The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1891-09-11
NewtoWn's First Band.

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1t seems hardly credible to young
man that Newtown had, at one time, the
foremost band in the county, a band that
was called to Bridgeport and Danbury on
great occasions and band, too, that was
honored by being engaged to play at the
opening of the Housatonic road in 1910.
Ex-Town Clerk Peck's cabinet contains
the only instrument known to remain of
those once in use, William B. Prin-
dies base horn and Mr. Peck has kindly
furnished the BEE with the records which
give the history of the bands formation.
Tradition preserves the reason for the
bands organization Sandy Hooks no.
tel, with one Peck as landlord, had a
grand opening and the Woodbury. band
was called in. This stirred local pride so
much that steps were at once taken to
make Newtown independent of outside
towns by having band of its own. One
of the toasts proposed at that hotel open
ing is worthy of mention in passing. 1t
was at this time that the ladies were
wearing hoops end corset boards and a
cooper brought down the house by this
sentiment:
OUR FAIR DAUGHTERS OF AMERICA May they
never disgrace themselves by wearing hoops,
slaves and false heading.
Newtown Street took hold of the band
project in earnest. A meeting was held
at the Town house, then over the store of
Baldwin & Beers at the corner, with Har-
ry Beers, the merchant, as chairman and
EliZur w. Keller as clerk. Mr. Keller
was then keeping store in the building
that formerly stood south of the home of
Mrs ID. b. Beers. This meeting was held
July s, 1888, and all that it did was to
appoint a committee of five. This COM
mittee was headed by the two lawyers,
Henry Dutton, afterward governor of the
State and David Ii. Belden and two mer-
chants brought up the rear, Boyle Fair
child, who lived over the old Masonic
hall, where Mrs Dorman is and kept store
in building south now occupied by 5.
C. Lathrop and David V. B. Baldwin,
prosperous partner of thrifty Dea Beers.
The fifth member of the committee was
James Edmond, an English satinet max
er and singing teacher, who once lead the
singing at the Congregational church
The constitution, which was accepted
four days later, contained 10 articles and
its subscribers adopted it, as was grandly
said, "fully impressed with the belief
that we'll cultivated taste for vocal and
instrumental music has direct tend
ency to soothe the passions, eXalt the
understanding and inspire the soul with
a love of all the virtues" The constitu-
tion called the organization the NewtOwn
Musical Society, fixed the membership
fee at So, named the second Wednesday
in June as the time for the annual meet
ing and provided as officers president,
two vice presidents, four directors. a
treasurer and secretary, whose duties, as
we'll as those of instrument keeper, were
defined. A subscription committee was
appointed, consisting of Boyle Fairchild ;
his father, Wheeler Fairchild, who lived
at Dea Henry Fairchild's home in Taun-
ton; Foster M. Cargill, now of East vii
lage; Elijah Terrill, son of ''Uncle Amos
of Hanover; Beach Camp, father of Mrs
E. J.. johnson; Jacob Beers. the senator
of Huntingtown, whose home is now E.
M. Peck's; Daniel Booth Hawley of Haw-
leyville and Walter Clark of Dodging-
town, father of Edwin. Josiah B., faith
er of Miss Susan Fairchild and once dep
uty sheriff, was to furnish the committee
with copies of the subscription. The
subscriptions were not binding until 5000
had been subscribed, but this seems to
have been easily secured, the following
ho;n0 tho list prasarVe9