William M. Thoms

Biography

William M. Thoms was a pupil of Henry C. Watson, founder of American piano-trade journalism. After Watson's death in 1875, Thoms continued publishing Watson's paper, 'The American Art Journal,' until his own retirement in 1906. From Spillane (1890): William M. Thoms was the editor and publisher of the American Art Journal, succeeding its founder Henry C. Watson, of whom he was a protégé. A "typical New Yorker," Thoms entered musical journalism in 1867 when he joined the American Art Journal as successor to Alfred Pirsson, son of piano manufacturer James Pirsson, becoming publisher immediately. His early literary development was shaped by contact with New York literary figures who frequented the journal's offices, including Henry C. Watson, Cornelius Matthews, Henri L. Stuart, "Barry Gray," Charles G. Rosenberg, Dr. John Savage, James McCarroll, John W. Watson, Ingersoll Lockwood, Colonel Thomas B. Thorp, and A. J. Goodrich. During 1870-1871 he published the Journal of the Day, described as the first daily musical paper attempted in the United States, and in 1873-1874 he launched the Musical Monthly. In 1877 he published World of Art—Its Eminent Men and Women, warmly praised by American and European journals, after which he devoted his full attention to the American Art Journal. By the time of writing he had spent twenty-three years in close contact with piano manufacturers and the trade, credited with the publication's stability and permanence. Thoms edited the American Art Journal, one of the earliest and longest-running American trade papers to cover the piano and music industries. By 1888, when the paper marked its twenty-fifth anniversary, Spillane described Thoms as 'the veteran of the weekly musical trade press,' though he was then only thirty-eight years old. Thoms used the anniversary issue to pay tribute to the paper's late founder, H. Around the enlargement of the journal's technical department in 1876, weekly notes on manufacturers, agents, new patents, export/import statistics, and manufacturer portraits were introduced, a format that became standard among trade journals. Thoms was noted for regarding rival publications without envy. He married the pianist Clara E. Thoms, whose renewed literary and artistic efforts he is credited with encouraging. He was assisted in his editorial duties by Guido Hecker.

Highlights

• Pupil of Henry C. Watson who continued the 'American Art Journal' after Watson's death
• Retired from the paper in 1906
• Editor of the American Art Journal
• Held in his personal library the 1791 Charleston City Gazette notice documenting Charles Watts's business, which the author consulted
• Succeeded Henry C. Watson as editor/publisher of the American Art Journal, having joined in 1867 as successor to Alfred Pirsson
• Published the Journal of the Day (1870-1871), described as the first daily musical paper attempted in the United States
• Published World of Art—Its Eminent Men and Women (1877), praised by American and European journals
• Editor of the American Art Journal, called 'the veteran of the weekly musical trade press' though only thirty-eight years old in 1888.
• Presided over the paper's twenty-fifth anniversary edition (April 14, 1888) and paid tribute to its late founder, H. C. Watson.
• Married pianist Clara E. Thoms.

Sources

Alfred Dolge, Pianos and Their Makers, Vol. I (1911).

Daniel Spillane, History of the American Pianoforte (1890), pp. 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355.

Public domain.