Amy Ball's Piano

Jonas Chickering

The piano was made by Chickering and Sons of Boston in approximately 1870. The company was founded by Jonas Chickering in 1823 and, after some initial partnerships, became Chickering and Sons in 1853. It remained in operation until 1983.

Featuring many of his own design innovations, by the mid-19^th century, Chickering was the highest quality, largest piano manufacturing company in the U.S. Helping establish its reputation was none other than the (in)famous P.T. Barnum who, in 1849, contracted with the internationally famous Swedish “nightingale”, Jenny Lind, to do a 93 performance tour of the U.S. Barnum contracted Chickering to manufacture a custom grand piano for the tour. The piano was completed by August of 1850.

At the opening night of the New York series of concerts by Lind, a man by the name of Steinway, recently emigrated from Germany, was in attendance. Less interested in the performer. He was fascinated with the piano and insisted on studying the workings of the piano prior to the concert. Reportedly, he had to almost be literally dragged from the stage so that the concert could begin! Steinway, who would soon begin producing his own pianos, would incorporate many of Chickerings’ innovations in his own designs. By the 1860’s, Steinway would surpass Chickering as the largest manufacturer in the U.S. 

On December 1st, 1852, a fire (rumored by many to be arson), destroyed the Chickering factory in Boston. A new factory would be built in 1853-54. From 1860-68, Chickering shared space at the new location with the Spencer Repeating Rifle Co. who, over the next 8 years, manufactured over 100,000 rifles and carbines for the U.S. army and general sportsmen.

While eventually surpassed in reputation by Steinway, as the pre-eminent U.S. manufacturer of quality pianos, Chickering nevertheless retained its popularity and general respect for superior workmanship.

In 2024, the Thorold Museum was contacted by the Museum of Dufferin near Mulmur, Ontario, about the possible donation of a Chickering and Sons piano in their possession. The piano had been donated some years earlier, by a member of the Ball family that had relocated from Thorold to the Orangeville area. They felt it was time the piano “came home”. The Thorold Museum agreed!

The Ball family were one of the three founding Thorold families. When those parts of Niagara, now forming modern-day Thorold, were first surveyed in 1790’s, much of the land was deeded to the Ball, Keefer, and Hoover families. This piano was purchased by the Ball family, sometime around 1870, reputedly becoming the first piano in Thorold. It eventually became the property of Amy Ball, granddaughter of initial settler Jacob Ball. 

Over the decades, Amy Ball gave piano lessons, teaching generations of Thoroldites to play this instrument. Amy Ball was also the Corresponding Secretary and a founding member, in 1894, of the Thorold & Beaverdams Historical Society, who began the collection now entrusted to the Thorold Museum for curating. The Society was also instrumental in erecting the cairn commemorating the Battle of Beaverdams and in helping create the first municipal park. The first comprehensive written history of Thorold - the Jubilee History of 1897 - was also produced by the Thorold & Beaverdams Historical Society and remains an invaluable resource.