The cornet, like all traditional brass instruments, is not very complicated. It has a small mouthpiece for the player to buzz their lips, three piston valves to lengthen or shorten the plumbing giving it a full chromatic range, and a small bell to amplify its sound. Compared to the finger dexterity and arm coordination essential for playing a string instrument like a violin, the skill set needed to play a cornet is pretty straightforward and relatively easy. Yet it still requires dedication to learn and a good ear to play it well, which is true, of course, for any musical instrument.
I think this boy's portrait shows a young musician shining with confidence in their natural talent and acquired proficiency. He is one of many boys and girls in my antique photo collection who once posed proudly in a photographer's studio with their cornet. In the 19th century children did not dress-up in athletic uniforms for a formal photograph because there were no school sports teams for kids. But back in the day, parents took such delight in their child's musical accomplishments that portraits of a boy or girl holding their instrument were very popular. And by far the instrument most commonly found in these photos is the cornet. And I have dozens and dozens of similar photos in my collection to prove it.
The full picture is on a cabinet card mount and shows this young man leaning on a faux stone newel post with his feet casually crossed. The botanical backdrop and straw on the floor gives an illusion of an outdoor scene. The photographer has also artfully placed him in a fading oval vignette. Unfortunately as the camera shutter opened the boy moved his wrist and the cornet is out of focus. I feel certain it would otherwise show some fancy engraving around the bell.
The photographer's name is not on the front of the card but on the back. It was taken by Paul Tralles of 309 Ninth Street (between D and Penn Avenue) in Washington, D. C. But the best thing about this photo is that the boy's name and a date are written on the back, too.
Before scrolling down to see the back, take a look at him again and guess his name. I bet you don't even come close. Here's a clue. It begins with the letter E.
The cursive handwriting is clear but has quick twists and it took me some research to figure it out. This young boy cornetist was called Elphonzo Youngs, and the photo was taken on April 10, 1885. He was generally know as Elphonzo Youngs, jr. being named after his father Elphonzo Youngs, a well-known grocer in central Washington. In April 1885 Mr. Youngs advertised 10 lbs bags of granulated sugar for $0.93 and one can of Pure Vermont Maple Syrup for $1.15. His market could also supply fresh oranges imported every week from Florida. Elphonzo Youngs's establishment was "the original no liquor grocer" and was just a block south of Mr. Tralles photography studio.
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| Washington, D. C. Evening Star 4 April 1885 |
Mr. Youngs and his wife Amelia's son Elphonzo junior was born in December 1870. It's unknown when he began playing the cornet, but Mr. Youngs' grocery was only a two blocks north of the barracks of the "President's Own" U. S. Marine Band.
On 13 January 1885 Elphonzo Youngs jr. played his cornet at an event that got him his first notice in one of Washington's newspapers, The Evening Critic, whose office happened to be across the street from the Youngs grocery. A few local businessmen on Ninth Street arranged a free dinner for Washington's newsboys. That evening over 350 boys, white and black, thronged outside a Washington cafe house. As the doors opened the boys rushed in though their boisterous excitement was tempered by a watchful local policeman. A local Sunday school superintendent was master of ceremonies.
"There were readings, music, and sensible short addresses to the boys. The boys were very attentive—often hilarious. They can sing. In the chorus of "Hold the Fort" and "In the Sweet Bye-and-Bye" they came out strong. They "lived" in the chorus. Good time was kept, and the boys seemed to enjoy the singing immensely. In the readings policemen were referred to several times. And when there wore such references, the boys gave Officer Harding, who stood at the head of the room, a benefit. Between a reading and a song a piping voice about the centre of the room called out "Say Skinny, do you 'spec we'll have turkey?" This brought down the house. Five little girls sang a lullaby.
"A small boy, Elphonzo Youngs, jr., who gave several airs on the cornet, was encored again and again. Plates were handed around by ladies, who looked very pretty and very business-like in their white aprons. They were treated with the greatest respect by the boys. The empty plates were held as if they were eggshells. When ladies appeared with the substantials there were "o-h-s" long drawn out and much subdued impatience. They were all served. They got a turkey sandwich, cake, apples and oranges and a cup of coffee. And they liked the repast. They ate heartily and for a few minutes wore still.
"They got away before 10 o'clock, having passed a vote of thanks to the ladies who bad entertained them.
"One feature of the evening was an address by Wm. Allen, a veteran newsboy. He urged the boys to let intoxicants and tobacco alone. It was a very successful entertainment in every respect."
I bet Mr. Youngs supplied the apples, oranges, and coffee, too.
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| 1891 Washington, D. C., Central High School orchestra Source: DCGenWeb |
Evidently Elphonzo attended Central High School in Washington as I found his name at a website devoted to the history of this school. He is in a picture of the school's orchestra taken from a 1891 school yearbook. Elphonzo is seated on the left with his cornet. He also sang and belonged to the school's boys vocal octet. He is marked standing on right. In other newspaper reports he was described as singing bass. In 1891 Elphonzo would be age 20 which seems old for a high school. The young men and women look more collegiate than scholastic. Perhaps the information on this excerpt for a yearbook is incorrect. But the caption does identify Elphonzo very clearly.
Since his 1885 photograph, Elphonzo had played at many church events, speaker events, and private music school concerts. By the 1890s he was no longer a boy cornetist but a young man making a name for himself. Perhaps he was ready for the Big Apple.
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| Washington, D.C. Evening Star 9 July 1892 |
In July 1892 Washington sent a delegation to a huge national Christian conference at Madison Square Garden in New York, where over 24,000 people were in attendance. There was much music performed at this multiday convention which featured choirs of several hundred singers. They were accompanied by "two cornets in addition to a piano and an organ. One of the cornetists (was) Mr. Elphonzo Youngs, jr., of Washington, a player well known and deservedly popular in his native city. During the evening's session Mr. Youngs was the only cornetist in the hall, and yet above all these thousands of voices his cornet could be heard leading and supporting the singers. Mr. Youngs played also at the St. Louis Christian Endeavor convention in 1890."
Though Elphonzo was a talented musician he does not seem to have pursued a career in show business. Instead he worked for his father's grocery company which expanded to several sites in Washington.
On 25 December 1905 Elphonzo Youngs, sr., died suddenly after being seized by a chill that led to pneumonia. He was a native of New York and a Union Army veteran who, after the war, settled in Washington and opened one of the first temperance grocery firms. One year after his death he garnered some national attention when his will was released.
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| Central Law Journal, vol. 63 10 August 1906 |
The disgust of a layman with legal phraseology was shown in the will of Elphonzo Youngs, filed here yesterday. Mr. Youngs was a dignified, well-to-do gentleman, best known for thirty years as a deacon in one of the largest Congregational churches in Washington. He wrote his will himself, evidently starting out to copy from some book form, which set the example in this wise:"Being by the grace of God in sound mind and body, and mindful of the uncertainty of human life," etc.Then suddenly on the written page there appears a wild dash of ink and the following:"Rats! This is too formal. All there is about it is this — at my death, I want my ever faithful and devoted wife, Amelia Loretta L. Youngs to have and control everything I possess."
In fact Elphonzo Youngs' last will and testament (available on Ancestry.com) was a bit longer—two pages—someone must have persuaded him to add a few instructions about his estate gifts for his son and grandchildren. Yet as wills go, it is still pretty succinct, even though that "wild dash of ink" is not really very wild.
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| Washington Post 5 July 1928 |
His son Elphonzo Youngs, jr., died on the 4th of July 1928 of a heart condition while visiting a friend. At the time he was employed as a clerk in the Veterans Bureau. His surviving family included his wife, Phoebe Youngs, and four children. Obituaries noted that he was a trumpet soloist for the Christian Endeavor Society. He was 57 years old.
* * *
For more of my stories
on young cornetists
I recommend:
on young cornetists
I recommend:
I wish to thank the unknown person who saved Elphonzo's portrait and whoever signed his name and date to this photo. Having that little extra information transforms an ordinary photo into a genuine human story. It's always a special honor to really meet a person whose picture now resides in my collection. If only we could hear them play.
This is my contribution to Sepia Saturday
where kids don't have
anything to do this summer
except sit around.
except sit around.
1 comment:
I was wondering where the odd name Elphonzo came from. But it is less complicated than it seems. It is a derivative of Alphons(o).
And I admire the size of your collection. You seem to have cards for every occasion! It must have taken you a few years to put this collection together!
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