![[1846 Margaret Gillies sketch of the Hutchinson Family quartet]](http://www.oocities.org/hfsbook/pic/gilliessketch342.jpg)
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1845-1846
Chapter 5
Around the middle of December, members of the quartet received a letter from home, saying that Zephaniah, Caleb, Joshua, and Rhoda - calling themselves the "Home Branch" of the Hutchinson Family - were entertaining in the United States. No doubt concert-goers would be curious to hear the new company.
By the spring of 1846, the Home Branch consisted of Zephaniah, Caleb, and Joshua Hutchinson, cousin Ann Marvell, and accordionist Charles Buxton. Scrapbook clippings show that they toured through New England and New York State.
One of the earliest-known Home Branch notices said:
The young men are said to have fine powers, and as for Miss 'Anna, her voice (soprano) is scarcely surpassed in quality even by that of her cousin Abby. It should also be said that she is a young woman of winning deportment, benevolent disposition, and fine general character, - and in every way worthy of a generous support. The same may be said of them all.
After concerts in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York State, the Home Branch arrived in Brooklyn for an engagement at Gothic Hall on April 2. Of that concert, one paper reported,
The next week the Home Branch began a series of concerts in New York. The program for the first engagement included songs that were important parts of the repertoire of the quartet in England, such as "Excelsior" and "The May Queen." There were new productions by Jesse, such as "The Liberty Ball," "The New England Farmer," and "The Seasons." One song,
On the 6th, the Home Branch appeared at Niblo's Saloon. "The voice of 'Cousin Ann' is peculiarly rich and melodious," said the New York Tribune, "and her manners are graceful and pleasing. The voices of the 'Family' blend very harmoniously, producing a chorus of great sweetness and compass."
"Scrapbook clippings show that they toured through New England": Items 1v-2v, Ludlow Patton's Hutchinson Family Scrapbook, Wadleigh Memorial Library, Milford, New Hampshire.
These materials are generally undated and currently undatable, so it would be difficult to create a detailed travel itinerary. This, of course, makes further research difficult.
Unfortunately, very little information is available about the career of the first, evidently
"The young men are said to have fine powers, and as for Miss 'Anna": Henry Clapp, "A Branch of the Hutchinson Family,"
"Of that concert, one paper reported, [T]he music last evening": "The Hutchinson Concert," s.l.: s.n.
"The next week the Home Branch began a series of concerts": "The Home Branch," New York Daily Tribune, April 6, 1846, p. 3 col. 6.
Probably "Railroad Song," another title from the Home Branch repertoire, refers to "Get Off the Track!" Jesse did have a piece called "The Rail Road Cars," though we don't know its year of origin nor do we know the tune. See
The Home Branch's "Come All Ye Friends of Temperance" may be Jesse's original verses, "Cold Water."
"There were new productions by Jesse, such as": "The New England Farmer," first line: "A life on my native soil, A home in a farmer's cot," Jesse Hutchinson, Jr.'s parody of "A Life on the Ocean Wave" by Epes Sargent and Henry Russell, evidently 1846. Lyrics appear in Item 67r, Ludlow Patton's Hutchinson Family Scrapbook, Wadleigh Memorial Library, Milford, New Hampshire; and in various Hutchinson Family songsters. "The New England Farmer" is occasionally confused with "The Seasons: A Farmer's Song." The Hutchinsons also had a piece called "Good Old Plough: Song of the New England Farmer."
This footnote covers a passage which comes right in the middle of the passage covered by the previous footnote. Sorry for any confusion this may cause.
"The voice of Cousin Ann is peculiarly rich and melodious": "City Items," New York Daily Tribune, April 7, 1846, p. 2 col. 5.
Page 2
On the 8th, they entertained again.
They have been giving concerts, to the unbounded satisfaction of the public in various cities and villages north and west, and have already sung twice in this city. We had the pleasure of hearing them on Wednesday evening, at the Rutgers Institute, and were charmed with their touching, sweet, and melodious performances. The lovers of true, heart music, such as
At Oliver Johnson's invitation, the Hutchinsons went to Sing Sing prison on the 11th. "We soon felt," said Joshua, "that we were among kindred spirits - like as we feel when we get among the reformers every where." That afternoon they sang in the female department. On Sunday morning they entertained first the male and then the female inmates. "They seemed to rejoice to see us, because of our music - and because of the happy treat they had one year ago, from the other brothers."
On Monday, after a visit to the Croton Dam, the Home Branch sang another time for the female prisoners, and then sailed down the Hudson River on the Columbia.
The Home Branch was seldom faulted for anything more than the very newness of the group. "If not quite equal to the members of the family now so successfully engaged abroad," said the Home Journal, "it must be remembered that they have not been in training so long."
The Tribune announced that the "'Home Branch' of the Hutchinson Family give their last concert on Thursday evening, and we invite particular attention to the fact, because, amid so many conflicting excitements we are anxious that the claims of these modest and worthy people should not be overlooked." They then sang to a full house at Niblo's Saloon on April 16. The program was very strong, with titles such as "Excelsior," "He Doeth All Things Well," "The May Queen," "The Pauper's Funeral," "The Seasons," "The Slave's Appeal," "We're With You Once Again," and other selections. It was announced, too, that the singers would perform Oliver Johnson's "The Lay of the Prisoner," written to the tune of "The Slave's Appeal," which they had presented at Sing Sing.
It is not too much to say that their music appeared to give universal satisfaction
"They have been giving concerts, to the unbounded satisfaction": "More of the Hutchinson Singers," New York Evening Mirror, n.d. [but evidently soon after April 8, 1846], in Item 1v, Ludlow Patton's Hutchinson Family Scrapbook, Wadleigh Memorial Library, Milford, New Hampshire. See also "Concert - The Home Branch," New York Daily Tribune, April 7, 1846, p. 3 col. 6.
"We soon felt, said Joshua, that we were among kindred spirits": Joshua Hutchinson, [Nathaniel Rogers'] Concord, NH, Herald of Freedom, n.d.
"On Monday, after a visit to the Croton Dam, the Home Branch": Joshua Hutchinson,
Hutchinson friend Eliza W. Farnham might be an interesting topic for further reading. In addition to those things for which she is most remembered, such as being a prison reformer and author, she was also a noted spiritualist. She is said to have been the earliest known spiritualist in California, and she was on the West Coast at the time spiritualism-enthusiast Jesse Hutchinson, Jr., was there.
"If not quite equal to the members of the family": "The Hutchinsons," New York Home Journal, n.d., in Item 2r, Ludlow Patton's Hutchinson Family Scrapbook, Wadleigh Memorial Library, Milford, New Hampshire.
"The Tribune announced that the Home Branch of the Hutchinson Family": "City Items," New York Daily Tribune, April 14, 1846, p. 2 col. 6.
"The program was very strong, with titles such as": "Last Concert," New York Daily Tribune, April 16, 1846, p. 3 col. 6; "City Items," New York Daily Tribune, April 16, 1846, p. 2 col. 5.
"It is not too much to say that their music appeared to give": "City Items," New York Daily Tribune, April 17, 1846, p. 2 col. 6.
Page 3
Early in June, the Home Branch sang at the Town Hall in Manchester, New Hampshire. The occasion was a social gathering of men and women from various labor organizations. Huldah J. Stone wrote in the Voice of Industry, "On the whole, we think this Gathering a good one, and calculated to do much good for the Labor Reform movement. We know of no better way of spending a social hour, or one in which all the laboring classes can meet and become acquainted with each other, than this."
[W]e listened to the sweet, harmonious, soul-elevating notes of the "home branch" of the Hutchinson Family. O, how did that rich, spirit-moving piece, "Excelsior" breathe forth the holy prophecy of good to our cause. We gazed at the noble motto o'er their heads, "Excelsior," and listened, as to a voice from God out of heaven, speaking to us one and all, through those, his humble messengers. Higher and yet higher, let us aim!
It was at about this time that the short, sweet career of the Home Branch came to a close. A fine time was had by all.
"On the whole, we think this Gathering a good one": H. J. S., "Social Gathering at Manchester, N.H.," Lowell, MA, Voice of Industry, June 19, 1846, in Philip S. Foner, ed., The Factory Girls (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1977), 187-189.
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Behold the day of promise comes, full of inspiration The blessed day by prophets sung for the healing of the nation Old midnight errors flee away, they soon will all be gone While heavenly angels seem to say the good time's coming on
The good time, the good time, the good time's coming on The good time, the good time, the good time's coming on |
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Brattleboro, Vermont: Published by the author. 2006.
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