Biographical Sketch of William Grill, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, MO

>From "History of Buchanan County, Missouri, Published 1881, St. Joseph
Steam Printing Company, Printers, Binders, Etc., St. Joseph, Missouri.
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William Grill, musician, was born July 12, 1828, at Grossen Rhueden,
Hanover, Germany, and when only one year old his mother died, and
his father was shot by accident and died when William was twelve
years old.  His uncle then took charge of hiim and sent him to 
school.  After his education, having shown much talent for music,
his uncle gave him permission to join a muscial combination, which
went to Russia.  He was with them for one year, and returned to his
birth place to secure a thorough musical education.  In 1843, he was
sent to Salzgitter, and became a puupil of Otto Schmidt, the leader
of the city musicians, where he served his apprenticeship for five
years.  Then went to Hanover and joined the citizen's military band
for one year and a half.  Returning to his first teacher, he played
with his orchestra at different watering places for several seasons.
In 1853, he was a member of the First German Marine Band of the man
of war, Ernst, August, which made a concert tour for two years 
through Northern Germany.  Having had the desire to see America, he
formed in 1855 a musical band and came to New York.  He performed
there and at Baltimore.  In 1855, they dissolved, and Mr. Grill en-
listed as a musician in the United States Marines, on the man of war,
Merrimac, which was dispatched on a long trip.  They visited England,
France, Spain and the West Indies, and returned, after a stoppage at
all the principal commercial points there, to Boston, Massachusetts,
where the musicians were transferred to the frigate, Roanoke, which
made a trip to Key West, Havana and Aspinwall.  As the ship was dam-
aged in a storm, they returned to Boston, and Mr. Grill was discharged.
He went to New Orleans, where he stayed one year, and from there to
St. Louis, Missouri.  In 1860, he enlisted as musician in the Third
Infantry Regiment for three months, and on August 17, 1861, became
leader of the music band of the First Regiment Missouri Volunteers, 
which position he retained until March, 1862, when he returned to St.
Louis.  To recover his health and to take advantage of the good pro-
spects St. Joseph offered to a musician, he came to this place in
1865, and joined the St. Joseph Band.  By his fine qualities as a
musician and his great experience, he succeeded in bringing his band
to a high standing, and found his troubles well paid by the acknow-
ledgement of the public.  He has been twice married, in 1858, to Miss
Emilie Grill, who died in 1867.  In 1868, he married Miss Elizabeth
Knoth.  They have five children: Mina Emilie and Elise, twins, born 
March 29, 1869, of whom Elise died when fourteen months old; Johann
Fleinrich, born October 28, 1870; Henrietta Ottilie, born May 17,
1873; and Elise Wilhelmina, born October 25, 1879.

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