Erie Band Of Susquehanna

Photograph from the collection of the Montrose Firemen's Museum

The Erie Band of Susquehanna as they appeared in 1915. They are identified from left to right as follows:
Top row- Unknown, Edward Flaherty, George Springsteen, Jacob Pendorf, David Scales.
2nd row from top- George Depew (Shop Supt.), Arthur Brower (Leader), A.J. Bayless, ? Ranlett, Gus King, ? Woodard.
3rd row down- James Simonetta, ? Holleron, Edward Gates, Teddy Carmillo, Frank Carad, Hugh Sperl, John Coddington, Carl Borgstrom.
4th row seated (ground)- Matthew McMahon, Harry Luseomet, D. Sullivan, Martin Brown, Unidentified, Art Kishbaugh, Thomas Church.

The first mention of a band in Susquehanna appeared in the Susquehanna Journal, June 16, 1898, in which the roster of the 1898 band was given. They were listed as: J. Hawthorne, leader, R.H. Shipley, A.R. Falkenbury, M.B. Wright, H. Shaeff, R.H. Hall, Wm. Mannering, E. Harner, H. Todd, Geo. Harner, Ed Brown, John Mulligann, Jas, Burrell, Geo. Hayward, Asa Truman, and S. Bristol.

The Susquehanna Cornet band was very active in the 1890's. The Susquehanna Journal was faithful in reporting all their activities. In 1890 they had a New Year's ball at the Starrucca House, a concert at Hogan Opera House with the Mozart Band of Carbondale (a special train came from Carbondale for the event), and a band picnic at Starrucca with the Lanesboro Band as guests.

In 1890 the Erie shops stared to lay off men and the band had to be reorganized in June of that year. 1891 saw some of the members move on. William Eastwood moved to Carbondale and became a member of the Mozart Band. A.G. Tait, leader of the band at that time, moved to New York.

In 1892 the band gave a concert from the balcony of the recently built Langford Hotel. They also asked for a $50 fee to play on the 4th of July. On Christmas Eve they appeared in Scranton.

In 1894 the band erected a pagoda on Erie land at Main and Exchange Streets and presented concerts there.

In 1898 the Susquehanna and Lanesboro Bands consolidated and several weeks later abandoned the consolidation. An interesting article appeared on March 30, 1899, in which George J. Sousa of Susquehanna, who led a military band in Cuba, moved to Chicago. Was he related to J.P. Sousa? In 1900 several articles appeared reporting that George Sousa went with the circus as a trombonist.

Life was made interesting for the Band in May of 1900 when an armed robbery took place during a Concert. John H. Doran became leader of the new cornet band in December, 1900. In 1901 the band pagoda was moved. In 1904 Prof. H.S. Warner was leader of the band and in Aug. of 1905 the band welcomed Theodore Roosevelt who made a few remarks at Susquehanna Depot.

Introduction | Gay's West Auburn Band | Brooklyn's Prize Band | Hamlin E. Cogswell | Great Bend Cornet Band | Harford Bands | Harford Soldiers' Orphan School | Kingsley Cornet Band | Canawacta Band | Lawsville Cornet Band | Gibson Cornet Band | The South Gibson Band | Montrose Band | Taylor's Band | The New Milford Cornet Band | Rush Cornet Band | Springville Silver Cornet Band | Erie Band Of Susquehanna

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