Trate's Military Band, Watsontown

Trate's Third Regiment Band

At Camp Rippe, Scranton Pa

Trate's Military Band was chartered in 1915 and played for 20 years, disbanding in 1935 "as former members left town for employment elsewhere."  In 1946, an effort was made to revive the band, opening membership to "returned servicemen of the town, and members of the high school band."  The Community Band of Watsontown voted to join Trate's band and be governed by "the rules of the old time band".  I found no mention of the band performing in the 1940s, so I am unsure if this venture was ever successful.

Although chartered in 1915, an obituary for Alfred Roth tells us that he joined Housels band in 1905, but in 1908 he left to help form Trates Military Band "which was in existence for 25 years." 

Trate's Military Band at Camp Ripple, Scranton Pa

In addition to playing at encampments, and as a regiment band, Trate's Military Band regularly gave concerts in local towns, at carnivals, at fairs, and in almost every local parade.  In 1912 they lead the Memorial Day procession into the Lewisburg Cemetery, where members of the I.O.O.F. distributed flowers to the graves.

On April 26th 1911, during a parade in Berwick, a "team of broncos attached to a delivery wagon" ran out of an alley and crashed into the band. D.A. Williamson, Ralph Williamson, Joseph Ulrich & Harold Weidenhamer ere injured along with others.   Ulrich suffered a broken nose, in addition to two injured wrists. "The large bass horn is a complete wreck", and several other instruments were damaged.

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The Twelfth Regiment Band

Photo is at Williamsport Old Home Week Parade in Williamsport

September 12, 1913 at 300 block of Mulberry Street, Williamsport

The Loyal Order Of Moose hired the 12th Division Band to lead the second division on the parade.

In 1912, Trate's Band was the new band for the 12th Regiment, National Guards

[Spanish American War

NEW BAND FOR 12TH 

"Trate's Band of Watsontown, to Take Place of Repaz Band of Williamsport.

 Trate's band, of Watsontown, a famous musical organization for over twenty years, has been officially appointed the band for the Twelfth regiment, National Guard of Pennsylvania.

 This band will take the place of the Repaz band, of Williamsport, which recently declined to re-enlist. It has been the Twelfth's band for many years.

The Trate band will enlist for 8 period of three years and will be entirely equipped with new clothing a and some new instruments will be bought. This of course, will be State property. 

Trate's band was formerly in the Ninth regiment of the Guard, and is a good musical organization. Its very services are in demand, and it always is kept busy. It has an enrollment of thirty-five members."

On July 7th of next year the entire 12th Regiment was dissolved and the band mustered out October 27, 1914.

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Trate's Band in Watsontown and the Citizens Band in Lewisburg joined up to perform joint concerts on more than one occasion.  The bands traveled from Lewisburg to Watsontown on the trolley.

In 1916 the Lewisburg Journal Reported:

"At Watsontown a large arc light had been placed on a side street adjoining the Main street and here the musicians, fifty in number, arranged themselves and played a concert of which the Watsontown people were proud. Applause greeted the efforts of these two musical organizations combined in the first of a series of joint concerts which it is the intention to play during the summer."

Trate's Band on parade, Watsontown 1918

In 1922, the band held their own street fair, to raise money for new uniforms.  This fair became an annual event

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Trate's Music Store, Watsontown Pa

[In the old Opera House building, 223 Main street ]

Gram-O-Phone Record Advertisement for Trate's  Music Shop

CHAS. E. TRATE, PROMINENT MUSICIAN AND LEADER OF BAND, BURIED AT WATSONTOWN. The funeral of Charles E. Trate, Chief Musician of the Twelfth Regiment, who died in the Williamsport hospital on Sunday morning where he had been a patient for some time, was held on Wednesday afternoon from his late home in Watsontown..

Two weeks prior to his death he entered the hospital and it was thought that he was improving when his condition suddenly changed for the worse and death resulted. Mr. Trate for a number of years was the leader of the Third Regiment Sons of Veterans Reserve Band, of Watsontown, where he also conducted a music store. He was also leader of Trate's orchestra of that place. Last year he was appointed Chief Musician of the Twelfth Regiment, N.

G. P., and organized a band to take the place of the Repasz Twelfth Regiment band of Williamsport. Under his direction the new regimental band quickly gained proficiency and was highly complimented last summer by playing a special concert before Gov. Tener. 

Mr.Trate was 45 years of age. He is survived by his wife, a daughter, Lois, and two sons, Ned and Ira. The body was taken to Milton, with sixteen men from Co. C, of Milton acting as escort, and interment was made in the cemetery there. A number of | Lewisburg N.  G. P. officers and men attended the funeral..

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READ MORE

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Recently  I was given access to a collection of old band photos.  Rather than stick them in a folder for later, I'm going to put them all online quickly, and then I can come back and fill in the histories at a later date.

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Find the Index Of Band Photos Here

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2019/11/bands-in-susquehanna-valley.html

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Record & Star

Friday, August 11, 1921

Trate's Military Band To Hold Big Street Carnival

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Will be held on Main Street, near Third, Between Marsh Alley and Wagner Alley, Friday and Saturday evenings, August 19th and 25th.

Decorated and illuminated booths will be erected, which will have on sale all delicacies of the season, as well as amusements of all kinds.

Band concerts will given each evening at the corner of Main and Third Streets. The Lewisburg Band on Friday evening and the Montgomery Band Saturday evening.

Trate's Band has taken on a new life lately and giving the people of town some real music, while the people of town and vicinity should show their appreciation by giving their support and patronage to their efforts of securing funds.

Something will be doing all the time. Good time promised all who attend. In case of inclement weather will be held Monday evening.

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Photo of the 12th Regiment, taken at Camp Hastings at Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania on May 12, 1898

The 12th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was raised in north central Pennsylvania. The unit did not see service outside of the continental United States during the war.

Company C

The unit was formed from the Twelfth Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard. The various companies came from the following locations:
Company A - Union County (Lewisburg)
Company B - Lycoming County (Williamsport)
Company C - Northumberland County (Milton)
Company D - Lycoming County (Williamsport)
Company E - Northumberland County (Sunbury)
Company F - Montour County (Danville)
Company G - Lycoming County (Williamsport)
Company H - Clinton County (Lock Haven)

On August 17, the Twelfth Pennsylvania was provided with a set of regimental colors, the gift of J. Henry Cochran of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The event was somewhat anti-climatic. The fighting portion of the war ended with an armistice between Spain and the U.S. a few days before. On August 29 the unit was ordered back to Pennsylvania, to Camp Meade at Middletown, Pennsylvania.

The men of the 12th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry were given a thirty day furlough, with the regiment reassembling on October 19.  The unit stayed in service long enough to take part in the Peace Jubilee held at Philadelphia on October 27, 1898. The Twelfth Pennsylvania was finally mustered out on October 29, 1898. At the time of muster out, the unit consisted of thirty-six officers and 867 enlisted men.

The Spanish American War would finally conclude with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898. By that time, the 12th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was already a part of history.

During it term of service, the 12th Pennsylvania lost one officer and twenty men to disease. Five more men were discharged on disability and three men deserted.