Show l' l w w ro ak t t ji i i 5 1 f r Y i ir 4 I r ADAMS CORNET BAND WAGON AND FOUR Alonzo McCarroll was the driver Organized In 1895 by George Adams the band provided flair and fanfare for Vernal parades until 1908 26 members were seated on the wagon Echoes from the dust Adams Adam's Cornet Band By A Ashley Bartlett Vernal U Uintah Co Utah had its long years before Franklin D D. Roosevelt began juggling the alphabet into or any other combination com com- In fact the President was as hardly out of knee pants when was an honored household word in these parts It stood stand for Adams Cornet BandIt Band It must have hae been in 1895 or thereabout that Mr II George Ellsworth Adams with his wife Kate Kale Virginia Forrest Adams and their son Toots Tools Lewis Forrest Adams came from Ft Duchesne where Mr II Adams had been in the government employ to be henceforth residents of Vernal i r TilE Till ADAMS' ADAMS were possessors of personalities that widened their cir circle le of friendships friendships friendships friend friend- ships rapidly Toots the wire live-wire youngster Mrs Adams quick radiating in speech and ad manners the pleasing flavor of the South George as he soon was familiarly known not more from his ship clerk at Coltharp's than because of his golden were cornet each and ad all adopted they fitted filled rig right t in and became part of the community folk at once The title of this sketch of course couise s turl attention to music music George Adams brought to Vernal a fine artistic musical temperament coupled with a measure of training far above the average That he was fired with zeal iea for higher accomplishments accomplishments ac ac- ac- ac campi musically were evidenced night after night as he sat in front of his house doing exercises in ai al ar- ar chromatics and runs along the w whole hole range of cornet possibilities invariably ending m in some masterful solo work to the delight of neighbors for miles around And to this community he gave his art freely as water It was but natural therefore that this fine cornet player inspired others to want to play the cornet and the Adams Cornet Band came into being made up of boys hays and men 14 to 60 10 Ray Hay Holdaway was perhaps the youngest and Joseph litter Hitter the masterful snare- snare drummer from the army the oldest Let me mention names names- names in first Joseph Hitter Ritter a rea real drummer who loved his snare drum dmm and liked to play it His lIis rhythmic sense and art lent snap and fire to the new band He lie was wasa a valuable asset to the new organization David Manwaring Manwaring Manwaring Man Man- waring the bass not a regular but hut splendid re re in emergencies spoken slow-spoken helicon blowing Nick l' l I Swain Swam robust pink pink cheeked cheeked Pete Peter Hansen with his little alto horn William Stanley Ashton modest said to have haye blown all his fast beginners beginner's notes away out behind the Ashton corn crib corn crib Erskine Curtis Hadlock padlock Curt ot of the baritone Ray Hay baby member with a cornet Ray Hay that later became Utah's first pianist John Merkley one of the first instrument purchasers purchasers pur pur- chasers chasers- William Winn Bill the Barf Barber er with nib his clarinet j Richard Fowler towler Tenor j Dick who was yas a little tittle off beat beatI occasionally but bu good goal natured I these those are now in the better land whether hether blowing horns or playing harps we shall know I when we arrive e i OF IW I UK living veterans I shall we say are Richard i Dick Jensen who for fear he heI I would slide ilide off oft key ih chose e a aale valve e rather than a 11 slide trombone Edward Field Brian Urian Bb bass player who could not play unless he could beat time i with t lids his s foot fool John Williama William WHit a Pope Johnnie watch watch- maker auto kera uto-mec uto ma ur- ur dealer breeder Texico dealer of the cornet section Lauritz M. M Sorensen whose raw-hide raw lip made his Eb cornet ever noticeable Lynne Ashton who frequently was seen to stop playing to laugh Edward Harvey Belcher H of the furniture store and the bank a consistent cornet player Ashley Bartlett first with the tenor horn then the baritone John Theodore Sheriff Pope the first bass drummer who later turned the instrument over to Abner Swain Swam AI Al Swain smiling AI Al of the tenor section Marcellus B B. B Pope yet rosy cheeked checked as saddle ex-saddle maker Clarence now law attorney-at-law Belcher a tenor player George Henry Bartlett ex-cornet ex play player r William Fredrick Hansen also ex ex but now famous pianist and composer composer composer com com- poser Harmon Mulling an extra for any harmony horn a aMr Mr Bell w who ho became the snare drummer after Joe Ritter died Well I may have lost track of some of the old boys for time is disastrous to memory But I Ishall Ishall Ishall shall never forget the leader I have heard many noted cornet players placers and it is my candid candidi I i opinion often express for purity and sweetness of tone for range and for triple triple- tonguing for complete technical mastery of the cornet George Ellsworth Adams could take his place among the very best Ills His musical impress upon this community will live as long longas as men live NO 0 STORY of the Adams Cornet Band would be complete without mention of the Band BandWagon BandWagon Wagon the splendid creation of that pioneer builder and millman millman millman mill- mill man William Cook The was so constructed that the stand on which the leader stood was near the wagon bed level with six tiers of seats rising one above the other forward and aft from the center accommodating ac ac- ac- ac twenty-four twenty to twenty six players In front of the highest front elevation was the drivels drivel's seat It required four good horses to pull the band around Neither would the history be he finished without naming some of the old time drivers Charles Alonzo McCarrel McCarrel McCarrel Mc- Mc Carrel William Cook and James Shelmerdine There was almost always along super super- driver and mascot of the band Toots Toots Adams Then there was the spectacle of the Band in uniform rich deep green of the very finest material resplendent with gold braid braid-an imposing sight Having seen hundreds of band uniforms this one would vie with the very niftiest of them all save for the style of the cap unfortunately modeled after civil war there style might have been a happier choice Finally it can truthfully be said that Adams Cornet Comet Band was the outward sign of a new and forward cultural growth in Northeastern Utah its musical excellence at the heyday of its 1213 13 years meriting praise from competent critics from far and near Its minstrels minstrels minstrels min min- its concerts its public- public day music set a new high mark markin in community growth as realand real realand realand and enduring as any other whatsoever And it is fitting that the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers should do honor to the founder creator and of this musical institution George Ellsworth Adams 4 I |