Benjamin Harrison – First Recorded U.S. President

[RodPickett]

Benjamin Harrison – First Recorded U.S. President

 

Benjamin Harrison was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 23rd president of the United States from 1889 to 1893. He was a grandson of the ninth president, William Henry Harrison, and a great-grandson of Benjamin Harrison V, a founding father who signed the United States Declaration of Independence.

 

He is also the first known U.S. “sitting” President to have his voice recorded and was done so by Bettini.

 

Attempts to find this cylinder have thus far been unsuccessful.  Many, many years ago the Benjamin Harrison home in Indianapolis sold a cassette-tape, which contained, in-part, the Bettini / Harrison recording.

 

In my last attempt to visit the museum and find additional material, the young lady working in the gift shop asked “What’s a cassette-tape?”

 

SIGH!

 

In any event, you can learn more about “Famous Voices” recordings by following these Forum links:

 

Florence Nightingale Recordings - Transfers & Videos - Antique Phonograph Society Forum

 

P.T. Barnum, 1890 London - Transfers & Videos - Antique Phonograph Society Forum

 

 

[phonogfp]

Interesting, Rod!  If I ever knew that Bettini recorded Harrison's voice, I had forgotten it.

 

But wasn't Rutherford B. Hayes the first sitting U.S. President to have his voice recorded (during T.A. Edison's Washington visit in April 1878)?

 

George P.

[RodPickett]

George,

 

Perhaps others will comment, but I believe my source was either from the Robert Vincent Music Library at Michigan State University and / or the December 1939 issue of Popular Science Magazine, by an article published by Vincent.

 

I believe Allen Koenigsberg has documented something as well.  I’ll need to do some more research to clarify who was “first”.  Perhaps another contributor can offer some insight.  My information could indeed be wrong.  Thanks for raising the question.

[RodPickett]

George,

 

This topic has led to some interesting discussion, but it appears the matter is, of yet, unsettled.  Following is an interesting perspective from Allen and other insight / discussion is welcome here as well.

 

 I assume by "sitting" you mean while the individual was actually President? But wasn't Benj Harrison out of office (post-term) when he was "recorded"? Didn't the Bettini publicity always claim that Gianni's recording was of "ex-Pres Harrison."? When I was studying this wacky problem at one time, I thought I had identified the snippet of speech as having been "delivered" at some Pan-American Conference. Of course, the recording that now exists is NOT from a real-life event, but re-delivered later in a studio. I have my own doubts as to who is actually speaking, since one would have to re-create the circumstances of how this recording was "discovered" in modern times. I vaguely recall that it may have depended in some way with the Vincent Voice Library (at Mich State), which should always give one pause. Of course, you are quite right that the statement about actually sitting or standing presidents applies to Hayes and Edison's tinfoil visit in April 1878 (but where's the souvenir?). Hayes was already curious (see my AP article on how TAE became a Wizard) before that visit. The odd thing is that Hayes Diaries exist and the visit (what was published anyway) doesn't mention it. Our account(s) of it seem to be via contemporary newspapers and TAE's memory.

 

  The expert on matters Harrison re Bettini is Robert Feinstein and he certainly believes it to be "genuine" albeit by "ex-Pres." Harrison. But why do we have the snippet that exists - who made the brief selection (then or later) and first publicized it as such? Are we in the land of  Harriet Beecher Stowe, Walt Whitman, or Mark Twain?

 

  There were mock recordings of Pres Cleveland's "baby" (out of wedlock) which circulated in 1892 if I recall...

 

Best

Allen

[Shawn]

Rod, George,

 

So amazing!!  Wonderful to hear from Allen - the absolute authority on all things phonograph!!! Allen's research and knowledge are the gold standard!!!

 

I am fascinated by the reference to "what are cassettes" by the young lady Rod encountered.  It puts into perspective all that we collect.  Many people today have no idea what a cassette is, let alone a cylinder.  Just ask collector how many times a media rate box containing an Edison cylinder arrived with "postage due" because the post office didn't think it was a record, let alone media.    Or at my previous company, we had a training program related to change, that talked about changing the "tapes" that play through our head.  One young participant asked - What are tapes???  It was time to change the training.  

 

We've got a long way to go to connect with the broader community today.  What you guys are doing is a great service, and definitely moving us forward!!!

 

Shawn 

[RodPickett]

 

 

This clip, downloaded from YouTube, is the audio of the cassette tape sold by the Harrison Home many years ago, presumed to be the Bettini 30-second recording.  Some video was added in the mp4 file.

[RodPickett]

I had an opportunity to speak with both the President and the Curator of the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site in Indianapolis.

 

The Curator has been in her position for a number of years, and this is the knowledge that had been passed down to her.

 

It was Benjamin’s son Russell, who had some sort of relationship with the publishers of The Ladies Home Journal, NY, and it was through them (LHJ) that arrangements were made for Bettini to record Harrison in NYC.

 

Further, she had been told that the original recording ended-up at the Michigan State Music Library but had been stored in such a manner that it was unplayable.  Translation – mold.

 

The prevalent theory is that the Bettini cylinder was part of the Robert Vincent collection, and a transfer was made of that recording, as well as others, before deterioration.

 

Perhaps we will never know for certainty.

[phonogfp]

Thanks for the update, Rod.  Losing that Bettini recording of a U.S. President - while in the care of a museum - is heartbreaking.

 

George P.