Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Notes about Henry Backus, by Rich Bala
Thes are from a presentation Rich Bala gave for Heritage Folk Music
Henry Sherman Backus, “The Saugerties Bard”
(aka “The Rustic Bard”)
- born sometime around the turn of the 19th C. (1798 or 1801) near Coxsackie
- In his early years, he taught school & gave music lessons in Saugerties, where he married Alida Legg in the early 1820’s.
- In 1830 a daughter, Sara Ann dies at the age of 1 yr & 12 days.
His mother dies in 1838, and wife dies in 1845 at age of 46.
- Henry begins drinking heavily, becomes “rabid” with religion, and spends time in an insane asylum in Hudson (now the library).
- Around 1850 he returns to Saugerties and begins writing “jingles for local merchants, stores & businesses” and also begins writing songs.
(From the writings of Louis C. Jones, in a paper presented at NYSHA annual meeting at Geneva, NY on Sept. 1, 1941):
“He traveled up & down the Hudson & Mohawk valleys in a broken-down wagon drawn by a moth-eaten nag, wondrously decked out with bells & Amer. flags. He encouraged a grand procession of dogs who went barking ahead of him & gathered with dogs of the hamlet they were entering. Having arrived in the center of the village, he would take out an instrument (flute, fife, or fiddle) and play a popular tune. He would then sing the new words he had composed to the music. He then sold printed copies for a penny, gathered up his reins, and was on to the next town.”
Mr. John Hughes Kerbert, who lived in Saugerties on Montgomery St. (across from “Nanny Goat Hill”) spoke to Louis Jones about Backus in 1941. At the time, Kerbert was 87 yrs old (born in 1854?), and says he remembered Backus who, according to him, was “rather short, stocky, well built, long grey hair & beard, grey suit, a ‘Grant Hat’, and wooden leg”! He even drew a sketch of Backus from memory. During this time, Backus lived in a boarding house on the corner of Partition & Russell St.
In 1856, we find Backus at the Catskill Mountain House, where he signs the register as “the Saugerties Bard, a Cosmopolitan, a Traveling Minstrel”. He writes a song that is printed June 30th, 1856. They contain the lines:
‘C.L. Beach mine host of the mountain house, Polite & debonaire,
For the guests who call at his retreat, every luxury will prepare.
Spruce-colored gents & ladies, your orders will obey ….
The genteel clerk of the mountain house, plays on the violin,
The Polka, Hornpipe, Schottish, Waltz, a caution to all sin ….’
Shortly after this, Backus moves to Hoboken, NJ, to be near his brother Electus Jr. who becomes the Army’s Superintendent of General Recruiting, and is stationed on Governor’s Island. Backus then begins a period of writing ballads about events in NYC.
In the months that followed, the nation’s attention and the news of the day focused on the upcoming election, and the rumors of secession and war in the event that Lincoln becomes president. The Bard and his songs become lost and forgotten in the wake.
Then, on the morning of May 14th, 1861, Katsbaan hotelkeeper James H. Gaddis found The Bard in a shed near where the present day Malden Tpk. Meets Rt. 32 just north of Saugerties. Backus was unconscious and emaciated. After being fed, he was taken to Saugerties, where he was charged with vagrancy and, though obviously very ill, was transported to the Kingston jail (located at the time in the basement of the county courthouse on Wall St.).
For several days Backus is said to have thrashed about on his cot, suffering and unattended. Then, on the morning of May 20th Backus died alone in his cell. With no family or friends claiming the body, he was buried in a pauper’s grave without ceremony, not even a song or tune.
Henry Sherman Backus, “The Saugerties Bard”
(aka “The Rustic Bard”)
- born sometime around the turn of the 19th C. (1798 or 1801) near Coxsackie
- In his early years, he taught school & gave music lessons in Saugerties, where he married Alida Legg in the early 1820’s.
- In 1830 a daughter, Sara Ann dies at the age of 1 yr & 12 days.
His mother dies in 1838, and wife dies in 1845 at age of 46.
- Henry begins drinking heavily, becomes “rabid” with religion, and spends time in an insane asylum in Hudson (now the library).
- Around 1850 he returns to Saugerties and begins writing “jingles for local merchants, stores & businesses” and also begins writing songs.
(From the writings of Louis C. Jones, in a paper presented at NYSHA annual meeting at Geneva, NY on Sept. 1, 1941):
“He traveled up & down the Hudson & Mohawk valleys in a broken-down wagon drawn by a moth-eaten nag, wondrously decked out with bells & Amer. flags. He encouraged a grand procession of dogs who went barking ahead of him & gathered with dogs of the hamlet they were entering. Having arrived in the center of the village, he would take out an instrument (flute, fife, or fiddle) and play a popular tune. He would then sing the new words he had composed to the music. He then sold printed copies for a penny, gathered up his reins, and was on to the next town.”
Mr. John Hughes Kerbert, who lived in Saugerties on Montgomery St. (across from “Nanny Goat Hill”) spoke to Louis Jones about Backus in 1941. At the time, Kerbert was 87 yrs old (born in 1854?), and says he remembered Backus who, according to him, was “rather short, stocky, well built, long grey hair & beard, grey suit, a ‘Grant Hat’, and wooden leg”! He even drew a sketch of Backus from memory. During this time, Backus lived in a boarding house on the corner of Partition & Russell St.
In 1856, we find Backus at the Catskill Mountain House, where he signs the register as “the Saugerties Bard, a Cosmopolitan, a Traveling Minstrel”. He writes a song that is printed June 30th, 1856. They contain the lines:
‘C.L. Beach mine host of the mountain house, Polite & debonaire,
For the guests who call at his retreat, every luxury will prepare.
Spruce-colored gents & ladies, your orders will obey ….
The genteel clerk of the mountain house, plays on the violin,
The Polka, Hornpipe, Schottish, Waltz, a caution to all sin ….’
Shortly after this, Backus moves to Hoboken, NJ, to be near his brother Electus Jr. who becomes the Army’s Superintendent of General Recruiting, and is stationed on Governor’s Island. Backus then begins a period of writing ballads about events in NYC.
In the months that followed, the nation’s attention and the news of the day focused on the upcoming election, and the rumors of secession and war in the event that Lincoln becomes president. The Bard and his songs become lost and forgotten in the wake.
Then, on the morning of May 14th, 1861, Katsbaan hotelkeeper James H. Gaddis found The Bard in a shed near where the present day Malden Tpk. Meets Rt. 32 just north of Saugerties. Backus was unconscious and emaciated. After being fed, he was taken to Saugerties, where he was charged with vagrancy and, though obviously very ill, was transported to the Kingston jail (located at the time in the basement of the county courthouse on Wall St.).
For several days Backus is said to have thrashed about on his cot, suffering and unattended. Then, on the morning of May 20th Backus died alone in his cell. With no family or friends claiming the body, he was buried in a pauper’s grave without ceremony, not even a song or tune.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Heritage Folk Music
http://heritageconcerts.blogspot.com/
heritagefolkmusic@gmail.com
(845)338-8587
Folk Music Concert Series
at the Dutch Arms Chapel
On Sunday May 18th from 3- 5 pm, Rich Bala, folk balladeer will reprise his program of the songs of the 19th Century songwriter (1798-1861), Henry Backus. Mr. Backus was known throughout the Northeast as the "The Saugerties Bard". He was the composer of romantic, regional and historic songs such as ""My Hearts in Old Esopus" and "Explosion of Steamer Steindeer ".
Rich Bala performs authentic, traditional folk music that weaves a tale of living history about our nation's people and heritage. Since 1986, Rich has performed at coffeehouses, festivals, concert series, schools, museums, libraries, and historic sites from Boston, Massachusetts to Beaufort, North Carolina. Rich has taught courses, using folk songs to illustrate various aspects of history, at many Elderhostels, teacher training workshops, and conferences sponsored by The NY State Historical Association in Cooperstown, NY, and also at the SUNY Field Campus in Ashokan, NY.
The concert will be at the historic Dutch Arms Chapel, 16 John St. in the village of Saugerties, NY. Admission is $8.00.
The Heritage Music Concert Series celebrates the unique musical history of the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains. For more information, call Bob Lusk at (845) 338-8587, email heritagefolkmusic@gmail.com or go to our web page at http://www.heritageconcerts.blogspot.com.
http://heritageconcerts.blogspot.com/
heritagefolkmusic@gmail.com
(845)338-8587
Folk Music Concert Series
at the Dutch Arms Chapel
On Sunday May 18th from 3- 5 pm, Rich Bala, folk balladeer will reprise his program of the songs of the 19th Century songwriter (1798-1861), Henry Backus. Mr. Backus was known throughout the Northeast as the "The Saugerties Bard". He was the composer of romantic, regional and historic songs such as ""My Hearts in Old Esopus" and "Explosion of Steamer Steindeer ".
Rich Bala performs authentic, traditional folk music that weaves a tale of living history about our nation's people and heritage. Since 1986, Rich has performed at coffeehouses, festivals, concert series, schools, museums, libraries, and historic sites from Boston, Massachusetts to Beaufort, North Carolina. Rich has taught courses, using folk songs to illustrate various aspects of history, at many Elderhostels, teacher training workshops, and conferences sponsored by The NY State Historical Association in Cooperstown, NY, and also at the SUNY Field Campus in Ashokan, NY.
The concert will be at the historic Dutch Arms Chapel, 16 John St. in the village of Saugerties, NY. Admission is $8.00.
The Heritage Music Concert Series celebrates the unique musical history of the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains. For more information, call Bob Lusk at (845) 338-8587, email heritagefolkmusic@gmail.com or go to our web page at http://www.heritageconcerts.blogspot.com.
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