George C. Westervelt Papers

Collection

Identifier: RG 30-364

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The George C. Westervelt Papers are divided into three series; Series I. Historical File; Series II. Correspondence; and, Series III. Scrapbooks and Notebooks. The historical file and scrapbook provide evidence of Westervelt’s role in the formation of Oberlin College’s first band. The correspondence series provides insight into Westervelt’s personal life, including information regarding family deaths and Westervelt’s personal financial difficulty.

A separate notebook contains notes recorded by Westervelt for a psychology class taught by Professor John Ellis.

Dates

Creation: 1872-1941, undated

Creator

Westervelt, George C. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Unrestricted.

Biographical or Historical Information

George C. Westervelt was born in Oscaboosa, Iowa on June 2, 1856 and was one of four sons (Henry, Edward, ?) born to Rev. William Andrew Westervelt (Oberlin College, Class of 1843) and Lydia H. Drake. The family moved to Oberlin when George was ten years old. He entered the preparatory department of Oberlin College in 1872, then became a student in the Oberlin Conservatory (1872-1884), studying organ, harmony, and counterpoint with Professors William B. Chamberlain and George W. Andrews. As a student in the Conservatory, he organized several bands for “entertainment of the ladies.” One of these, the Orphans College Band (1881), was the first club in Oberlin to perform concerts on and off campus. It was the predecessor of the Oberlin College Conservatory Band he organized in 1902 to represent the school.

In poor health, he left Oberlin to homestead in South Dakota for several years, then joined his brother, Edmund, in a paper business in South Bend, Indiana for two years. He then devoted himself to the study of public school music and became Instructor of Instrumental and Vocal Music at Western Hasmal College, in Bushnell, Illinois before returning to Oberlin in 1896 where he taught music at the Conservatory, built houses in Oberlin and South Lorain. He worked as a decorator with H.C. Tuck, a college decorator.

His first marriage was to Ella Marie Hammond (d. July 12, 1946), who attended Oberlin College (1879-1881, Lit.). She divorced him on grounds of negligence of duty in 1899. His second marriage was to Emma A. Howard (enrolled in the Conservatory 1900-1901), the mother of their only child, John. She died December 1, 1935.

George Westervelt was a resident of Oberlin and nearby communities for 75 years until his death at age 90 on 16 August 1946. The original family home was on the present site of United Methodist Church, South Prospect Street in Oberlin, Ohio. His brother, Edmund, donated Westervelt Hall (now FAVA) to the College.

Sources Consulted

Student file of George C. Westervelt, enrolled 1872-1874, in Alumni Records (RG 28).

Note written by Caitlin Condell