Books › Ayars, Contributions to the Art of Music in America by the Music Industries of Boston (1937) — the Squier, Farley, Rettberg, Rockwell and Elias Howe matter, 1937 › scan 253
Scan 253
Ayars, Contributions to the Art of Music in America by the Music Industries of Boston (1937) — the Squier, Farley, Rettberg, Rockwell and Elias Howe matter, 1937
18 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 227. See the scan on archive.org.
1latter, were the leading manufacturers of brass instruments in Boston for many years.
3The chief difference between their instruments and those of today is that the bell of the former was made out of flat stock hammered into shape, and they did not stay in tune quite as well. The workmanship compares favorably with that of any brass instruments of the same kind made today. They were used by the leading bands of that time.15 The companies which have taken these over, namely The Cundy-Bettoney Company and The Vega Company, are ably maintaining their standing.
5The old Boston Brass Band Drum was in use over sixty-five years. So probably no other bass drum has had so important a history in America. It had the Boston coat-of-arms emblazoned on its shell, and also the names of the members on each side of it.
7During the Civil War period the name of Elias Howe was particularly prominent in drum making, for his firm made and supplied drums to the Massachusetts Regiments of the Union Army. He also sold them fifes manufactured by the grandson of Jacob Astor.16 Quite naturally one of his publications was a fife and drum instruction book used in the army.
9During the war President Lincoln created the position of Director of Bands17 for all the Union Army with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. This was offered to Elias Howe, Jr. who went to Washington to see about the post, but declined it. Despite hundreds of applications the position was never filled. One reason for this tender may have been that Harriet Howe Wilson, wife of Senator, later Vice President, Henry Wilson, was Mr. Howe's cousin.
11Ira E. White, son of Boston's first master violin maker, and Peter Winn also made drums in the Civil War days. A little later the drum makers in Boston included—O. A. Whitmore of Reading, Vermont, who had made drum sticks and probably drums used in the Union Army; William J. Blair, who had been a drummer in the Civil War; and Blair & Baldwin.
13Fretted instruments were also made early in Boston. An early master guitar maker was Charles Stumcka. He was listed in business directories in 1842 & 43 at [address hidden], 1847 at [address hidden] and
1515 Statements of Thomas M. Carter, leader of Carter's Band.
1616 Fact related by A. J. Oettinger.
1717 Facts related by Edward F. Howe.
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