George William Gross was born February 22, 1869, in Palmyra, Marion County, Missouri. At the tender age of five, he exhibited precocious talents by being able to follow by ear in perfect harmony of accompaniment on a violin the melody played by his father, John David Gross, on the piano. When he was six years old, he played second violin in an orchestra and at eight he led an orchestra of eight musicians. At age eleven he played solo cornet in a band and at age fourteen conducted several brass bands.
On August 18, 1886, he enlisted in the Fifth Cavalry Band stationed at Ft. Riley, Kansas under the leadership of his brother Frederick D. Gross. He served at this station for five years when he was transferred with his brother to Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, where he remained two years. At the expiration of his enlistment, he returned to Louisiana, Missouri and on September. 13, 1894 was united in marriage to Minnie Pieper. He remained in Louisiana the winter of 1894 and 1895 and lead the Parks' Opera House Orchestra.
In the fall of 1895 he accepted a position of professor of music at the A. M. C. college [now Texas A. & M. University] at College Station, Texas. He taught two seasons at this college, then returned to Louisiana where in the spring of 1897 be embarked in the music business with R. W. Young. In the fall of 1897 he dissolved partnership with Mr. Young and accepted a position with Parks' Music House with whom he remained four months, leaving in December 1897 for Mexico, Missouri to accept a more lucrative position conducting. He went from Mexico to St. Louis in January 1899 and while there was the leader of two orchestras, conducted the First Ward Republican League Band, and was also a member of the First Regiment Band, the recognized concert band of St. Louis.
On February 23, 1900 while working with a St. Louis Water Department crew painting the inside of the 105-foot tall Grand Avenue water tower, the crew lit a small controlled fire at the base to dry out the walls. Feeling the effects of the carbon monoxide, he (working alone) yelled to be pulled up. The lines got tangled and he yelled again to be let back down as he thought he would be able to escape through one of the four 36-inch water lines that had been previously drained. Sadly, he was overcome, collapsed, damming the trickle of water in the pipe and drowned. Tragically in one more week he intended to resign his position and devote his entire attention to music, for that was his calling and his talents were so fast being recognized that his proffered musical engagements were more numerous than he could accept.
He was survived by his four year old son, Leonard A. Gross, and his wife Minnie who was pregnant with their daughter, Rita Georgia Gross.
On August 18, 1886, he enlisted in the Fifth Cavalry Band stationed at Ft. Riley, Kansas under the leadership of his brother Frederick D. Gross. He served at this station for five years when he was transferred with his brother to Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, where he remained two years. At the expiration of his enlistment, he returned to Louisiana, Missouri and on September. 13, 1894 was united in marriage to Minnie Pieper. He remained in Louisiana the winter of 1894 and 1895 and lead the Parks' Opera House Orchestra.
In the fall of 1895 he accepted a position of professor of music at the A. M. C. college [now Texas A. & M. University] at College Station, Texas. He taught two seasons at this college, then returned to Louisiana where in the spring of 1897 be embarked in the music business with R. W. Young. In the fall of 1897 he dissolved partnership with Mr. Young and accepted a position with Parks' Music House with whom he remained four months, leaving in December 1897 for Mexico, Missouri to accept a more lucrative position conducting. He went from Mexico to St. Louis in January 1899 and while there was the leader of two orchestras, conducted the First Ward Republican League Band, and was also a member of the First Regiment Band, the recognized concert band of St. Louis.
On February 23, 1900 while working with a St. Louis Water Department crew painting the inside of the 105-foot tall Grand Avenue water tower, the crew lit a small controlled fire at the base to dry out the walls. Feeling the effects of the carbon monoxide, he (working alone) yelled to be pulled up. The lines got tangled and he yelled again to be let back down as he thought he would be able to escape through one of the four 36-inch water lines that had been previously drained. Sadly, he was overcome, collapsed, damming the trickle of water in the pipe and drowned. Tragically in one more week he intended to resign his position and devote his entire attention to music, for that was his calling and his talents were so fast being recognized that his proffered musical engagements were more numerous than he could accept.
He was survived by his four year old son, Leonard A. Gross, and his wife Minnie who was pregnant with their daughter, Rita Georgia Gross.
George William Gross was born February 22, 1869, in Palmyra, Marion County, Missouri. At the tender age of five, he exhibited precocious talents by being able to follow by ear in perfect harmony of accompaniment on a violin the melody played by his father, John David Gross, on the piano. When he was six years old, he played second violin in an orchestra and at eight he led an orchestra of eight musicians. At age eleven he played solo cornet in a band and at age fourteen conducted several brass bands.
On August 18, 1886, he enlisted in the Fifth Cavalry Band stationed at Ft. Riley, Kansas under the leadership of his brother Frederick D. Gross. He served at this station for five years when he was transferred with his brother to Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, where he remained two years. At the expiration of his enlistment, he returned to Louisiana, Missouri and on September. 13, 1894 was united in marriage to Minnie Pieper. He remained in Louisiana the winter of 1894 and 1895 and lead the Parks' Opera House Orchestra.
In the fall of 1895 he accepted a position of professor of music at the A. M. C. college [now Texas A. & M. University] at College Station, Texas. He taught two seasons at this college, then returned to Louisiana where in the spring of 1897 be embarked in the music business with R. W. Young. In the fall of 1897 he dissolved partnership with Mr. Young and accepted a position with Parks' Music House with whom he remained four months, leaving in December 1897 for Mexico, Missouri to accept a more lucrative position conducting. He went from Mexico to St. Louis in January 1899 and while there was the leader of two orchestras, conducted the First Ward Republican League Band, and was also a member of the First Regiment Band, the recognized concert band of St. Louis.
On February 23, 1900 while working with a St. Louis Water Department crew painting the inside of the 105-foot tall Grand Avenue water tower, the crew lit a small controlled fire at the base to dry out the walls. Feeling the effects of the carbon monoxide, he (working alone) yelled to be pulled up. The lines got tangled and he yelled again to be let back down as he thought he would be able to escape through one of the four 36-inch water lines that had been previously drained. Sadly, he was overcome, collapsed, damming the trickle of water in the pipe and drowned. Tragically in one more week he intended to resign his position and devote his entire attention to music, for that was his calling and his talents were so fast being recognized that his proffered musical engagements were more numerous than he could accept.
He was survived by his four year old son, Leonard A. Gross, and his wife Minnie who was pregnant with their daughter, Rita Georgia Gross.
On August 18, 1886, he enlisted in the Fifth Cavalry Band stationed at Ft. Riley, Kansas under the leadership of his brother Frederick D. Gross. He served at this station for five years when he was transferred with his brother to Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, where he remained two years. At the expiration of his enlistment, he returned to Louisiana, Missouri and on September. 13, 1894 was united in marriage to Minnie Pieper. He remained in Louisiana the winter of 1894 and 1895 and lead the Parks' Opera House Orchestra.
In the fall of 1895 he accepted a position of professor of music at the A. M. C. college [now Texas A. & M. University] at College Station, Texas. He taught two seasons at this college, then returned to Louisiana where in the spring of 1897 be embarked in the music business with R. W. Young. In the fall of 1897 he dissolved partnership with Mr. Young and accepted a position with Parks' Music House with whom he remained four months, leaving in December 1897 for Mexico, Missouri to accept a more lucrative position conducting. He went from Mexico to St. Louis in January 1899 and while there was the leader of two orchestras, conducted the First Ward Republican League Band, and was also a member of the First Regiment Band, the recognized concert band of St. Louis.
On February 23, 1900 while working with a St. Louis Water Department crew painting the inside of the 105-foot tall Grand Avenue water tower, the crew lit a small controlled fire at the base to dry out the walls. Feeling the effects of the carbon monoxide, he (working alone) yelled to be pulled up. The lines got tangled and he yelled again to be let back down as he thought he would be able to escape through one of the four 36-inch water lines that had been previously drained. Sadly, he was overcome, collapsed, damming the trickle of water in the pipe and drowned. Tragically in one more week he intended to resign his position and devote his entire attention to music, for that was his calling and his talents were so fast being recognized that his proffered musical engagements were more numerous than he could accept.
He was survived by his four year old son, Leonard A. Gross, and his wife Minnie who was pregnant with their daughter, Rita Georgia Gross.
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