House Of David Jazz Band: Playing Jazz to Reunite The Lost Tribes of Israel

Posted on August 27th, 2010




House of David was (still is?) a religious commune located in Benton Harbor, Michigan. It was founded by King Ben Purnell and his wife Mary with about 200 followers in 1903. King Ben claimed to be Jesus Christ’s younger brother and the Seventh Messenger from God. To join the sect, you had to give over all your possessions to King Ben and renounce alcohol, tobacco, meat, violence, shaving, hair cutting and sex. But King Ben could have sex with your wife and your daughter when she turned 14. This last part is what brought King Ben down. He was brought up on charges and forced to hide in the underground caverns beneath one of his mansions. He was eventually caught in his bed with some under aged girls. He died before his trail concluded.

House of David at one time operated and owned a zoo, the largest fruit market in the world, farms, their own island, a hospital, factories, an Oldsmobile dealership, a theme park, a night club and a motor inn to name a few. They invented the waffle cone, the first cross-propeller system for cruise ships, powdered space meals for NASA, and the first bowling alley Pinnsetter. However, House of David is more famous for it’s baseball team (see this old Sports Illustrated article), which traveled around and even hired ringers like Babe Ruth and Satchel Paige, who of course, had to wear fake beards and wigs so as not to give away their ringer status.

But most interestingly, House of David had a top notch Jazz Band, that’s how I found out about them. I was perusing a Jazz book I had found and saw an entire band of bearded guys. No known recordings of them exist, but a song called House of David Blues does. Some members even made their own instruments! Here is a great article with photos and video and here is the House of David Museum website, lest you think I made all this up.

  • Wendy Gardner

    Actually you have made a lot of it up. I am the great granddaughter of Joseph Hannaford, who was president of the House of David for many years. The Hannaford’s were the driving force behind the bands, and most of the ensembles were 2/3+ comprised of my family. Both my grandfather Horace Hannaford and his brother Cookey were pivotal members of the team and my great Uncles Joe and Hoby Nelson built and ran the miniature trains along with my friend Debbie’s grandfather Earl Boyersmith. Uncle Joe formally left the Colony but was always welcome as we’re the other members who left and in fact, continued to live above the roundhouse until he died. He was also short haired and clean shaven the whole time he was a member. The Nelson family alone produced 6 kids while members. My great grandfather was very fond of his martinis and he was President! Benjamin Purnell never referred to himself as ‘King Ben’ nor did any member. That was a nickname bestowed on him by a reporter. He died in his bed with my great Uncle William by his side. You sir, are an idiot who has clearly been talking to that other idiot and con artist Chris Siriano, former owner of the HoD museum. I say former because the current members got fed up with this garbage he is promoting, sued him and won last year. He may no longer operate any museum under that name. Can’t stand people like you.

    • drewchristie

      Thanks for this first hand information Wendy. I had never heard of the people you are naming here, I have only read what is already online in a number of articles and in a book on Jazz history. Is there a definitive history book of the House of David that you recommend? Having never been to Michigan, I assumed a museum on the House of David could be trusted as a source of information. I would love to know the true story, however.