John Jacob Mountz Personal Papers

Overview

Scope and Contents

Biographical Note

Subject Terms

Administrative Information

Detailed Description

John Jacob Mountz Personal Papers



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Finding Aid for John Jacob Mountz Personal Papers, 1898-1967 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

By Karoline Burrall

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Collection Overview

Title: John Jacob Mountz Personal Papers, 1898-1967Add to your cart.View associated digital content.

ID: 26/20/155

Primary Creator: Mountz, John Jacob (September 5, 1898 - November 1, 1967)

Extent: 0.6 cubic feet

Arrangement: Chronological

Date Acquired: 03/20/2012

Subjects: Band, Football, Band Concerts, Band Musicians, Concert Programs, Sousa, John Philip

Formats/Genres: Papers

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The personal papers of John Jacob Mountz consist of the contents of seven scrapbooks that document his life as a student, musician, and hornist for the University of Illinois Concert Band (1920-21), the Sousa Band (1923), the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (1933-1942), and other ensembles. The collection dates from before his birth in 1898 until his death in November of 1967 and includes photographs, contracts, newspaper clippings, rosters, calendars, diaries, route lists, programs and correspondence, as well as other memorabilia detailing his life as a student at the University of Illinois (Alpha Tau Omega documents, photographs, memorabilia), University of Chicago, George Washington University, and Washington University in St. Louis, a Free Mason, an engineer for the war effort during WWI, and a math teacher. The memorabilia also includes autographed photographs of famous musicians and composers.

Biographical Note

John Jacob Mountz was a hornist for the University of Illinois Concert Band (1st horn, 1920-1921), the Sousa Band (1923), and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (1933-1941) among others. He graduated from Decatur High School in 1919 and enrolled at the University of Illinois at the Mechanical Engineering College in fall of 1920, where he joined the concert band under A. A. Harding, who placed him on first horn. He played in the University of Illinois Concert Band, and pledged the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity where he earned the nickname Old Man Authority.

Mountz left the University of Illinois without finishing his degree, and moved to Chicago in January of 1923 where he continued studying horn under Mr. DeMare of the Chicago Civic Orchestra and began playing there. In March of the same year, A. A. Harding recommended Mountz to John Philip Sousa, and in September he was invited to join the Sousa Band by band manager Jay Sims. He accepted and toured with the Sousa Band from October of 1923 to March of 1924, and then played at theaters in Richmond, VA, Washington DC, and Chicago.

In 1930 he began playing with the Chicago Civic Opera Company, and earned a collegiate diploma in counterpoint and composition from the American Conservatory of Music. From 1933 to 1941 Mountz played in the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. In the off-seasons, he played with a number of ensembles including the National Chamber Orchestra under Rudolph Ganz, Everett Johnson and his Cowboy Band, and finally earned his BS in Education from Washington University in St. Louis. In 1942 he became a machinist, engineer, and draftsman for the war effort at Quality Hardware and Machine Corporation. After the war, he worked as a salesman, continued his graduate education, and then taught math in secondary school until he passed away on November 1, 1967 at the age of 69.

Subject/Index Terms

Band, Football
Band Concerts
Band Musicians
Concert Programs
Sousa, John Philip

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Acquisition Method: Donation


Box and Folder Listing


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Series 1: John Jacob Mountz Personal PapersAdd to your cart.
Contains the contents of Mountz' 7 scrapbooks, which include photographs, correspondence, musician's contracts, work documents, newspaper clippings, diplomas, magazine articles, and personal calendars. Box 3: Oversize
Box 1Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Scrapbook 1: 1878-1912Add to your cart.
Folder 2: Scrapbook 2: 1913-1918Add to your cart.
Folder 3: Scrapbook 2: 1919-1920 University of IllinoisAdd to your cart.
Folder 4: Scrapbook 2: 1921-1922 University of IllinoisAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
Folder 5: Scrapbook 3: 1923-1925 Sousa BandAdd to your cart.
Folder 6: Scrapbook 3: 1926-1930Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
Folder 7: Scrapbook 3: 1931-1932Add to your cart.
Folder 8: Scrapbook 4: 1933-1936Add to your cart.
Box 2Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Scrapbook 4: 1937-1939Add to your cart.
Folder 2: Scrapbook 4: 1940Add to your cart.
Folder 3: Scrapbook 4: 1941-1942Add to your cart.
Folder 4: Scrapbook 5: 1943-1944Add to your cart.
Folder 5: Scrapbook 5: 1945-1947Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
Folder 6: Scrapbook 5: 1948-1950Add to your cart.
Folder 7: Scrapbook 5: 1951-1952Add to your cart.
Folder 8: Scrapbook 6: 1953-1955Add to your cart.
Folder 9: Scrapbook 6: 1956-1958Add to your cart.
Folder 10: Scrapbook 6: 1959-1960Add to your cart.
Folder 11: Scrapbook 6: 1961-1962Add to your cart.
Folder 12: Scrapbook 7: 1963-1965Add to your cart.
Folder 13: Scrapbook 7: 1966-1967Add to your cart.
Folder 14: Scrapbook 7: 1968-1971Add to your cart.
Folder 15: Biographical Writings and Resumes, UndatedAdd to your cart.
Box 3Add to your cart.
Folder 1: First Methodist Episcopal Bible School Diploma, 1909Add to your cart.
Folder 2: First Methodist Episcopal Bible School Diploma, 1911Add to your cart.
Folder 3: First Methodist Episcopal Bible School Diploma, 1915Add to your cart.
Folder 4: D.Y.C. Photograph, 1916Add to your cart.
Folder 5: Beaumanoir Commandery Band, Decatur Ills. Photograph, 1916Add to your cart.
Folder 6: Decatur High School Class Photograph, 1919Add to your cart.
Folder 7: Decatur High School Diploma, 1919Add to your cart.
Folder 8: Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity Certificate, 1921Add to your cart.
Folder 9: Sousa Band Musician's Contract, 1923Add to your cart.
Folder 10: American Conservatory of Music Diploma, 1930Add to your cart.
Folder 11: Edgewater Beach Hotel Band Photograph, 1931Add to your cart.
Folder 12: Thirty-Eighth National Saengerfest of the North American Saengerbund Photograph, 1934Add to your cart.
Folder 13: Everett Johnson and his Cowboy Band Photograph, 1936Add to your cart.
Folder 14: Washington University Diploma, 1940Add to your cart.
Folder 15: Quality Machine and Hardware Corporation Blueprints and Organizational Charts, 1943Add to your cart.
Folder 16: Perfect Circle Corporation Power Service Consultant Certificate, 1948Add to your cart.

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