Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-17
THE ORIGIN OF THE BANJO.
Polk Miller Has Something to Say,
and Describes His First Instrument
PHILADELPHIA, PA.


February s. 1895.
To the Editor OF the Dispatch:
Permit me to thank you for coming TO
my rescue in claiming that the banjo
the instrument which you know as the
banjo--originate in Virginia. and, as an
instrument worthy of the notice of good
society,"" was first introduced by old Joe
Sweeney. Of Appomattox county. Va. The
instrument which Mr.. Sutphin. Of Glas-
gov, KY, says was played upon by the
boatmen OF James river before old Joe's
time" came about as near being the banjo.
as we know ii, as the monkey does of
being a man-strongy resembling US, but
not quite up TO the mark.
The first banjo | ever saw was made as
follows: The rim was a large cymbing
gourd with a hole cut in the top and bot
tom. a staff running through the centre
Of it, and horse-hair strings We're used.
My first banjo was made out OF an old
cheese-box, covered with sheep-skin for
the head, piece Of garden paling for
stan, and the hair from "Od Whitey's'
my fathers riding-horse) tail for strings.
These strings did not wear very well, but
we kept on drawing on the horses tail
for supplies, until we were threatened
with licking for dIsfguring the animal.
About that time Joe Sweeney had re-
turned from England covered with hon
ors. and. as a banjo-player and singer
Of the enlivening old tunes Of that day,
such as "Old Dan Tucker. "Gwine 70 Run
all Night" "Go II. Napper' "P am
Gwine Down to Lynchburg Town." etc,
created as much excitement around coun-
try court-houses as the coming of Bar
NUNS circus does at this time with the
small boys.
THE CATS SUFFER.
When my father threatened to whip
me for pulling the hairs out of the horses
tail / was told that Joe Sweeney used
"cat-gut strings" and my chum and ]
started on the war-path in search OF the
variety" killing thirteen cats in one
week.
I told this story to Mr. Moody when on
his last trip 10 this city TO show how
[ was misled when a boy into numbering
a lot Of eats without accomplishing my
! object. when he said, "Ain't that the way
YOU get 'em?' He said that h had
thought all OF his life that the strings
used on musical instruments were nothing
more than the entrails OF the cat. and it
created a great laugh among his friends
when he made that candid acknowledg
ment I thlnk you had A piece of poetry
i'm your paper q short time ago on the
| origin OF the banjo. and it went TO show
that Ham invented the banjo while in
Noah's Ark will not describe the banjo
which Ham used at that time. Joe
Sweeney was the first man who
ever entertained an audience with
| the banjo. ard ! have 1t from
good authority that the cat-gut string
| was first used by him on that instrument.
although that kind Of string may have
| been used on other instruments before old
| JOes time.
| IL cannot be denied that the thumb
ring was iis invention, and withOub
| that particular string no player could
| pick the old Virginia reel tunes which
made the banjo so popular, and which
| caused an old fellow to say to me- once.
81 can't help plttin' o my foot when I
hears de banjer an de Miss Sippie Saw
yer Is de danclnist tune | ever heared."
Yours very truly. POLK MILLER.