Alpheus Babcock (1785-1842) was a piano and music instrument maker in Boston, Massachusetts and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the early 1800s. 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 overstringing in squares, and improvements in piano actions. A grand piano A piano is a keyboard instrument, widely used in western music for solo performance, chamber music, and accompaniment, and also as a convenient aid to composing and rehearsal. ... Nickname: City on a Hill, Beantown, The Hub (of the Solar System), Athens of America Motto: {{{motto}}} Official website: www. ... Independence Hall, as it appears today. ...

Babcock worked for Benjamin Crehore (d.1828) building music instruments in Milton, Massachusetts before 1809. He established a workshop in Boston with brother Lewis^[1] at 44 1/2 Newbury Street ^[2], but in 1812 entered a partnership with the Hayt brothers and Thomas Appleton (1785-1872; organ maker, left 1820) on Milk Street, reorganized in 1815 under R. Mackay and William Goodrich (d.1834; organ maker, partners with Crehore in 1804) who continued support throughout the turbulent economy of the 1820s. Babcock received a silver medal and special mention at the 1827 Franklin Institute exhibition in Philadelphia for his square with patented iron frame (1825), and by 1830 he moved to this city where he continued improving the square piano (at the time Philadelphia led the manufacture of pianos in the United States), introducing overstringing (1830, a system that redistributed the strain of the strings on the frame and sounding board) and resilient cloth hammer coverings (1833)^[3]. Babcock was associated with Klemms (string instrument makers), Smith and Wilson (piano makers) and Swift (piano maker), and in 1837 returned to Boston in the employ of Mackays (R., Wm., and John, Capt. d.1841) who in 1830 formed a parnership with Jonas Chickering (d.1852; piano maker, in 1819 he worked for Osborne, another associate of Crehore). His improvements helped Chickerings lead the American piano industry through the 1850s. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... A mix of architectural styles along Newbury Street near the Boston Public Garden. ... Events and Trends Nationalistic independence movements helped reshape the world during this decade: Greece declares independence from the Ottoman Empire (1821). ... The Franklin Institute is the memorial to Benjamin Franklin, that serves to perpetuate his legacy; the museum contains many of Franklins personal effects. ... 1830 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Chickering and Sons was an American piano manufacturer located in Boston, known for producing award-winning instruments of superb quality and design. ... // Events and Trends Technology Production of steel revolutionised by invention of the Bessemer process Benjamin Silliman fractionates petroleum by distillation for the first time First transatlantic telegraph cable laid First safety elevator installed by Elisha Otis Science Charles Darwin publishes The Origin of Species, putting forward the theory of evolution...

1. ^  Crombie ((1995) Piano. GPI Books) reports Lewis died 1814, but a square (412) in the Eddy Collection dated after 1824 is signed "L. Babcock" on the action and keywell.
2. ^  Pierce, Bob. The Piano Atlas.
3. ^  Dolge mistakenly writes this was felt. Pianos and their Makers. (1911)

References

• Biographical Memoir of William M. Goodrich, Organ Builder. (1834) The New England Magazine
• Stevens, Paran. (1870) Manufacture of Pianos in the United States. Reports of the United States Commissioners to the Paris Universal Exposition, 1867. Govt. Print. Off., Washington, D. C.
• Harding, R. (1978) The Piano-Forte. Gresham Books. Old Woking, Surrey.
• American Music, Music Trades (2005) Music Encyclopedia
• Arzhruni, Ahan. Liner notes. Childhood Memories. New World Records 80590-2