Wayne Township Historical Society
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Front row, left to right,
George Kremer, John F. Bessa, William Kerschner, Edward Seitz, Joe Roeder,
William Kremer, Theodor Fessler, Oscar Bressler, Henry Bressler, conductor
Middle row, Harry Wildermuth, Allen Marberger, Grover Reber, Robert
Roeder, Frank Reber, Andy Dubbs, Joe Reber, Clark Schull, Elmer Roeder
Back row, Dori Achey, Harvey Brown, William Clauser, Edward Bernheisel,
Levi Kramer, Samuel Heffner, Edgar Degler, Charles Kramer, George Webber
The Indepenent Cornet Band of Black Horse
was formed in 1879 with William W. Brown as the band leader. When
the band orginally started they were called Brown's Cornet Band of Black
Horse, in honor of Mr. Brown
By August of 1880 the band was under the
management of Professor L. A. Drumheller of Schuylkill Haven, who
maintained that position for five years. The band had 19 members and
would perform at festivals, parades, picnics,
weddings and holiday events.
William H. Kremer was elected leader and
mucical director in 1885. He was a Summit Station school teacher at
the Elwood
school. Under Mr. Kremers leadership the band performed better which led
to more engagements including parades in
Mahanoy City, Wilkes Barre, Womelsdorf and Reading. Memorial Day
usually had three engagements. Summer
picnics were so plentiful they often had to refuse engagements. The
band would hold fundraisers to help with
expenses, a yearly picnic, an ice cream festival and a fair during the
winter.
Henry W. Bressler became the band
instructor and leader in 1899. Mr. Bressler was a teacher in Wayne
Township and
also a member of Pottsville's Third Brigade Band. In 1903 the band
membership consisted of 28 musicians. On May
25th, 1908 the band was incorporated as "Black Horse Band of
Friedensburg". Early in 1912 the Cressona Band and
the Black Horse band combined and the name was changed to "Bresslers
Band". At this time the total strength of
this company of musicians was about 50 members from Pottsville,
Friedensburg, Summit Station, Brommerstown and
Schuylkill Haven. The band had been headquartered in Schuylkill Haven
since the summer of 1911 and after their
uniforms and equiptment were updated they were called the "Bressler
Band of Schuylkill Haven.
This story was composed from newspaper articals from: Miners Journal Pottsville, The Call Schuylkill Haven, The Press Herald Pine Grove, Pottsville Republican