Item Detail
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University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries
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Joseph Philbrick Webster (ca. 1840s-1874)
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Joseph Philbrick Webster was born near Manchester, New Hampshire, on 18 February 1819. He was the son of Major John Webster, who fought in the Revolutionary War and died when Joseph was quite young. Webster showed musical talent at an early age and taught himself to play the instruments that were available to him: violin, flute, and drum. At age fifteen, he used his earnings to attend a thirteen-night singing school, where he learned to read music. While attending Pembroke Academy, he studied music and military drills, and paid for his studies by teaching music.After graduating from Pembroke Academy in 1840, Webster moved to Boston, studying at the Boston Academy of Music, possibly with Lowell Mason, but also with George Webb and B.F. Baker, the latter the dedicatee of one of Webster's earliest publications, There's a change in the things I love (Oliver Ditson, 1844). Following this educational period, Webster moved to New York City in 1843 and was musically active there and in New Jersey and Connecticut. In 1848, Webster suffered a severe case of bronchitis, which caused him to lose his singing voice. About this time, he became the producer of a musical ensemble called the Euphonians, an ensemble similar to the then-popular Hutchinson Family. Webster handled the bookings and business affairs of the group, as well as composing many songs for their use. Some of these songs were published between 1848 and 1850 under the collective title Songs of the Euphonians. In the winter of 1850-51, Webster and his family moved to Madison, Indiana, where he worked as a sales agent for the Lighte & Bradbury piano firm. Located on the Ohio River, Madison was then one of the most prominent towns in Indiana, and attracted a concert by the Swedish singer Jenny Lind on 11 April 1851, for which, Webster's firm supplied the piano. In Madison, Webster established himself not only as a businessman, but also as a music teacher, composer, and piano tuner. While Webster prospered during these years, he was also increasingly distressed by the use of slaves by the local landowners. Webster was apparently involved in some way with the Underground Railroad and the social disapproval caused by this activity prompted his move to Chicago about 1855. Webster moved his family to Racine, Wisconsin, in 1856 and finally settled in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, in 1859. The house that Webster purchased there is now the home of the Walworth County Historical Society. During the early 1850s, Webster concentrated on his business activities and wrote few songs. After moving north, however, songwriting became his main livelihood and his production increased accordingly. His songs during this period were published by Midwestern firms, including W.C. Peters of Cincinnati, A.E. Jones of Indianapolis, and D.P. Faulds of Lexington. Starting in 1855, Webster published exclusively with Higgins Brothers in Chicago for many years. (from the website) [a collection of autograph music manuscripts]
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Website
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Madison, Wis.
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
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English
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Internet
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13871