[The Evening Bulletin - Philadelphia, April 13, 1908]
  
Anthony Beck. Youngest Member of Famous Musical Organization to Be Buried Tomorrow
 
Anthony Beck, the youngest and last member of the original Philadelphia (Beck) Band, who died at the home of his son-in-law, Frank E. LeNoir, 31 N. Paxon Street, Friday will be buried in the Lafayette Cemetery, 9th and Federal Station tomorrow.
 
Mr. Beck was born in this city March 23, 1824.  He was one of eight brothers who formed the Beck Band October 1, 1830. The brothers were William, John, Levi, Henry, J. Madison, Charles, George and Anthony.  Later, three nephews were taken into the band, They were J.G.Stevenson Beck, Antrim Beck and A. Walter Beck.  Those men are living.  Marcus Aledo, the conductor, is also living in this city.
 
The brothers were members of the Old Hope Hose Company of the Volunteer Fire Department, for many years in the old 2nd and Market [fire] house at Pine Street.  October 5th, 1830, the band first paraded in firemen's uniform and were nicknamed the "old Hope Hose Band".  The organization was originally a reed instrument company and the members toured the entire country.  They played all national conventions, for grand opera and at Presidential inaugurations, and the band became famous as one of the best of its kind in the United States. Henry and Anthony Beck were well-known as players of the French horn.
 
The last public engagement of the Band intact was during the Centennial in 1876.  Anthony and some of his brothers enlisted with the Twentieth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers at the outbreak of the Civil War.  They served three months and then enlisted with the Twenty-Eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers under command of General Geary who became Governor of this State.  The band played during many decisive battles of the war.  During the Battle of Gettysburg, General Geary sent the [brigade] band to the firing line to draw the bullets from the forces under General Lee.  In the midst of the first tune, the shots came so fast that they had to retreat.  Several of the men were injured slightly. Anthony Beck left the army with rank of Sergeant of Engineers.
 
The members of the organization made the trip from this city to Pittsburgh in stage coaches at one time.
 
Mr. Beck was a charter member of the Philadelphia Musical Association, and a member of Local No. 77, Federation of Musicians.
 
​He lived with his son-in-law for twenty-eight years.  Three children survive him - Miss Sarah B. Beck, Mrs. LeNoir and William H. Beck.

Instrumentation includes: Piccolo, E♭-Cornet, B♭-Cornet, E♭-Alto Horn, Tenor Horn, Baritone Horn, Bass and Percussion.

Rehearsals are held at the Original Hobo Hall, 690 Lambs Road, Pitman, NJ 08071 , every Wednesday @ 7:00 p.m.  Social distancing and masks are a part of each meeting.

There are seat openings from time to time, and if you are already a player, we encourage you to come to any Open Rehearsal to satisfy your curiosity.  PLEASE make contact below prior to coming.    Beck’s Band regularly rehearses 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at HOBO HALL in Pitman, NJ.

For more information and directions, contact Business Manager, Scott West via our contact form.

Some of the band members have traced lineage and are descendants of soldiers who fought in Civil War battles. Further research of local Civil War soldiers showed that 1st Lt. James S. Stratton of the Mullica Hill area of Gloucester County served with Company F of the New Jersey 12th Regiment in Chancellorsville, and later as a recruiter in New Jersey. He returned to field duty and was killed in action and buried in the field at Reams Station, Virginia in 1864. His family later had the body exhumed and returned to Mullica Hill for burial in the Baptist cemetery there. A monument to James S. Stratton and the recruiting efforts can be seen along Evergreen Avenue in Woodbury, the site of what was a recruiting/enlisting and troop transport station during the period. His father and brother raised the money for the 7th Infantry Band and recruited the Band Leader and players.
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The connector road between Richwood Road (C.R. 609) and Harrisonville Road (C.R. 618) has been dedicated and designated as “Lt. James S. Stratton Lane”.

Those members- Sons of Union Veterans- have applied for, and have been granted by The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War national organization, designation as James S. Stratton Camp No. 82 of the SUV, and were officially installed June 7, 2014.