On Sept. 1, 1821, a young man was born in Loudon. As uneventful and common as this might seem it was indeed a day to be remembered, for you see, the young man was somewhat of a prodigy.
Benjamin Davis lived in relative obscurity during his younger years, working on the family farm and trying to survive the cold New Hampshire winters. Like other youngsters born during this time in American history, young Ben would have been raised by parents that were true patriots and proud of what little they owned less than 50 years after our country was born. Mexico had just won their independence from Spain and Americans were discussing opportunities to settle in the state of Texas. With peace and pride many Americans felt their children would have a good future.
Benjamin most certainly attended the local school in Loudon, and we find him continuing his education two years later in Canterbury. I am sure he did remarkably well for himself. A smart young man with ambition for he had his sights set on a career, not a job on the farm or in the mill. His life would be successful for his passion was music, in particular, he simply liked to sing.
Sadly, there were some obstacles in his young life for he is found in his late teen years to be working in a cotton mill in Methuen, Mass. He lived and worked in Methuen for a period of four years where he learned to read music under the instruction of Miss Martha Burt. With this instruction and encouragement from Miss Burt, Benjamin was voted in as a member of the choir of the Rev. A.A. Miner’s Church in Methuen.
He then returned to New Hampshire in pursuit of his passion for singing, attending school in Springfield and Meriden, continuing his education in music for years while always engaged in different honorable occupations.
When Benjamin was 31 years old, he entered into a musical relationship with J.H. Morey, studied music at the Boston Academy of Music under Dr. Lowell Mason, G. J. Webb and B. F. Baker, all very well-known and celebrated music teachers during this era.
Davis continued to educate himself over time and his teaching skills were in high demand with the 1850s coming to an end. He was so successful that in a period of just one year he turned down offers of employment at no less than 35 music schools.
Many prominent men and woman are said to have been his music students and it is in this period that we find a loving nickname assigned to Davis, for the rest of his days he was affectionately known simply as “Uncle Ben.” As Uncle Ben aged and taught his students in Concord, he remained very involved and enjoyed singing. A member of the Concord Universalist Society and many local choirs he kept his passion alive.
It was in 1864 that Uncle Ben met with J.H. Morey and others to discuss an idea that he had to further the musical opportunities of others that resided in New Hampshire. I am sure his thoughts went back to his earlier humble years when he developed the concept for the very first Concord Oratorio Society Annual Festival. It was well planned and executed by these fine gentlemen and held in 1864 at the Phenix Hall on our very own Main Street here in Concord. It has been said that a chorus of a 1,000 people was here that day, singers from all over the state of New Hampshire. Uncle Ben had a large stage built for the event and the singers were equal in number to the large audience. This wonderful event continued for 22 years but ended in 1886.
As the years progressed and advanced age approached, Uncle Ben continued his passion while living in his apartment in the Masonic Temple in Concord. He was surrounded by his pet birds and many visited Uncle Ben as part of their pilgrimage to Concord. Uncle Ben loved to share his passion with younger people as he aged. A very honorable man, known for being genial, outgoing and an abolitionist. His love and passion surrounded him until his last days when I am sure he sat and contemplated his early years as a young boy on the farm in Loudon, singing on cold winter nights, dreaming about what life could be.
Uncle Ben was laid to rest at the Blossom Hill Cemetery on Nov. 26, 1900, under a dark granite stone, engraved “Uncle Ben.”