Before the
days of the Civil War, the young people residing
along Darby Creek and Sugar Run were noted far and
near for musical talent, both vocal and
instrumental. Every winter singing schools and
literary societies furnished the principal
entertainments for all, old and young.
The entertainments were held in the schoolhouses in the
neighborhood and on special occasions, such as
concerts or literary exhibitions at the close of the
schools, they were held in the old Seceder Church at
New California, or one of the churches at Jerome.
Until about the year 1850, the old square or
"buckwheat" notes were used in the music books.
The first singing book that used the round notes was
the Carmina Sacra, and the first teacher was a
Mr. Maynard. Then came a Mr. Dixon,
Pinney Case, of Jerome, Mr. Moulton,
of Boston, Wm. M. Robinson, of Marysville,
Sireno B. Phipps of Columbus, Samuel Robinson
of Darby Township, and Nelson Cone.
In later years James Curry, now a
Presbyterian minister of Newark, California, taught
a few terms.
After regular terms of the singing schools closed with
a day concert in the spring, the teachers would
insist that the young people keep up the practice
during the spring and summer months. These
practices were held in the evenings and Dan Cone,
James Curry, and David G. Robinson were
usually the leaders, standing up in front, giving in
the key with a turning fork, and beating time.
There was great rivalry between the choruses of Jerome
and Darby townships, and there were many concerts
and musical contests. In the summer of 1860,
the singers of Jerome, Darby and Milford Center held
an all-day concert in the grove on the farm of
Michael Sager at Unionville. A number of the
music teachers were present in the interest of their
favorites, and considerable feeling was displayed by
the different factions - each chorus claiming the
laurels.
Of soprano and alto singers who were prominent in
musical affairs in those days, and still residing in
the vicinity, only the names of Amanda
McCampbell Comstock, Phebe
Curry Williams, Susannah
Robinson Mckittrick, Mary Curry
Gill, Nancy Bain Curry,
and Jennie Taylor Carson are
recalled, and of the young men tenor and bass, not
one. The Robinsons, Gowans,
Cones, Liggetts, Dodges,
Woodburns, McCampbells, Laugheads, Mitcheslls,
Gills, Currys, Flecks, Beards and Bucks
are al gone, and but few of that generation survive.
There were few pianos and organs, but violins, flutes,
and violin-cellos were the principal musical
instruments. Some of the young people were
quite talented, and of the Cone family
of seven boys, all were violinists.
No public dances were held, but when the young people
would meet in the evenings, even at the house of a
strict Methodist or Presbyterian, they would indulge
in a little social dance - a cotillion, swinging
eight, Virginia Reel, or French four, with a jig
dance by a few of the boys to the old tune of "Money
Musk."
Then there was the apple cuttings, which closed at 9
o'clock sharp, after all the tubs, jars and crocks
had been filled with apples, pared, cored and
quartered, ready to be strung on cotton cord two or
three years long. This trench was arched over
with brick, and at one end a chimney several feet in
height was erected. The brick over the trench
was then given a thick coat of clay mortar, smoothed
down carefully, and soon dried ready for use by
building a fire in the kiln. Newspapers or a
cloth was spread over the kiln to keep the fruit
clean when it was put in, and inn this manner apples
and peaches were dried for winter use.
When the apples were all pared and cut at these evening
gatherings, the floors without carpets were swept
up, refreshments were served, and the evening
festivities commenced. The old plays were
"Snap Up," March to Quebec," and many others.
Some of the older persons will recall the old song
as the boys and girls would march around the room by
couples.
" We're all marching to Quebec
Where the drums are loudly beating
The Americans have gained the day
And the British are retreating;
The War's all o'er and we'll turn back
To the place where first we started,
We'll open the ring and choose a couple in,
To relieve the broken-hearted." When a
boy or girl was "out" they were assessed a pawn
which was usually a handkerchief or a knife.
to redeem it the penalty was not very severe,
sometimes being a mock-marriage to your sweetheart.
Some boy or girl would be blind-folded and the
prosecutor would hold the pawn to be redeemed over
the head of the judge, saying, "Heavy, heavy hangs
over your head." The judge questioning,
"Fine or superfine?" - fine if it is a boy and
superfine if a girl; then the penalty was pronounced
by the judge. When the company was congenial
both boys and girls were pleased to be assessed some
penalty for the pleasure of redeeming.
There were wood choppings and the young men of the
neighborhood would gather at some farmer's home,
especially when the father or some of the boys were
sick, but frequently just for a visit, chop wood and
haul it to the home in long lengths, working al day,
and a sufficient amount of wood would be chopped to
last for many weeks. On the same day, the
girls would assemble at the house and have a
quilting party. In the evening a great supper
would be spread and all would be merry with songs
and plays until the "wee small hours."
Corn huskings were also evenings of amusement and
helpfulness among the farmers. There was
always some strife among the boys to see who could
find the largest number of red ears, as every red
ear found entitled him to kiss his best girl.
It would even be intimated that a girl would quietly
pass a red ear to the right boy, or if a boy had any
doubts about finding one, he would place an ear of
the right color in a convenient pocket before he
started to the "husking bee."
The debating societies furnished entertainment and
amusement for many winter evenings at the
schoolhouses. These debates were participated
in by many of the old settlers who were well versed
in current events and were good historians as well.
In fact, it may well be doubted if the average
citizen of today is as well versed in the early
history of the Republic as the pioneers of fifty
years ago, and these debates were usually quite
interesting.
The best class of farmers usually took two or three
weekly newspapers, one of which was a church paper,
and it is recalled that the favorite one was,
especially among the Presbyterians, "The Watchman of
the Valley," published in Cincinnati. "The
Dollar Newspaper," published in Philadelphia, was
also a favorite among the farmers, as in addition to
all the current news, a continued story by one of
the good writers was published, some of which
continued for months.
There were no dailies outside of the cities, and the
arrival of the weeklies in the Saturday's mail was
hailed with great interest.
The writings of some of the standard prose writers and
poets were in every household, including
Shakespeare, Byron, Burns, Shelley, Scott, Young's
Night Tohoughts, Josephus, Rollins, and many
standard histories. The Bible and hymn book
was always on the stand in the living room, and they
were both used every day. |
