Wolcott History – Mattatuck Drum Band

I’m not going to replicate the history of the Mattatuck Drum Band and its roots in Farmingbury/Wolcott. You can read all about it here - http://mattatuck.org/history.html

However, as their ties are so strong to Wolcott, I thought it would be good to research my ties to them – and I have found that they were even stronger that I thought.

Before the band adopted its current name in 1881, they were known successively as The Training Band (1767-1768/9), the 10^th Regiment Band (1768/9-1772), the Farmingbury Band (1772-1796), and the Wolcott Drum Band (1796-1881). They are the oldest continuously active fife and drum band in the US. The initial leaders of the band (taken from the above website) were Capt. Aron Harrison, Lt. Heman Hall, and Ens. Josiah Rogers. All three of these men were my relatives (Aron and Heman being first cousins and Josiah being a second cousin (all several times removed)).

The above history also lists several of the band’s leaders over the years. Nearly all of these are my relatives as well. Ignoring all the xx removed, they are:

-          Nathan Gillet – brother-in-law of my 2^nd cousin

-          Samuel Wilcox – no apparent relation

-          Henry Chatfield – 2^nd cousin of a great aunt

-          Levi Atkins – 4^th cousin

-          Elihu Moulthrop – 3^rd cousin

-          Charles Miller – great-great-uncle

The band had some years when it nearly disappeared. In the years following the Civil War the membership dropped to as few as five men. It wasn’t until the 1880’s under my uncle Charley Miller that they made a comeback and adopted their current style of uniform.

There is an old picture (from 1922) of nine of the old band members in the 175^th anniversary booklet of Wolcott. In addition to my uncle Charley, they include Arthur Harrison, Homer Atkins, the Moulthrop brothers (Edgar, Newell, and Frederick), Charles Tuttle, Linus Norton, and Harley Norton. All but the last two of these are cousins of mine.

Update (11/1/16) - In doing further research, I have found that Harley Norton is the nephew of my 3rd cousin (4 times removed) Ellen Beecher who married Rufus Norton. I also believe that Linus Norton is part of this same branch of the Norton family, but I have been unable to locate proof of that connection thus far.

The band practiced at my uncle Charley’s home on East Main St in Waterbury until 1931 when they moved to the Pierpont Dairy farther down East Main St (the Pierpont Dairy was owned by my grandfather’s cousin, Mort Pierpont – Mort was also the nephew of uncle Charley). Several of the Pierpont family who lived in East Farms were members of the Mattatuck Drum Band when I was growing up. Although I didn’t take up the fife/drum myself, it was the influence of the band, as well as a couple of old wooden fifes that my grandfather had stored in the bench of the piano in their living room, that influenced me to play the flute beginning in 4^th grade and later the piccolo when I was in the WHS band in high school.

I am proud to be associated with the long heritage of the Mattatuck Drum Band.