Mrs. Blake-Alverson, as Miss Kroh, was contralto of the first choir,
organized in 1852.]
The singing seemed to give new life to his long struggle in the
ministry. His was the only church in Stockton at that time, besides a
Catholic church, and it was uphill work to get the men to come to
service. A new thought came to him that perhaps music in the church
might be an incentive for men to forsake one day thinking of gold. So
the choir was established and a large melodeon was secured from San
Francisco from one of the music stores which had been established.
Joseph Atwill began the music business on Washington street in 1850,
just one year before we arrived in November, 1851. It was soon noised
about that the family of Rev. H. Kroh were singers and that by the
first of the month there would be a choir in the Presbyterian church.
A melodeon was to be purchased. Miss M. Kroh was to play the organ and
direct the music and the sisters were to sing. During the time the
melodeon was on the way we had become acquainted with William Trembly,
a fine tenor; James Holmes, bass; William Cobb, tenor; Will Belding,
bass; Samuel Grove, tenor; and William H. Knight, bass.
[Illustration: Pioneer home of the family of Rev. Dr. Henry Kroh, the
father of Margaret Blake-Alverson, Stockton, California, December,
1851.]
Father had returned to take charge of his store and we had moved into
the only house to be found, a story and a half high with eight rooms
and a canvas kitchen.
Pages:
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66