Alpheus Babcock
Encyclopedia
Alpheus Babcock was a piano
and music instrument maker in Boston, Massachusetts and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
during the early 19th century. Babcock is best known for patenting a complete iron frame in a single casting used to resist the strain of the strings in square pianos, he also patented a system of stringing in squares, and improvements in piano actions.
Babcock was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts
, and worked for musical instrument maker Benjamin Crehore (d.1828) before 1809. He established a workshop and music warehouse in Boston with brother Lewis at 44½ Newbury Street
, but by 1812 they entered a partnership with organ maker Thomas Appleton (1785–1872) with workshops at 6 Milk Street
. Following Lewis' death in 1814 the surviving partners formed a brief partnership with brothers Charles and Elna Hayt, the business was taken over by Mackay & Co., with Crehore's former partner, organ maker William Goodrich (d.1834) as one of the partners, and by 1817 reorganized as The Franklin Music Warehouse with Joshua Stevens as foreman, continuing at Milk street under John Rowe Parker through 1823. Babcock may have worked during this period in Philadelphia, but by 1822 worked at the rear of 11 Marlboro street, Boston and moved the following year to Parkman's Market, Cambridge street. The Mackays continued an association with Babcock throughout the 1820s, with many of the instruments labelled "for G. D. Mackay" and "for R. Mackay" .
Babcock received a silver medal at the 1824 Exhibition of the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, as well as in 1825, and in 1827 a silver medal and special mention for a square with his patented solid cast-iron frame (1825).
In 1830 he relocated to Philadelphia, at the time the largest producer of pianos in the United States, where he patented what he called "cross stringing", and introduced resilient cloth hammer coverings. He was associated with instrument maker and seller John C. Klemm, his former agent, and by late 1832 worked as foreman for piano maker William Swift, at whose warehouse at 142 Chestnut street, he advertised in The Daily Chronicle in 1833, one could see iron framed pianos for which he claimed sole manufacturing rights. Babcock won honors at the 1833 Franklin Institute exhibition, along with C. F. L. Albrecht of Philadelphia, and Nunns & Co. of New York.
Babcock returned to Boston in 1837 employed by Chickering
& Mackays who had formed a partnership in 1830. Babcock's improvements helped Chickerings lead the American piano industry through the 1850s.
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and music instrument maker in Boston, Massachusetts and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
during the early 19th century. Babcock is best known for patenting a complete iron frame in a single casting used to resist the strain of the strings in square pianos, he also patented a system of stringing in squares, and improvements in piano actions.
Babcock was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...
, and worked for musical instrument maker Benjamin Crehore (d.1828) before 1809. He established a workshop and music warehouse in Boston with brother Lewis at 44½ Newbury Street
Newbury Street (Boston)
Newbury Street is located in the Back Bay area of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States. It runs roughly east-to-west, from the Boston Public Garden to Massachusetts Ave. The road crosses many major arteries along its path, with an entrance to the Mass Pike westbound at Mass Ave...
, but by 1812 they entered a partnership with organ maker Thomas Appleton (1785–1872) with workshops at 6 Milk Street
Milk Street
Milk Street is a street in the financial district of Boston, Massachusetts.Milk Street was one of Boston's earliest highways. The name "Milk Street" was given to the street in 1708 due to the milk market at the location...
. Following Lewis' death in 1814 the surviving partners formed a brief partnership with brothers Charles and Elna Hayt, the business was taken over by Mackay & Co., with Crehore's former partner, organ maker William Goodrich (d.1834) as one of the partners, and by 1817 reorganized as The Franklin Music Warehouse with Joshua Stevens as foreman, continuing at Milk street under John Rowe Parker through 1823. Babcock may have worked during this period in Philadelphia, but by 1822 worked at the rear of 11 Marlboro street, Boston and moved the following year to Parkman's Market, Cambridge street. The Mackays continued an association with Babcock throughout the 1820s, with many of the instruments labelled "for G. D. Mackay" and "for R. Mackay" .
Babcock received a silver medal at the 1824 Exhibition of the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, as well as in 1825, and in 1827 a silver medal and special mention for a square with his patented solid cast-iron frame (1825).
In 1830 he relocated to Philadelphia, at the time the largest producer of pianos in the United States, where he patented what he called "cross stringing", and introduced resilient cloth hammer coverings. He was associated with instrument maker and seller John C. Klemm, his former agent, and by late 1832 worked as foreman for piano maker William Swift, at whose warehouse at 142 Chestnut street, he advertised in The Daily Chronicle in 1833, one could see iron framed pianos for which he claimed sole manufacturing rights. Babcock won honors at the 1833 Franklin Institute exhibition, along with C. F. L. Albrecht of Philadelphia, and Nunns & Co. of New York.
Babcock returned to Boston in 1837 employed by Chickering
Jonas Chickering
Jonas Chickering was a piano manufacturer in Boston, Massachusetts.Jonas Chickering was born in Mason Village, and raised in nearby New Ipswich, New Hampshire where his father Abner Chickering kept a farm and worked as a blacksmith...
& Mackays who had formed a partnership in 1830. Babcock's improvements helped Chickerings lead the American piano industry through the 1850s.
- Ripin and Kuronen indicate "G. D. Mackay" as George Mackay, d. 1824, nephew of John Mackay (Boston Industrialist)John Mackay (Boston Industrialist)John Mackay was a well known and successful ship master and early industrialist in Boston, Massachusetts. John Mackay was born in Boston and he participated in the Mackay family business of shipping started by his father and uncle...
, and "R. Mackay" as Ruth, (1744–1833) widow of Mungo MackayMungo MackayMungo Mackay was a Scottish seafarer from the Orkney Islands who made a fortune in the Boston shipping trades in Massachusetts. Mungo was a highly regarded ship master, successful privateer owner and bonder, and operated a store on Long Wharf in Boston. He was also active in the politics of the...
, and mother of John Mackay, but Holman writes she died 1820, and that John Mackay was married to her daughter Fanny. - For "the best horizontal piano", a square "made for J. Mackay, of Boston" with "the strings of the lower octaves... covered with flattened wire" Spillane, p. 86
- Not related to over stringing, this invention involved twisting shared wires at the hitch pins.
- Babcock assigned his 1839 patent to John Mackay, William H. Mackay and Jonas Chickering. John Mackay, like George D. Mackay in 1822, had given Babcock's address in 1825, 1828, and 1829 Boston Directories.