The documented story
The source establishes organization in 1891 and a named, uniformed membership in 1904. It does not provide a performance chronology.
People and leadership
Ware is the documented 1904 leader and Tom Neal the documented manager. No earlier or later leadership sequence has been established.
Community and organization
The item supports a civic band in Oklahoma City. It does not identify a municipal appropriation, sponsoring company, or formal membership rule.
Reading the evidence
The archival phrase “first uniformed band” is narrower than “first Oklahoma City band.” Contemporary evidence for an Oklahoma City Band in 1890 may concern a predecessor or a separate group, so the site should not convert the archive title into a broader priority claim.
Questions for further research
A predecessor relationship and exact corporate name remain useful research questions, but the 1891/1904 archival record is publishable as qualified.
People named in related records
Names are retained as recorded in their source contexts.
- Tom Neal — Manager (1904)
- George Smelser — Pictured band member (1904)
- Henry Wolf — Pictured band member (1904)
- M. Stegall — Pictured band member (1904)
- Fred R. Young — Pictured band member (1904)
- T. M. Richardson, Jr. — Pictured band member (1904)
- Bill Bacon — Pictured band member (1904)
- Morley Francis — Pictured band member (1904)
- Ray Bacon — Pictured band member (1904)
- Jack Holloway — Pictured band member (1904)
- Ware — Leader (1904)
- Frank Butts — Pictured band member (1904)
- Jim Brogan — Pictured band member (1904)
Dated evidence in this record
- 1904
The 1904 Oklahoma Historical Society photograph metadata identifies Tom Neal as manager, Ware as leader, and named pictured members George Smelser, Henry Wolf, M. Stegall, Fred R. Young, T. M. Richardson Jr., Bill Bacon, Morley Francis, Ray Bacon, Jack Holloway, Frank Butts, and Jim Brogan.