In the Beginning... The history of the Flint Citadel
Band runs parallel with the history of the City of
Flint. The Salvation Army began its work in Flint on
July 26, 1893. At that time, Flint was referred to as
"The Vehicle City", with its citizens being mainly occupied in
the manufacture of horse-drawn vehicles.
In 1904, the Buick Motor Company moved from
Jackson, Michigan to Flint. To secure the necessary
skilled personnel, advertising was conducted in engineering
centers in both Canadian and American cities. Among the
first new arrivals to be employed by Buick were four
Salvationist bandsmen from Canada.
It was not long before other Salvationists began
arriving to find jobs, from Brantford, Canada; Perth,
Scotland; Keighly, Leeds, Hasting, and Plumstead, England; and
Belfast, Ireland. It was natural that these former
bandsmen from other countries would attend The Salvation Army
and organize a band in 1905.
There were ten men
and two women in the original Flint Citadel Band, organized
under the leadership of Bandmaster Orwin Shoemaker, but soon
many others joined the ranks. Shortly after its official
installation, the band made its first tour, visiting cities in
the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
In 1914, the band, under the leadership
of Bandmaster David Nock, traveled to London, England for the
great Salvation Army Congress. The original plans were
to travel with the Canadian Staff Band on the ship, "The
Empress of Ireland", but these arrangements were canceled, and
the band traveled to New York and sailed with the American
delegation. (In the early hours of May 29, 1914,
the Empress of Ireland was struck by another ship and sank in
fourteen minutes. Only eight members of the Canadian Staff
Band survived. 109 Salvation Army officers drowned. The few
survivors told how the Salvationists, finding there were not
enough life-preservers for all, took off their own belts and
strapped them upon even stronger men, saying, "I can die
better than you can.") They practiced daily on the trip,
and President Theodore Roosevelt often listened to their
rehearsal. Some weeks after its return, the band was
invited by the President to take part in a reception in his
honor in Detroit.
In more recent
years, the band has traveled to cities in the eastern United
States, the Midwest, and Canada.
The Flint Citadel Band has given
continuous service to God and Man since that time, 52 weeks a
year.
The Band Today Members of the Flint Citadel Band
are all volunteers, with no one being paid, including the
Bandmaster. The membership is diverse in age, from 15 to
70+ years. Occupations range from high school students
to retirees. There are teachers, nurses, engineers,
homemakers, bankers, skilled trades, and other professional
employment among the members of this all-brass band. The
Flint Citadel Band is also a family affair, with six pairs of
spouses, and ten men and women with sons or daughters who also
play in the band. All personnel of this band are active
members of The Salvation Army Church, located in Downtown
Flint, Michigan. While the personnel of the band
during the early years came as a result of immigration from
other countries, the majority of the current members are
products of the Youth Band program at The Salvation Army.
During the month of December, ensembles
from the band will play Christmas music in various shopping
malls around Flint to raise money for The Salvation Army
Christmas effort.
Bandmaster Matthew Rowland, is a
Service Extension Director with The Salvation Army in eastern
Michigan, and has been a member of the Flint Citadel Band
since 1996, and has served as Bandmaster since 2011.
July 26, 1893 - the
sound of singing, the ring of tambourines, and bursts of glad
"Hallelujahs" are heard in Peers Grove in Flint,
Michigan. The Salvation Army has come to town, and
officers from Michigan and Indiana, under the leadership of
Major W.J. Cozens, Divisional Commander, are preparing for a
bombardment of Flint.
The first indoor meeting was held that night in the Baptist
Church, and the War Cry, (a Salvation Army publication,)
recorded it this way:
"When the troops
entered, the congregation arose enmasse to get a better view
of the strangers. Every seat was taken while a great
throng crowded and pushed against each other in each of the
three entrances." The War Cry announced that a post was
being started immediately under the command of Captains
Florence Clifford and Williamson.
Locations Various churches housed the first Army
meetings in Flint until the old Princess Skating Rink was
purchased. Next, "Fowler's Garage" on East Union Street
was renovated to meet the needs of the growing congregation,
afterwhich the corps was moved to a store front building on
the west side of the 200 block of Saginaw Street, and later a
building on West Kearsley Street. In 1910, under the
leadership of Adjutant and Mrs. Howard J. Clifford (brother to
the first officer, Captain Florence Clifford), property on
Beach Street between First and Kearsley Streets was purchased,
and plans for permanent housing were underway.
Permanent Corps Building In May, 1911,
after much sacrifice and prayer on the part of the soldiers,
and through the generosity W.C. Durant, and the efforts and
generosity of the Corps Officers, Adjutant and Mrs. Howard
Clifford, the building was completed and dedicated.
General Evangeline Booth, daughter of the Founder, and then
National Commander of The Salvation Army in America, was on
hand for the dedication. In 1921, a gymnasium, band room, and
general Corps offices were added to the building. In
1967, under the leadership of Brigadier and Mrs. David Payton,
a new sanctuary was constructed, and the senior corps moved
from the old building to the new, renovating the former
building for youth activities.
In 1979, a building at the corner of Kearsley and Beach
Streets was acquired. This building was torn down and
replaced with lawn, trees, and shrubs, and in 1988, property
on the west side of the sanctuary was purchased for
parking.
Industry & Flint
Citadel At the turn of the century, David Buick,
an internal combustion engineer, was producing some engines in
Jackson, Michigan, but because he could not get financial
backing there, he moved his Buick Motor Company to Flint where
the backing was available. He hired a mechanic, William
E. Beacraft, from the city of Guelph, Ontario, Canada to begin
building the first Buick engine. Mr. Beacraft linked up
with the struggling Army corps, and became its first Corps
Sergeant Major. (Succeeding him in this position been
just nine men: Fred Smith, Sr., Alex Murray, Percy
Edwards, William Murray, William J. Cooke, Earl "Bud" Newtown,
William Leitch, R. James Smith, and Dr. Joseph Simmert.)
One morning in 1904, Mr. Buick paused beside the bench of
his foreman: "Beacraft," he said, "we must hire more
mechanics, and it's up to you to get them." Beacraft
smiled as he agreed to carry out the assignment; this was an
answer to his prayer. He knew where men could be
found--not only skilled mechanics, but also dedicated
Salvationists and bandsmen. He contacted his home corps
in Guelph, and soon men began arriving. Salvationists,
Morse and Randall, were the first two hired, Buick had his
men, and The Army had dedicated bandsmen who marched the
streets of Flint proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ
crucified, risen, and coming again.
Word spread to Salvationists across Canada and overseas
that there was work and a growing corps in Flint, and the
crowds came seeking employment and a place in The
Army.