Meet the Religious Society that Had Two of America’s Top Ukulele Groups in the Early 20th Century

BY SANDOR NAGYSZALANCZY | FROM THE WINTER 2024 ISSUE OF UKULELE

One of the strangest chapters in the already unusual history of the ukulele began in 1903, in Benton Harbor, Michigan, a small town on the southern shores of Lake Michigan. There, a religious zealot named Benjamin Purnell (who died in 1927 after being embroiled in scandal and legal issues), along with his wife, Mary, founded a religious settlement known as the Israelite House of David (HOD). Their colony (which some have called a cult) quickly acquired hundreds of members from all over America, as well as Australia and England. This new community of soft-spoken, hard-working men and women was incredibly industrious: They built houses and magnificent mansions, bought land where they raised dairy cattle and farmed, and started innumerable commercial businesses. They also created their own electrical power plant and water supply, which made the colony essentially self-sufficient. 

Besides living communally and adhering to Purnell’s Christian-based religious teachings, colony men were required to never cut their hair or shave their beards, which made them an odd sight in early 1900s rural Michigan. To foster better public relations with their neighbors, HOD built a colossal amusement park (later known as the Eden Springs Amusement Park) that featured lush gardens and grounds, a world-famous zoo, miniature steam train rides, midget auto racing, fields where HOD’s baseball teams played, and a host of musical stages and performance venues.

Of all the various industries and activities promoted by the House of David, none was more important than music. Playing music was not only part of their social functions and commercial enterprises, it was also integral to their religious values and worship practices. Almost every colony member was involved in some form of musical expression: Adults played in men’s and ladies’ bands; children played in children’s bands. Between 1906 and 1927, the House of David fielded a number of nationally recognized musical ensembles, including their own house orchestra, a symphonic jazz group, a men’s chorus, a marching band, comedic musical acts, and not one, but two ukulele bands. Most of these acts toured America almost non-stop on the three top vaudeville circuits of the era: the Pantages, the Keith, and the Orpheum. The men’s bands had a particularly novel performance gimmick: At the start of every show, the men all stood with their backs to the audience. Because they had such long hair, the audience assumed that they were women . . . until they turned around. When audiences caught sight of the men’s long beards, they’d typically gasp, scream, and cheer.

The House of David’s gender-mixed ukulele band featured four soprano ukes (two played by women), two regular guitars, a slide guitar, and a flute. One of this band’s most colorful musicians was Clarence “Chic” Bell, seen at far right in the back row in the photo above. Bell was a talented Australian musician who joined the House of David in 1905. A world-class trumpeter who played a variety of instruments, including the ukulele, he was a member of several house bands and served as emcee of House of David’s Wednesday night amateur shows. HOD’s all-female ukulele band featured three soprano ukes, two banjo ukes, two regular guitars, two slide guitars, a violin, and a flute. 

In keeping with HOD’s principles of industry and self-sufficiency, most band members played instruments that were hand-crafted at a workshop that was part of the colony. The shop was run by a famous Australian stringed instrument maker named Joseph Hannaford, who developed a prosperous business building violins, guitars, mandolins, bass fiddles, and ukuleles. These instruments were not only played by HOD musicians, but were also sold to visitors at the colony’s souvenir shops.