Few people in this area are familiar with G. Oliver Riggs, an accomplished musician and bandmaster who spent time in Crookston early in the 20th century. The man's great-grandaughter, Joy Riggs, who never got the privilege to meet him, would like to change that.
“He was a real-life music man who left his mark everywhere he went, including Crookston,” she said on a recent trip to the city. “He was able to work his magic and form bands out of sometimes nothing, which he was doing still until he died.”
G. Oliver – his real name was George, which he never liked – started his musical life at a young age, organizing his first band at only age 15. He played the cornet and violin and studied music with prestigious teachers in between his stints teaching music, directing bands and organizing them.
As Joy explained it, he was in Crookston for two stints, the first from 1898 to 1909. During this time, G. Oliver directed a municipal band and Riggs' Orchestra and Dance band, which played for just about every occasion in the area.
“He kept his musicians busy all year long, with weekly summer concerts that sometimes attracted more than 1,000 people, and periodic concerts and performances during the school year,” she said. “They didn't take many breaks.”
Very few public schools had music programs during that time, Joy said, so it was up to the municipal programs to fill the gap. These bands, consequently, were made of up musicians of various ages, down to upper elementary age. G. Oliver also formed several “boy bands” consisting solely of school-age boys.
“It really was like the play 'The Music Man,' only G. Oliver was no Harold Hill – he honestly wanted to bring quality music to every place he went,” she said.
Grand Forks called him away from Crookston in 1909 to direct the Military Band, which he did for a year before heading to Tacoma, Wash. and later Montana. Crookston again came calling, and G. Oliver, his wife Islea, and their children returned in 1914. He again directed the municipal band, and added directing the Crookston boys' band to his duties until the family left for Bemidji in 1919.
The couple had four children, although two died in childhood. Joy, who lives in Northfield with her family, her father Bill Riggs and mother Anne visited Crookston and Grand Forks earlier this month to visit their graves – G. Oliver, Islea are buried in Crookston with the two children who died here – and check out some of their ancestor's “old musical haunts” in the cities. While it was impossible to bring G. Oliver in person, as he passed away in 1946 at age 76, they improvised and made his presence known, nevertheless, by carrying around a life-size placard of the man, much as he looked around the time he was here.
Bill, who has lived in Alexandria for decades, noted that his father Ronald graduated from Central High School in 1919, but, having grown up in St. Cloud, did not recall ever visiting Crookston before.
“Honestly, I would think I’ve been here before, but just don’t remember,” he said.
Another reason the Riggs family came up here was to do some research and try to locate more photos of G. Oliver, particularly one with him and John Philip Sousa, whose band played in Crookston 1899 and 1902.
“Those were crowning moments in my great-grandfather's life,” said Joy. “But we have not been able to locate any photo of him with Sousa, although I'm sure one exists somewhere, maybe in someone's attic.”
Anyone who has any information or mementos of G. Oliver to share with the Riggs family, contact Joy Riggs at joyriggs@yahoo.com or write to her at 509 St. Olaf Ave., Northfield, MN 55057. Visit the Website dedicated to him, www.goliverriggs.net for more details on G. Oliver's life.
“I think he was just a fascinating man, but of course I might be a little prejudiced,” Joy concluded. “His enthusiasm and love of music spread throughout Minnesota, where he spent most of his life, and other states, and he was truly one of Minnesota's musical forefathers.”
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Few people in this area are familiar with G. Oliver Riggs, an accomplished musician and bandmaster who spent time in Crookston early in the 20th century. The man's great-grandaughter, Joy Riggs, who never got the privilege to meet him, would like to change that.
“He was a real-life music man who left his mark everywhere he went, including Crookston,” she said on a recent trip to the city. “He was able to work his magic and form bands out of sometimes nothing, which he was doing still until he died.”
G. Oliver – his real name was George, which he never liked – started his musical life at a young age, organizing his first band at only age 15. He played the cornet and violin and studied music with prestigious teachers in between his stints teaching music, directing bands and organizing them.
As Joy explained it, he was in Crookston for two stints, the first from 1898 to 1909. During this time, G. Oliver directed a municipal band and Riggs' Orchestra and Dance band, which played for just about every occasion in the area.
“He kept his musicians busy all year long, with weekly summer concerts that sometimes attracted more than 1,000 people, and periodic concerts and performances during the school year,” she said. “They didn't take many breaks.”
Very few public schools had music programs during that time, Joy said, so it was up to the municipal programs to fill the gap. These bands, consequently, were made of up musicians of various ages, down to upper elementary age. G. Oliver also formed several “boy bands” consisting solely of school-age boys.
“It really was like the play 'The Music Man,' only G. Oliver was no Harold Hill – he honestly wanted to bring quality music to every place he went,” she said.
Grand Forks called him away from Crookston in 1909 to direct the Military Band, which he did for a year before heading to Tacoma, Wash. and later Montana. Crookston again came calling, and G. Oliver, his wife Islea, and their children returned in 1914. He again directed the municipal band, and added directing the Crookston boys' band to his duties until the family left for Bemidji in 1919.
The couple had four children, although two died in childhood. Joy, who lives in Northfield with her family, her father Bill Riggs and mother Anne visited Crookston and Grand Forks earlier this month to visit their graves – G. Oliver, Islea are buried in Crookston with the two children who died here – and check out some of their ancestor's “old musical haunts” in the cities. While it was impossible to bring G. Oliver in person, as he passed away in 1946 at age 76, they improvised and made his presence known, nevertheless, by carrying around a life-size placard of the man, much as he looked around the time he was here.
Bill, who has lived in Alexandria for decades, noted that his father Ronald graduated from Central High School in 1919, but, having grown up in St. Cloud, did not recall ever visiting Crookston before.
“Honestly, I would think I’ve been here before, but just don’t remember,” he said.
Another reason the Riggs family came up here was to do some research and try to locate more photos of G. Oliver, particularly one with him and John Philip Sousa, whose band played in Crookston 1899 and 1902.
“Those were crowning moments in my great-grandfather's life,” said Joy. “But we have not been able to locate any photo of him with Sousa, although I'm sure one exists somewhere, maybe in someone's attic.”
Anyone who has any information or mementos of G. Oliver to share with the Riggs family, contact Joy Riggs at joyriggs@yahoo.com or write to her at 509 St. Olaf Ave., Northfield, MN 55057. Visit the Website dedicated to him, www.goliverriggs.net for more details on G. Oliver's life.
“I think he was just a fascinating man, but of course I might be a little prejudiced,” Joy concluded. “His enthusiasm and love of music spread throughout Minnesota, where he spent most of his life, and other states, and he was truly one of Minnesota's musical forefathers.”
