Tad Lincoln's music teacher, William Withers jr?

[NHjohn]

Greetings folks,
I play a Civil War vintage bass saxhorn in the Federal City Brass Band out of Baltimore and recently authored the book, "I Was Detailed to the Regimental Band," with Volume One, Massachusetts. Currently, I am researching New York state, including William Withers Jr., Band Leader 12th New York State Militia in 1861. That band played numerous concerts on the White House lawn in May-June of 1861, Withers' Orchestra entertained at Lincoln's second Inaugural Ball, and I have found several references to Withers "teaching" the drum to Tad Lincoln in 1864, at the White House, mainly based on Withers' off-hand statement that he did so. Can anyone confirm this fact, does anybody know how/why Withers was chosen?

[LincolnToddFan]

Hi NHjohn-

This is the first I have ever read anywhere about Tad playing the drums. Wasn't Withers also leading the orchestra at Ford's Theatre on the night of Apr 14 1865?

[L Verge]

An infrequent poster on this forum is Richard Sloan of New York, who has spent a great deal of time studying William Withers. I hope Richard will join in the discussion. I'll pinch him...

[RJNorton]

I don't know if Richard Sloan will agree or not, but based on what I have read and heard, I would not put much credence in what Withers said.

John, it's true that Withers made this claim. Withers said, "I taught little Tad Lincoln to play the drum and was always kindly treated by the President."

One place for his statement is in the article titled "A Treasured Coat" here.

However, IMO I would be leery of Withers' statements. In later years Withers stated, "It was mainly on my testimony that the principals in the case were convicted." Withers made a series of embellished or untrue statements including maintaining that Tad Lincoln was in the box with his parents that night.

Regarding the veracity of Withers' statements please see author and forum member Tom Bogar's discussion here. Scroll to 5:40 of the video. Tom discusses Withers' embellished/changing stories.

Like Toia I do not recall having ever read any of this (regarding Withers teaching Tad Lincoln to play the drums) in any books about the Lincolns. I checked the index of Ruth Painter Randall's Lincoln's Sons and there is no mention of Withers. If Tad really ever had contact with Withers I think that excellent author would have included the information.

[LincolnMan]

Tad playing drums in the Executive Mansion- that and the running around inside with various farm animals about. It's a wonder Lincoln got anything done. Tat tat tat. "Put that drum away Tad," shouts Mary Lincoln. "He is just being a boy," says Mr. Lincoln. Oh boy...

[RJNorton]

Bill, I read that one time Tad harnessed Nanko, the goat, to a chair and drove through the East Room during a White House reception!

[Gene C]

Surprisingly, those goats somehow just disapeared when Tad and Mary went out of town.
I guess the White House staff ate well that night.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Just a thought. We once discussed this:
   
...here:
http://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussio...light=drum
Though in the original photo it is, of course, Tad who is looking at the book (photo album) in A. L.'s hands, due to the size of the children - could the artist have intended the boy on the right with the drumsticks to be Tad?
Due to this link Roger provided:
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/h?am...sm000412))
...the picture was published in 1865, thus before Withers' 1892 interview. Of course Withers might have bragged about his drum lessons already at the time he allegedly taught and have been the artist's inspiration (but is it likely he would have lied in those days?), or the artist completely imagined Tad (if it's Tad) playing the drums - but could it be he heard such elsewhere?
In any case, if one instrument matched Tad, it was the drums IMO.

[NHjohn]

(06-23-2014 04:51 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  I don't know if Richard Sloan will agree or not, but based on what I have read and heard, I would not put much credence in what Withers said.

John, it's true that Withers made this claim. Withers said, "I taught little Tad Lincoln to play the drum and was always kindly treated by the President."

One place for his statement is in the article titled "A Treasured Coat" here.

However, IMO I would be leery of Withers' statements. In later years Withers stated, "It was mainly on my testimony that the principals in the case were convicted." Withers made a series of embellished or untrue statements including maintaining that Tad Lincoln was in the box with his parents that night.

Regarding the veracity of Withers' statements please see author and forum member Tom Bogar's discussion here. Scroll to 5:40 of the video. Tom discusses Withers' embellished/changing stories.

Like Toia I do not recall having ever read any of this (regarding Withers teaching Tad Lincoln to play the drums) in any books about the Lincolns. I checked the index of Ruth Painter Randall's Lincoln's Sons and there is no mention of Withers. If Tad really ever had contact with Withers I think that excellent author would have included the information.

Well, that's what I feared. It was just that Withers was a local musician of some note (no pun) even before the war. When the 12th New York State Militia arrived in DC, within the first few weeks after Sumter, they came with a regimental band but that band quickly returned to New York City. It was immediately replaced by "Withers' Excelsior Band," made of his brothers and local brass musicians, many who had been on active duty with the Marine Band. The Band of the 12th NYSM played on the lawn of the White House, switching off daily concerts with the most famous bands of the day, not just any mediocre volunteer regimental band. Claudio Grafulla's Band (7th NYSM) and Dodworth's Band (71st NYSM) both from New York City; Joseph Greene's American Brass Band of Providence (1st Rhode Island Detached Militia) and John King's Hartford Cornet Band (1st Connecticut Infantry). So Withers was up there with the best of the best. After the 12th NYSM mustered out in August, 1861 because it was a 3 month militia regiment, Withers Jr. & Sr., brothers enlist as the Band of the 62nd Penn. Infantry for reasons unknown. Probably a good financial offer. All regimental bands were mustered out in the summer of 1862 and Withers seems to disappear for a bit. I don't find anything much until his name appears on the theater circuit, late 1863-64. Then this supposed drum instructor gig at the White House and Withers' Orchestra magically appears playing at the Inaugural Ball 1864. The intriguing thing is, I have a friend who is one of the foremost collectors and authorities on brass band instruments from the 1840s-1870s. Huge collection, very rare horns. He has copies of band music, all authored and/or arranged by "William Withers" or "William Withers Jr." from the band books of the 5th New York Heavy Artillery. Their band was made of privates detailed from the ranks. The HDQTS was at Fort Carroll in DC, then Fort Marshall in Baltimore, also stationed at Harpers Ferry. I have found their Band Leader and it's not Withers. The Band of the 5th New York Heavy Artillery was one of 4 bands to play at the dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, November 1863. Withers music had to have been played but I have found no reference to named pieces played by the 5th NY Heavy. I have found no evidence Withers tutored the 5th NY Heavy Artillery band but I'm betting he did. That had to be how they got his music. Hired Withers, a local music "professor" and he brought along music arranged for regimental brass band. So, Withers keeps popping up around Lincoln... 12th NYSM band on the White House lawn, 1861, Withers' music probably played by the 5th NY Heavy at Gettysburg, Nov. 1863, Withers Orchestra at Inaugural Ball, 1864, maybe Withers teaching Tad the drum, although, now maybe not, and Ford's Theater.

[L Verge]

As promised, I did pinch Richard Sloan, our Withers expert, so hopefully he will pop in with some information.

[NHjohn]

(06-26-2014 01:29 PM)L Verge Wrote:  As promised, I did pinch Richard Sloan, our Withers expert, so hopefully he will pop in with some information.

That's a familiar name. Seems to me we e-mail back and forth some years ago. Thanks.

[L Verge]

I just received this quick reply from Richard:

Yeah. I know Withers's claim about having taught Tad to play the drums. Off the top of my head, I think he made that claim in the article about his coat, but I'm sure he said that in other interviews, as well. Withers liked to brag and embellish. His claim that he helped convict some of the conspirators is a prime example. He claimed that he testified about Spangler wanting to dim the gaslights, but we know that he didn't testify about any such thing. Yes, his veracity is questionable. Trouble is, I can't go through my Withers file right now. MY HEAD IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE bec. I have so many things to do over the next two weeks... and a cruise to Alaska. I'll keep it in mind, but prob.won't get to it til late August. Withers DID lead a band at the 2nd Inaug. Ball if that is something someone doubts.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Somewhere I read Willie played the piano. Can anyone confirm/tell where to find this? If he did, who was his teacher?

[RJNorton]

(06-26-2014 06:52 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Somewhere I read Willie played the piano. Can anyone confirm/tell where to find this? If he did, who was his teacher?

In the book America's First Families: An Inside View of 200 Years of Private Life in the White House author Carl Sferrazza Anthony writes, "Willie and Tad Lincoln took piano lessons in the Red Room with a professor Alexander Wolowski."

http://books.google.com/books?id=44elUBU...22&f=false

Eva, I do not know the source for Mr. Anthony's statement, and offhand I do not believe I have ever seen the name Alexander Wolowski before in Lincoln books.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Many thanks, Roger! With this info I found a fascinating article (Anita, check it out!!!) by David Rankin Barbee entitled "The Musical Mr. Lincoln", published in the "Abraham Lincoln quarterly. [Vol. 5, no. 8, Dec.1949 ]". As for the piano lessons, it reads (p.443 on this site: http://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/alajournals/...w=fulltext ):

"Soon after moving into the White House, President Lincoln engaged a noted Polish concert pianist, Mons. Alex. Wolowski, to give his sons, Willie and Tad, piano lessons. Wolowski had a studio in Washington, and as court pianist he had the run of the Executive Mansion, a privilege he did not abuse. Perhaps it was he who induced the President and Mrs. Lincoln to take Tad to one of young Teresa Carreno's concerts. She was the second musical prodigy that crossed the path of the untutored music lover from the plains of Illinois."

The source given for this passage is: Philadelphia Press, September 27, 1865.