As wildly popular as Taylor Swift in her day, Wisconsin born Carrie Jacobs-Bond became viral the old fashioned way, through the sale of sheet music. Several of her songs became standards employed for years for special occasions. Music wasn’t a passion, but a way to survive adverse and turbulent times, and hopefully leave life better if only for a few moments. In the process, she “sung and ‘talked’ herself into the hearts of her own American brothers and sisters from the humblest home to the White House…” per the November 5, 1908 Salem Republican.

Born August 12, 1862 in Janesville, Wisconsin to a country doctor, young Carrie Jacobs grew up a shy and sickly child enamored of reading and music, with a great ear for playing songs after one hearing. Forced to drop out of college after her father’s death, she married Edward Smith, gave birth to their son Frederick John Smith in 1882, and divorced before falling in love with doctor Frank L. Bond, marrying him June 10, 1889. While happily married, Bond struggled with debilitating rheumatism, finding some comfort performing songs she had composed in local recitals. The couple worked to better the life of all, as Bond became President of the small town of Iron River beyond his calling as a doctor. On December 3, 1895, Bond passed away, with newspapers stating he died of inflammation of the bowels. Continue reading →