THE DRUMS OF MOODUS. This portion of our web site has been by far the easiest to put together. Our web site committee had only to open the pages of some of the most complete research on this subject known to exist. We haven't tried to dazzle you with dates and names in this brief accounting of our ancient drums. If the reader is looking for an in-depth accounting on this subject, please address the sources listed on this page. We have no idea why Hezekiah first chose to play a drum made by the Brown Drum Company, or why the rest of the original members chose to follow suit. What we do know is that the drums played by the 1800's musicians were as special to them as they are to the musicians who wear the uniform today. We can find accounts from those days that involve young men traveling great distances on horseback to buy or barter for a Brown drum. We can find newspaper clippings from those times that give accounts of the Moodus Corps' unique style and magnificent drums. These men of the old world treasured these beautiful instruments as one would care for a cherished and prized possession. Even the manner in which one was obtained was a source of pride. The Brown Drum Company built rope tensioned drums throughout the early to mid 1800's in Wintonbury Parish (now Bloomfield), Connecticut. Although several Brown family members seem to have been involved with making drums, the quality and craftsmanship remained constant. Brown drums were built as most drums were in this period. While plywood and glue are shortcuts of the modern day drum builder, drum shells from this era were made of solid, choice pieces of timber. This quality, sturdy construction, along with the large shell size, quickly earned these drums a reputation for superior sound and durability. We have little to tell us how and why individual musicians might have modified or customized their drums to suit their own needs, but it is obvious why the early Moodus group chose to not only acquire these drums, but to promote their use for future generations of Moodus drummers. Over the years these drums have been handed down from Moodus drummer to Moodus drummer with strict instructions to value them above all else. These drums are as much a part of the life and soul of anyone who believes they are worthy of this caretaker's role today, as they were to the ranks of ancient drummers that have gone before. We, the members of the present group, have no desire to hide or shelve these beautiful instruments. Instead, we preserve their sound and enjoy every chance to take them out on the street at a parade, muster or even just to jam. The next time you are enjoying a great day of fife and drum and find yourself standing next to a Moodus drummer, don't be shy about asking to see their Brown drum, because we sure won't be shy about showing it to you. Hesketh, Frederick A. THE BROWNS OF WINTONBURY, MAKERS OF BROWN DRUMS, Wintonbury Historical Society, Bloomfield, Connecticut, 1999. The Company of Fifers And Drummers, Ivoryton, CT. Moodus Drum and Fife Corps, Moodus, CT. HISTORY OF PEELER FIFES In the spring of 2000, Ron Peeler and his daughter had just begun to take fife lessons with the Moodus Drum & Fife Corps. They began playing the usual plastic fifes that most of the fifing world has had to endure. On the way home from practice one Thursday night, Ron's daughter Elizabeth (Liz) mentioned that she wanted a wooden fife to practice on instead of the plastic one she was given by her instructor. With woodworking being one of his hobbies, Ron quickly replied that he'd make her one. Liz was even quicker to add that she wanted a real fife. (We can only guess what Ron had done in the past to warrant such a response.) Ron asked her what she meant by "a real fife", and she said that it's something you buy from a store. Ron took this as a challenge. (Those of us who know Ron would have been afraid right about now.) Within a few days, Ron had purchased a couple of rosewood blanks, an 18 inch long drill bit and a couple of brass ferrules. He soon began to bore and shape a fife. When his daughter saw the semi-finished fife, she insisted of taking it to practice. The Ferrary players met the uncompleted fife with some skepticism. It looked like a Ferrary and even sounded like one, but who builds their own fife? Terri, the fife instructor, tried it and thought it better than some of the non-Ferrary fifes she had played. The Corps encouraged Ron to complete the fife, and several weeks later at the 2000-DRAM, a completed fife was unpacked and quickly passed around the tent. The general feeling among the group was "Wow!". Ron was a bit nervous about showing anyone else his fife, but with a lot of persuading he finally caved in and left the tent. As Ron was new to the fife and drum community, he had no idea what the responses would be. The fife ended up being shown to several different people over the course of the day. Ron's fears were soon forgotten when people began asking him to make more. We can remember Ron returning to the tent that day with a bewildered look on his face. He didn't immediately share his good news, as he said later on, "I didn't expect this to happen. I basically just threw it together". Following the muster, Ron completed a small quantity of fifes, all of which were shown to us in various stages of completion. Those of us who developed an interest in these raw, partially finished fifes knew what was about to happen. Ron's first sale was in October of 2000. As these fifes were delivered and passed around at musters and various drum corps events, he had additional requests for what had become the Peeler fife. In the spring of 2001, he was contacted by a suttler who wished to carry the fife. The rest, as they say, is history. As a group, the members of the Moodus Corps, as most people can tell you, are very particular about the drums and fifes that make it into the line of march. As the fife of choice continues to be the Ferrary, the acceptance of the Peeler fife by this very discriminating group of fifers says quite a bit for the craftsmanship and quality of these beautiful fifes. Those of us who have been with Ron since he showed up to practice with that first homemade fife, have had the privilege of watching the Peeler fife evolve into what you see today at nearly all of the musters up and down the East Coast. If you have any questions about Peeler fifes, or would like to purchase one, please visit peelerfifes.com, or better yet, visit Ron's tent at a muster or reenactment. When purchasing a Peeler fife, be sure to mention that you read about this on the Moodus Drum & Fife web site and Peeler Fifes will make a donation to the Moodus Corps. Moodus Drum & Fife Corps, P.O. Box 450, Moodus, CT 06469