Evening star., 1925-06-28
''Northern Liberties" in Two Cities
Washineons Debt Philadelphia
Connecte Exciting Events

George J. Bently of Wichita Falls.
and their son, George Espiuta Bently,
8 years DID, has been singing in public
for six or seven years.
The fifth child of the professor was
Susie Adele Espiuta, living in New
York city. She was married to John
Wheeler, who lived on Wheeler road.
and was a nephew of Woodbury.
Wheeler, for whom Wheeler road was
named. John died and his widow mar
ried Charlton Strathy of New York, a
piano manufacturer. They have one
child, Colleen. The sixth child of the
professor was William Esputa, who
was celebrated in Washington as
trap drummer and as a comedian. He
was long in the Soldiers Home Band,
and died in 1898. He married Miss
Rhoda Poss of Rockville. and they had
three children-John, living; Ethel, de-
ceased. and Josephine, living. The
seventh child of Prof. Espiuta US
Mamie L. Espiuta, deceased. Sne
married Abraham Lincoln Welty OF
John F. Welty of the Secret Service,
lives in Washington.
* = :: :;
JOSEPHINE ESPIUTA, later Nine.
Espiuta-Da was a beloved singer
contralto voice, and was given excel
lent instruction in. Washington, Balti
moro and Europe. She was member
of the choir of st. Matthew's Catholic
Church. A newspaper clipping under
my eye tells that she conducted the
choir of st. Augustine's Church. Fol
lowing a surgical operation. she died
at Providence Hospital. Her funeral
from the Church of the Sacred Heart
xoI r ov,I
80 voices from various churches sang
the requiem: Mrs. Annie Grant-Fugitt.
Mrs. Gumprecht. Miss Margaret
Sweeny, Mrs. Adams, Mrs. Margaret
Nolan-Martin, Mr.. Burnett and John
and James Nolan, who had been asso-
ciates Of Josephine Espiuta in St.
Matthew's choir, sang. John Porter
Lawrence played the organ and Prof.
l.. E. Cannon conducted the musical
service.
Prof. John Espiuta had brothers and
sisters. The Rambler has notes that
his sister Frances married James
Prospect. and his sister Josephine
married Charles Prospect. His brother.
Edward, was musician. All those
named are dead. Prof. Espiuta found
ed conservatory Of music at Palatka.
Fla, and for years spent his Winters
in Florida, where he had a pretty home
and a grove OF orange trees. Old
river men on the Potomac remember
the professor fast sailboat, the
Josephine. The little ebony baton
which the professor used for so years
descended to his daughter. Josephine,
then to her aunt, Josephine, who was
the wife of Charles Prospect, and then
to their son, DR.. Milton H. Prospect, a
successful composer. whose music you
sometimes hear the Marine Band play
I forgot to tell you that the first
piece OF music copyrighted in the
United States was composed and copy
righted by Prof. John Espiuta. 1t
was a little song dedicated to his
daughter. Josephine. and l am told
that it hangs, framed and glazed, in
the Library of Congress. One of the
family heirlooms is a gold medal pre-
sented to Prof. Espiuta by his music
pupils in the Washington public
schools, Christmas, 1870.
/ am sorry 1 cannot stay with you
longer if you are interested in my
story. but l must be on my way.
have other musicians to tell you of.
1 thought that this Sunday I would
write of Henry Donch and Emmanuel
Massari, but my time is up.