John Firth

Biography

John Firth was a Yorkshire Englishman of republican sympathies, born October 1, 1789, who emigrated to the United States in 1810. He served as a soldier alongside William Hall in the War of 1812, and the two later became relatives by marrying sisters, both daughters of Edward Riley. Firth was a founding figure in a succession of major New York piano and music-publishing houses, including Firth & Hall, Firth, Hall & Pond, and Firth, Pond & Company, the last formed with Sylvanus B. Pond, Thaddeus Firth, and William A. Pond after an 1847 dissolution. Following a further dissolution he started a new firm, Firth, Son & Company, with his son Thaddeus, though it was short-lived as most of the principals died soon after. John Firth himself died in September 1864, aged seventy-five. John Firth was a New York musical instrument maker whose early practical work has sometimes been disputed. Contrary to what the author calls a widely accepted but false claim that he was not a practical craftsman and did not appear in New York until 1828, Firth is shown to have made musical instruments on a small scale at 3 Warren Street as early as 1815. By 1820 he was located on Hester Street near Rynders Street. In 1824 he founded the firm of Firth & Hall together with William Hall, opening an extensive establishment at 358 Pearl Street that became immediately successful and went on to train several notable figures in the piano trade. John Firth appears in a formal portrait plate captioned "JOHN FIRTH," printed opposite a companion portrait of John B. Dunham between the New York and Boston chapters of Spillane's History of the American Pianoforte. No accompanying biographical text describing his role, dates, or accomplishments appears within this portion of the book; the plate itself is the only information given here.

Highlights

• Made musical instruments in a small way at 3 Warren Street, New York, by 1815, contrary to claims that he was impractical or only arrived in New York in 1828.
• Co-founded Firth & Hall with William Hall in 1824, opening an extensive establishment at 358 Pearl Street.
• Born in Yorkshire, England, October 1, 1789; emigrated to the United States in 1810
• Served as a soldier alongside William Hall in the War of 1812
• Founding figure in a succession of major New York piano and music-publishing houses; died September 1864, aged 75
• Subject of a formal named portrait plate in Spillane's History of the American Pianoforte.

Source

Daniel Spillane, History of the American Pianoforte (1890), pp. 107, 154, 155, 156.

Public domain.