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BANDS that CONTRIBUTED to the FORMATION
the NEVADA COUNTY CONCERT BAND
Most towns in Nevada County had their own concert band in the 19th
century. It was partly local pride
that kept it alive, but also the distances between towns were more difficult to
travel. So the town’ musicians
gathered, formalized, entertained, and often competed as well (see the 1915 March link for more about the
California State Fair competitions).
Brass bands with percussion were perfect for musicians whose hands were
coarsened by mining and such.
Sometimes bands became competitive, such as at the extremely large 1893
funeral of Sheriff William H. Pascoe.
Performing were three bands - Green’s, Jenkin’s, and the Nevada City
Band – who each tried to lead the procession, and then tried to drown out the
other.
Clearly, the strongest tie in the Nevada County Concert Band’s family tree
is with the Grass Valley Band. Yet there were some other influential
bands, such as these:
Boca Band
Eureka Brass Band (from
Graniteville)
Grass Valley Brass and Reed Band
(also known as Jenkin’s Band)
circa 1890s, identifying with their leader
John Jenkin’s name, who was featured as a solo cornet player. Since the name “John Jenkin” was fairly
common, continuing history of this musician is hard to track.
Grass Valley Citizens’ Band
circa 1890s, started and led by Thomas Wills, who played cornet under Harry
Green in the Grass Valley Concert Band
Grass Valley Quadrille Band
Performed for parties and balls; their four members were Beckett, Lamarque,
Flanders, and Dewey (none were Cornish)
Home Social Band
Organized by local music shop owner R. H. Marchant to play for New Year’s
parties at Hamilton Hall in the 1870s
Nevada City Band
Known to be in existence in 1892, and competing at the California State Fair in
1915
Nevada Brass Band
Known to be in existence in 1867, this was a colored band under the leadership of
Dennis Carter. Note: this was
before the word “city” was added to Nevada City.
Nevada City Boy’s Band
The picture’s
caption reads as follows:
The
Nevada City Boy’s Band was organized in 1902 by Lee Leiter, who was working in
Maher’s Clothing Store, and Bill Dunlap of the Le Comton Mine. Both men had just purchased the Union
Hotel on Main Street, and had temporarily renamed it the Antlers. They advanced the money for inexpensive
instruments, and in turn the band played for the Saturday night dances on a
platform adjoining the hotel where now Tom Yost operates the Shell Service
Station. So successful were the
dances that the boys were able to repay Mr. Leiter and Mr. Dunlap, and also buy
themselves better and more expensive instruments. Dick Veale, the conductor, later formed the Copper Queen
Bank in Bisbee, Arizona. Dick
Veale, his son in the white major domo head-gear, mastered the cornet and
violin, and became a professional and a big name in the US entertainment world.
LEFT TO RIGHT, BACK ROW, STANDING:
Oscar Angilley, Chester Ogden, Norman Shaw, Ellsworth Bennett, Harlan
Wright, C. A. Bennett (16-1), Hartley Lord (later county treasure), Franklin
Holman; SECOND ROW: Fred Cooper, Orrin Smith, Britt
Stevens, William H. Dunlap (band manager), Richard Veale (conductor), George
Merrill, Frank Polglase, Fred Chengwidden; SEATED:
Granville Beedle (Alice Hitchen’s brother), Carl Hicks, Elbert Veale,
McMurray Mallen (Chris’ son), and Alvin Kahl. (Picture identification by C. A. Bennett (16-1 Mine))
North Bloomfield Brass Band (pictured
circa 1900)
North Columbia Band
Owl Band
Organized by Will T. George to lead the
Donation Day parade in 1907. Will
also played cornet in the Grass Valley Concert Band.
Pascoe’s Brass Band
circa 1870, identifying themselves on
their leader’s name, and consisting primarily of Cornishmen
Pocohontas Band (picture)
Quartz Parlor No.58 Band
Native Sons of the Gold West, pictured before the 1895
parade
Silver Cornet Band (from Relief
Hill)
Star and Crescent Band
Most of the teenagers who had played
together in this band eventually joined the Grass Valley Concert Band
Thomas Silver Cornet Band (or just
Thomas Band)
circa 1870, identifying themselves on
their leader Stephen Thomas’ name, and later by his brother John Thomas, and
consisting primarily of Cornishmen.
The
band played “A Fantasia of National Airs” at the national’s centennial event in
1878, and in another year performed a combined number with a 200-member
children’s chorus. On yet another
year, they played their “Christmas Welcome” at the corner of Mill and Main
Streets in conjunction with John Ferrell’s Carol Choir.
Harry Green was an original member of this band, and went on to lead the
Grass Valley Concert Band in the 1890s.
Washington Brass Band
Picture is dated July 1866 across the
main street of Washington.
Organized in 1962 under leader Mr. Philip Goyne, it was “kindly and favorably
known throughout the county,” and “was always proud of its mountain culture in
spite of a rough and tough mining background.” Original members were Philip and John Goyne (miners),
John McBean (saloon keeper), A. W. Potter, Dr. H. F. Wilkinson (miner), J. H.
Adams (miner), and John W. Brown (miner).
Considering the methods of travel and the conditions of the roads of
that day, it is hard to believe now how this band covered the area credited to
it by the newspapers of the time.
It is mentioned as being in every parade in almost every town in the
county. During the Civil War, it
played at every fund-raising event for the welfare of the Union Army. Always “without compensation.” Dances in Nevada City, Dutch Flat,
Rough & Ready, Graniteville, etc.
Weddings, lodge parties, political rallies – “Music By The Washington Brass
Band.”
“On
almost every public occasion of recent date, gotten up by the munificent public
spirit of Nevada City or Grass Valley, the services of this excellent band have
been brought into requisition, and besides the substantial rewards given them,
the citizens of Nevada City have presented Mr. Goyne, their leader, a beautiful
silver mounted cornet with echo attachment, as an earnest expression of their
kind appreciation.”
Unger’s Band
circa 1870, identifying themselves on
their leader’s name, and consisting primarily of Cornishmen
ARTICLE in the GRASS VALLEY UNION –
written by Doug Mattson
Gold may have been king in the late 19th century, but the Nevada County area
had plenty of room for brass. Just
about every town during that time had at least one brass band with members
playing such instruments as the trumpet, cornet, trombone, baritone, french
horn, tuba, clarinet, and drums.
A 1995 article from Sierra Heritage magazine
declared: "It seems we can't imagine a time without brass bands in our
Sierra communities." And certainly
enough, brass bands played an important role in the history of California's
gold mining towns. They provided
entertainment, musical education and a focus for civic pride. For
example, in 1861, the Grass Valley Brass Band performed during Nevada City's
Fourth of July celebration. The
director was a Mr. Schmidtscheider who according to the next day's Nevada City Morning, was "in the
full uniform of a Major de Tambour (drum Major), the duties of which office he
executed with consummate ability and presented a most soldierly
appearance." The Band
reorganized five years later under Cornish miner John Coad.
Nevada City's own band performed at similar functions but received less
press coverage...
The hit makers of the 1890s were folks like Patrick Gilmore, Arthur Pryor
and John Philip Sousa and small-town bands were everywhere, which led to band
contests. In 1914, the Grass
Valley Concert Band won both a first- and a second-place award at the
California State Fair, according to Sierra
Heritage, "besting arch rival Nevada City."
Other mining-town bands of that era included the Grass Valley Brass and Reed
Band, Grass Valley's Star and Crescent Band, Nevada City Boys Band, Forest City
Brass Band, Eureka Brass Band, Quincy Brass Band, Sierra City Brass Band and
Sierra Buttes Brass Band. It is
fair to say Sierra City had a bubbly past. On Sundays in the summer and early fall, bands would march
through town and stop in front of the store fronts, including the pubs, and
play. Afterwards, the barkeeps
would serve free beer; and, by the time the band reached the lower end of town,
according to Sierra Heritage,
"bubbles of excess carbon dioxide from beer consumed issued from the
horns, and ... there were noticeable slurring of the notes."
Nevada County's town of Washington had a band too. The caption under an 1866 photo of the group said the town
"was always proud of its mountain culture in spite of a rough and tough
mining background." Boca, a
town east of Truckee that's now underwater, had a 10-piece band.
By the 1920s and '30s, music tastes changed, and the entertainment dollar
was stretched thin by the Depression.
Bands continued to perform at civic events, but music education and band
programs were increasingly taken on by local schools.
The GRASS VALLEY BAND
1861 The
Grass Valley Brass Band was formed under the leadership of Mr. Schmidtscheider
to unify the various Grass Valley bands that existed at mines, clubs, schools,
and service organizations.
1866 John
Coad reorganized the Grass Valley Brass Band into a ten-piece group.
1890 circa Harry
Green began leadership of what is now called the Grass Valley Concert Band, but
commonly known as Green’s Band.
Harry Green was born in Cornwall and mined in Nevada, and had been an
original player in the Thomas Band.
Cornet player Thomas Wills, who played under Green, started and led
another group called the Grass Valley Citizens’ Band.
This band play many Christmas concerts from the balcony of the Holbrooke Hotel,
performing music such as Cornish carols and Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” They led the Donation Day charity
parade, playing Green’s composition “The Reliance March.”
1907 Picture from somewhere between Grass
Valley and Colfax for a Sunday school picnic (Provided by Angelo Harris (far
right, top row))
July 4, 1908 Independence
Day Parade – under the direction of Harry Green
July 4, 1910
July 4, 1911
1912 Under
the direction of Professor Harry W. Hooper (who had formal training from San
Jose Conservatory), the band entered a state-wide amateur competition in
Sacramento. The band was
apparently a sentimental favorite, composed almost exclusively of self-taught
miners. Their pictured appeared on
the front page of a Sacramento newspaper that read “Grass Valley Band Wins
Second Place,” but they were really the best in the state (at least in memory).
1915 The
band had continued success performing at state fairs, and at the 1915
Panama-Pacific Exhibition in San Francisco. For more information about the band’s activities for this
period, go to the 1915 March link.
1916 (Picture: source Albert (Chick) Ahearn) FIRST ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: unknown, Caleb Chinn, Ray Coombs (kneeling), Ed Curnow, Jack
Bradley, Mel Wasley, Elton George; SECOND ROW: Billie Rodgers, Jack Nettell, Harold J. George, Al Margham,
Ray George, Chick Ahearn, Jim Bonnie, unknown, Carley Davey, Cliff Wasley, Bill
Kallenberger; BACK ROW: Frank Calvin, Joe Ducotey, Ern Crase,
Fred Selack (leader), Bill James, Fred Nettell, Os Twitchell, Carl Hooper
1916-1917 (pictured
above; location: Sacramento)
TOP ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Fred E.
Nettell (1st trombone), Lester J. Richards (2nd trombone), E. L. Bosquit (1st
trombone), O. L. Twitchell (G. trombone), A. M. Angove (bass), Lorin Kemp
(bass), L. W. Hooper (B. B. bass); SECOND ROW: John Monahan (euphonium), Jack Kitchen (tenor), Ray George
(alto), John Bradley (1st alto), Ed. Curnow (alto), Billie Winn (solo alto),
John E. “Jack” Nettell (1st cornet);
THIRD ROW: Edward B.
Paynter (tenor sax), Leland V. Michell (clarinet), Burt C. Bridges (1st
clarinet), Joseph DuCotey (2nd clarinet), Tom Wills (soprano cornet), James
Andrews (1st cornet), Frank Colvin (2nd cornet); FOURTH ROW:
Walter Hyatt (snare drum), Charlie Carveth (solo cornet), A. E. Hooper
(solo cornet), Professor Harry W. Hooper (leader), Harold J. George (solo
cornet), Will T. George (2nd cornet), Norton Penrose (bass drum and cymbal) –
and the boy in the right background is unidentified.
July 4, 1917 Independence
Day Parade
1920 circa Leadership
changed to Harold J. George for the next 40+ years. Under his baton, the band would play a concert every
Saturday night during the warm months at the bandstand at the Grass Valley
Park. He also directed the Grass
Valley Carol Choir in the 1920s, a group with which he had sung since boyhood.
April 23, 1932 Grass
Valley Veterans Memorial Building “Grand Opening Festivities”
The ten-piece band provided opening festivities, then dance music to a crowded
dance floor of 750 couples with 500 additional spectators. At intermission, the Legion
representative spoke, and American Legion Drum & Bugle Corps performed a
stirring march in full uniform, followed by a selection from the concert
band. As the lights dimmed, a
bugler performed taps in honor of the service men who had lost their lives in
battle. The party continued, and
more than 300 people were served a midnight supper by the ladies of the
American Legion Auxiliary.
May 29, 1932 Grass
Valley Veterans Memorial Building “Formal Dedication Ceremony”
Starting off the ceremonies were the American Legion Drum & Bugle Corp
(Hague-Thomas-Hegarty Post 130), the American Legion, and the Grass Valley
Concert Band, who marched from the Elks Lodge to the Veterans Building. The dedicatory address was presented by
Lieut. Col. E. J. Murray, Adjutant General of the California National
Guard. Mrs. Talbot of Nevada City
sang the “Star Spangled Banner.”
Other musicians during the ceremony included singer Louis Hooper, the
American Legion Auxiliary Glee Club, and the Post bugler Jack Nettell (also a
member of the Grass Valley Band).
Also part of the program was a pageant performed by twelve children, directed
and arranged by Auxiliary chaplain Mrs. Luther Marsh.
1953 Here’s
a picture of the band performing
in downtown Grass Valley. Harold
J. George, is at the podium, with his cornet at the ready in front of him for a
few hot licks.
SOURCES
·
Article compiled by Cliff Bowen from American Legion
minutes, County of Nevada Records, and The Union Newspaper
·
Highly Respectable Families; The Cornish of Grass
Valley, CA 1854-1954, by Shirley Ewart with Harold T. George
·
Nevada County Historical Society, Nevada City
·
Searls Historical Library, Nevada City
·
“The Independent,” dated 5/5/1976 (Keith Cantrill), and
4/26/1978
·
“The Union,” dated 1/20/1967
·
When Miners Sang; the Grass Valley Carol Choir, by
Gage McKinney