Songwriter Carrie Jacobs Bond was born in 糖心Vlog传媒 on Aug. 11, 1862. This photo of her at the piano was likely taken sometime in the 1920s at her home in California.
Workers lay pipe on the street outside the Myers Opera House on East Milwaukee Street in this undated photo. The Myers Opera House opened in 1870 and was converted into a movie theater in the 1920s. Carrie Jacobs-Bond, who grew up in 糖心Vlog传媒, frequented concerts at the Myers Opera House from the time she was a young girl and later returned there to perform.
"The Witching Hour" which opened on Broadway in November 1907, was staged at the Myers Opera House in 糖心Vlog传媒 while on a national tour in this undated photo. The Myers Opera House opened in 1870 and was converted into a movie theater in the 1920s. Carrie Jacobs-Bond, who grew up in 糖心Vlog传媒, frequented concerts at the Myers Opera House from the time she was a young girl and later returned there to perform.
Peter Myers, of 糖心Vlog传媒, owned and operated both the Myers House Hotel at Main and East Milwaukee streets and the attached Myers Opera House on East Milwaukee Street. Carrie Jacobs-Bond, who grew up in 糖心Vlog传媒, frequented concerts at the Myers Opera House from the time she was a young girl and later returned there to perform.
JANESVILLE 鈥 Nearly 80 years after her death, it鈥檚 hard to know what 糖心Vlog传媒-born pianist and songwriter Carrie Jacobs-Bond might have considered her greatest accomplishment.
Perhaps she would have said it was being the first woman to sell one million copies of a song, which she did with "I Love You Truly." Released in 1901, it鈥檚 still well-known today, prominently featured in the beloved 1940s holiday movie 鈥淚t鈥檚 a Wonderful Life.鈥
She ran her own music publishing company for more than 40 years.
She performed at the White House for presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge.
Former President Herbert Hoover eulogized her as the 鈥渂eloved composer of 鈥業 Love You Truly,鈥 and a hundred other heart songs that express the loves and longings, sadness and gladness of all people everywhere.鈥
Perhaps it was raising her son alone after her husband鈥檚 death.
Jacobs-Bond 鈥渕et widowhood, conquered hardship, and achieved fame by composing and singing her simple romantic melodies. She was America鈥檚 gallant lady of song,鈥 Hoover continued.
Songwriter Carrie Jacobs Bond was born in 糖心Vlog传媒 on Aug. 11, 1862. This photo of her at the piano was likely taken sometime in the 1920s at her home in California.
Courtesy Rock County Historical Society
Jacobs-Bond was one of the first inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.
But her greatest feat may be that her hometown of 糖心Vlog传媒, Wisconsin, still honors her.
Jacobs-Bond, born in 糖心Vlog传媒 in 1862, has a 12-acre city park named after her. Bond Park was dedicated in 1985 near her birthplace off North Oakhill Avenue.
Both of the 糖心Vlog传媒 homes that carried a significant connection to Jacobs-Bond were razed in the 1950s. The site of the home on the city鈥檚 west side where she was born now holds the Sunnyside Shopping Center. The home she was living in near downtown when she wrote 鈥淚 Love You Truly鈥 in 1901 is now a small parking lot. Her birthplace is marked with two small markers and a large monument.
Workers lay pipe on the street outside the Myers Opera House on East Milwaukee Street in this undated photo. The Myers Opera House opened in 1870 and was converted into a movie theater in the 1920s. Carrie Jacobs-Bond, who grew up in 糖心Vlog传媒, frequented concerts at the Myers Opera House from the time she was a young girl and later returned there to perform.
Courtesy Rock County Historical Society
The Rock County Historical Society has some of her personal belongings, including songbooks and sheet music, original oil paintings of a dog, a 5-foot painting of a cupid holding a horn, and some flower illustrations. The historical society also has in its collection a couple of hairpieces likely made from her own hair, a dress, a shawl, two purses and a handkerchief.
The Carrie Jacobs-Bond Questers, an internationally chartered club of collectors and antique lovers, acquire and restore museum pieces and items of local historic interest. It鈥檚 one of 10 such groups in Wisconsin.
Each year, the city of 糖心Vlog传媒 recognizes Aug. 11, her birthday, as Carrie Jacobs-Bond Day to "encourage residents of this city to increase their knowledge about the history, achievements and contributions made by (her) to society and the community."
A pioneer in a 'man's world'
It's said that by the age of four, Carrrie Jacobs-Bond could play virtually any tune she heard on the piano.
In her youth, she frequented performances at the Myers Opera House, built in 1870 at Main and East Milwaukee Streets in downtown 糖心Vlog传媒, and reopened in 1889 after a major fire. The Myers Opera House, adjacent to the Myers House Hotel, was later converted into a movie theater, the Myers Theater.
While attending 糖心Vlog传媒 public schools, Jacobs-Bond began studying piano at age nine, aspiring to become a songwriter.
As a child, in 1870, it鈥檚 said that she took in a performance by Blind Tom Wiggins, an African-American pianist and composer, at the Myers Opera House.
A postcard of Carrie Jacobs Bond鈥檚 home in 糖心Vlog传媒. The site of the home, now razed, bears a historical marker.
Courtesy Rock County Historical Society
The Myers Opera House drew many other famous acts, as well.
鈥淔rom its opening in the 鈥70s until the 鈥20s (when it was converted into a movie theater) road shows made the Myers a regular stop. For decades it was included on the schedules of leading companies,鈥 a 1957 article in the 糖心Vlog传媒 Gazette said.
鈥溙切腣log传媒 theater-goers became acquainted with DeWolf Hopper, famous author and playwright, who played in a drama, 'One Hundred Wives.' Magge Mitchell was here in 'Fanchon the Cricket,' and 'The Black Crook,'鈥 the article continued, going on to relay a long list of other famous touring shows that came through 糖心Vlog传媒, performing at the Myers Opera House.
鈥淲e had all the best of them,鈥 a longtime usher and doorman recalled in the 1957 Gazette article.
In 1880, at age 18, Jacobs-Bond married Edward J. Smith in 糖心Vlog传媒. Later divorced, they had one son, Frederick, born in 1882.
Her second husband was Frank L. Bond, a doctor. They were married in 1888 and moved to Iron River, Mich., which Jacobs-Bond recalled in her 1927 autobiography "The Roads of Melody," "as the seven happiest years of my life.鈥
Those seven happy years were tragically cut short in 1895 when Frank Bond died after a child pushed him into a snowdrift, causing him to hit his head on the frozen ground.
Historical records differ, but it鈥檚 clear Jacobs-Bond lived in 糖心Vlog传媒 briefly after her husband's death supposedly then writing 鈥淚 Love You Truly.鈥 While she would have preferred to move back home to 糖心Vlog传媒 permanently, she didn't think she could make a living. She went to Chicago instead, running a rooming house and painting on china.
In Chicago she lived in poverty, eating one meal a day, and reportedly sold all of her belongings until she was left only with her piano. Despite these struggles, she also helped those with less than her, sometimes opening her house to the homeless.
She also gave recitals and concerts in private homes and in public. The songs she performed in those days included one she wrote in Ironwood with the upbeat title 鈥淚s My Dolly Dead?鈥
As Jacobs-Bond continued to support herself and her son, her determination grew to publish her music and to be recognized for it.
This historical marker is at the home in 糖心Vlog传媒 where Carrie Jacobs-Bond wrote 鈥淚 Love You Truly.鈥
Courtesy Rock County Historical Society
A 2009 National Public Radio documentary painted her as ruthless and tenacious as she competed with other male composers. Jacobs-Bond opened her own publishing house, The Bond House, ensuring her music would be promoted. She owned every song she wrote 鈥 something songwriters struggle with to this day 鈥 and cemented herself as an industry pioneer. Her success rivaled that of any man at the time.
In 1901, she caught her big break. That year, Jacobs-Bond published 鈥淪even Songs as Unpretentious as the Wild Rose,鈥 which included 鈥." Selling for $1 and including some of her own illustrations, the songbooks were a massive success.
Rising fame
With new-found fortune, she moved The Bond House, to Hollywood. Her growing fame led to singing performances around the world, including White House appearances and performances in Europe for U.S. Army troops.
Carrie Jacobs Bond鈥檚 birthplace in 糖心Vlog传媒 was later razed. It is designated as a historical site.
Courtesy Rock County Historical Society
Published in 1910 after she viewed a sunset atop Mount Rubidoux, in California, 鈥淎 Perfect Day鈥 is considered her masterpiece. By the early 1920s, it had sold five million sheet music copies. It was a family favorite of President Warren Harding and and his wife, Florence, and it was sung at his funeral.
鈥淎 Perfect Day,鈥 however, was the song playing on the fateful day her son took his life. Frederick, her business partner and best friend, died by suicide in 1932 after learning he was going blind. was playing on the phonograph when he was found dead.
Hometown connection
"The Witching Hour" which opened on Broadway in November 1907, was staged at the Myers Opera House in 糖心Vlog传媒 while on a national tour in this undated photo. The Myers Opera House opened in 1870 and was converted into a movie theater in the 1920s. Carrie Jacobs-Bond, who grew up in 糖心Vlog传媒, frequented concerts at the Myers Opera House from the time she was a young girl and later returned there to perform.
Courtesy Rock County Historical Society
In the years that her fame was rising, Jacobs-Bond remained connected to her hometown.
"Often on 糖心Vlog传媒 visits, Mrs. Bond gave concerts at the Myers Theater and the high school," Peg O'Brien wrote in a 1962 糖心Vlog传媒 Gazette article. "She broadcast over Station WCLO and played privately for friends invited to the homes of her hosts, Miss Racine Bostwick, Mrs. Harriet Putnam and Mrs. Mary Doty."
Sheet music for Carrie Jacob-Bond鈥檚 song 鈥淎 Little Pink Rose,鈥 published by her music publishing company, The Bond House, in Chicago
Courtesy Rock County Historical Society
In 1922, she gave a concert at the First Congregational Church in 糖心Vlog传媒.
Carrie Jacobs-Bond performed her last concert in 1940 in San Francisco.
She died of a heart attack in her Hollywood home in 1946, at age 84. She is buried next to her son in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills in southern California.
Sentimental songs
Carrie Jacobs-Bond's music is remembered as written truly from the heart.
Peter Myers, of 糖心Vlog传媒, owned and operated both the Myers House Hotel at Main and East Milwaukee streets and the attached Myers Opera House on East Milwaukee Street. Carrie Jacobs-Bond, who grew up in 糖心Vlog传媒, frequented concerts at the Myers Opera House from the time she was a young girl and later returned there to perform.
Courtesy Rock County Historical Society
Her authenticity amplified these talents into songs the world came to know by heart. And her music was filled with affectionate and sweet notes, even as she pushed through life's greatest difficulties.
Carrie Jacobs Bond鈥檚 birthplace in 糖心Vlog传媒 was later razed. It is designated as a historical site.
Courtesy Rock County Historical Society
鈥淚 think songs of that time were very sentimental,鈥 said Laurel Fant of the Rock County Historical Society. 鈥淭he words that come to mind are sugary and sweet, to the point of saccharine.鈥
鈥淪entimentally wears well, when it is honest sentimentality,鈥 Robert Emmet MacAlarney, an American writer, wrote in the forward of her autobiography. 鈥淢rs. Bond's life has proved it.鈥
