Warren County Places, Organizations, etc.

The first band was organized before the Civil War, and numbered among its members: George Jackson, Gus Spence, Sam Spence, Pingory McFerran, Joel Blackstone, and met in Jared Adams store adjoining the school house. It burned with all the instruments of the band.

The second band was organized about 1874 by Steve Jackson, at first the meetings were held in the primary room of the Level School house. Later, a two room building was moved from the Tom Patterson farm to the lot at Level, opposite the blacksmith shop. Instructors were J. A. Mays of A. Squires & Co. Cincinnati. Wm. Grapes of Cincinnati was the second. Later it was decided that Steve Jackson and Elmer Jackson were sufficient instructors. The band gradually passed out of existence in 1884. The busiest season was the Hancock-Garfield Campaign in 1880. The Level Band played twice against the Clarksville Band at the Blanchester Fair, winning one and losing one.

The band was uniformed and had a very classy band wagon drawn by four horses.

The membership of the second band was: Elmer E. Jackson, First Cornet and Leader, joined the band at 13 years of age - at 14 he was the Leader; George Jackson, First Cornet; Stephen Jackson, Second Cornet and Assistant Leader - later Solo Alto; Theodore Geran, Frank Price, Henry Exmen, and Bland Harcum, 2nd cornets; Solon Luce Jackson and Huston H. Jackson, First Altos; Albert Fox and Albert Wolf, Second Altos; Lil Littler, Clarinet; Gus Spence, Baritone;

Andrew Jackson, Tuba (was succeeded by Benjamin B. Jackson, who was succeeded by Ollie M. Spence, Tuba); Perry Sears, Bass Drum; Peter K. Spurling, Snare Drum; Aotne Spurling, cymbals.

It is believed that Elmer E. Jackson is the only one living, now, (1935). Above information by Dr. Elmer E. Jackson, son of George, son of Jacob, son of William, son of Edward W. Jackson.

A number of the family has been prominent in musical circles. The family trait of love for music is notable; and musical talent, both vocal and instrumental, as well as artistic talent, is universal in the family down to the present day (1935).

Ollie M. Spence (son of Gustavius Spence and Mary Ann Jackson) conducted a fine band and orchestra in Chattanooga. His son, Jack Spence, has his own orchestra at present.

Another of the family, Mrs. Caroline 'Carrie' Gilpatrick (daughter of George Jackson and Annis Hill Jackson) began to play Cornet at the age of 7 years with her father as her instructor. She studied under Prof. Benjamin Lewis at National Normal University, Lebanon, Ohio; and she played in orchestras while teaching in Ohio, Indiana, and Montana. She continued her study of music and at present time (1935) is conducting a Music Studio in Seattle, Washington, where she teaches flute, trumpet, clarinet, saxophone, French horn, and trombone. She is a member of prominent clubs in Seattle, and she taught wind instruments in three different colleges in Washington.

Her son Francis Gilpatrick has won honors as a flute player. He is a member of an orchestra of the University of Washington. In a band – a sophomore in High School - he plays clarinet, saxophone, and piccolo as well as the flute.

The Jackson family has also been noted for the number of school teachers that have been successful in their chosen profession.

[Supplement to “Some Descendants of Edward William Jackson, b. in New Jersey, 1730, d. in Va. (now W. Va.) in 1807,” published April 1st, 1935; supplement published Dec 1st, 1935 by Matella Prickett Doughman, Lebanon, Ohio.]

George Jackson, Jr., (son of George Jackson, Sr.) has been a singer in a Methodist Episcopalian choir for years. There is a quartette of singers in his family.

Stephen Jackson (son of Lemuel Jackson) taught school in the Public schools of Ohio from 1882-1912, and at the same time taught bands and orchestras, and the band at the Ohio Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Orphans’ (O. S and S. O.) Home in Xenia, Ohio. He was a composer of music for orchestra and band. His daughter Earle Moorman was a school and piano teacher. Her daughter Martha Moorman had a lovely voice and lived at the Three Arts Club in Cincinnati. She sang in the May Festival in two different years and in the Zoo Opera Co. Mary (Martha) Moorman attended Music School in Chicago.

Miss Sarah Shank is a Teacher of Dramatic Art at the University at Urbana, Illinois.

SOURCE:
Transcription from 11 & 15 Jan 2014 email from Charlene Frey
" I found more information on the Level School in a document that I received from Michael Ford on 9 Mar 2013. He emailed me a copy of Matella Prickett Doughman's document entitled "Some of the Descendants of Edward William Jackson," that she published in 1935. I typed the following article from page 26 of the document.
She published the supplement on Dec 1, 1935. In the supplement, page 5, the following correction was made to the list of band members:
Page 27. To the members of the Level Cornet Band should be added the names of Albert W. Barr and Edward Mitchell."