances in English, singing "Sonnambula," "Daughter of the Regiment," "Norma," "Trovatore," "Lucrezia Borgia" and "Cinderella" during their two visits. Since these beginnings many opera companies have produced operas in Newark in English, French, German and Italian.


FAMOUS ARTISTS HERE, 1850-1860.


Among the eminent soloists who were heard during this decade the following deserve mention: Mr. and Mrs. Edward Seguin, T. Brigham Bishop, who sang his own songs; Madame Anna Bishop, Madame Anna Thillon, Mrs. Emma Gillingham Bostwick, Henrietta Sontag, Amalia Patti, Adelina Patti, Ettore Barili, Madame Cora de Wilhorst, Madame D'Angri and her daughter, Mathilde D'Angri, and Maria S. Brainerd, who made here her first public appearance in a concert, all singers of the highest rank; Bochsa, the harpist, with whom Madame Anna Bishop eloped from Europe; George F. Bristow, pianist and organist; Felix J. Eben, flutist; John A. Kyle, flutist ; Robert Heller, pianist and later magician; Aptommas, the harp player; Louis Moreau Gottschalk, pianist; Harry Sanderson and Arthur Napoleon, pianists, who appeared in connection with Gottschalk; Emile Guyon, Sigismund Thalberg, William Mason, John N. Pattison, all pianists; the Mollenhauer brothers, Edward and Frederick, violinist and violoncellist; George Washbourne Mor-


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gan, pianist and organist; Theodore Thomas, then a youthful violinist, and many others who had made their reputation in the musical world.


THE HARMONIC SOCIETY.


Neither the Handel and Haydn Society nor the Sacred Music Association ever formally disbanded. They simply stopped work and nominally remained in existence. It is for this reason that the Newark Harmonic Society sometimes dated its existence from 1852, as the continuation of the Sacred Music Association, but in reality it was in 1860 that this long-famous organization began its career, not under that name, however. The name was first the New- ark Social Music Association, and it was intended to combine the social and musical features. After the first year, however, the society broadened out, organized an orchestra of its own members and began serious practice of the oratorios. The first conductor was A. Stephen Holbrook. He was succeeded by Charles Schmidt, who conducted the society until his death. Later the society had as its conductors John P. Morgan, Ernst Eberhard, Charles Edward Horsley, Walter Damrosch, Frank Damrosch, Dudley Buck and Edward Morris Bowman, the last. For twenty-eight years the society lasted, during which time it gave many concerts. It was an oratorio society from the first, and at every concert an oratorio or cantata or part of one was performed, most of which were sung for the first time in Newark. During its last season, in 1888, the society sang Dvorak's "Stabat Mater" and Buck's "The Light of Asia," both for the first time in Newark and the latter the first time with orchestra anywhere. The society's orchestra attended all the rehearsals and played at the concerts with the assistance of extra players for the missing instruments.




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