Mr. Stedman received his first instruction on the organ from Thos. N.
Caulfield at Indianapolis, Ind. During the ten years preceding 1876 he
was engaged continuously in the churches of that city, the larger
portion being in the First Presbyterian, the church of which President
Benjamin Harrison was a member and at that time a teacher of a Bible
class. In October, 1876, he arrived in San Francisco, having come to
the coast under engagement to the firm of Sherman and Hyde. He had
already been engaged as organist of the Howard M.E. Church and took up
that work at once. The "silver-tongued orator," Rev. Thomas Guard, was
in charge of the church then, and his popularity drew large audiences,
who were entertained not only with oratory but music also. The church
choir was under the leadership of Mr. Geo. W. Jackson, who was one of
the first to announce himself as a "voice builder." May 1, 1878, Mr.
Stedman was seated as organist and director of music in Plymouth
Congregational Church, a position filled continuously for twenty
years. During this period many of the very best known and ablest
singers, now occupying positions in the highest salaried choirs of the
coast as well as in the East, had their first start and encouragement
from this source. In 1898 the First Congregational Church of Alameda
made offers that, added to the comfort of being at home and free from
travel across the bay, were accepted, and Mr. Stedman began a service
which continued for five years. At this time business interests
impelled a change of residence to San Francisco and, having already
put in a goodly portion of time on the bench, all offers for
additional service were rejected, and no work of importance has been
undertaken in the way of organ-playing save an occasional day as
"substitute" for a friend.
[Illustration:
Freda Lahre
Mrs. O.B. Caldwell
Mrs. Akerly
Florence Bruce
Mrs. Ethel B. Nagle-Pittman
Geo. Flick
Mrs. Ruth Bruce-Wold
Mrs. Sue Lanktree-Kenney
Louisa Garcia