Founded in 1934 in Cleveland, Ohio with violinists Homer C. Schmitt (1911-80) and Bernard M. Goodman (b 1914), cellist Robert H. Swenson (b 1910) and the viola player LeRoy Collins, who was replaced by five more players in the first 14 years of the group's existence before John C. Garvey (b 1921-2006) became the viola player in 1948.�??�? All of the original members played in the Cleveland Orchestra. The quartet was based initially in Cleveland, then moved to Cornell University (1946-7), and eventually established its residency at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign beginning in 1947.
From the guide to the Walden String Quartet Administrative Records, 1945-1975, (The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music)