The morning news., 1891-03-29
DEATH OF G, F. G. IcxERINe.
Son of the "Father of the American
Fianoforte Industrvn

Son of the "Father of the American
Pianoforte Industry"
Charles Frank Chickering died Monday night
at No. 5 Fifth avenue, New York of bright's
disease. He was the senior member of the firm
OF Chickering & Son, and the second son of
James Chickering, who is known as the father
of the American panoforte industry" " and who
was the founder of family that has become
famous in the musical annals of the century
When tAe elder Chckering died in 1853 Charles
+. and his two brothers took the manage
ment of the firm. Jonas Chicksring, whea he
began the making of p.anos, founi the best OF
them mere box with some strings whose tones
were thin and shrill. BY his genius be develored
the piano by slow and steady improvements
into maSnifi ;ent instrument, W c won uni
versal mme1dation Charles T. Chickering
took up the work where his fat e. laid it down,
and to him perhaps more than TO any other one
man the lovers of fnu SIC are indebted for the de.
gree OF perfection that has been attained in
these Instruments In the division Of labor in
the frm he devoted himself almost entirely to
scale drawing to making improvements in the
mechanism OF TIE piano, the construction OF the
case and the Development Of the tone.
Charles Fralk Pickering was born in Boston
Jan, Y, 1897. His eldest brother, Thomas f.
Chickering, died in 1871 so that the third
brother George Fl. Chickering, is the only one
OF the second teneration oW in the firm. After
receiving gool educ1tioD in the public schools
OF Boston Mr., Chickering went into the factory
to learn practical piano making under his
fathers direction. His bealth became delicate
about 1914, and he went to India on q pleasure
trip. 1t was not altogether pleasure, however,
Tor he TOOK With Linn a numb sr of pianos, which
he sold In Ca cutta and other cities. He went
into the factory again on his return home. and,
after mastering all the mysteries the busi-
ness, went to London and represented the house
at the great international exhibition
He was exceedingly fond Of music and aided
in its advancement ia every way possible. To
him belongs the distinction of having organized
the first musical festival in this country For
several Y. ars he was the president Of the Han
del and Haydn Society Of Boston. and he was
life member Of the Massachusetts Charitable
Mechanics Association In a social point of
view he was one of the most popular men in the
city. He belonged to the Union Club, the New
YORK Yacht CLUB and the Newport Reading
Club AS business man his reputation was
most enviable. In a lusine s full Of the keen
est competition no one ever accused him Of
taking an unfair advantage Of another, or de
parting in the slightest degree from the strict
est code of high commercial honor.
A striking illustration of the confidence re
posed in him by those who knew him was given
by the miser, Paine, some years ago That &c
centric descendant of a famous family O though
possessed of ample means to live comfortable
denied himself almost the necesslries OF life.
lie dlstrusted his own relatives and pretended
that be really was what he SCENE to be in dress
and personal appearance-a wretched beggar
and an outcast. One day he handed sr. Caick.
erlng bundle TIED up in an old handkerchief
and wrapped in brown pa er with a request to
keep 1t for him. 10 contained 100000 in bonds
and STOCKS. Paine asked for no receipt and
wuen he died there was not a scrap of writing
among his papers to Indicate where il was. Mr..
Chickeriug Surpri ed the heirs by banding it 10
them They were ignorant even OF its exist.
ence. The world generally had as much conf
dence in Mr.. Chicksring as the descendants of
the s!gpsr OF the declaration Of Independence.