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By Adriana Cuervo, Tracy Parish, Raquel Flores-Clemons, Jana Kelly, Jared Lofrano, Kimberly Sessoms, Florence Paisey, and Scott Schwartz
Collection Overview
Title: William Herb Papers, Sousa Band Uniform and Travel Trunk, 1924-1980
ID: 12/9/102
Primary Creator: Herb, William (1879-1939)
Extent: 3.6 cubic feet. More info below.
Arrangement:
The collection is organized in 2 series:
Series 1) Photographs and Digital Images, ca. 1924-1936, is arranged in 4 subseries: Train Wrecks, Band Members and Musicians, Sousa Band, and Artifacts and Ephemera. Digital images have been placed at the end of each subseries.
Series 2) Artifacts and Ephemera, ca. 1924-1980, includes concert programs, newsclippings, Herb's band uniform, travel trunk and music stand.
Date Acquired: 01/10/2006. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects: Band Musicians, Bands, Concert tours, Photography, Railroad Accidents, Sousa, John Philip
Formats/Genres: Clothing and Textiles, Other Pictorial, Uniforms
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Consists of black and white photographs, including digital images; news clippings; concert programs; and Herb's band uniform, travel trunk, and music stand, documenting William Herb's career as a musician in the Sousa Band and Allentown Band. Of particular interest are original photographs and digital images documenting three different railroad accidents that the Sousa Band was involved in while on tour. In addition, many of the images illustrate the band members' leisure activities when not performing. William Herb's travel trunk, used throughout his time with the Sousa Band, contains numerous original travel stickers collected by Herb from hotels that the Sousa Band stayed in while on tour in both the United States and Europe.
Biographical Note
William Herb (1879-1939) was born in Bechtelsville, PA. A self-trained tubist, he began performing Pottstown as a child. He played tuba for the John Philip Sousa Band between 1924 and 1932. In addition, Herb was also a member of the Allentown Band from 1904 to c.1930, and continued to be involved with the organization following his tenure. According to an interview with Herb, he had never formally studied music but had played the tuba since the age of seven. In 1924 he stopped to hear Sousa perform at Willow Grove Park and after the concert he was told by a member of the ensemble the he was just the tuba player for Sousa. Herb remained with the Sousa Band until Sousa's death. Herb died in Allentown, PA in 1939.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Accruals:
A small selection of original photographs, a Sousa Band uniform (i.e., trousers and hat), a music stand and a travel trunk belonging to William Herb were donated on June 1, 2008 as part of Gary Herb's estate by Michael Denofrio.
Alternate Extent Statement:
.18 gigabytes
Acquisition Source:
Gary Herb
Acquisition Method:
Gift.
Processing Information:
Processed in July 2008.
Finding Aid Revision History:
Finding Aid information revised July 17, 2008.
Other Note:
Many of the digital images were acquired as low resolution scans, and may not be suitable for some forms of reproduction.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Photographs and Digital Images, 1924-1936],
[
Series 2: Artifacts and Ephemera, 1924-1980],
[All]
- Series 1: Photographs and Digital Images, 1924-1936
- Sub-Series 1: Train Wrecks
- Box 1
- Folder 5: Train Wrecks, 1929
- Folder includes original prints of items 6, 16, 18, 19, and 20 found in Electonic Folder 1, and items 90 and 96 found in Electronic Folder 2.
- Digital Object 1
- Digital Folder 1: Digital Photos of Train Wrecks, 1924-1936
- Digital File 1: Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 2: Sousa Band member (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 3: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 5: Train wreck possibly near Rochester, NY, ca. 1920
- Digital File 6: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 7: Sousa Band members standing in front of Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 8: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 9: Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 10: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 12: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 13: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 14: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 15: Sousa Band members, Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 16: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 17: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 18: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 19: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 20: William Herb, August Helmecke, Paul A. Desmond, Howard N. Goulden, Marjorie Moody and Winifred Bambrick, Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 21: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 22: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 23: Sousa Band member (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 24: Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 25: Sousa Band member (Unidentified), Colorado wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 26: Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 27: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 28: Sousa Band member (Unidentified), Train wreck possibly near Rochester, NY, ca. 1920 (Unidentified)
- Digital File 29: Indiana train wreck (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 30: Sousa Band members, Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 31: Sousa Band members, Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 32: Sousa Band members, Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 33: Sousa Band members, Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 34: Sousa Band member (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 35: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 36: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 78: Bertold [Bert] Waurick (sic) [Wavrek] and Albertus [Bert] Meyers, Sousa Band, Colorado train wreck, September 9, 1929
- Digital File 101: Sousa Band (Unidentified), train wreck near Rochester, NY, ca. 1920
- Digital File 102: Sousa Band (Unidentified), train wreck near Rochester, NY, ca. 1920
- Sub-Series 2: Band Members and Musicians
- Box 1
- Folder 3: Allentown Band Photograph, 1936
- Folder 4: Portraits, 1924(?)- 1931
- Digital Object 1
- Digital Folder 2: Digital Photos of Band Members and Musicians, 1924-1936
- Digital File 4: Sousa Band member (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 37: Sousa Band member (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 38: Jack Richerson, ca. 1920
- Digital File 39: Russel Walt, Sousa Band, ca. 1920
- Digital File 40: Sousa Band member (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 41: Joseph O. DeLuca, ca. 1920
- Digital File 42: Fredrick K. Monroe, ca. 1920
- Digital File 43: Sousa Band member (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 44: Sousa Band member (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 45: Sousa Band member (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 46: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 47: Sousa Band member (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 48: Sousa Band member, Atlantic City, NJ (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 49: Russell Walt, Atlantic City, NJ, ca. 1920
- Digital File 50: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 51: Sousa Band member (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 52: Earl D. Kilgour, ca. 1920
- Digital File 53: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 54: Sousa Band member (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 55: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 56: Sousa Band member, Atlantic City, NJ (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 57: Sousa Band members (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 81: Freddie Masters, ca. 1920
- Digital File 82: Freddie Masters and His Musical Merrymakers, ca. 1930
- Digital File 83: Edith Barry, ca. 1920
- Digital File 84: Edith Barry, ca. 1920
- Digital File 85: Navajo woman in Colorado (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 89: Sousa Band members, location unidentified, ca. 1920
- Digital File 90: Tuba section, Sousa Band, ca. 1920
- Digital File 91: Sousa Band members, standing in front of a historical Navajo hogan in Colorado (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 92: Clarinet section, Sousa Band, unidentified location, ca. 1920
- Digital File 93: Saxophone section, Sousa Band, unidentified location, ca. 1920
- Digital File 94: Flute section, Sousa Band, ca. 1920
- Digital File 95: Sousa Band members, ca. 1920
- Digital File 96: Sousa Band members in Oklahoma (Unidentified), ca. 1920
- Digital File 103: Sousa Band possibly in Oklahoma, ca. 1920
- Sub-Series 3: Sousa Band
- Box 1
- Folder 6: Sousa and Band Ensemble, 1929
- Digital Object 1
- Digital Folder 3: Digital Photos of the Sousa Band, ca. 1920-1926
- Digital File 97: Sousa Band, unidentified location in Europe, ca. 1920
- Digital File 98: Sousa Band, unidentified location in Europe, ca. 1920
- Digital File 99: Sousa Band, unidentified location in Europe, ca. 1920
- Digital File 100: Sousa Band, Steel Pier, Atlantic City, NY, 1926
- Sub-Series 4: Artifact and Ephemera Images
- Digital Object 1
- Digital Folder 4: Digital Photos of News Clippings, Programs, and Trunk, ca. 1920
- Digital File 58: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (cover), 1922
- Digital File 59: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 1), 1922
- Digital File 60: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 2), 1922
- Digital File 61: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 3), 1922
- Digital File 62: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 4), 1922
- Digital File 63: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 5), 1922
- Digital File 64: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 6), 1922
- Digital File 65: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 7), 1922
- Digital File 66: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 8), 1922
- Digital File 67: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 9), 1922
- Digital File 68: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 10), 1922
- Digital File 69: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 11), 1922
- Digital File 70: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 12), 1922
- Digital File 71: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 13), 1922
- Digital File 72: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 14), 1922
- Digital File 73: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 15), 1922
- Digital File 74: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 16), 1922
- Digital File 75: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 17), 1922
- Digital File 76: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (page 18), 1922
- Digital File 77: Sousa Band Souvenir Concert Program (back cover), 1922
- Digital File 79: Newsclipping highlighting William Herb's career as a member of the Sousa Band during the 1920s, ca. 1938
- Digital File 80: Newsclipping highlighting William Herb's career as a member of the Sousa Band during the 1920s, ca. 1938
- Digital File 86: William Herb's trunk used while a member of the Sousa Band, undated
- Digital File 87: William Herb's trunk used while a member of the Sousa Band, undated
- Digital File 88: William Herb's trunk used while a member of the Sousa Band, undated
- Digital File 104: Sousa Band Travel Trunk, undated
- Series 2: Artifacts and Ephemera, 1924-1980
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Concert Programs and Ephemera, 1925-1947
- Folder 2: Newspaper Clippings, 1925-1980
- Box 2
- Item 1: Sousa Band Uniform Pants, 1924-1932
- Uniform Pants (Accession No. 2008.120912.002A)- 18 waist, 42 long, Manufacturer and Date unknown. Black, Wool/cotton blend with pocket and waistband liners. 13 buttons show no indications of any missing. Minimum signs of deterioration on both legs evident on hem, mid calf, and inseam near side pocket.
- Item 2: Sousa Band Hat, 1924-1932
- Uniform Hat (Accession No. 2008.120912.002B)- 9 1/2" diameter. Black wool hat, with satin liner and leather band on interior. Two buttons and band across bill. Hat in good condition, not warped. Nametag under leather band with William Herb's signature.
- Box 3
- Item 1: Billy Herb's travel trunk while a member of the Sousa Band, 1924-1932
- (Accession No. 2008-1209102-04)
- Item 1: William Herb Music Stand and Case, undated
- Music Stand and Case (Accession No. 2008.120912.004). Music Stand- William Herb's music stand with "W.M. V. Herb" engraving. Case- Brown leather case for music stand, broken closure.
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Photographs and Digital Images, 1924-1936],
[
Series 2: Artifacts and Ephemera, 1924-1980],
[All]
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