USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > History of the city of Columbus, Ohio, from the founding of Franklinton in 1797, through the World War period to the year 1920 > Part 48
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Hayden home at the northeast corner of State and Sixth streets. The property is bounded on the north by Oak street and there the Knights built a handsome hall, making the home very commodious and attractive. The objeets of the society are charity, unity and fra -- ternity, both social and civie, and these were strongly exemplified in the war work of the local Council, which contributed in the neighborhood of $15,000 to the national Knights of Columbus fund for war activities. In addition the Couneil gave the use of its rooms to the Catholie Women's War Relief Association for the duration of the war. There are 210 names on the Couneil's serviee flag, representing both army and navy, and several members died in action in France. After-the-war activities of the Knights of Columbus inelude a continuanee of the social service inaugurated during the confliet just ended.
Ancient Order of Hibernians.
'The Ancient Order of Hibernians in Columbus is part of a national body formed in New York in 1836 to proteet Irish immigrant girls, afterwards branehing out as a benevo- lent fraternal society. In 1919 it had a membership of 175,000 men and women in the A. O. H. and Ladies' Auxiliary.
The first division of the order in Columbus was organized in Goodale park in 1869. John Cook of Grove street is the only surviving charter member. In the seventies and eighties several other divisions were organized and the society throve in Columbus. Thomas
Home of Council No. 400. Knights of Columbus
Dundon, well known lumber merehant, was at one time national treasurer, and the late M. J. Barry director of safety, was also on the board of directors. James T. Carroll, editor of the Catholic Columbian, served two terms as national secretary. He was also instrumental in organizing a company of Hibernian Rifles, one of the few independent military companies in Ohio to hold together. Jerry O'Shaughnessy, present superintendent of the Columbus water works, was eounty president of the order during its most prosperous days in Frank- lin county. During the almost fifty years of its history in Columbus the order has paid for siek and death benefits over $100,000. The local members assisted in raising a national fund to eare for its members in war serviee. The present county president is James Mulligan of North Washington avenue.
The Catholic Order of Foresters.
In Columbus there are ten courts of the Catholic Order of Foresters. They are a part of a national Catholic fraternal insurance society with 1,750 eourts in the United States and Canada. The order was founded in May, 1883, in Chieago and at the present time-De- cember, 1919 - has a memberhsip of 152,000. The ten courts in Columbus have a Court of Friendship composed of five delegates from each court. This eentral body has been active along charitable and community lines. It helped to raise $3,000 for St. Ann's Infant Asylum, and continually looks after the poor and distressed. M. J. Faistl is president of the Court of Friendship. Each court takes care of the siek among its members, paying out
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on an average of $1,000 annually in such fraternal endeavor. The national organ of the order, The Catholic Forester, is published in Columbus, under the editorship of James T. Carroll, editor of the Catholic Columbian.
Knights of St. John.
Columbus is the national headquarters of the Knights of St. John, an international fra- ternal order made up of Catholic men, who at the time of admission must be between sixteen and fifty years of age. It is a semi-military organization and also provides for the protection of its members in case of sickness or death. There are seven commanderies in Columbus with a membership of about 700. Colonel C. W. Wallace is the Supreme secretary, and James B. Dugan, also of Columbus, is the Supreme president. There is also attached to the order a Ladies' Auxiliary with about 600 members in Columbus, and about 5,000 in the State. The order was started in Baltimore in 1879.
Foreign National Societies.
Prominent among the Columbus residents of foreign descent who have maintained national organizations are the Welsh and the Scotch. The former have their St. David's society, R. E. Jones president, and prior to that had their Cambro-American society. The Scotch have their Caledonian society, James Anderson president. The Welsh have maintained the organization for gratification of musical tastes and for the observance of St. David's day, while the Seotch have centered their memories around Robert Burns, whose birth anni- versary they have observed. When hyphenated Americanism became obnoxious, both of these organizations remitted their activities so as to demonstrate their unalloyed affection for the United States and help to the utmost in the World War. The Welsh-American Ladies Society, Mrs. J. S. Pletsch president, is an active organization now assisting in its establishment of a Welsh-American Home for the Aged at Cleveland.
CHAPTER XXXVI. DRAMA, MUSIC AND ART.
Early Places of Amusement-Later Theaters in City and the Parks-Sells' Brothers' Circus, Field's Minstrels-Individual Stage Successes-Portrait and Landscape Painters- Sculptor Tom Jones-Art Association and Gallery of Fine Arts-Art Exhibitions- Handel Society of 1821-The Maennerchor and Other Organizations-Political Glee Clubs-Women's Music Club-Orpheus and Arion Clubs-Oratorio Society-Church Choirs.
So far as ean be ascertained the first play ever given in Columbus was "She Stoops to Conquer," probably in the old Market house on State street, April 10, 1828, Mr. and Mrs. Harper and Mr. Powell being the principal aetors. About 1832 theatrical performances be- gan at Young's Coffee House, under the management of Gilbert & Trowbridge, who called their room of entertainment the Eagle Theater. They seem to have been continued at intervals for two or three years. The first building in Columbus designed especially for a theater was ereeted in 1835 by a joint stock company on the west side of High street between Broad and Gay. It had a frontage of fifty feet, was one hundred feet deep and thirty feet high, and was built of wood. The stage oceupied about half of the interior, and there was a pit with two tiers of boxes, with a saloon in the rear. It was ealled the Columbus Theater and was managed by Dean and MeKinney. There was an opening night, and prizes were awarded to Otway Curry and James Kilbourne for the best and second best address.
The companies that appeared at the Columbus Theater seem at first to have been of eminent respectability and out of them eame several actors like Julia Dean and James Proetor, who afterwards gained wide repute. But the saloon at the rear ultimately de- stroyed its tone; the theater was complained of and was elosed in 1843, the building being later removed. Theatrical performanees were resumed in the eity in 1847, this time at Neil's Hall, south of the Neil House, but a fire in September, 1848, drove them to Concert Hall, Deeker and Sargent, the managers, announcing that low and vulgar witticisms would not be allowed and ladies' might attend in perfect security. But the favor of the public seemed for some years to run to freak entertainments in Waleutt's Museum, cireuses (the first of which, Pippin's, appeared here in 1833 or 183+), balloon aseensions and musieal entertainments, some of a very high character. Walcutt's Museum and the Odeon were used for theatrical entertainments, but there was a demand for something more commodious, and finally in 1855, Kinney, Burrell & Co. bonglit for $8,000 a lot on State street, opposite the Capitol, which has ever since been used for theatrical purposes. They erected a build- ing which they called the Dramatie Temple and opened it with the production of "The Honeymoon," September 12, that year. John M. Kinney was the general manager and W. S. Forrest stage manager. Before the play, the whole company sang "The Star-Spangled Banner," and Miss Deering, one of the players, read a poetie address which was probably written by Judge R. B. Warden, who wrote a tragedy entitled "Airdvoirlich," which was
produced by the company' as a benefit in the following December. Hanchett & Duffield be- eame the lessees and the name was changed to the Columbus Theater and as such it was elosed in Deeember, 1856. Broderiek & Oakley then leased it and failed. In December, 1857, .the theater passed to the proprietorship and management of Ellsler & Vincent, and in 1863 was reopened as the Atheneum, John A. Ellsler manager. Sinee then under Ellsler, Sargent, Miles, the Millers (James and Henry), and others, appeared some of the best actors that ever trod the boards. Like all other playhouses, it has had its ups and downs, for the publie is fickle. It is now known as the Grand Theater.
In 1863 a building was erected on the west side of High street north of Rich by Benja- min E. Smith and Theodore Comstoek for mereantile and theatrieal purposes. It was called at different times the Cotton Block (beeause the money invested therein was said to have been made in cotton speculation), Comstoek's and the Metropolitan. The auditorium had a seating capacity of about 1,200 and was handsomely appointed. The opening per- formance, September 9, 1861, was of Verdi's "Il Trovatore." During its eareer, which ended in a fire January 25, 1892, it was the scene of many of the best dramatic productions.
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The greatest stars of the time trod its boards - Forrest, Booth, Barrett, Jefferson, Irving, Toole, Keene, Salvini, Bernhardt, both the Sotherns, Marlowe, Adelaide Neilsson, Clara Morris, Menkin, Owens, and a host of others, besides musicians and orators. And there, too, many of our own local celebrities had their inning. Clara Morris made her initial appear- anee there as leading actress, September 2, 1865. This house was also frequently used for politieal conventions, meetings of the Grand Army and other large gatherings. It is now only a memory.
The Henrietta Theater, built in 1892 on West Spring street, survived only a few months, having been destroyed by fire November 24, 1893. The High Street Theater, built in the same loeality in 1893 by Dundon & Bergin, opened with the play, "The Love Chase," with Julia Marlowe in the stellar part. It was a small house which gave opportunity to many good aetors and companies that were then fighting the so-called theatrical trust. It is now known as the Lyeeum and is given over to vaudeville, musical comedy and moving pictures.
In 1896 the Southern Theater on Main street just east of High, was opened, the Valen- tine Company lessees, with a musical comedy from New York Casino. "In Gay New York." Under this management the theater was operated for fifteen years as a high-prieed house. Since then it has been oeeupied chiefly by stoek companies and moving pictures.
The Valentine Company in 1912 became the lessees of the Hartman Theater in the building creeted by Dr. S. B. Hartman on the southeast corner of State and Third streets, opening with "The Pink Lady," and still operates it, Lee M. Boda manager, as a high- prieed house. The Valentine Company also oceupied the Grand for two years beginning in 1897.
In 1902 a company ineluding George C. Urlin, Howard Weisman and others, erected on Gay street at the corner of the first alley cast of High, what was ealled the Empire Theater. It was operated for a time by the company and then was taken over by the Keith Company, by which it is still operated, W. W. Prosser manager.
About 1906 Lineoln Fritter projected a theater on West Broad street which he proposed to eall the Majestie. He was unable to finish it, and the enterprise was taken over by J. V. Howell, of Cincinnati, and completed as the Colonial. It has been oeeupied by regular theater companies, by stoek companies, and later by moving pictures. Aeross from it is the Broadway, an improvised theater devoted to vaudeville and burlesque. On High street aeross from the Capitol, has come the Majestic, devoted to moving pictures, and at numerous places along the same street and in various parts of the city store rooms have been trans- formed into places for the presentation of the film drama, with entertainment for tens of thousands afternoon and evening at small eost.
The theater in Olentangy park has variously housed light opera and the drama in summer for twenty years, and before that a theater at Minerva park, now abandoned, pro- vided entertainment of a varied character.
Sells' Brothers' Cireus, a Columbus enterprise, appeared in 1872, being announeed as "the most stupendous confederation of exhibitions ever placed before the American publie." The confederation resulted from the combination of four different shows. This cirens for years, until the late 90's, traveled out of Columbus, headquarters being maintained on the Seioto north of the eity, and there was great pride in its achievements. Another Colum- bus amusement enterprise which has been a credit to the city and has advertised it far and wide, is the Al. G. Field Minstrels, organized by Mr. Field in July, 1886. That sterling company is still on the road in season, and during all the years has been a strong faetor in keeping minstrelsy elean and wholesome. Heber Brothers' Circus was another Columbus organization which, after several years of activity, was withdrawn from the road during the trying years of 1917-18.
Columbus gave Mary Beebe to the Boston Ideal Opera Company and Grace Reals to the Bostonians. George Backus went from here to a fine stage career, and Elsie ( Bier- bower) Janis grew up here and won before Columbus audiences her first stage applause.
Music.
Music, we may be sure, had its place in the life of Columbus from the very first, but the first musical organization of record was the Handel Club which assisted in the celebration of independence day in 1821 and 1822, and was in existence in 1830. In 1828 a school of
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sacred music was opened by C. Parker at the Academy. In 1833 came the Franklin Harmonic Society, Rufus Beach president, for the "improvement of voeal and instrumental music." It gave a eoneert at the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1838. The same year the Columbus Band, using brass instruments, appeared. In 1845, Governor Bartley presiding. the Columbus Saered Musie Society was organized at the old United States Court House. In the same year, the Swiss Bell Ringers made their appearance, and Ole Bull, the great Scandinavian violinist, gave a coneert at the Neil House. In December, 1849, there was what was called a "German eoneert" at Mechanies' Hall.
In 1851 great efforts were made to seeure a coneert by Jenny Lind and her company. An offer of $10,000 by R. E. Neil. met with refusal, but her manager, P. T. Barnum, per- mitted her to come for a eoneert in the Odeon, November 4. Seats were sold at $1, $3 and $2, and every one was sold the day before. She gave a second eoneert, the following evening, and the house was well filled, according to a newspaper account, which also says that from the proceeds of this second coneert Jenny Lind donated $1,500 to Capital Uni- versity. Other concerts were given that year by Mrs. Seguin, M'lle Teresa Parodi, assisted by Maurice Strakoseh, and by Mme. Anna Bishop.
The North American Saengerbund held a festival in Stewart's Grove (now Washington Park ) June 4 and 5, 1852, at which time the Columbus Maennerchor gave the welcome to the various societies and bands. On November 19, 1852, Ole Bull gave another eoneert here at Neil's Hall, and Adelina Patti, then a child of eight, sang Jenny Lind's "Echo Song" and two other numbers with great effect. The newspapers pronounced her a prodigy. A second concert was given by Ole Bull and the child Patti with equal sueeess, December 21, 1852, and on December 11, 1853, a third eoneert was given by Ole Bull and Patti, under the leadership of Maurice Strakoseh, at Waleutt's Hall; and on December 4, 1854, at Neil's Hall, there was "a grand musical festival" by Ole Bull, assisted by Mauriee and Max Strakoseh, under the leadership of Maretzek.
In Mareh, 1856, the Columbus Beethoven Association was organized "to improve the popular musical taste and to exterminate the Unele Ned and Oh Susannah sort of musie." An orchestra was formed, Professor Nothnagel leader, which played when the Thalia Verein gave Von Weber's opera, "Preciosa," at Carpenter's Hall, December 19, 1857. Sig- ismund Thalberg and Henry Vieuxtemps appeared here in 1858, and the Thalia Verein gave Schiller's "Robbers" in December. Adelina Patti again sang here December 6, 1860, to "a fair audienee." The Ceeilian Verein, a new organization, appeared in concert April 8, 1861, and the Thalia Verein found permanent quarters in Apollo Hall on South High street.
The North Ameriean Saengerbund again met here August 29-September 1, 1865, and the gathering was one of the most important musical events in the history of the city. Peter Ambos was chairman of the committee on arrangements, which ineluded some of the most prominent men in the eity. A flag of the Singers' Union, costing $450, was presented to the Saengerbund by the German ladies. There were coneerts at the Opera House on the evenings of August 30 and 31, and awards were made by a committee of which Professor Nothnagel, Carl Sehoppelrei and Carl Spohr were members. On the morning of September 1, the various organizations marehed to the Capitol Square, their banners dressed in erepe out of respect for Governor Brough, who had just died in Cleveland, and sang appropriate music. The coneluding exereises consisted of speaking and singing in the park, a dinner and daneing in the evening.
In Mareh, 1868, and in the following December, Ole Bull again appeared here with his marvelous violin. Soon after the Theodore Thomas orchestra of forty musicians gave a concert, and on January 11. 1870, the Philharmonie Society, Herman Eckhardt director. gave Haydn's "Creation," with Mrs. Lizzie Eckhardt as Gabriel, Joseph Falkenbach as Raphael, H. Hyde as Uriel, Mina Senter as Eve and H. W. Frillman as Adam. In the fol- lowing April Rossini's "Stabat Mater" was given by the same society. Ole Bull gain played here in April, 1870; Parepa Rosa sang here in May, and the Philharmonic Society gave another eoneert in December and soon after Clara Louise Kellogg sang here. Anna Louise Cary, Signor Brignoli, Henry Vieuxtemps and Christine Nilsson appeared here in 1871 and again in 1872. and later in the same year Carlotta Patti and Anna Louise Cary in a Strakoseh eoneert. In April, 1873, Mme. Pauline Lueca and Clara Lonise Kellogg ap- peared here in opera.
In December, 1875, the Welsh Singing societies held an Eisteddfod in the City Hall,
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and again in the same place, Christmas day, 1877. John M. Pugh was president and Rees E. Lewis, conductor. Local musical organizations of this period were: The Columbus Har- monia Society, organized in September, 1878; Prof. Herman Eckhardt's Columbus Quar- tette, organized in October; the Orpheus Club, in 1881; the Women's Music Club in 1882; the Arion Club, in 1884; the Columbus Orchestra, C. C. Neereamer director, December, 1886; the Columbus Opera Club, January, 1888.
From this hasty sketch, it is apparent that Columbus had much of the best music from a very early day. The German and Welsh societies helped greatly, but the general popu- lation was appreciative and enterprising on its own account. In 1872 the famous Republican Glee Club was organized and sang itself into national fame in succceding Presidential campaigns. It appeared at the national conventions of the party and at Presidential inaugurations and never failed to make a hit with its surpassing music. The personnel of this club has been many times changed, but it is still active and in the last campaign maintained the old standard of excellence. A Democratic Glee Club appeared in recent years and has done some creditable work.
The Maennerchor, organized in 1848, and the Liederkranz, organized in 1866, have had distinguished careers as male singing societies, themselves giving many concerts of a high order and aiding in local events, as well as bringing other societies and individual singers here to be heard. A similar and most notable service was performed by the Orpheus and Arion Clubs of male singers which existed contemporaneously in the 80's and early 90's. The first president of the Orpheus Club was Willis G. Bowland and its first director was Herman Eckhardt. The latter was soon succeeded by T. H. Schneider, who served for the greater portion of the Club's existence, being succeeded by H. G. Simpson. The Club started with three quartets, but the membership was gradually increased till a total of thirty men was reached. For twenty years it gave subscription concerts, bringing to Columbus many noted artists and organizations and producing several popular operas.
The Arion Club was organized first as a chorus to compete for a $100 prize offered by the management of the Eisteddfod of 1884. Under the leadership of W. H. Lott it won the prize and then permanently organized under the name Arion. For eighteen years it existed and served the community, first under the leadership of W. H. Lott, and later under that of L. A. Coerne, C. A. Graninger and Otto Engwerson. With an active membership of fifty and a large associate membership guaranteeing financial assistance, the club gave at least two concerts every winter, combining with its own chorus work the services of well known vocal and instrumental artists of Columbus and elsewhere, as well as the best orchestras. In 1895 and again in 1896, the club conducted a May festival. It brought many famous artists to Columbus; it encouraged local musicians and helped them to success; it revealed to Columbus the need of a large auditorium such as was afterwards provided in Memorial Hall and was behind the first movement for the construction of such a building. Complete preliminary plans, at the instance of the club, were made by Mills & Goddard, architects, and these plans, somewhat modified to meet the new conditions under which the building was erected, were subsequently used in the construction of the auditorium of Memorial Hall.
The Women's Music Club had origin in a very modest way in 1882, when Miss Mary Failing, Mrs. F. F. D. Albery, Mrs. John G. Deshler, jr., Mrs. William Little, Miss Julia LeFavor, Mrs. J. R. Smith, Miss Margaret Taylor and Miss Emma MeCarter formed an organization, the sole purpose of which was to gratify their desire to hear one another play or sing and to stimulate their study. The club became popular: membership was eagerly sought and the club soon felt itself strong enough to give publie recitals and concerts in the Y. M. C. A. auditorium seating about 750. This was done for several years with success, but there came a time when interest lagged, associate membership declined and losses were incurred. In 1902, after a year of inactivity, the club was reorganized with Mrs. Ella May Smith as president and with a broad and vigorous policy. The people responded with en- thusiasm and for the second year's concerts, the Board of Trade auditorium was secured ; from there, with the growth of the associate membership, the concerts were taken to Memorial Hall with a seating capacity of 3,100. The best in vocal and instrumental music, soloists and symphony orchestras, were put on the program, and the associate membership grew to capacity proportions. The club bought a great organ at a cost of $14,000 and gave it to the county' for Memorial Hall ; it endowed a music alcove in the Columbus Public Library with $2,000; it organized a Girls' Music Club, through which girls might come to membership in the
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club of adults, and it developed through its members a system of low-priced music lessons for the settlements and occasional free concerts at the public institutions. After a successful service of fifteen years, Mrs. Smith retired and was succeeded by Mrs. H. H. McMahon, who, in 1919, was herself succeeded by Mrs. Andrew Timberman, under whose direction the club is continuing its success, giving the best of music at the lowest possible price and performing a real public service.
The Euterpean Chorus of women singers, organized in the late 90's and directed by Mrs. John Cassell, did some notable work for a number of years, making singing trips through the country and going one year to Wales where it won much applause.
The Columbus Oratorio Society was organized January 22, 1903, and for fourteen years, rendered a useful service in producing oratorios such as "Elijah," "The Creation," "Judas Maccabeus," "Samson and Delilah" and "The Messiah." During all this time it had but two presidents-J. Warren Smith and H. H. Shirer, but one director, W. E. Knox, and one accompanist, Miss Jessie Crane. It instituted the May Festival in Columbus by bring- ing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra here and gave yearly entertainments in which local talen was exploited and many noted musicians and organizations from a distance were in- troduced. The war cut short its career.
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