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Paper Read by H.H. Hutchins at Western Allegan County Pioneer Society, Meeting August 9, 1928 The first effort at band music in Ganges was in the early sixties when Dan Shead and Louis Shead played at a township school picnic in Link's grove on the lake shore. One played the cornet and the other the baritone and it proved an inspiration to the children who had never before heard music from a brass instrument. Later, probably before 1870, Louis Shead organized a band in Douglas though some of the players lived in Saugatuck. This would constitute the first brass band organized in western Allegan county. In 1872 a band was organized in Saugatuck with a Mr. Stowe as leader. Squire Newnham carried the trombone and his son Richard Linney Newnham the E-flat alto. I do not know the other members. This band was weakened when Mr. Stowe went away a little later, but in about 1874 "Gus" Hay came from Chicago and revived it and under his management it assumed considerable proportions. At about the same time a "kid" band was started by Willie Stimson and Stevie Coates which finally merged with the others. Hay was said to be the best cornet player that ever took part in a band in this section. He was assisted by A.D. Goodrich and R.L. Newnham on the E and B cornets. Some of the other members were Charles Stimson, two Ebmyer boys, Johnny Miller, and Bert Kleamon, and possibly George Gill. About 1872-'73 a band was organized in southern Ganges and known as the Glenn cornet band. Henry Bowles, late from England, was teacher and clarinet player. Arthur D. Goodrich and Adam Miller were on the cornets. Some of the others were John Sherman and Rollo Sherman, Frank Tourtellotte, Norman Fitch and Edward Fitch, Leslie Fry, Lemuel Osborn and Charles Osborn. Later Joseph Miller joined. This was quite a substantial organization and survived some years. Adam Miller and Joseph Miller were Civil war band men, and I think Norman Fitch was. There were fifteen members or thereabouts. About 1875 "Gus" Hay discovered congenial attractions which brought him over from Saugatuck into what was known as the Peachbelt district, three and a half miles west of Fennville, and started a band. A.D. Goodrich came with him and took the second cornet along with his cousin Orville Goodrich, Glen O'Brien and tuba, Henry Hudson Hutchins the bass, and Charles Loomis the snare drum, George Goodrich and Fred Goodrich and Edward O'Brien with others carried the intermediate parts which brought the force up to perhaps fifteen. After about two years Mr. Hay married the lady, moved away, and Arthur D. Goodrich took the lead. Soon he, too took his departure and Hutchins became leader. The members finally became too scattered for useful work and in 1879 the band disintegrated. In the spring of 1880 Orville Goodrich organized what became the first band in Fennville and was its leader. Charles Whitbeck second cornet, Ira Hutchins tuba, William Lee B bass, Peter C. Whitbeck bass drum, and Eugene Cook snare drum. Walter Billings, Matthew Orr, ] Goodrich and Fred Goodrich, John, "Al" Whitbeck and William Whitbeck and Charles G. Abbott carried the intermediate parts. The list as above was the roll some time after its organization and no doubt had been revised somewhat from the first formation. At the same time, 1880, H.H. Hutchins organized a band at Grange corners four and a half miles west and one mile south of Fennville. These boys were started with the first rudiments on the blackboard. Alden Johnson and Elmer Johnson took the cornets, H.H. Hutchins baritone, Glen O'Brien tuba, Charles Loomis snare, and Theobald Miller bass drum. Memory does not recall the entire list, but Frank Loveridge and Elmon Lafayette Raplee were members and H.H. Hutchins leader. This band numbered perhaps a dozen and came to be quite capable. They played during political campgaigns on steamboat excursions, and on all occasions that called for a band. Finally, its members became scattered and it was discontinued after six or eight years. During the same period that the Fennville and Grange Corners bands were in working order, 1880 to the close of 1887, there was a very good band in Douglas, but I fail to recall its members, except George Dutcher, Horace Welch, Thomas Gray, and Charles Ball; and the parts they filled have gone from me, though there were about fifteen members. Just when Grange Corners band had separated, Elmer Johnson, in 1888, called the remaining members that could take parts, and began the re-organization of its members. Next year, John M. Link came from Joliet, Ill., and joined. In the following year, 1890, he became leader and under his management it grew to be the largest, best, and most renowned band ever in western Allegan county, having a membership of thirty-five. John had fine musical talent and and a great gift as leader and conductor. It was known as the Ganges Marine band. While Mr. Link was at its head the band prospered, but in 1902 he removed to Chicago and the organization soon fell apart and became a thing of the past. The only other band here was the Fennville, which was in operation during the past several years, but has ceased working. |
The members mentioned about is summarized below with the position they held in the band (if known) and their burial information. Charles G. Abbott (1862 - 1932) is buried in Fennville Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife Anna Maude (Lamereux) Abbott Charles Ball teacher and clarinet -- Henry John Bowles (1836 - 1922) is buried in Taylor Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his children, Frederick Henry Bowles and Elizabeth Marie Bowles. Stevie Coates snare drum - Eugene Cook (1835 - 1899) is buried in McDowell Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his parents, Lorenzo Dow and Maria L. (Coates) Cook George Dutcher (1834 - 1909) is buried in Douglas Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife, Eliza A. (Adams) Dutcher, brother, Thomas Benton Dutcher, and parents, William Fuller and Lucinda (Dietrich) Fuller Edward S. Fitch (1849 - 1918) is buried in Wayland Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife, Flora M. (Smith) Fitch, father, Edward M. Fitch and son, Edward Charles Fitch (1877 - 1895) Norman D. Fitch (1822 - 1896) is buried in McDowell Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife, Harriet E. Fitch and son Henry Fitch Leslie Herbert Fry (1867 - 1944) is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife, Alice Orilla (Earl) Fry George Gill E cornet -- Arthur D. Goodrich (1855 - 1930) is buried in Riverside Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife, Ella Deming Goodrich George Goodrich (1854 - 1912) is buried in Fennville Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife, Anna J. (Whitbeck) Goodrich and his son and wife, William Fred and Helen Irene (Mohler) Goodrich (William) Fred Goodrich (1881 - 1948) us buried in Fennville Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife, Helen Irene (Mohler) Goodrich and his parents, George and Anna J. (Whitbeck) Goodrich leader and second cornet -- Orville Goodrich Thomas Gray (1853 - 1920) is buried in Douglas Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan next to his wife, Annette (Hewett) Gray and his parents, Thomas and Lucy Ann (Collins) Gray leader and cornet -- Gus Hay bass -- Henry Hudson Hutchins (1853 - 1933) is buried in Taylor Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife, Harriet Catherine (Robertson) Hutchins, his brother and wife, Edward and Mary Amelia (Wadsworth) Hutchins, his son Harrison A. Hutchins tuba -- Ira Hutchins (1863 - 1941) is buried in Oakridge-Glen Oak Cemetery, Cook County, Illinois Alden Johnson (1861 - 1941) is buried in Taylor Cemetery next to his parents, Alexander and Lucretia (Cook) Johnson Elmer Johnson Bert Kleamon/Bertram Kleman (1903 - 1926) is buried in Cushing Union Cemetery in Cushing, Minnesota next to his parents, Albert John and Betsy (Paulson) Kleman B bass -- William Lee leader and conductor -- John M. Link (1822 - 1909) is buried in Graceland Cemetery, Cook County, Illinois snare drum -- Charles Loomis Frank L. Loveridge (1856 - 1931) is buried in Taylor Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife, Philena Belle (Snyder) Loveridge and his parents, Seth W. and Catherine A. (Collins) Loveridge cornet -- Adam Miller (1842 - 1917) is buried in Fennville Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife Eliza A. (Haile) Miller, his sons, Charlie A. Miller and Frank Miller. Johnny Miller Joseph Miller (1837 - 1905) is buried in Taylor Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan bass drum -- Theobald Miller trombone -- Squire Newnham E-flat alto and B cornet -- Richard Linney Newnham (1850 - 1930) is buried in Riverside Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife, Anna May (Higinbotham) Newnham, his parents Richard Butler and Hannah (Harrison) Newnham, his brother and wife, Stephen Linney and Althea L. (Deming) Newnham, and his sister, Marie Allan Newnham tuba -- Glen O'Brien Edward O'Brien Charles F. Osborn (1857 - 1935) is buried in McDowell Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife, Ida Mae (Overhiser) Osborn, and his parents, Lemuel W. and Eunice Burkett (Sears) Osborn Lemuel W. Osborn (1826 - 1882) is buried in McDowell Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife, Eunice Burkett (Sears) Osborn Elmon Lafayette Raplee (1862 - 1934) is buried in Taylor Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan next to his wife, Edith May (Kazar) Raplee and mother, Eliza Jane (Corner) Raplee cornet -- Daniel Lindsley Shead (1832 - 1898) is buried in the San Francisco Columbarium in California. Hard to say if his wife, Lucinda, is buried there or in McDowell Cemetery in Allegan County, as her death certificate states she is buried in McDowell Cemetery. baritone -- Louis Shead John Wesley Sherman (1847 - 1921) is buried in Fennville Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife, Frances J. (Dalton) Sherman. His brother is Royal Sherman. Rollo Sherman/Royal Sherman (1856 - 1934) is buried in McDowell Cemetery next to his three wives, Alice J. (Bowles) Sherman, Mary E. (Waller) Sherman, and Lillie Mae (Woodin) Sherman Charles Stimson (1852 - 1879) is buried in Riverside Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his parents Henry H. and Mary (Forbes) Stimson, and brother Willie Willie Stimson/William H. Stimson (1862 - 1880) is buried in Riverside Cemetery next to his brother Charles, parents and sister Alice M. Stimson leader -- Mr. Stowe Frank C. Tourtellotte (1849 - 1884) is buried in Plummerville Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan Horace Welch (1856 - 1932) is buried in Douglas Cemetery next to his mother, Elizabeth (Bossard) Welch second cornet -- Charles Whitbeck bass drum -- Peter C. Whitbeck (1846 - 1888) is buried in Fennville Cemetery, Allegan County, Michigan, next to his wife Mary (Bisby) Whitbeck |
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