Browse Items (16 total)

Photograph of Mont E. Peniwell; (died Mar 3, 1925). Manager of the Goodman Band 1883-1903. Elected City Treasurer in 1896, served 2 terms. Elected City Clerk then and served 2 terms. Later was Deputy Co. Treasurer, County Clerk. Sheriff 1918-1922.…

Photographs of President Howard Taft. VS33: "William Howard Taft, far left, favored greeters with a fine sample of the famous Taft smile as he stepped off the train for his Decatur visit in 1911. And there in the crowd to record the event was…

Photograph of Prof. Robert Walter, Sr. (died 11/13/1931). Leader of the Goodman Band of Decatur for over 40 yeas and director of music at the Powers Grand Opera House. He was also a private music instructor. Photo by Van Deventer of Decatur, IL.

Photograph of Robert Walter, Jr. as a child holding a violin. Son of Prof. Robert Walter, Sr. former director of the Goodman Band in Decatur. In 1926, when he was 19 years old, he joined his father in the firm of Robert Walter and Son, instructors…

Photo of Samuel S. Langdale, holding a tuba. Langdale's of San Diego, California, formerly of Decatur. He played in the Goodman band for many years and played at the Opera House for 10 years. About 1907 he went to San Diego where he played in the…

Photograph of William L. Smith and family; (born 9/19/1835; died 4/10/1917) organized nationally famous Smith's Swiss Bell Ringers; first all American troupe formed in the U.S. in 1861, disbanded in 1892; organized what became known as the Goodman…