J. Walter McLouth.—Prominent among the well known musicians of Grand Rapids is J. Walter McLouth, who was born in Ingham county, Mich., on the 1^st day of February, 1870. After attending the public schools of his neighborhood at intervals during the years of youth and early manhood, he began the study of music, making a specialty of the violin, his instructor being Prof. William Church, under whose tutelage he continued for a period of five years. In 1880 he went to Jackson, Mich., and there played in Prof. Church’s orchestra and also became a member of the band and orchestra under the leadership of Prof. Edward Boos, one of the distinguished musicians of the northwest. Mr. McLouth remained in Jackson until 1890, at which time he went to the city of Adrian, where he organized the McLouth Society orchestra, a popular and highly appreciated company of talented musicians, and also united himself with the First Infantry Military band of that

place to play solo clarinet, enlisting in the state service for a period of one year. The band formed part of Gov. Winan’s escort to the World’s Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1893, and while there received many compliments for the high grade of music played and the superior excellence of its execution. Mr. McLouth remained in Adrian two years and then returned to Jackson for the purpose of taking charge of the Church orchestra as director, which position he held for one season, removing at the end of that time to Kalamazoo to accept the leadership of the Grand Opera House orchestra of that city. While in Kalamazoo Mr. McLouth taught private pupils in stringed instrument music, making specialties of the violin and mandolin, in both of which he had large classes, also in banjo and guitar. He came to Grand Rapids to accept the position of director of the mandolin orchestra at Lakeside club, Reed’s Lake, and shortly after taking charge was induced by his many students and friends here to make this city his permanent home.

As a composer of music Prof. McLouth has won recognition among the leading musicians of the United States, a number of his compositions having been published and are now played by the best orchestras throughout the country. By nature Mr. McLouth is a musician, but his present high standing is not the result of inherent abilities, but is the outgrowth of long years of patient and painstaking study under competent instructors, Though still a young man, he has reached a position in the profession such as few rarely attain, and the enthusiasm with which he pursues his art bespeaks for him a brilliant future.

Mr. McLouth was married August 19, 1896, to Miss Celia Lillian Burlingame, of Salt Lake City, Utah, and now resides in handsome apartments in the Hermitage. His father, Oscar McLouth, an ex-soldier of the war of the Rebellion, is a prosperous farmer of Jackson county, this state; his mother, whose maiden name was Ann Gean Dexter, is the daughter of John Dexter, one of the prominent agriculturists of Washtenaw county. The subject has one sister, Alma McLouth, who lives with the parents on the home farm.