The Tidd Family Old Violin - Family Treasures

 

To those who can truly appreciate a fantastic find:

I just had to share this. After 20+ years of research and gathering family relics the highlight came last night. My Aunt by marriage called yesterday (10 August 1999) and said she had an old violin she would like to pass on to me. I had read of the Old Violin of Daniel Tidd of 1824 of Holliston, Mass. and Independence, Iowa, but never did I ever dream that I would see it. It was the thrill of a true genealogist to be given possession of such a treasure. My Aunt had been given it by my grandmother Zella Straw Olsen, whose mother was Lucy Tidd Straw, whose father was Daniel Tidd. "He bought it in 1842 on the island of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean when he was an eighteen year old sailor on the whaling ship the Endeavor. He bought it from another sailor for $8.00 and who said he had stolen it from a Negro. Daniel played it his entire life until passing on in 1913. He brought it with him when he came to Independence in 1860. His son Herbert H. Tidd inherited it. It was cracked so it was sent to be repaired in 1917 to Greeley, Colorado to Geo. Fisk. Herb Tidd played it for several years before he gave it to the family of Abby Tidd Darling of Greeley in 1937. Cora Darling Bliss sent it to my grandmother in 1955." My grandmother in turn passed it on to my Aunt who played the violin. I am not sure why she choose to pass it on to me when she has children of her own, but I am very grateful she did. It is in a handmade wood case with the trademark G&B. The violin has initials carved into the side that are difficult to make out. It is battered and scared like in the story of the old violin. I know nothing of violins, but I know it will always be one of our family treasures.

Susan LeBlanc, Oregon

Story of the Old Violin

 

            These words were given by Herbert H. Tidd when he brought the violin to Greeley, Colo. to be given to Donald E. Bliss.

            Summer of 1937

            Father sailed on a whaling ship, the “Endeavor” in 1842 from New Bedford, Mass. They were three months reaching Madagaskar Island in the Indian Ocean.

            He was a lad of 18 years.

            He had left home unknown to his parents and sisters at Holliston, Mass. When they went to his room they found these words on the chest- “Gone to Sea”.

            While in the Island he made a bargain with another sailor giving him the sum of $8.00 for this violin. This sailor said he had stolen the violin form a Negro.

Father owned and played on it until his death in 1913. I used it for a number of years in orchestra, the Allerton Orchestra of Independence, Iowa.

            When on the return trip to New Bedford, Mass. in 1845 they stopped at the historic Island of St. Helena in the Southern Atlantic visiting the building in which Napoleon lived during his exile.

            After that return Father ran on ships sailing between Boston and Caracas, Venezuela.

            His trade was that of a shoe maker while at home.

            In 1860 he came to Iowa – brought the violin with him.

            At the time the violin being cracked and became quite unusable. It was about 1917 that it was sent to Geo. Fisk, Greeley, Colo. violin maker. He did a good job of repairing it.

            Happy memories of seeing and hearing Uncle Daniel play on his violin will remain long with his friends and relatives.

 

C.D.B.

(Cora Darling Bliss)