USA > Wisconsin > Racine County > Racine > Racine, belle city of the lakes, and Racine County, Wisconsin : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. I > Part 29
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
City of Burlington - W. A. Fulton, L. W. Hicks, Charles Meyst, Frank F. Newell, George E. Newell, J. W. Powers, W. A. Prouty. W. E. White.
Caledonia - Edward Schriber.
Corliss - F. G. Peehn, L. P. Valentine.
Franksville - Henry Goebel, L. Schriber.
North Cape - H. B. Keland.
Union Grove -R. W. MeCracken, C. A. Obertin.
Waterford - Elmer A. Carberry, M. S. Corlett, F. A. Malone.
CHAPTER XVII MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS
THE OLD TIME SINGING SCHOOL - MUSIC IN CHURCHES - AMERICAN BUGLE BAND - THE GERMAN BAND - OTHER BANDS AND ORCHES- TRAS-J. P. WEBSTER AS A COMPOSER -A CITY OF MUSICAL CULTURE.
The elevating influence of music and its powers to please and charm long have been recognized in Racine's social life. To give vent to the craving for expressions of joy, sorrow or humor in song is an innate attribute of the soul and, while the community was but a collection of a few modest little homes, the family circle was the only medium for a collective blending of instru- ment and voice. Before a great while came the singing school and when the settlement became of sufficient note and importance traveling companies of song birds were announced to appear to an eager and enthusiastic public. Many of the first residents of Racine were of cultured stock and the refining attributes of inusie were essential to their being. So that any one of the place, of talent in this direction, could count on the sympathies of his audience, and the singer or musician from the outside world was always welcomed.
Early in the '40s and '50s singing schools were the vogue. In 1844 the Misses Mary Slauson, Frances Gibson, Mary Rice, Phoebe Copeland and others were pupils in music under Mrs. James T. Manchester, and Mrs. Hopkins' School and the Racine Female Seminary had special classes in vocal and instrumental music. The seminary advertised lessons on the "piano or sera- phine" at $8 per quarter. On August 28, 1852, appeared the announcement that "Mr. A. Tibbetts and lady would open classes in vocal music, at the vestry room of the Presbyterian Church. on Saturday, September 4, at 7:30 o'clock P. M. Terms of tui- tion: Juvenile class, term of twenty evenings. 50 cents; adults, $1.00." Mrs. McMyn is authority for the statement that these teachers of music had quite a large and successful class.
Instrumental music in the churches was endured if not entirely countenanced by the more radically inclined members against "that instrument of the devil," the organ. For it must
324
HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY
be known that to many good souls of the church in primitive times, to bring a musical instrument into the sanctuary of the Lord was a desecration of His holy temple. Perhaps there are men and women living in Racine today who remember when they first saw a melodeon or an organ in a house of religious worship. They will then call to mind the expressions on the faces of the "hardshells" or "conservatives." And, no doubt, a comparison will attend their trip back into the past in recalling to the mental vision the queerly diminutive organ of that day and the great pipe organ of the present generation, costing its thousands of dollars and now considered "an indispensable" in every and any temple of the Most High, that thinks anything of itself and has the price.
Singing societies, orchestras and brass bands were a part of the advanced civilization of Racine when the place was but a hamlet, and as early as 1851 a band was organized and named after its leader, JJacob Esser. This organization afterwards was known as the "Governor's Guards" Band, named for a company of militia which had been organized a short time before by George Wustum, who was made captain over the company, which was composed of German citizens. The "Guards" and its band had a hall on the west side of Seventh Street, between Main and Wisconsin, but it burned down about 1852, and their headquar- ters were transferred to a hall over the Wustum store at 408 Main Street; later Kawelti's Hall was the rendezvous. The band had for members J. Esser, leader; Hiram Retter, William Horn, Christian Ritt, Theodore Ritt, Hubbard Brown, Thomas Evans, John Happ, Fred Lersch, Frank Kammerer.
Jacob Esser came to America and then to Racine in 1844, and at the time was unmarried. He bought a lot, on which was a log cabin, at the southwest corner of Villa and Thirteenth Streets, where his daughter, Mrs. Bernhard, is still living. He was a stone mason, and cooper in the winter season. It is said that when St. Mary's Church was first built he played the clarionet to lead the singing, before that congregation had an organ. A little later he was assisted at the church by other musicians.
In 1858 the American Bugle Band was organized by its first leader, John P. Jones, and a list of the members follows: John P. Jones, John R. Davis, A. Kellogg, E. Pritchard, F. Gibson, J. Pribyl, C. Haas, A. Schneider, R. Daniels, L. C. Wentworth, E. P.
325
HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY
Lowell, D. C. Washburn, H. M. Wentworth, R. Jones. "Bugle" was added to the name because of the then noteworthy fact that the instrument played by John R. Davis was a solid silver bugle which cost $150. When the Civil War broke out this band often played at patriotic gatherings to rally recruits and stir up enthu- siasm; its services always were tendered on these occasions with- out a remmeration. The band was often found on hand at college functions of various kinds.
The German (not "the little German Band" of tradition) Band was organized in 1865 and Charles Hever was the leader; other members, John and Henry Broecker, Charles Haas, Jacob Esser, Paul Bohn, Christian Retter and others. Competition between these bands was very lively whenever they happened both to be out at the same time. During one of the stirring cam- paigns shortly after the Civil War, the Democrats and the Re- publicans were having each a procession on the same day, the American Band heading the Republicans, and the German the Democratic hosts. The German Band boasted that it would blow the American tooters off the streets if ever it had the chance, so the news came. At any rate, the Republicans, headed by the American Band in a wagon, had been parading over in the Fourth Ward and, returning to Market Square, found the German Band installed on the court-honse steps, entertaining a large crowd. Mr. Davis, leading the American Band, ordered the wagon driven to the middle of the square, to the accompaniment of a quickstep. and warned the players that the tussle of their lives was on. The question then to be decided was, which band could out-play and out-stay the other. The personel and political partisans of each encouraged the contestants in every way to hang on. J. T. Case was particularly anxious that the Republican band should win, and the crowd was amused for two and a half hours before the German Band was blown out and retired, leaving the Bugle Band to play a final fanfare in token of victory.
Other bands there were and many of them. There was the Racine Cornet Band, formerly the Racine City Band, originally organized in 1859. This, no doubt, was the German Band just alluded to. It was reorganized in 1877, with the following mem- bers: Charles Evanson, leader; Charles Bettray, Clarence Toste- vin, George Creighton, Thomas Rogan, James Wood, Anthony Hayek, W. H. Sumner, Jacob Hettrick, Erick Noren, Lafayette
326
HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY
Pataillot, Louis Lawson. Then came on for recognition the Tem- ple of Honor Brass Band in 1878.
Adolph Schulte organized a band in 1876 and was its director until 1881, when he left the city; Hendrie & Smith's Orchestra came into the field in 1876, and the band of that name was formed some time later. Broecker's Band and String Orchestra was also organized in the '70s.
Porter & Hendrie's Orchestra and Quadrille Band was organ- ized in 1873; Klein's Orchestra and Quadrille Band in 1877; Hendrie & Smith's Quadrille and Reed Band in 1877. Before this, however, Lawson & Hayek's Orchestra and Quadrille Band was organized in 1863, by Louis M. Lawson and reorganized in 1873, with the above title.
Perhaps it is not generally known that a former citizen of Racine composed the music for that ever popular gospel song, "The Sweet Bye and Bye," but such is its history. J. P. Web- ster, a member of the American Bugle Band, was a fine musician and composer, and while a resident of Racine, about 1860, wrote the air to the song, and the first time it was sung in publie was at a concert by the band, when Mr. Webster sang the beautiful composition as he accompanied himself on the piano. At the time the song was written its anthor was in the saloon business with a man named Gillson, another member of the band.
Some time previous to taking up his residence in Raeine, Mr. Webster was associated with a high class traveling musical organization and, being of a sociable disposition and altogether a lovable fellow, who made friends easily, he was led into habits of drink that accomplished his min. He realized his disgrace and became subject to fits of melancholy and despondency, during which he would drink himself into a condition of oblivion to any sense of responsibility. He was a man naturally of fine and high sentiments, with a sanguine temperament, and was capable of giving it fit expression, and it was a monstrous pity that such a man, "who was winged for flight, should have been impelled to crawl."
How the nmsie to the song happened to be written by JJ. P. Webster is told in Ira D. Sankey's "Story of the Hymns." by S. Fillmore Bennett, the author of the words to the "Sweet Bye and Bye." He says:
"Mr. Webster, like many musicians, was of an exceedingly
-
Photo furnished by Billings
PUBLIC SQUARE, RACINE, IN THE '604, SHOWING THE OLD HAY MARKET
327
HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY
nervous and sensitive nature, and subject to periods of depres- sion, in which he looked upon the dark side of things in life. 1 had learned his peculiarities so well that on meeting him I could tell at a glance if he was in one of his melancholy moods, and 1 found that I could rouse him from them by giving him a new song or hymn to work on. On such an occasion he came into my place of business, walked down to the stove and turned his back to me without speaking. I was at my desk writing. Presently I said, 'Webster, what is the matter now?' 'It is no matter,' he replied, 'it will be all right bye and bye.'
"The idea of the hymn came to me like a flash of sunlight, and I replied :
" 'The Sweet Bye and Bye, would that not make a good song?'
"'Maybe it would,' he answered, indifferently.
"Turning to my desk. I penned the three verses and the chorus as fast as I could write. In the meantime two friends, Mr. N. H. Carswell and S. E. Bright, had come in. I handed the hymn to Mr. Webster. As he read it his eye kindled and his whole demeanor changed. Stepping to the desk he began writing the notes in a moment. Presently he requested Mr. Bright to hand him his violin, and then he played the melody. In a few moments more I had the notes for the four parts of the chorus jotted down. I think it was not more than thirty minutes from the time I took my pen to write the words before the two gentle- men, and Mr. Webster and I, were singing the hymn."
Hezekiah Butterworth's story gives Webster's date of birth as the year 1819 and death as 1875, and credits him with writing the music to the hymn in 1868.
A CITY OF MUSICAL CULTURE
There has been no attempt to give in this article a complete history of musical organizations in Racine. To do that would take more space in this volume than could well be afforded. But the reader is assured that the subject is a very pleasant one to the writer and he fain would dwell upon it to a greater length, but. noblesse oblige. However, the city has maintained and eu- couraged many musical associations and individual artists by its patronage.
The Danish and Welsh people of Racine, of which there is a
.
328
HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY
large and infhiential contingent, are probably the foremost in musical circles in the city. The people of both nationalities love music and it is born and bred of their fibre. They have their societies and contribute to the pleasures of all by skillful rendi- tion and interpretation of refined and classical selections from noted composers of the world. The Dania Society is one of the popular organizations and is a prominent factor in the promotion of musical entertainments. Some years ago the Dania erected a handsome home, where its members meet and devise ways and means to benefit themselves and others in the social amusements sought by people of refinement and good taste. The Dania Broth- erhood also should be spoken of in this regard and the Belle City Male Chorus has a special place in the esteem of the community, as it has been a leading attraction at the annual Eisteddfod, held by the Welsh people of the States of Illinois and Wisconsin, and at which the chorus has taken many prizes. In 1902 the Treble (Jef, a woman's chorus, was organized by Danish talent, with forty voices. And these sweetly singing Danes have another chorus, the Hamlet Singing Society, organized forty years ago by Professor Theodore Elberg, a noted Danish editor and musical director. Then there are the German associations, most of which have music for their fetich. The members are among the most prominent of the citizens here and have their Deutscher Frauen Verein and the Deutscher Maenner Verein. The Scotch have their Caledonian Society.
CHAPTER XVIII SOCIETIES AND FRATERNITIES
OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY - TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES - MASONIC FRATER- NITY - ORDER OF TIIE EASTERN STAR - INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS- DAUGHTERS OF REBEKAH - KNIGHTS OF PYTIIIAS - THE ELKS -GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC - WOMEN'S RELIEF CORPS -LADIES OF THE GRAND ARMY - OTHER PATRIOTIC SOCIE- TIES - CATHOLIC SOCIETIES - TRADES UNIONS-COMMERCIAL CLUB - YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION - YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRIS- TIAN ASSOCIATION - MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES -THE LEADING CLUBS.
From a historie point of view the Old Settlers' Society of Racine County is doubtless the most important society ever or- ganized within the county limits. About the close of the Civil War, whenever two or three old residents would get together to exchange reminiscences of pioneer days, the subject of organizing an association of old settlers would come up for disenssion. But it was not until early in 1870 that any definite action along that line was taken. Then a few persons met and decided that the time was ripe for such an organization. They prepared and issued the following call for a preliminary meeting:
"All residents of Racine County, who have been in the state for more than thirty years. are invited to meet at the court-house on Monday evening, March 14, 1870, for the purpose of organiz- ing an Old Settlers' Society.
"By request of
"MANY OLD CITIZENS."
At the appointed time quite a number of old residents assem- bled in the court-room. Lorenzo Janes was elected chairman and S. B. Peck was chosen secretary. A motion was made and carried that the chairman appoint a committee of five to prepare a con- stitution and present it to the meeting for adoption. The proba- bilities are, as is usual in such cases, that something in the way of a constitution had been prepared in advance of the meeting, in anticipation of this action. However this may have been, Mr. Janes appointed as a committee John A. Carswell, Archibald Cooper, Alanson Filer, Benjamin Pratt and C. J. True, While the committee was out working on the constitution Eldad Smith,
330
HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY
1 .. S. Blake and others entertained the meeting with recollections of early incidents in Racine County. Within a reasonable time the committee returned to the court-room and reported the fol- lowing:
"Preamble - For the purpose of reviving old associations and renewing the ties of former years, the undersigned do hereby unite in an association, to be known as the 'Old Settlers' Society of the County of Racine,' and adopts the following
CONSTITUTION
"Article I. Any person of good moral character, who has resided in the state for more than thirty years and is now a resi- dent of Racine County, may become a member of this society by signing his or her name and paying an initiation fee of fifty cents.
"Article II. The officers of this society shall consist of a president, three vice-presidents, a secretary, a treasurer and an executive committee of five members.
"Article III. The president, vice-presidents, secretary and treasurer shall perform such duties as usually pertain to their respective offices, but all matters relating to the society shall be under the control and management of the executive committee.
"Article IV. The officers of this society shall be elected by ballot on the second Monday of January in each year.
"Article V. New members may be admitted by the execu- tive committee, provided that thirty years shall have elapsed since the applicant's first residence in the State of Wisconsin.
"Article VI. The executive committee shall give notice, through the newspapers or otherwise. of the time of the funeral of any of the deceased members, and all members, if possible. shall attend said funeral, wearing the society badge.
"Article VII. Whenever seventy-five persons shall have signed this constitution, they may elect officers and organize the society; and it is understood that women may become members of this society without paying the initiation fee.
"Article VIII. This constitution may be altered or amended at any annual meeting, by a majority of the members present."
The constitution was adopted, after which the following per- sons came forward and affixed their names. They may therefore be called the "charter members" of the Old Settlers' Society:
SOME PIONEERS OF RACINE AT FIRST OLD SETTLERS' PICNIC IN JUNE, 1879.
From left to right are: L. S. Blake, Alvin Raymond, Nelson Gatliff. A. H. Blake, Nelson Walker. Mrs. J. O. Bartlett, Mrs. Alanson Filer, Alanson Filer and grand-daughter. Elsie Wentworth: Gilbert Knapp, Benjamin Pratt, James Walker, Alfred Cary. Sheridan Kimball. Stephen Campbell. Thomas Place.
331
HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY
R. H. Baker, J. O. Bartlett, L. S. Blake, Norman Clark, Archibald Cooper, Angus B. Crane, William S. Derby, James T. Elliott, John A. Carswell, Alanson Filer, J. H. Gipson, W. H. Gresitt, Samuel Hood, William S. Hoyt, Lorenzo Janes, Nathan Joy, Sheridan Kimball, Samuel G. Knight, Seth P. Phelps, Benjamin Pratt, Alvin Raymond, H. Raymond, Eldad Smith, C. J. True, Thomas Place, Adney Wooster, S. B. Peck and Levi JJ. Billings.
Of the twenty-eight who signed the membership roll at that first meeting. seven came to the county in 1835; nine, in 1836; three, in 1837; one, in 1838, and eight, in 1839. After the adop- tion and signing of the constitution the meeting adjourned. The executive committee or, rather, the committee that drafted the constitution acting as such, began a canvass for additional men- bers. When the required seventy-five were enrolled, another meeting was held, at which the following officers were elected: Lucius S. Blake, president: Benjamin Pratt, William S. Hoyt and Thomas Place, vice-presidents; S. B. Peck, secretary and treasurer: Archibald Cooper, R. H. Baker, J. O. Bartlett, Alvin Raymond and Pliny M. Perkins, executive committee.
On motion, the secretary was instructed to furnish each of the newspapers of the county with a copy of the proceedings of the meeting for publication. A motion was also carried instruct- ing the executive committee to fix upon a time and place for holding an "Old Settlers' Meeting." The committee reported that Racine had been selected as the place and the first Wednes- day in June as the time, and on that date the first old settlers' meeting in Racine County was held. It was largely attended and great interest was aroused in events of early days.
The meeting was held in Belle City Hall, in the City of Racine, and was called to order promptly at 10 o'clock A. M. by President L. S. Blake. Rev. Cyrus Nichols offered an appropriate prayer, after which Rev. M. P. Kinney, of Rockford, Illinois, formerly superintendent of the Racine public schools, delivered the principal address. Capt. Gilbert Knapp, Samuel E. Chap- man, Lewis Royce, W. C. Allen, Elam Beardsley and Hon. J. R. Doolittle also spoke briefly. A committee on resolutions, con- sisting of J. A. Carswell, Seneca Raymond and J. O. Bartlett, presented a series of seven resolutions that were unanimously adopted. the society voted to hold the next meeting at Burling-
332
HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY
ton, after which the assemblage sang "Auld Lang Syne" and adjourned.
On January 9, 1871, the first regular ammal meeting, as pro- vided for in the constitution, met at the court-house at Racine. for the purpose of electing officers. Court happened to be in session and the Old Settlers' Society adjourned to Lawton's Hall, where the first business transacted was the adoption of an amendment to the constitution increasing the executive comit- tee to seven members. The following officers were then elected: President. Nelson R. Norton: vice-presidents, Alanson Filer, John Newman and Eleazer Everit: secretary-treasurer, S. B. Peek; executive committee. J. A. Carswell. Charles Waite, Archi- bald Cooper. William Ballack. E. D. Filer. T. D. Morris and J. O Bartlett. By a vote of those present the executive com- mittee was instructed to call a meeting of the society at Bur- lington on February 22, 1871. and to "provide speakers and make all arrangements for the same."
The new executive committee met in the supervisors' room in the court-house at Racine on January 20, 1871, and perfected arrangements for the Burlington meeting by securing the serv- ires of Judge Charles E. Dyer to deliver a historical address. An account of the Burlington meeting says:
"The president then introduced Hon. Charles E. Dyer as the orator of the day, who gave a most interesting discourse on the early history of Racine County, beginning with the City of Racine and then taking the towns in their order. The narrative was one of deep pathos, interspersed with scenes of the ludi- erous and mirthful, which held the attention of the audience for more than two hours."
At the close of JJudge Dyer's address a song was rendered in German by the Teutonia Club of Burlington. A manimons. vote of thanks was then given Judge Dyer for his "eloquent and instructive address," and the following resolution was adopted:
"Resolved, That a subscription be taken up and the proceeds placed in the hands of the executive committee to procure the publication of the address in pamphlet form; and, further, that every subscriber shall be furnished said pamphlet at cost for the amount of their subscriptions; and also that the committee are requested to add further items of history, under the super- vision of Mr. Dyer."
333
HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY
On motion, the following named gentlemen were appointed a committee to solicit additional subscriptions: Alanson Filer, J. A. Carswell and Samuel Hood, of Racine; T. W. Gault, of Waterford; Samuel Ormiston, of Yorkville: Franklin Nims and Pliny M. Perkins, of Burlington; Joshua Pierce, of Mount Pleas- ant: Evan Kaepscadt, of Norway; F. E. Hoyt and R. North, of Rochester: 11. L. Gilmore, of Raymond, and T. D. Morris, of Caledonia.
The committee raised a considerable sum of money and the revised address of Judge Dyer, with some additions, was pub- lished in the form of a neat pamphlet and widely distributed over the county. If the Old Settlers' Society had never done anything else it would have rendered itself immortal, for the address of Judge Dyer, delivered at Burlington on February 22. 1871. contains the gist of the early history of the county. It has been the nucleus of all the history that has since been written. and will form the basis of pioneer historical research for years to come. But the society has gone on holding its annual pienies from that time to the present. On July 14, 1902, the society was incorporated by David H. Flett, C. M. Hambright and John S. Blakey, with a capital stock of $2,500, in shares of one dollar each, under the name of the "Racine County Old Settlers' Soci- ety." The principal reason for the incorporation is explained in Article I of the articles of incorporation, to wit:
"The object, business and purposes of such incorporation are and shall be the promotion and advancement of the social and moral well-being of all old settlers of Racine County, the holding of periodical meetings for mutual benefit and improve- ment and other educational and benevolent purposes exclusively, and the purchase and holding of real and personal property inei- dent to the business of such corporation."
Soon after the society was incorporated the executive com- mittee purchased a traet of land just west of the Village of Union Grove for an "Old Settlers' Park." Here, in a beautiful grove, a pavilion has been erected and meetings are held every summer. The meeting for 1916 was held on June 15th, at which time the treasurer reported a balance of $422.30 in the treasury, indi- eating that the society is in a prosperous condition. It is expressly provided in the articles of incorporation that no stock- holder shall over receive dividends or pecuniary profits from his
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.