The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-11-15
MAI. HIGGINSON
DIED IN BOSTON
Founder and Chief Sup
porter of Boston Sym
phony Orchestra
CIVIL WAR VETERAN
AND PHILANTHROPIST
He Was Head of Banking
Firm of Lee, Higginson
& Co. of Boston

Boston, Nov. l5.-The death of Ma
jor Henry L. Higginson, banker and
founder of the Boston Symphony or
chestra, was announced to-day. Major
Higgnson died at the Massachusetts,
General hospital last night following an
operation performed during the after
noon. He had been at the hospital but
few hours. Had he lived until next
Tuesday Major Higginson would have
been S5 years old.
The death of Major Higginson was
due to recurrence Of an old trouble
for which he was under treatment last
winter. Although head of the firm of
Lee, Higginson and Co, bankers, Major
Higginson was probably most widely
known through his association with the
Symphony orchestra and other musi-
cal organizations He had been a mem
Der of the banking firm since 1868.
Major Higginson was taken to the
hospital yesterday afternoon and was
operated upon shortly after. During
the early evening his condition be-
came worse and death occurred about
S;30 He had been in poor health for
some time, never having fully recov-
cred his strength after his previous i'll
ness.
Henry Lee Higginson established the
Boston Symphony orchestra in 1881.
In the wears that followed he obtained
the services Of expert players from the
musical capitals of Europe, and en-
gagged conductors OF the first rank who
gradually developed the organization
until it became one of the foremost or
chestras OF the world. Only in one or
two years did the concerts yield net
revenue; in every other year until his
death Mr. Higginson made up the def
icit from his own pocket. One OF his
announced purposes in founding the or
chestra was to provide first class mu-
sic for people Of small means, and from
the start he arranged that several hun
dred seats at the Friday afternoon re-
hearsals should be sold at 25 cents
each. These "rehearsals' in later years
came to be concerts in full form
The symphony orchestra Mr. Higgin.
son considered his hobby rather than a
philanthropy. He once said that it
was to him what yacht, racing sta.
bic, library or an art gallery were to
other men Of wealth.
Mr. Higgnson was born in New York
City, Nov. Is, 1884, but spent most Of
his life in Boston He studied at Ilar-
ward but left before completing his
course to enter a counting house. In
1856 he went to Vienna, where he stud
led music for year He served for
three years in the Civil war, was sew
eral times wounded and was discharged
for disability in 1864, with the rank of
major and breyet Lieutenant colonel.
Returning TO Boston, he entered the
banking business and for many years
headed the firm Of Lee, Higginson and
company.
In 1890 Major Higginson presented to
Harvard. as memorial to Harvard
men who were killed in the war, Sol.
diers field, the athletic grounds on a
part of which the Harvard stadium
now stands Nine years later he made
gift Of Sl50,O00 to the university for
the erection Of the Harvard union.
Since 1893 he had been a member Of
the Harvard corporation and became
we'll known to the students through
his frequent addresses to them He was
awarded the degree OF master of arts
by Harvard and that of doctor Of laws
by Yale,