Delaware County, Indiana - Chapter 18: Musical Associations, Etc Muncie Musical Association, 1881

Chapter 18: Musical Associations, Etc Muncie Musical Association

MUSICAL ASSOCIATIONS, ETC. MUNCIE MUSICAL ASSOCIATION. A RTICLES of association preliminary to the organization of the Muncie Musical Association, were signed on the 21st of March, scientific acquirements in instrumental and vocal music, to be attained by competition tournaments, drills, contests and exhibitions between bands, organizations or individuals. ArticLe 2. The name shall be the '' Muncie Musical Association."' Article 7 provides that the capital stock shall be divided into shares of $5 each, Joun 8S. ELLs. WaLrTerR L. Davis. GrorGE W. RICHEY.

In accordance with the objects indicated in the foregoing articles of association, a musical tournament was held a few weeks later, of which the Times in a subsequent issue, gives the following account:

"The Muncie Musical Association held a tournament commencing June 4, 1879. A large number of people was in attendance. The trials of the various bands were held at the fair grounds. Excursion trains were run in on all the roads. Bands from Daleville, Selma, New Carlisle, Ohio, Jonesboro, Hagerstown, Ridgeville, Indianapolis, Perkinsville, Union City, Hartford City and Cincinnati. The following received prizes: Selma, Jonesboro, Union City, Indianapolis and Cincinnati, viz.: Class 1 - Premium, $500, Currier's Band, Cincinnati. Class 2 - Premium, $150, Ladies' Band, Indianapolis. Class 3 - Premium, $100, Union City Band. Class 4 - Premium, $100, Jonesboro Band. Class 5 - First Premium, $50, Selma Band. Class 5 - Second Premium, $25, Daleville Band.

"The drawing of $23,000 worth of property began after the reading of the awards. The following were the capital prizes: Spring wagon, top buggy, organ, horse, forty acres of land, band instruments, thirty-five acres of land, sixty acres of land, forty acres of land, house and lot, horse, house and lot, gun, prizes of $20, $15, $10 and $5 in various was organized at the high school building on Saturday evening, September 22, 1879, at which time the following officers were elected: President, P. F. Davis; Vice President, E. B. Bishop; Secretary, George H. Andrews; Treasurer, Walter L. Davis; First Leader, B. F. Peters; Second Leader, Lon. M. Neely. Executive Committee, Frank Leon, Lon. M. Neely, B. F. Peters. Sixty members are already enrolled, and the outlook is most splendid. (7imes, September 25, 1879.)

Heretofore numerous attempts have been made to organize a brass band in Muncie, each attended with more or less success. The Muncie " Six-Horn" was among the first; afterward others, notably the Knights Templar Band, organized about the first of the year 1875, and composed of the following gentlemen: J. A. Shepherd, Leader; H. C. Hodge, Doe. Boyden, William Rumsey, J. V. H. Cassady, E. H. Swain, William Shaw, William Haines, John Clark, Phil Sceister, H. C. Klein, D. R. Youse, Frederick Warren and William Youse. Having had a fair measure of success, it was finally absorbed by the Lockwood's Band, which was organized on the 28th of October, 1877. Subsequently, meetings were held either in Walter Everett's shop, or under the post office; again, they were in Walling's Hall, the opera house and elsewhere, leaving the opera house for its present location on Jackson street - south side - immediately west of Walnut. The original members of this new band were as follows: Jeff. Lockwood, John Lockwood, W. T. Seitz, William Hankin, Kd. Templer, C. McCormick, Harry Teverbaugh, Richard Lockwood, David Daugherty, Goldsberry Stewart.

The first set of instruments purchased for the use of the band cost $80, in addition $25 paid for drums. From time to time since that period, changes have been made in the membership with corresponding changes in the number and variety of instruments until at this time the aggregate value of their instruments and uniforms is more than $700. At present the band is in good financial condition, and makes a fine appearance in public, and has a reputation of being one of the best in the State. It plays forty-three different selections of the most popular pieces extant. A mutual interest is manifested by all the members and the enterprise is well sustained and appreciated by our own citizens and people from abroad. The following is the present membership of the band: Jefferson Lockwood, B Flat; Charles Lockwood, E Flat; James Smith, E Flat; Menter Lockwood, B Flat: O. J. Lockwood, B Flat; Frank Beemer, B Flat; Zach Mong, First Alto: Crickett McCormick, Second Alto; Nathan Lockwood, Third Alto; John Lockwood, First Tenor; William Rumsey, Second Tenor; E. Anderson, Baritone; Charles Powers, First Tuba; Birt Case, Second Tuba; Prof. Barnes, E Flat Clarionet; Charles Wise, First B Flat Clarionet; George Evenheit, Second B Flat Clarionet; Allen Rich, Snare Drum; Lesley Wachtell, Bass Drum; W. T. Seitz, Treasurer; Jefferson Lockwood, Leader.

Muncie String Band

In November, 1877, a number of gentlemen organized themselves into a band for the cultivation and practice of music produced by the use of stringed and accompanying instruments, in the city of Muncie. The band thus organized was thereafter known as the Muncie String Band, and was in the beginning composed of the following persons: John L. Gottschalk, First Violin; Jefferson Lockwood, Cornet; E. Zoellers, Clarionet; E. A. Anderson, Second Violin; H. Adair, Bass. During its career it has acquired a good reputation for skillful performances and for taste in selecting popular airs. The gentlemen composing this orchestra are all trained musicians, and deserve well at the hands of the music-loving citizens of Muncie.