To Sergt James Early
a loyal and generous friend
with compliments of the
Compiler + Editor
Capt Francis O'Neill
Nov. 11 1907

Biography:
Sergeant James Early is regarded as one of the most important Irish musicians active in Chicago during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was born in Leitrim County, near Carrigallen, around 1840; as his date of birth is uncertain. As a young child, Early took an interest in music and began lessons with the well-known musician, David Quinn. Under Quinn’s tutelage, he began studying both the flute and fiddle. Shortly thereafter, Early’s family immigrated to the United States in 1847.

Upon arriving to the United States, the Early family initially settled in the mining areas of California but later relocated to the northwest. The challenges of immigrating to America and further difficulties prompted Early to abandon his musical studies for several years. In 1874, he relocated to Chicago where he became a member of the Police Department and close with several important Irish musical figures.

During his time with the Chicago Police Department, Early rose through the ranks and earned the rank of Sergeant, as well as making acquaintances with individuals that would bring him back to his musical training. Perhaps the three most important connections and subsequent friendships he made were with James Quinn, John McFadden and Captain Francis O’Neill.

James Quinn, whom Early discovered was actually a distant relative of his, was one of the most influential individuals Sgt. Early’s career. Known as a master piper, Quinn’s skills and talents inspired Early to return to music making. He learned the uilleann pipes under Quinn’s tutelage, and was further prompted to explore reed making & instrumental repair as a result of these studies.

A fellow pupil of Quinn’s, John McFadden was a prominent Chicago-based fiddler. Upon joining the Irish Music Club in 1901, Early met McFadden and the two formed a performing duo. The pair made performing appearances at a wide variety of events throughout Chicago for over a decade, including the Chicago Feis in 1913. 

The most significant connection, and subsequent friendship Sgt. Early made in America was with Captain Francis O’Neill. The two met upon Early’s enlistment in the Chicago Police Department and became fast friends and colleagues. O’Neill greatly admired Early as both a musician and human being, taking note of his humility, musical abilities, kindness and hospitality. He was one of the most important contributors to O’Neill’s collection of tunes, providing transcriptions to the tunes: Saddle the Pony and The Cook in the Kitchen. 

Apart from his career with the Chicago Police Department, Early made several important contributions to Irish Music as both a musicologist and performer. As noted by Captain O’Niell, he was an incredibly hospitable person. During the World Fair in 1893, and many times thereafter, Early’s home was the center for all visiting Irish musicians, including the well-known piper Turlogh McSweeny. Early was widely regarded as one of the best pipers in Chicago, frequently performing with his duo partner John McFadden. And he contributed some of the earliest tunes to Captain O’Neill’s collections and writings. Early died in 1914, after a two-week illness.
[Biography by Brandon Di Noto]
Additional biography from the Ward Irish Archives. Corrections by Nick Whitmer.

Provenance:

Donated to WIMA by David K. Dunn, this collection contains the manuscripts, books, sheet music, recordings, artifacts and ephemera collected by Michael J. Dunn. Musician and instrument maker/repairer Michael J. Dunn (1855 - 1935), also a captain of the Milwaukee Fire Department, was a contemporary and associate of the famed Irish music collector, Francis O'Neill. It is believed that Dunn received private recordings and other materials belonging to O'Neill after the death of Sergeant James Early of Chicago in 1914.

This collection contains thirty-two wax cylinders recorded sometime between c. 1904 and c. 1914 by Francis O'Neill of Chicago. The cylinders capture performances by noted uilleann piper Patrick Touhey, as well as Chicago musicians James Early, Bernard Delaney, John McFadden, and Edward Cronin. The collection also includes five hand-written manuscripts of Irish tunes, notated copies of O'Neill's Music of Ireland and Dance Music of Ireland (including hand-written music gathered from Touhey and Turlough McSweeney, the Donegal piper), as well as instruments, books, sheet music, and other items from Michael J. Dunn.