William King View Extant Instruments View Instruments

Distinction:

Elmira, New York 1860s-1889; succeeded by Wm. King & Son.
Classification: Builder

Update This Entry
May 07, 2018:

From the OHS PC Database, derived from A Guide to North American Organbuilders by David H. Fox (Organ Historical Society, 1991) -

Born April 3, 1835 in Ireland; father of Edward J. King and William B. King; in New York City, New York, 1849; apprentice with Henry Erben and William Robjohn firms of New York City; with William Robjohn firm in Elmira, New York, 1862; operated his own firm in Elmira, 1865; partner with son William B. King, 1889; firm bankrupt, 1900; relocated to Chicago, Illinois, 1900; representative of Hook & Hastings of Kendal Green, Massachusetts in Chicago; retired 1918; died October 1, 1923 in Chicago.

Sources:

  • The Diapason August 1918, 7.
  • The Diapason November 1923, 3.
  • Orpha Ochse, The History of the Organ in the United States (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1975), 280.
  • Organ Handbook, (Richmond, Va., Organ Historical Society, 1986), 14.
  • Elizabeth Towne Schmitt.
  • Robert Bruce Whiting, "Rebuilding a William King & Son Organ", The Tracker 9:2, 5.
  • Barbara Owen, and Thomas Cunningham, "New Revised Builders List", The Tracker 9:2, 11. 

We received the most recent update for this note from Database Manager on May 12, 2019.

Database Specs:

  • 36 Organs
  • 8 Divisions
  • 8 Consoles

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