On July 27, 1852, 16 year-old Johann David Gross, together with his parents, Johann Peter Gross and Anna Maria (Aulmann) Gross, four younger brothers and one younger sister, left their home in Miehlen in the Duchy of Nassau, Germany and traveled to the port of Antwerp, Belgium, to board the Caroline and Mary Clark bound for America. On September 21, the Gross family - including Johann Peter's brother Johann David Gross and his family - arrived at the bustling port of New Orleans, Louisiana. Both families settled in Marion County, Missouri.
On April 8, 1857, John D. Gross married Henrietta Ellis Ketzler in Adams County, Illinois. By 1860, the couple was living in Palmyra, Missouri and had two children. Why a skilled wagon maker with a loving wife and two young children who had only been in America for a short nine years would join the Union Army remains a mystery. But on August 20, 1861 in Clayton, Illinois, John D. Gross enlisted in Company B of the 50th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry together with his brothers-in-law, George and Lorenzo Ketzler. He was mustered out on July 13, 1865 in Louisville, Kentucky, after 47 months of distinguished service.
His lasting legacy is measured not only by his Civil War service, but also by his musical gifts. The Silver Tone Band, directed by David Gross led the parades, gave concerts at the Brown County Fair, Fourth of July Celebrations and picnics during the 1880's and 1890's. Besides leading the band, he gave instruction in strings and brass instruments. His students formed orchestras to play for public gatherings. His wife, Henrietta, was a distinguished piano teacher in Clayton.
His eldest son, Frederick D. Gross, was a musician, composer, and music teacher in Clayton who enlisted in the 5th U.S. Army Cavalry Regiment in 1881 becoming its Bandmaster in 1883. In 1898, he was transferred to the 10th Regiment U.S. Infantry as its Bandmaster and served in the Spanish-American War in both Cuba and the Philippines.
His youngest son, George W. Gross, joined his older brother in the 5th U.S. Cavalry Regiment Band in 1886 but returned to civilian life in 1894 to pursue a professional musical career. In 1895, he became only the third Bandmaster of the Texas AMC Band, which today is the legendary "Fightin' Texas Aggie Band."
John D. Gross died at the home of his daughter, Julia A. (Gross) Little in Alexander in Morgan County, Illinois on November 14, 1912. His wife, Henrietta, sons, Frederick and George, and daughter, Albertha (Gross) Meyer, preceded him in death. His other daughters, Henrietta E. (Gross) Wilson, Amelia Catherine (Gross) Boehm, and Lula Eugene (Gross) Dempster, also survived him.
From the Clayton [Illinois] Enterprise, "The service was attended by a church full of people including his comrades of the local Grand Army post [R. K. McCoy Post No. 311]. The Mt. Sterling Orchestra, composed of pupils of Prof. Gross of other years, including his grandson, rendered music including the processional and recessional. After the service, the procession was formed and the body taken to the South Side (cemetery) where the Grand Army ritual was read, taps sounded, and the body was laid away peacefully in a bower of flowers."
On April 8, 1857, John D. Gross married Henrietta Ellis Ketzler in Adams County, Illinois. By 1860, the couple was living in Palmyra, Missouri and had two children. Why a skilled wagon maker with a loving wife and two young children who had only been in America for a short nine years would join the Union Army remains a mystery. But on August 20, 1861 in Clayton, Illinois, John D. Gross enlisted in Company B of the 50th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry together with his brothers-in-law, George and Lorenzo Ketzler. He was mustered out on July 13, 1865 in Louisville, Kentucky, after 47 months of distinguished service.
His lasting legacy is measured not only by his Civil War service, but also by his musical gifts. The Silver Tone Band, directed by David Gross led the parades, gave concerts at the Brown County Fair, Fourth of July Celebrations and picnics during the 1880's and 1890's. Besides leading the band, he gave instruction in strings and brass instruments. His students formed orchestras to play for public gatherings. His wife, Henrietta, was a distinguished piano teacher in Clayton.
His eldest son, Frederick D. Gross, was a musician, composer, and music teacher in Clayton who enlisted in the 5th U.S. Army Cavalry Regiment in 1881 becoming its Bandmaster in 1883. In 1898, he was transferred to the 10th Regiment U.S. Infantry as its Bandmaster and served in the Spanish-American War in both Cuba and the Philippines.
His youngest son, George W. Gross, joined his older brother in the 5th U.S. Cavalry Regiment Band in 1886 but returned to civilian life in 1894 to pursue a professional musical career. In 1895, he became only the third Bandmaster of the Texas AMC Band, which today is the legendary "Fightin' Texas Aggie Band."
John D. Gross died at the home of his daughter, Julia A. (Gross) Little in Alexander in Morgan County, Illinois on November 14, 1912. His wife, Henrietta, sons, Frederick and George, and daughter, Albertha (Gross) Meyer, preceded him in death. His other daughters, Henrietta E. (Gross) Wilson, Amelia Catherine (Gross) Boehm, and Lula Eugene (Gross) Dempster, also survived him.
From the Clayton [Illinois] Enterprise, "The service was attended by a church full of people including his comrades of the local Grand Army post [R. K. McCoy Post No. 311]. The Mt. Sterling Orchestra, composed of pupils of Prof. Gross of other years, including his grandson, rendered music including the processional and recessional. After the service, the procession was formed and the body taken to the South Side (cemetery) where the Grand Army ritual was read, taps sounded, and the body was laid away peacefully in a bower of flowers."
On July 27, 1852, 16 year-old Johann David Gross, together with his parents, Johann Peter Gross and Anna Maria (Aulmann) Gross, four younger brothers and one younger sister, left their home in Miehlen in the Duchy of Nassau, Germany and traveled to the port of Antwerp, Belgium, to board the Caroline and Mary Clark bound for America. On September 21, the Gross family - including Johann Peter's brother Johann David Gross and his family - arrived at the bustling port of New Orleans, Louisiana. Both families settled in Marion County, Missouri.
On April 8, 1857, John D. Gross married Henrietta Ellis Ketzler in Adams County, Illinois. By 1860, the couple was living in Palmyra, Missouri and had two children. Why a skilled wagon maker with a loving wife and two young children who had only been in America for a short nine years would join the Union Army remains a mystery. But on August 20, 1861 in Clayton, Illinois, John D. Gross enlisted in Company B of the 50th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry together with his brothers-in-law, George and Lorenzo Ketzler. He was mustered out on July 13, 1865 in Louisville, Kentucky, after 47 months of distinguished service.
His lasting legacy is measured not only by his Civil War service, but also by his musical gifts. The Silver Tone Band, directed by David Gross led the parades, gave concerts at the Brown County Fair, Fourth of July Celebrations and picnics during the 1880's and 1890's. Besides leading the band, he gave instruction in strings and brass instruments. His students formed orchestras to play for public gatherings. His wife, Henrietta, was a distinguished piano teacher in Clayton.
His eldest son, Frederick D. Gross, was a musician, composer, and music teacher in Clayton who enlisted in the 5th U.S. Army Cavalry Regiment in 1881 becoming its Bandmaster in 1883. In 1898, he was transferred to the 10th Regiment U.S. Infantry as its Bandmaster and served in the Spanish-American War in both Cuba and the Philippines.
His youngest son, George W. Gross, joined his older brother in the 5th U.S. Cavalry Regiment Band in 1886 but returned to civilian life in 1894 to pursue a professional musical career. In 1895, he became only the third Bandmaster of the Texas AMC Band, which today is the legendary "Fightin' Texas Aggie Band."
John D. Gross died at the home of his daughter, Julia A. (Gross) Little in Alexander in Morgan County, Illinois on November 14, 1912. His wife, Henrietta, sons, Frederick and George, and daughter, Albertha (Gross) Meyer, preceded him in death. His other daughters, Henrietta E. (Gross) Wilson, Amelia Catherine (Gross) Boehm, and Lula Eugene (Gross) Dempster, also survived him.
From the Clayton [Illinois] Enterprise, "The service was attended by a church full of people including his comrades of the local Grand Army post [R. K. McCoy Post No. 311]. The Mt. Sterling Orchestra, composed of pupils of Prof. Gross of other years, including his grandson, rendered music including the processional and recessional. After the service, the procession was formed and the body taken to the South Side (cemetery) where the Grand Army ritual was read, taps sounded, and the body was laid away peacefully in a bower of flowers."
On April 8, 1857, John D. Gross married Henrietta Ellis Ketzler in Adams County, Illinois. By 1860, the couple was living in Palmyra, Missouri and had two children. Why a skilled wagon maker with a loving wife and two young children who had only been in America for a short nine years would join the Union Army remains a mystery. But on August 20, 1861 in Clayton, Illinois, John D. Gross enlisted in Company B of the 50th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry together with his brothers-in-law, George and Lorenzo Ketzler. He was mustered out on July 13, 1865 in Louisville, Kentucky, after 47 months of distinguished service.
His lasting legacy is measured not only by his Civil War service, but also by his musical gifts. The Silver Tone Band, directed by David Gross led the parades, gave concerts at the Brown County Fair, Fourth of July Celebrations and picnics during the 1880's and 1890's. Besides leading the band, he gave instruction in strings and brass instruments. His students formed orchestras to play for public gatherings. His wife, Henrietta, was a distinguished piano teacher in Clayton.
His eldest son, Frederick D. Gross, was a musician, composer, and music teacher in Clayton who enlisted in the 5th U.S. Army Cavalry Regiment in 1881 becoming its Bandmaster in 1883. In 1898, he was transferred to the 10th Regiment U.S. Infantry as its Bandmaster and served in the Spanish-American War in both Cuba and the Philippines.
His youngest son, George W. Gross, joined his older brother in the 5th U.S. Cavalry Regiment Band in 1886 but returned to civilian life in 1894 to pursue a professional musical career. In 1895, he became only the third Bandmaster of the Texas AMC Band, which today is the legendary "Fightin' Texas Aggie Band."
John D. Gross died at the home of his daughter, Julia A. (Gross) Little in Alexander in Morgan County, Illinois on November 14, 1912. His wife, Henrietta, sons, Frederick and George, and daughter, Albertha (Gross) Meyer, preceded him in death. His other daughters, Henrietta E. (Gross) Wilson, Amelia Catherine (Gross) Boehm, and Lula Eugene (Gross) Dempster, also survived him.
From the Clayton [Illinois] Enterprise, "The service was attended by a church full of people including his comrades of the local Grand Army post [R. K. McCoy Post No. 311]. The Mt. Sterling Orchestra, composed of pupils of Prof. Gross of other years, including his grandson, rendered music including the processional and recessional. After the service, the procession was formed and the body taken to the South Side (cemetery) where the Grand Army ritual was read, taps sounded, and the body was laid away peacefully in a bower of flowers."
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