At the time of our arrival in California there were no choirs or
singers in San Joaquin county. There was one Catholic church in
Stockton but it was only a mission and the worshippers were Spanish
and Mexicans, priest, Father Mauritz. Our family was the first white
family in the city of Stockton, there being only one white woman in
the place and she was the wife of Rev. James Woods. Gladly she
received us and we were made welcome at her home for two weeks before
we were able to see father, who had been sick in Scorpion Gulch for
some time and we were obliged to await his coming. After the arrival
of our father it was planned that a choir should be established in the
First Presbyterian Church of which Rev. Mr. Woods was pastor. We had
all the female voices needed. We had made the acquaintance of several
of the prominent men in Stockton who were fortunately also singers,
and they readily consented to sing as members of the choir. What was
to be done for music? There was nothing to be had in Stockton. There
were two music stores in San Francisco and the first task was to
supply an instrument, if possible. Fortune favored us and between the
joint efforts of these musical people we obtained a good sized Mason
and Hamlin melodeon, which was duly installed into the choir of the
church. The choir members were as follows: Sopranos: Miss Emma Jane
Kroh, Miss Sarah Rebecca Kroh; Altos: Miss Mary M. Kroh, Miss Margaret
R. Kroh; Tenors: Wm. W. Trembly, Henry Noel, George H. Blake; Bass:
Wm. H. Knight, James Holmes, Wm. Belding; Organist, Miss Mary M. Kroh.
These men and women were the original members of the first choir that
had its beginning in Stockton, in 1851. During the years of 1853 and
later, the men who had families in the Eastern cities arranged for
their coming and not many months elapsed before we had a goodly number
of splendid ladies, the wives of these men, and some children and
young maidens. Quite a colony of musical folks sprang up. They took an
interest in the different choirs that had been formed. There were the
Episcopal, Methodist and Baptist missions, begun during this time, and
they had their followers and formed their musical services as soon as
they were able to procure singers. During this time there came to
Stockton from New York, Mr. Henry B. Underhill. He was not only a fine
organist but an organ builder. He at once joined our colony of
musicians and we rejoiced in the addition of a second organist to rely
upon. Up to this time my sister was the only available musician that
could be called upon to play on all occasions where music was needed.
The Episcopal mission of which Rev. E.W. Hager was rector, desired my
sister as organist for his service which was held in one of the large
rooms of the city hall. As Mr. Underhill was a member of the
Presbyterian faith and desired to help the church they exchanged
places. The choir had grown rapidly, some of the singers were
Episcopalians who preferred their own service and all was amicably
settled with the result that Stockton could boast of two choirs and
two organs, or melodeons.
It was not many years before each mission had built a church of its
own with separate organs and choirs. During these years I was sent to
the Benicia Seminary, the only available school in the state, to
finish my education which had been interrupted when I left Cincinnati
to come west. Miss Atkins worshiped in the Presbyterian church, Rev.
Sylvester Woodbridge, pastor, and his daughter, Miss Mary Emma
Woodbridge, organist. She also attended the seminary and those of the
pupils who could sing were invited into the choir. I was one that was
chosen on the alto side to help in the worship. After singing here for
a year, Miss Atkins joined the Episcopal church and was confirmed and
baptised in that faith by Bishop Wm. Ingraham Kip, D.D. I sang a
special song at that time. I was now eighteen years old and was in the
last year of my school days. After leaving school I returned to
Stockton where I again joined the Episcopal choir--St. John's--and
sang until I was married, September 17, 1857, to George H. Blake, Rev.
E.W. Hager, rector, reading the service.
When my oldest son was seven months old we went to Boston, Mass., and
later to Dedham, a suburban town out of Boston, when my husband was
appointed manager of a department store by the firm of Parker, Barnes
and Merriam. I heard my first concert, where I listened to some of the
great singers of the day in Boston Music Hall, January 28th, 1859. The
oratorio, "The Messiah," was given by the Handel & Haydn society, with
300 or more in the choir. Among the soloists were Clara Louisa
Kellogg, Isabelle Hinkley, Adelaide Phillips, Signor Stigelli, Mons.
Guilmetti. On April 3rd, 1859, I heard Neukomm's grand oratorio of
David with grand opera principles. Among the singers were Mrs. J.H.
Long, Louisa Adams, C.R. Adams, P.H. Powers, J.P. Draper, Edward
Hamilton, George Wright Jr., Carl Zerrahn, conductor, J.C.D. Parker,
organist. After these two grand performances I heard many oratorios
Sunday evenings at the Boston Music Hall, where each Sabbath a sacred
concert was held instead of evening services in the churches. These
opportunities helped to lay the foundation for my musical training.
The oratorios were interpreted by the best singers. I never dreamed of
such an opportunity when my husband told me I should hear the best and
Boston was the place.
It was not many months before my opportunity came to be admitted into
the Oratorio Society. It came about like this. My husband's people
were Unitarians and attended the First Church, of which Starr King,
then a young man, was pastor. There was no choir singing, but
congregational song with a precentor who stood in the middle aisle and
led the people, with the large organ at one side of the church, J.C.D.
Parker, organist. As the service began my husband said, "Maggie, when
the hymn is given out you can sing, since the entire congregation
sings here." He had an excellent tenor voice, and we both sang,
unconscious that we were attracting any attention. Between the hymns
Mr. Barnes (the precentor) stood three pews behind us. After the
service was ended he came to our pew and introduced himself, telling
us that when he heard my contralto he thought the church had a
visitor, Miss Adelaide Phillips, of the opera company, and Boston's
foremost contralto. He was surprised to find my name was Blake
instead. I did not know until I heard this wonderfully beautiful
singer in opera oratorio how highly I had been complimented. Then I
realized the comparison and did my best to merit the praise which had
been bestowed upon me in my twentieth year. When we parted Mr. Barnes
invited us to meet some friends at his home on Monday evening, when we
met the principal members and officers of the Handel and Haydn
Society, and after a pleasant evening of part song, solos and duets, I
was asked to sing for the company. I was reluctant to comply, as I was
not considered a solo singer, my place was always in quartette work
and duets. Contraltos were not so popular in those days as the soprano
and tenor and not considered solo voices where I ever sang before. It
was only now I realized I was to have a place also. As I sang many
beautiful duets with my husband, we favored them with a number. It was
still insisted I must sing a song. My husband, accustomed to
accompany me, arose and led me to the piano and I sang the old song,
When the Swallows Homeward Fly, in the German language, as all German
songs should be sung to bring out their full feeling and significance.
That song was the climax and I was lionized for the rest of the
evening. There were also German professors present and their
compliments would have turned any one's head were it not poised on
good common sense shoulders. My success began on that night.
There were three factions or grades of society in Boston, the
literary, wealthy and musical. The position of my husband's family
enabled us to enter all three. Consequently the sails of my ship,
success, were flung to the breeze and for four years I had fair winds
and bright skies in the realm of song. Is it to be wondered at that
memory comes floating up before me like a panorama of beautiful
pictures and remembrances of happiness--times enjoyed with souls
filled with the love of song, good comradeship and lifelong friendship
which can never be erased? It is here where I sang for the first time
with the renowned singer and actor, Henry Clay Barnabee, a young man
then, just three years my senior, over fifty years ago. There are
still five of us left to tell the stories of the singing days, when
the city of Boston held scores of the finest male and female singers
that ever pleased an exacting public.
On April 3, 1859, began the forty-third season of oratorio with such
singers as Mrs. J.H. Long and Miss Louisa Adams, sopranos; Adelaide
Phillips, contralto; C.R. Adams, P.H. Powers and J.P. Draper, tenors;
Edward Hamilton, George Wright Jr. and Carl Formes, bass; Carl
Zerrahn, conductor; J.C.D. Parker, organist, and full orchestra. Among
the productions rendered were: Magic Flute, David, Creation, Messiah,
Moses in Egypt, Samson, Elijah, etc., with Clara Louisa Kellogg,
soprano; Isabella Hinkley, soprano; Adelaide Phillips, contralto;
Signor Stigelli, tenor; Signor Guilmetti, bass.
Grand opera began the season of 1861 and I had my first opportunity to
hear an opera given by such a galaxy of fine artists, being a member
of the Handel and Haydn Society, and assisting in the chorus and also
a member of the celebrated choir in Dedham, Mass., I was enabled to
have especial advantages to hear this grand music. "La Juive" was the
first with Mme Colson, Hinkley, Signor Stigelli and Susini as
Cardinal; Sig. Hartman, Mancini, Barilli, Sig. Sheele. Martha with
Colson, Phillips, Brignoli, Susini, Arili, Mancini; Il Giuramento with
Colson, Phillips, Brignoli, Farri; Lucia di Lammermoor with Isabel
Hinkley, Sig. Ferri, Sig. Lotti, Stigelli and N. Birelli.
[Illustration: HENRY CLAY BARNABEE