THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX AND
TLDEN FOUN ATIONS.

William Zeidler. This society is still in a prosperous condition with a membership of 275.

THE CHAMPION HOSE COMPANY.

was a German organization, founded January 7, 1875. Gustav Schmidt was the leading spirit in this enterprise. February 27th of the same year they received a chemical engine from the city and then adopted the name "Champion Fire Company." The officers in 1876 were: Gustav Schmidt, foreman; H. F. Bodmann, first assistant; John Neipert, second assistant; Samuel Cohn, president; Barney Schmidt, secretary; Joseph Fessler, treasurer. May 31, 1876, they received a hose cart and the name was again changed to "Champion Hose Company No. 1." During the many years of its existence this company has done valiant service in extinguishing fires in this city, and the membership at this time is still composed of citizens of German descent to a great extent. The name of the present organization is "The Champion Hose, Hook & Ladder Company," officers as follows: president, John J. Brown; recording secretary, Henry Wilmering; financial secretary, William Scholton; treasurer, George L. Trumpp. The total membership is 80.

THE HARMONIC MALE CHOIR.

was organized October 24, 1884, by Henry Heinz, with the following original members: Barney Friedmann, Otto Frank, Adolf Liesering, Carl Huettig, August Huettig, John Kleinfelder, John T. Nester, Joseph Opelt, Jacob Zoller, Otto Klaffenbach, Henry Klaffenbach, John Hahn, Jr., A. Metzger, George Hessert, John Bloom, Carl Melching, G. Baetz, Henry Heinz, Henry Fack. The first officers were: Henry Heinz, president; Carl Huettig, vice president; Otto Frank, secretary; John A. Kleinfelder, treasurer; Professor Ferdinand Grade, director. Charles Lang, Ferdinand Bernhardt and Barney Juettner were passive members. October 12, 1886, this society was transformed into a "mixed choir," about ten young ladies joining at that time. This society proved to be a popular enterprise and gave a number of successful public concerts at various times. The last and final meeting of the "Harmonic," as gleaned from the records, was held October 6, 1887, when the society dissolved.

THE MUSCATINE MAENNERCHOR.

one of the most popular musical organizations in this city at the present time, was organized September 6, 1895, by Henry Heinz, with the following original membership: Henry Klaffenbach, Otto Klaffenbach, John Kleinfelder, John W. Hahn, Henry Fack, August Unkel, Andreas Muenz, John Wiegand, J. L. Umschied, J. L. Leonhard, George Boch, Conrad Lange, F. Koeckeritz, John Hahnkamp, Barney Schmidt, Carl Melching, Herman Gremmel, Henry Heinz, Nicholas Achter, John T. Nester, F. H. Sievers, Charles Tappe, J. H. Eversmeyer, Henry W. Zeidler, George Volger, Gustav Weis, George J. Schmidt, J. G. Gunzenhauser, Hans Mohnsen, Frank Chayka, Alexander Grossheim, Henry Wassermann, N. H. Hine, George Wagner, H. Eigenmann, Frederick Gunzenhauser,

W. H. Othmer, A. Kiesenwetter, F. Hautsch, William Oeter, Fred Petersen, William Reiher, Nick Bast, Gustav Oeter, Henry Geiss, John Bloom, Joseph Opelt, J. H. Schroeder, George Wittich, Joseph Schaab, Christian Klopp, Joseph Missel, Carl Gebhardt, Adam Hess, J. J. Williams. The original officers were: J. G. Gunzenhauser, president; Henry Heinz, vice president; Herman Gremmel, secretary; Henry Klaffenbach, treasurer; James Schaab, librarian; Professor F. Grade, director. Since August 5, 1897, the Muscatine Maennerchor has been a member of the "Saenger Bund of the Northwest" and has participated in the following song festivals of the said Bund: Davenport, 1898; Burlington, 1900; Peoria, 1902; Milwaukee, 1904; St. Paul, 1906; La Crosse, 1908; Omaha, 1910; and expects to take part in the great Saengerfest at St. Paul in 1912. The present officers are: John T. Nester, president; John W. Hahn, vice president; Henry Heinz, secretary; Carl Hess, treasurer; William Oeter, librarian; Professor F. Grade, director; Professor Joseph Schaab, assistant director. Total membership, 75

THE VORWAERTS TURNVEREIN.

was organized October 8, 1907, by Henry Heinz, with the following original membership: John Weber, William C. A. Busch, August Kornemann, Henry Heinz, J. H. Mundt, Alexander Grossheim, Charles Eichenauer, H. C. Lange, Oscar Grossheim, A. Linder, Bruno Mohnsen, William Grossklaus, Charles Spieth, L. C. Lenck, Carl Mosqua, John Wiegand, Henry Geiss, George Volger, Gustav Weis, Herman Gremmel, G. H. Weisse, F. C. Hinkel, J. F. Heerd, C. Brunke, John Fiedler, C. J. Rosemond, Nicholas Herr, Rudolph Blass, Charles Giffey, Hans Mohnsen, Frank Chayka, Henry Schaefer, E. Horst, Peter Elfers, J. J. Brown, R. Von Dresky, C. F. Schroeder, Charles Schaefer, Henry Brockhardt, Herman Mahrann, W. C. Fuhlmann, D. Diercke, O. C. Seidlitz, William Witte, Edward Weikert, F. Ruthenberg, Frank Gottbrecht, August Bernhardt, G. W. Schmidt, Frank Schwert feger, William Kaiser, Edward Kindler, W. H. Hoffman, Henry Umlandt, Henry Jess, Jacob Schomberg, Jr., S. Lorenzen, A. Von Dresky, Frederick Zimmerman, Frank Binhoff, William A. Kaiser, Jr., Tobias Toben, Frank Hautsch, Jr., Frank Fischer, John T. Nester, Otto Snyder, J. C. Thompson, Henry Thormann, Frank Criner, M. H. Hess, J. A. Endter, L. Reppert, S. C. Stein, H. Wassermann, Edward B. Molis, J. J. Bielefeld, H. C. Klaffenbach, A. Klaffenbach, William Liebbe, Henry M. Zeidler, George Royster, F. L. Bihlmeier, C. J. Parchert, J. J. Fuller, H. J. Hartman, Philip Rohrbach. The original officers were: Henry Heinz, president; John Wiegand, vice president; Herman Mahrann, recording secretary; Jacob Schomberg, financial secretary; Herman Gremmel, treasurer; Edward B. Molis, first athletic instructor; Bruno Mohnsen, assistant. The Vorwaerts Turnverein is in a flourishing condition at the present time, having all necessary apparatus and two classes. of excellent young Turners who meet for practice every Tuesday and Friday evening, under the able supervision of Instructor Edward B. Molis. In connection with the Turnverein are two clubs, "The Bears" for older members, and the "Gut Heil" for younger members. The "Vorwaerts" is a member of the "National Turner Bund." The present officers are: Henry Heinz, president ; Christian Klopp, vice president; Hans F. Braasch, recording secretary; John

Wolfrum, financial secretary; William Diercks, treasurer; John T. Nester, Charles Spieth and John J. Brown, trustees. The present membership is 95.

THE GERMAN-AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSCATINE.

to which belong the Vorwaerts Turnverein, German Mechanics Aid Society, Muscatine Maennerchor, St. Joseph's Aid Society, St. Mary's Protective Society and the male choir of the German Lutheran church was organized September 6, 1908. It is a member of the Iowa State Alliance and of the GermanAmerican National Alliance. The original officers were: George Boch, president; Herman Mahrann, secretary; Joseph Missel, treasurer. The present officers are: John T. Nester, president; Herman Grensing, secretary; J. F. Heerd, treasurer. It has worthy objects for its purpose. It has introduced and maintained the custom of an annual celebration of "German Day" in honor of the first German settlement in America, at Germantown, Pennsylvania, and was instrumental in introducing an athletic instructor for all the public schools here, last year. The introduction of German instruction in the same and public playgrounds for the children of this city are numbered among its other objects. This combination of German societies has also led to the formation of

THE GERMAN HOME SOCIETY.

organized August 21, 1910, for the worthy purpose of eventually erecting a suitable and commodious German hall for above societies. August 26, 1910, the German Home Society was duly incorporated, the incorporators, who are also directors, being: William Wendlandt, Henry Heinz, Herman Grensing, John F. Heerd, John T. Nester, George Boch, John Wolfram, John L. Knopp, L. C. Lenck, Henry Umlandt, Emil Kranz, Charles Spieth, Gustav Maeglin and Jacob Sylvester. The present officers are: William Wendlandt, president; Henry Heinz, vice president; Herman Grensing, secretary; J. F. Heerd, treasurer. This society has recently purchased a lot 40x140 feet, on the corner of Chestnut and Front streets, upon which it intends to build a hall.