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Henry (Heinrich) Fraley was born on March 24, 1744 in Switzerland.  By 1769, he was living in Pennsylvania and had married Susanna Rice.  They would go on to have two daughters, both of which would marry future drum makers.    

Thomas Bringhurst was born on June 21, 1775, and died on August 8, 1849.  He was a prominent drum and carriage maker in Germantown. 

John Wilkenson Salter was born on August 28, 1792 in Germantown, Pa.  He married Frances Fraley on March 30, 1816, becoming Henry Fraley's son-in-law.   

William Ent was born on April 29, 1796 and died on December 24, 1874 of "old age."  His death certificate identifies his job as "Drum maker." 

The Horstmann company began in 1815 by its founder William H. Horstmann.  An immigrant from Germany, he was trained in the art of weaving, later diversifying into many military goods.

Frederick and Johann Klemm were German immigrants. They opened up a music store in Philadelphia in 1819.  There, they sold and made musical instruments and printed music books.  

Charles M. Zimmerman was a musical instrument dealer and importer located in Philadelphia beginning in 1851.  His first address was at 408 N. 2nd Street. 

Conrad and Frederick Soistmann were German immigrants living in Philadelphia at the time of the American Civil War.  They would receive multiple contracts from the government to make drums for the Union Army.   

Ernest Vogt was an immigrant from Sachsen, Germany.  He first appears in 1855 as a maker of pianos, as well as drums, violins, and guitars. 

Abner Stevens made drums from 1809 until the time of his death in 1842 in Pittsfield, MA.  His son, Moseley Stevens, seems to have shared in the family business as well.

John Ashton, Frederick Lane, and Henry Prentiss all made and sold umbrellas. Interestingly enough, they added music books and instruments to their line of goods between the years 1825-1845. 

John C. Haynes was a music publisher and dealer employed by Oliver Ditson in 1848.  He would eventually rise to president of the company after Ditson's passing in 1888.

Founded in 1854 by Silas Noble and James Cooley, the company produced drums for northern regiments, as well as toy drums for young children. Today, Noble and Cooley continue to produce a great product.

Ira and Asa White were traditionally violin makers who used their fine wooding skills to produce a number of drums as well. 

Joseph L. Bates was a musical instrument, umbrella, and parasol maker in Boston. This ad was taken from the 1828 Boston Business Directory, the first year Bates appears in the records.

John and Horace Meacham were early instrument makers and military goods dealers.  For a brief time Sylvanus Pond became a partner in the firm, and John's son, Roswell, took over the business in 1833.  

Another father and son business, George Kilbourn began making drums in the mid 19th century, eventually passing the business on to his son William, who continued to make drums during and after the Civil War.

William Hall & Son was formed in 1847 as a partnership with Willam Hall and his son James F. Hall.  Along with drums, the firm sold pianos, organs, melodeons, guitars, and woodwind instruments. 

Richard Mein began his instrument making career in 1849.  He is listed as a maker of pianofortes beginning in 1849 in Williamsburgh, NY.  Later he is found as a maker of pianofortes, drums, and banjos. 

William S. Tompkins is known for being one of the very few early drum-makers utilizing a ply drum shell.  Tompkins also placed a variety of inlay designs, usually centered around the vent hole, on his drum.   

Alexander Rogers was born in the 1830s in Pennsylvania, but relocated to Flushing, Long Island with is wife Mary in 1860.  He had many contracts with the government during the Civil War for the production of drums, and continued to make drums after the war. 

John Firth, William Hall, and Willam Pond established a music store together in 1833.  In the following years, each would go into business for themselves creating a variety of companies to purchase music related items from in New York City.  

Porter Blanchard was born on August 16, 1788 in Amherst, New Hampshire. He was a cabinet maker by trade, but also produced butter churns and military drums.

Captain Stephen Emory was born on May 13, 1778 and died on January 13, 1874 at the age of 95.  He was captain of the militia and engaged in the making of "nest-boxes" and drums. 

Charles Town and his son, Charles E. Town, were carpenters by trade.  Both men made drums, the father utilizing hand-written labels, and the son printed. 

Increase Blake was born on December 8, 1812 in Farmington, Franklin County, Maine.  He was captain of the South Company of Infantry in the militia.  A cabinet maker by trade, Blake used those skills to also produce drums. 

John Lowell was a musical instrument dealer, as was as a manufacturer of umbrellas, parasols, and canes, from Bangor, Maine. 

Heinrich Christian Eisenbrandt was a German immigrant who settled in Baltimore in 1819.  He opened a musical instrument factory in 1822 which produced clarinets, fifes, drums, basset-horns, bassoons, oboes, flutes, flagolets, and brass instruments. 

William Boucher Jr. is well-known today as an early American banjo maker from Baltimore.  However, he also seemed to have produced drums in his shops as well.

Francis Sauer owned and operated the "Union Drum Manufacturing Company" in Baltimore, Maryland.    

Benjamin, Eli, and Moses Brown are famed drum makers from Wintonbury, Connecticut. Their drums are highly sought after today by collectors and musicians alike.  

Stephen S. Bois was an iron worker by trade and provided the Confederate Army with camp kettles, stoves, pipes, and canteens. He was also a dealer in other military equipment.

The "Confederate Drum Manufactury" was located in Richmond, Virginia. Legitimate Confederate drums are hard to come by, but we are lucky enough to have this example at the American Civil War Museum.