Evening star., 1935-10-13
RACE DATA READY
Historical Encyclopedia of Negroes, Compiled
by Daniel S. Murray Over Many Years, Kept Up
to Date by Wife, Pending Publication.

WhlStllng, which she did with great
success in Europe and America, can
form a correct estimate of what pos
sibilities there are in that form of
entertainment.
THE minutes of the Philadelphia
Library Co., noticing the presence and
performances of Mr.. Milburn at sew
eral Of their meetings. attest beyord
dispute the claim made in MilbuSp's
behalf.
1T seems that Mr.. SeptimuS Wirs
ner, a skilled musician and publishe1,
induced Milburn to whistle it before
him while he wrote down the bird
like notes. The song was afterwards
published by MIR. Winner and during
the years between 1855 and 1865 was
the piece de resistance of the minstrel
companies and serenading parties.
"The following, from the Phila-
delphia Tribune, January, 1908, is Of
interest in this connection:
1.-THE world, in general, has accepted
the music of Listen to the Mocking
Bird as the product of Sep VIM
ner. This has been disputed; espe-
cially in these columns.
Last week, our townsman, noted
for his unerring instinct for finding
rare tones, and curios appertaining
to colored people, came across . copy
of listen to the Mocking Bird 1t
was published in Philadelphia in 1855,
and in the frontispiece says: Music
by Richard Milburn, words by Alice
Hawthorne" 1t was published by
Septimus Winner, whose gift at lyrics
was conceded, and who was musical
beside. Because he was q prolific
writer, the music Of that song was
native of this city and worked in his
fathers barber shop, next door to
Lou Cochran's tavern at Sixth and
Lombard streets. It was soon discov.
cred that he was musical. playing the
guitar, with good singing voice, and
with whistling skill beyond approach.
"This brought a large clientele and
made his place of employment one
Of the noted ones. His imitation Of
bird whistles was indeed marvellous
and the members OF the Philadelphia
| Library Co., alive to any attractions
of musical sort in conjunction with
their literary efforts. heard Of him
and secured his services along the
lines just indicated 1t was then that
he evolved the air above noted. Be-
ing catchy, scores were humming and
whistling 1t. Coming to the notice Of
Winner, he sent for Milburn, who
played. sang and whistled the air COM
posed by him and then Winner wrote
down the notes.
"Milburn knew nothing of musical
notation, but had an alert mind for
composition. 1t spread all over The
| country and Winner won fame at the
expense Of another, and that a col.
ored man. The mother of Milburn,
Mrs. Matilda Moore, is still alive and
resides with George Gorgas, 4o7 Fair
mount avenue. Our subject must have
been built upon original lines, be-
cause his wife was a barber and
worked right along with him in his
business. After his death she piled
! the trade on Lombard street, North
Side, at what is now, opposite Starr
Garden. The music, now in the pos.
session of Mr.. Adger, settles beyond
cavil the authorship of that bit of
melody.
1T is rather a striking fact that
| topical jingles are frequent instru.
ments of financial success, while bal.
lads that live long yield scant returns
to their authors. After the Ball
who ever sings it now?-paid $4,000
in royalties to Charles K Harris, and
the same composer reaped richly from
his Two Little Girls in Blue Paul
Dresser got at least s30,000 from On
the Banks of the Wabash and almost
as much from Just Tell Them That
You Saw Me- 'Good-by, Dolly Gray
brought $4,000 to Paul Barnes; The
Good Old Summer Time was worth
$4,000 to Evans and Shields-and so
the list goes.
"ON THE other hand, Septimus
Winner got but s35 for Listen to
the Mocking Bird which still lives,
and Stephen Foster, with his Old
Folks at Home Old Kentucky Home
Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming.
and other ballads undying, was at his
topmost notch of prosperity at $500
a year. Benjamin Russell Handy
never got a cent for Nellie Gray and
did not know his song had been pub
ished till he heard 1t in Cleveland
concert hall.
Richard Milburn was born in Phil
adelphia in 1887. near the corner Of
Eighth and Race streets. For Q time
his mother was in the service of tfie
celebrated Pierce Butler, a very &C.
centric resident of Philadelphia early
in the nineteenth century. Butler was
a director cf the famous United States
Bank and died in Philadelphia in
1922. In a letter received from Mrs.
Alice Gorgas October z, 1900, half
sister, we have the information that
Richard Milburn died early In the
year 1857, being then in his twen-
tieth year."
Other intriguing subject headings
are on the Alfrooroos, little-kre-l
tribe of Africa; J. Buettikofer, an
African zoologist; the curious "Cush"
Bible; the odd-language Fulfulde; H.
Hahn, the remarkable colored linquist:
race riots, traits. prejudices:: colored
secret societies; the Great zimbabwe
fortified tower of mystery-and scores
of references to and articles upon
every possible phase of Negro culture
down through the years.
At his death Murray willed to the
Library of Congress q large collection
of 1,750 pieces Of rare Negro books
and manuscripts, gathered in his
years of working on the cyclopedia.
to form the nucleus of a chapter Of
Negro literature. The collection was
augmented at q later date by his
widow and the whole Is now kept In q
special section of the Library.
No week passes since Murray's
daofh and for that r,oftar ~ x,,.i-