The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-01-30
SANG AN ARMY INTO BEING
Now Jules Hubbard, at the Age Of 80
Is Living in Perjury

IuANn A@uAAnAAhf AAAAANun III nAo
singing of the Battle Cry of Free
DOM" during the Civil War, is liv-
ing in Chicago in penury. At the age
Of eighty years the man who with his
brother Frank toured the country
getting recruits for the war by their
singing of this hymn, is the sole sup
port of his brothers widow, who is
ninety years old. They are depen-
dent entirely on a small pension
which Mr. Hubbard receives from a
railroad company by which he was
formerly employed. Hubbard and
his brother so inspired patriotism by
their singing of the Battle Cry of
Freedom" that Abraham Lincoln
once said of them, Let me tell you
that two men-and they are not mill
tary men by their singing have got
more men to enlist in the United
States Army than fifty times $50 of
our best recruiting officers ever ad-
dressed"
President Lincoln credited Jules
Hubbard with raising 10000 troops
for the Union armies by the influence
of this war songs when recruiting
had fallen off A big, deepchested,
fine looking old man, with snow
white hair falling in profusion over
broad shoulders, erect, dignifed, chiv
alrous, courtly-such was Jules Lum-
bard, as known by thousands in his
latter years, from his singing at Re
publican meetings during the presi-
dental campaigns and at Grand
Army gatherings At every election
time since the war his powerful voice
has been raised in song for the party
of which he was an enthusiastic
member. He worked hard during
the campaign of the fall of 1908, de-
spite his years. Shortly after its
close he was stricken with paralysis.
One afternoon in the summer OF
1862. 5000 men were crowded into the
old courthouse square in Chicago
Excitement at the North was at fever
heat Recruits were signing by the
hundreds in Chicago every day. The
5000 men were listening to speeches
full of the fire and eloquence OF pa
triotism Jules Lumbard, big hand
some young fellow, came elbowing
his way through the crowd and
mounted the platform. Just as he
went up the steps George +. Root
slipped a sheet of paper into his
hands. Sing it," he cried eagerly
1T is just written" The ink was not
yet dry. 81 will, said Jules Lum-
bard.
The singer went to the front Of the
platform, flung his hat aside, gave
one glance at the simple words and
music of the song he held in his
hand. and then in those resonant
tones he taught THE Battle Cry Of
Freedom" to 5000 men. That night
the recruiting station was full. More
than a quarter of century later
Jules Hubbard again sang that same
song in Chicago at the Coliseum IN
memory of the men who had com
posed il. AS he stepped upon the
platform the great building shook
with applause The ovation would
have gladdened the heart of a king
For a long time Jules Lumbard
was Western agent OF an Eastern
railroad with an Office in Omaha,
Neb. He was retired from the ser
vice Of the railroad on a pension and
then he was admitted to the bar OF
Nebraska and began the practice OF
law in Omaha.
When only lad Jules Hubbard
went as printers devil into the Of
fee Of the Ashtabula (Ohiol Senu'
mel the organ of Joshua r. Gidings.
Later he became fascinated with the
science OF telegraphy and became an
adept operator. He was the tutor OF
John Van Horn. for many years vice
president OF the Western Union Tele-
graph Company.
Mr. Hubbard sang in Henry Ward
Beecher's church and in Dr. Taylors
tabernacle in New York and became
famous for his singing OF sacred
music. The organlike quality of his
voice was regarded as phenomenal.
He sang elijah" with Parepa. and
he sang with Emma Thursby, with
Whitney. with Julia Northall with
Castle and Campbell and with Tabli-
apetra. Argramonte. the popular dl'
rector. was his intimate friend.
MIR. Hubbard was born in Honeoye
Falls. n. Y. When he was seven
or eight years old, he went to llVe
with a married sister at Jackson
Mich.
Il began TO study music. he said
when. as boy, / drove the COWS
home from pasture. used 10 prac-
tise the scales when | fed the chick
ems. and | used to walk three miles
barefoot to singing school knew
do. re- me. IA, sol. la, 81, do, before
knew my letters. have been sing
ing ever since