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Volume 067-2 - April 2013 (6 pages)
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Page: of 6
NCHS Bulletin April 2013
John George had a hard, stormy sea-crossing on the
Atlantic and ended up “...walking the dirty streets of New
York, crossed Panama and found himself in cold and foggy
San Francisco without an overcoat.” After eight weeks of
mining he sickened and died, leaving a wife and eight children behind in Cornwall.
Will T. followed his father, grandfather and great uncle in
mining and went underground at age fourteen. Apparently
the underground work did not appeal to him, or he worked
his way up the ladder, as he was working above ground as a
carpenter by age twenty-thee. It is apparent that he worked
hard and saved his money during the years he worked in
the mines.
Soon he became the owner of a general store on Mill
Street in Grass Valley and opened a paint and wallpaper department there. He was very successful in his business but
Will had another interest and for which he would become
well-known in northern California.
In 1907 Will organized the Owl Band to lead the
Donation Day Parade. He was part of a group that brought
fame to Nevada County—the Grass Valley Concert Band.
This band was composed mostly of self-taught miners. This
band entered a state-wide competition in Sacramento in
1912 and came in second place. A photo taken of the band
appeared on the front page of the Sacramento paper that
was the pride of their hometown.
The band played at state fairs and other important venues, such as the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San
Francisco. He also played at the Grand Parlor of the Native
Sons of the Golden West in San Francisco and was a member of the first Salvation Army band organized in Grass
Valley.
Will T. George cared for the pipe organ which he assisted
in installing at the First Methodist Church. When he died
on October 17, 1954, he was one of two remaining members
of the original choir in Grass Valley, the John Farrell Carol
Choir (M. Henry Argall was the other remaining original
caroler.) It was said that his band and musical work often
took precedence over his working hours in behalf of city,
church and organizational entertainment.
Will T. lived at what was the George family home at 115
Neal street for 54 years. He died in Peardale at the home
of his daughter, Lucille Simons, a week after an apparent
heart attack. His family included his wife Annie J., another
daughter, Lottie Rowe of San Francisco, and one son, Elton
F. George of Berkeley, two brothers Harold George of Grass
Valley, Ray George of Camarillo and five grandchildren,
six great-grandchildren, and three nieces and two nephews.
Author’s note: Gage McKinney’s When Miner Sang:
The Grass Valley Carol Choir was an invaluable source for
much of the information in this article.
The Grass Valley Carol Choir on the Capitol Steps in Sacramento in 1910 or 1911.
(Photo courtesy of Gwen Ralph and Gage McKinney.)