Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1906-02-07
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
OLD WHITE ROSE MINISTRIES
AND HARMONY BAND OF Smyrna WRITTEN
BY "B FLAT" ONE OF THE MEMBERS.
A Story Based on Fact and Aided by lmaeina-
ton Of One of Smyrna's Oldest OrganIza-
tiOns-Street Serenadiog Years Ago.
PART SIXTH.

In the excellent article under the
title, "Musical Talent of By-Goue
Days" published in the semi-centen-
NAL number of the "Times,' issued
July 6, 1904, was list of boys who
delighted in street serenading. Long
before any of these boys began singing
in public there existed an excellent
quartette. 1t was this quartette that
originated night serenading. In boy
hood days the writer has heard Mr..
Joseph H. Hoffscker, late editor of the
"Times'' tell of the jolly times this
quartette had in those days. This
gentleman took much interest in the
"Irma" and Lyric" Quartettes, who
often serenaded him. For a number
OF years he was unable to walk, and
was confined to his home suffering in
describable agony without murmur.
Once, in taking ride, he saw young
man who had lost one of his legs
through an accident and to encourage
him in his terrible misfortune, said:
"Don't be discouraged, my boy You
have one good leg; have nonep' The
greatest heroes have not died on the
battle field. Some of the sweetest aud
bravest souls that ever blest this
world, by living in it, have lived and
died known only by those who loved
them. Wishing to give facts concern
ing this quartette, and thinking these
articles the proper place to record
them, we wrote to one of the members
now living in Smyrna, and received
the following interesting letter: cit
gives me great pleasure, assure you,
to furnish the desired information you
ask of me, from the fact that it brings
back the happiest recollections of my
life. The quartette in question was
composed of the following gentlemen:
Joseph H. Hoffecker, James ID. Wilds,
George f. Brown and Robert Ii. Hill,
with Thomas Lockwood, substitute.
believe / can safely say that we did
originate night serenading here, and
jolly good time we had. These night
bralgls were introduced about the year
1869. We were frequently invited into
the homes of those we serenaded, and
treated in a royal manner, and, my
dear boy, there was no "two-for- five"
about it. l beg to mention that our
lady friends often congregated at the
home of Miss Maggie Mustard, now
Mrs. Henry Murphy, of Philadelphia,
aud they would frequently accompany
us on these occasions. We carried
with us our stringed instruments,
Prof Monitor leading us, aud twice to
my knowledge, carried an old fash
toned melodlan on a wheel barrow,
dear old Joe Hoffecker, our comedian
doing the wheeling. Miss "Bett
Cloak, now Mrs. James ID. Wilds, ano
Miss Elva Davis, now Mrs. George F
Brown, were our accompanies. Those
were the happiest days of our lives, ant
last summer when you boys went out
serenading it brought back such pleas
ant recolections that | followed yoI
until the farewell song was given a
the residence of Hervey Hall.
influence OF the Smyrna Sunday Schools.
Who can estimate the good inhuenc
the Sunday Schools and church choir
had over the members of our Baud
A. number of these boys heard thel
first music in the Infant Department
OF the Methodist Sunday School unde
the leadership of Mrs. Anna Hamilton
who gave so many years OF her beaut
full christian life to the lIttlc ones {
town. There were other useful lesson
learned there also, which were taugi
t,y that sanity woman. Mrs. Lydi
Mcdowell. All over this land to- da
there are men and women, who los
her and can testify to the good iufr
ence her godly teachings have been
them through life. What Joy it mu
be to this noble woman as she sits
her window and watches so many c
her "boys and girls now living out
The world, coming "home The'
children have changed and she ms
not recognize them, but there has bee
no change in her gentle and beautIf
sou, The first lessons in music we
earned by many of us in the sund'
uohool room of the Methodist Chur'
j. the morning sessions given IN tho
o,r teacher was that mob
gentleman, whom to know was 70 10
Hon. John Fl. Hoffecker; Inc
sessions were given for the purpose
learning Sunday School songs, an
occasionally the elementary pr'nclpi ,,
- the science of music was tsugi
u uow patient and kindly Mr.. Hoffeck
vas Many times during those ia
CONTINUED ON FIFTH eAes..s