Thomas E. Chickering
| Thomas Edward Chickering | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | October 22, 1824 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Died | February 14, 1871 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Buried | Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| Allegiance |
United States of America Union |
| Service/branch |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1862–1864 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands held |
|
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
| Awards | Brevet Brigadier General |
Thomas Edward Chickering (October 22, 1824 - February 14, 1871) was a piano manufacturer and soldier.
The Chickering and Sons piano manufacturing company was established by Thomas Chickering's father and was among the first and most celebrated piano manufacturers in the United States. Thomas took over administration of the firm from his father in 1853.
In 1862, Chickering became a colonel during the American Civil War, eventually being awarded the honorary grade of brevet brigadier general.
Chickering was the son of Jonas Chickering, a notable piano manufacturer in Boston. Having established his firm in 1823, Jonas Chickering was among the earliest manufacturers of pianos in the United States and, by the 1830s, Chickering pianos were well known throughout the country.
In 1845, at the age of 21, Thomas Chickering began working with his father in the family firm. He gained not only skills for designing pianos but also cultivated a talent for business and marketing.
Chickering married Caroline Battelle on September 8, 1847 and had at least one child, Lillian Chickering Prince, in 1849.
In December 1852, the firm suffered a setback when their factory burned. The Chickerings constructed a new factory on Tremont Street in Boston in 1853. The same year, Jonas Chickering died and Thomas Chickering and his brothers took over management of the firm at which point the company became known as Chickering and Sons. Thomas Chickering, as the eldest brother, became head of the firm's affairs.
For several years before the Civil War Chickering had been interested in the military and commanded a company, the New England Guards, in the state militia. On September 15, 1862, Chickering was placed in command of the 41st Massachusetts Infantry. The regiment was deployed to New Orleans in November 1862 as part of Major General Nathaniel Banks's Louisiana expedition.
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