This is a collection of articles about the Bloomington bands which involved our Seward ancestors. The first article appeared in the Bloomington World, 24 June 1896...
BLOOMINGTON BANDS
Something about the Tooters of Long Ago
The crowds that throng the sidewalks and blockade the streets with carriages to listen to the weekly concerts of the Bloomington Mechanics' Band know but little about the different stages through which the present organization has evoluted [sic]. From the time John McCrea taught the first band way back in the thirties to the present there have been several changes, especially in the personnel of the organization. As a proof that music has changed in that length of time, we are told that McCrea played a clarinet with the mouth piece upside down. How he did it, even W. H. Seward1 does not know. Bloomington has always been a musical city, and the memory of the oldest inhabitant cannot revert to the time when we did not have a band of some sort or description. It is true that those old timers did not have bespangled uniforms, a pompous drum-major nor a little darkey to hold the music, but they were nevertheless the pride of the townspeople, the heroes of political campaigns, and the envy of the juveniles.
The first band organization in Bloomington was about the year 1838 when Austin Seward,2 grandfather of the present leader, formed what was known as the "Seward Band." It was rightly named, too, for in it was his two sons, John and James, and later their brothers, Bryce and William. To hear William B. Seward3 recount some of the exploits of those old times would lead one to infer that even at that early date people knew how to have a good time.
The Harrison campaign of 1840 furnished all the needed opportunities for practice. This band also played at the famous Tippecanoe battle ground celebration. Among the members of this first organization were the Sewards that we have mentioned, of whom John was the leader, Johnson McCullough, Elbert Johnson, Emery Voss4 and William A. Leg [Legg?]. Uniforms were not thought of. In place of the cornet they had the bugle, and for the alto and tenor they had what was known as the Ophe Cleide horn. Also a twisted wooden concern called a serpent.
A strange coincidence is recorded in connection with this band. About 1840 Dr. T. Wylie and wife returned to Bloomington from their bridal tour. The band called at the old house on East Second Street and serenaded them. Fifty years later in the same house the doctor and wife were celebrating the golden anniversary of their wedding. In honor of the event, James Seward, one of the serenaders of 50 years before, came and played a solo on the same old clarinet that was blown so joyously a half century past.
The band was reorganized in 1843 with John Seward still its leader. In addition to most of the old players, there were David H. and Edward Maxwell, Marion Blair and Jesse Kersaw [Corsaw?]. The latter player was very versatile for when alone he played the violin and when in the band he did what all small boys would like to do - beat the bass drum. They had no tenor drum at that time. This band was used in marshalling troops for the Mexican war and the last thing that some of the soldiers ever heard of Bloomington was the thump of Kersaw's drum and the squeak of Seward's clarinet. This band also helped to elect Polk in 1844.
What was known as the Bloomington Silver Band was organized in 1850. James Seward, this time, with his E flat bugle was the leader. The new faces that took the places of some that had dropped out were Irvin and Albert Seward, James and Wicks Kettleman, Ed Maxwell, James Skidmore, George Voss5 and B. Harold. This organization continued until long after the Civil War and was the first band to adopt an uniform. The uniform consisted of a blue frock coat, blue trousers with gold stripes and a queer shaped hat with an immense red plume. Several members of this band went to the army as musicians. The instruments used by this band were of silver and were far superior to the instruments of any other band in this "neck of the woods," concerning which fact the members thereof were justly proud.
In about 1872 the first Mechanics' band was organized, and for the first time a Seward was not the leader, Charles Voss6 acting in this capacity. A few years later, however, William H. Seward, the present leader, took charge. This band continued until 1880. In the meantime, another crowd of musicians thinking there was a "good opening" in the band business formed the Empire band led by John Mack and taught by Daniel Schrader. This is the only band ever in Bloomington that failed to have a Seward in it. Some of the familiar names of the Empire band are: Alvin Hinds, William Blair - Billy played a tuba - Len Whetsell, Hillary Headley, John and James Waldron and Joe Paine, now deceased. The Empire band failed in 1881 and the Mechanics' band was appointed the receiver, receiving therefrom several of its leading players.
In 1884 and 1885 there was no organized band in Bloomington, and when music was to be had, some member of the old band went out and scared up a few of his former comrades. Our present band was established in 1886 and W. H. Seward again became its leader. He and Gene Adkins are the only present members who were identified with any of the old bands.
When one stops to think of what the present band has accomplished, of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that it has overcome, it certainly is a matter of congratulation to the members and of pride to the citizens. Organized ten years ago. In all that time, the only outside aid it has ever had is the sum of $50 which the city council appropriated to assist in building the band stand, in the last ten years, too, they have been put to an enormous expense, and the mere fact that in all that time they have kept together without the least sign of discord in their midst proves them to be men of courage and men who love their work.
The repertoire, if we may call it such, of the present band is something wonderful. Over 300 pieces have been mastered by them, and at the Salem fair in 1892 they played for four days and never repeated a piece. The year before, the Salem people, more economical than wise, hired a band that knew but six tunes, necessitating a repetition of each some five or six times a day. When they heard our boys for four days and never heard a piece the second time, they thought it was something out of the ordinary, to say the least.
The idea of giving weekly concerts originated four years ago, and as a testimonial of our appreciation, you have only to attempt to crowd your way along the square some Thursday evening. A social feature of the Mechanics' band is their annual outing on White river. Once a year they hie themselves to the banks of that classic stream and spend the time in telling stories, fighting mosquitoes and discoursing sweet music to the inhabitants of Martinsville. The pathway of the Mechanics' band so far has not been strewn with roses. They have had difficulties but have bravely conquered them, and we are glad for their sakes to say that the sun is at last beginning to break through the clouds that have heretofore enveloped them.
The only recompense they ask is good fortune from now on, and the WORLD wishes it for them.
The following item appeared in the 12 May 1916 issue of the Bloomington Evening World during the pageant celebrating Indiana's centennial:
Fred Seward,7 attired in a band uniform of his grandfather [Williamson Brewster Seward] and equipped with an ancient clarinet, will remind the audience of the serenades rendered by the Seward band and orchestra on this and all other formal occasions in Bloomington for the past century.
The following articles were transcribed from undated clippings in my grandmother's scrapbook...
BLOOMINGTON'S Community band now has been enthroned in the finest band shell in the land - a fitting honor for a worthy civic institution. Shades of the nights of old, when the "Bloomington Mechanics' Band" ump-ta-taed on a rickety old rostrum high among the trees of the old courthouse yard by the light of flickering gasoline torches!
The only competition of that famous musical organization was the old "opery house" band, composed of stage hands and handy-men and thudding drum and "sour" brass.
Long live the town band! No village, no metropolis, is complete without one. And every musician in Bloomington should consider it his duty to rally to the colors of his town band, from silver cornet to umpahing tuba for, after all, of all the civic institutions, what is more thrilling and necessary!
"Bands seem always to have been an important part of our family," related Fred Seward Thursday evening in introducing his paper on the history of Bloomington's community bands which he read and commented upon before 18 members of the Monroe County Historical Society in the Chamber of Commerce rooms.
Beginning with what he found to be the first record of local musical instruments - a reference in Hall's "New Purchase" to flute lessons been given in the 1830's to the speaker's great-grandfather [Austin Seward]. Mr. Seward's paper continued to trace the Sewards' participation in local bands for nearly 100 years. Four members of the family were in the band which met Theopolis Wylie and his bride upon their arrival in Bloomington in 1838. Sewards were in the band when the organization serenaded Mr. and Mrs. Wylie upon their golden wedding anniversary and again in 19198 when Mrs. Wylie observed her one hundredth anniversary.
The paper referred to the Pinafore and other family bands which were in existence locally during the '60's and '80's. Bloomington's first community band was founded in 1886 and was known as the Bloomington Mechanics' band. That organization played for all patriotic occasions and other community "get-togethers" and instigated Thursday night band concerts. Thursday night has been band night since 1886, the speaker related.
Only solo parts were bought in those days, Seward told, due to the high cost of music. Scores for other members of the band then were written by the members or by the director. The speaker told of the band's participation in the old-time jaunts to Martinsville, of raising funds by means of a restaurant in the baggage car of Monon excursions to Chicago and of the hardships of supporting the band on public contributions which might total something like $20 a week.
Members of the band at the time of the Spanish-American war formed the Second Regiment band. While that group was away, a small band was organized by William Pace.
In 1901 or 1902, the speaker read, the Bloomington city band was formed and also boasted a "webbfoot" band of beginners to supply recruits for the city organization. The paper mentioned the participation of the Gentry show bands and members in community musical activities, and of the one-time utter dependence of the Indiana university musical groups upon city musicians for some of the university's instrumentation.
The band was at its best during campaign years, Seward told, relating how each member earned $2 for participating in a political rally.
Other members of the local society also added comments and stories concerning the activities of the local bands, telling of their then unique nickel-plated and all-metal instruments. One incident told concerned the band members' performance in putting out a fire - as many band members also were members of the volunteer fire department - and clad in white duck trousers in which they had only shortly before been playing a concert.
No doubt the "sweet strains of music" were furnished by the Seward-Saxe-Horn Band." The Seward family was famous in its day for its "horn" band. It is hard to tell what Bloomington could have done without them. Their band took a prize at a State Fair in those early days. They were always ready to play for every patriotic occasion, usually "without money and without price," and their music was always a source of delight to their audiences. They were used to playing on many college occasion, too, at the same rate of compensation. It appears the band was invited to play at the college Commencement of 1842, as an accommodation. I have under my eye an old document which indicates that the members of the band had determined to stand up for what seemed to them but common fairness. Here is the content of the document. I give it, faulty spelling and all.
"Bloomington.
Aug. 17, 1842.Messrs. Woodburn, Stormont and Munson.
Gentlemen.The under signed have been apointed a committee by the Bloomington Band to reply to your note of the 15th inst, the receipt of which is hereby acknolaged. you request us to play for you on the 28th of Sept. next. We would be glad to comply with your request. But believing that the trustees should renumerate us for our services on such ocations and haveing been asured by one of the trustees that we should be long ere this. We have therefore declined playing on those ocations unles we are paid for our services.
You are aware that we have been at conciderable expence in money and time in preparing ourselves to play.
Respectfully yours,
Committee.
S. Seward
Wm. M. Smith
F. McCoulough"The Band boys certainly had a just claim. The wonder is that in such a little town there was such a group of good musicians.
J. A. W.
(To be continued next week)
This long history of participation in bands and interest in music must be caused by something in our genes! Our rock-and-roll band leader son (Austin's g-g-g-g-grandson) was greatly impressed with the politeness of the band's letter declining the college gig! If we ever locate the continuation of the article, we'll add it to this page. We're not sure who S. Seward might be. Austin's son Samuel was only seven years old at the time. Could John or James' "J" have been mistaken for an "S"? Perhaps F. McCoulough was son-in-law Finley who was 18 when the letter was written.