Historical Timeline

1817 (June 29) – Born in North Bridgewater (changed to Brockton in 1874), Massachusetts

1838 (April 4) – Married Jane G. Littlefield in North Bridgewater; two daughters were born to this marriage while they lived in Vermont, where apparently he learned the music trade

1850 – Joined with Nelson J. Foss and Calvin Hatch to form Packard, Foss, & Co., manufacturing reed organs, seraphines, and melodeons

1854 (April 8, 15) – Packard, Foss, & Hatch was dissolved and a new partnership with Isaac T. Packard and Edmund Packard appeared as Packard Brothers “at Main Street near the head of Centre Street”

1857 (May) – Edmund Packard “late firm of Packard Brothers” ran his own ad in the North Bridgewater Gazette; Isaac T. Packard’s whereabouts are unknown

1858 (July) – New ad appeared as the company of I.T. Packard & Co. at the same location with the “& Co.” being his brother Edmund

1862 (late summer) – I.T. Packard’s ads disappear from the newspaper; apparently he had discontinued the business

1863 (September 22) – Isaac married Elizabeth (Stoddard) Butterfield, widow, and adopted her son

1865 – Packard is listed in the Chicago, Illinois, City Directory as “superintendent of tuning” at J. Estey & Co. (during the time when Estey established their presence in Chicago on Sedgewick Street)

1866-1870 – Isaac Packard was granted four (4) patents while living in Chicago

1867-1870 – Isaac Packard is listed as superintendent of the organ factory, tuner, and organ-builder at Riley Burdett & Co.

1871 – Following the Chicago Fire, Isaac Packard, along with Keith and Talbot (two fellow tuners at Riley Burdett) traveled to Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and became stockholders in a new company formed with business backing by prominent citizens of the community (incorporated November 21, 1871)

Isaac was the first superintendent of the factory and, probably because of the patents he held, the organs manufactured by the Ft. Wayne Organ Company were labeled Packard Orchestrals

1873 (July) – Isaac was granted his last patent while residing in Ft. Wayne (for improvement in reed organ stop actions)

1873 (September 11) – Isaac T. Packard died at the age of 56

1871 (November 21) – Incorporated with capital stock of 800 shares at $50/each; however, the initial stock sale among the stockholders totaled just $23,000. (Within two years, the corporation was amended to limit stock to $24,000.)

Initial stockholders and board of directors as listed in order on the application – all listed Fort Wayne as city of residence (board of seven directors are indicated by *)

• · Henry Talbot – 100 shares, $5,000
• · Robert Keith* – 60 shares, $3,000
• · Isaac Packard* – 40 shares, $2,000
• · C. McCulloch – 20 shares, $1,000
• · Charles D. Bond* – 60 shares, $3,000
• · John H. Bass* – 40 shares, $2,000
• · James A. Hay – 20 shares, $1,000
• · Lindley M. Linde* – 40 shares, $2,000
• · C.L. Hill – 20 shares, $1,000
• · S.B. Bond* – 60 shares, $3,000

First officers were Lindley M. Linde, president; Isaac Packard, secretary/superintendent; and S.B. Bond, treasurer

1871 (December) – Groundbreaking for the new factory

1872 (April 4) – First organ was completed

1873 (August 6) – The following article appeared in Ft. Wayne Gazette as reported in the August 1988 ROS Bulletin: “As with most feature stories of the day, the account contains a good smattering of editorializing. But it also gives what is presumed to be an accurate description of the new factory and its production of reed organs.”

A reporter of the GAZETTE on yesterday paid a visit to one of the most extensive of the manufacturing establishments which abound in our flourishing city and go so far to make up its greatness. We refer to the Fort Wayne Organ Factory, located on Fairfield Avenue, about one mile south of the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railway track, and within the classic precincts of South Wayne. After a pleasant drive along the beautiful avenue, with its elegant residences and shady surroundings, our eyes are greeted with the large and imposing building constituting the factory. The commodious structure is surrounded on all sides by neat dwelling houses, most of which have been erected since the factory was started, showing what a marked improvement it has made in locality where it is situated.

The enterprise which is thus in the full tide of success is a new one. Work on the building was commenced in November, 1871, and operations were begun in April, 1872—only a little over a year ago. The building is constructed of brick, is four stories high and occupies an area of 40x100 feet, with a rear wing, also of brick, two stories in hight [sic] and 20x40 feet in dimensions. It was rather a formidable task which this company under took—to open in the West an establishment for the manufacture of musical instruments and enter into competition with old established and wealthy companies, whose instruments had a high standing and whose managers would use every means to crush out the new opposition. Very few there were who thought that a superior organ could or would be made in Fort Wayne. But there were some advantages possessed by our city over Eastern points, prominent among which were our excellent shipping facilities, and these were estimated at their proper value by the keen and energetic men who started the project.

In the first place it was determined to make an organ which should be excelled by none. For this reason the building was fitted up with the most rare and costly machinery, much of it imported, and very intricate and complicated in its operations. Of course, it was necessary to secure the most skillful and accomplished mechanics to manage this machinery, and the hands employed are therefore all of them finished artisans and sober, intelligent men. It is interesting to the uninitiated to watch the different processes which literally convert the trees of the forest into the marvelous instruments which sound the praises of God in thousands of churches and Sabbath Schools, or make sweet music in multitudes of homes. The lumber is thoroughly seasoned in the drying house and then removed to a large wooden store room on the first floor, where it is planed off and cut up into strips of the proper size. It next takes a ride on the elevator to the third floor, where it is fashioned and shaped by skillful hands into cases in which is called the “case room.” From there it goes to the fourth floor, where the work of finishing and polishing goes on. On the third floor is the “action room,” perhaps the most interesting part of the entire establishment. The “action room” is where the mechanical parts of the organ are constructed and put together, and here a novice may see the interior arrangement of the instrument, and learn the parts played by the bellows, reeds and air chambers in the production of music when manipulated by practiced hands. Here, also, is where the elaborate carving (which adds so much to the beauty of the Packard organs) is done.

The cases, having been finished, are sent to the “fly finishing” room on the second floor. Here the “stop work” and putting together are done, and across the hall are the tuning rooms. The many pieces of mechanical ingenuity which go to make up the harmonious whole are at last in their proper places and enclosed in tasty and attractive cases. The organ—for it can now be called by that name—passes into the hands of Mr. R.F. Keith, the chief tuner, and his assistants. It is really marvelous to see how quickly Mr. Keith’s practiced ears will detect the slightest irregularity in tones, and how the slightest filing of the reeds will remedy the error. After the first tuning the instruments stand for about ten days. While the newly exposed surfaces of the reeds are subject to the action of the air. Then the organs again pass through the tuners’ hands, after which they are examined by Mr. I.T. Packard, who goes through the operation known as “correcting,” perfecting the tones by the slightest touches upon the reeds. The most trivial defect does not go unnoticed by his keen eye and acute ear. The organ we have followed so long now passes into the “regulating room,” where every part is thoroughly tested and perfectly adjusted. The organ is now sent to the packing room, from which it leaves the building to be transported, perhaps, hundreds of miles, a splendid specimen of Fort Wayne enterprise and skill.

The office and wareroom, on the first floor, is a large and well-lighted room, 20x40 feet in size. Here the business is transacted and a large number of instruments, of different styles and sizes, handsomely finished up, are kept on exhibition. The lumber used for the cases of the organs is black walnut; that for the interior is pine, cherry and maple. Of course, it takes an immense amount of lumber to supply the factory with the amount consumed.

The motive power which runs all this complicated machinery is furnished by a magnificent steam engine, of 60 horse power, from the works of John H. Bass, which is one of the finest pieces of mechanism of the kind we have ever seen, and is another triumph of Fort Wayne workmanship. The company is well provided for in case of a fire breaking out. There is a well near the building, eleven feet in diameter and fifty-five feet in depth, which furnishes an inexhaustible supply of water. This is pumped up into a tank in the fourth story by a small engine, and on each floor five buckets constantly full of water are kept together with a supply of hose for any emergency.

We believe that few people in or out of Fort Wayne have a definite impression of the size of this establishment or the extent of its business, of which we have attempted to give some idea in this article. It now has facilities for turning out 150 organs a month. Wherever these instruments have been introduced they have met with marked approval, and they are now sold in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Tennessee, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska. There was at first a general disinclination to touch a new and untried instrument made in the West, but the superior character of these organs, the correctness of every tone, the beauty of their construction and their numerous other merits, have given them a truly wonderful popularity, considering the short time which has elapsed since their manufacture was begun. The chief of the mechanical department, Mr. Packard; the superintendent of tuning, Mr. Keith, and their assistants, are men of energy, ability and experience to whom is largely due the uniform excellence of these organs.

The company was especially fortunate in securing at the outset as manager a gentleman of so much practical business tact, indefatigable industry and executive ability as G.E. Bursley, Esq. Mr. Bursley gives every detail of the immense business under his charge the closest personal supervision, and it is to his superior management that the excellent system which characterizes every department is due. Mr. Bursley informs us that the company will keep pace with the rapidly increasing demands upon it. He has just returned from a successful business tour to Michigan in the interest of the company and will soon leave for the West on a similar errand.

We regard this organ factory as one of the institutions of which every citizen may feel proud. It is the largest one in the West, and its rapid progress in the past warrants us in making the most hopeful predictions as to its future success.

1874 – By 1874, as listed in the city directory, S.B. Bond was president, with J.D. Bond, treasurer, and G.E. Bursley, secretary/manager. The Fort Wayne Organ Company flourished under the able leadership of S.B. Bond, who remained president until his death in 1907.

1893 – Fort Wayne Organ Company introduced its first piano, offering one model in its first catalogue.

1899 (September 5) – Name of company was officially changed from the Fort Wayne Organ Company to The Packard Company by court order

1900 – By 1900 the major emphasis in production had shifted from organ production to piano production. It appears from this time forward that most of the company’s advertising dollars were spent on promoting the Packard piano.

1902 – The name Fort Wayne Organ Company was resurrected by the Packard Company as the name of a new corporation, set up to do retail business in Fort Wayne as a music store. Interestingly, the store was advertised as an outlet for music, phonographs, and pianos, but organs were not listed.

 1907 – Stephen B. Bond dies and is succeeded by his son, Albert S. Bond, who had been with the company at least as early as 1882.

1908 – Some sources of information indicate this is the year that organ production ceased. However, this is contradicted by other information which indicates that organs continued to be produced at least as late as 1914.

1914 (September 15) – The company filed legal papers to have the name of the company changed.

1915 (November 25, 1915) - By court order, the name of the company was officially changed from The Packard Company to The Packard Piano Company.

1930 (February 6) – Company went into receivership. The following information came from an article which appeared in the Ft. Wayne News Sentinel on May 27, 1958:

At full production Packard would produce between three and four thousand pianos a year. It took approximately nine months to make a piano, starting from the time lumber was stored to dry. As the company grew and prospered its stock value rose to $720,000.

After 59 years of operation, the company went into receivership on Feb. 6, 1930, one of many victims of the great depression. The death blow resulted from a by-product, cabinets for radio manufacturers. The radio companies also went under and couldn’t pay for the cabinets they had on order.

When the company went into receivership, Wilbert Marshall and Paul E. Gallmeier bought all the assets with the exception of plant and real estate and continued to sell Packard pianos retail. Gallmeier went to work for Packard in 1913 and was office manager when the company folded. Marshall joined Packard in 1927 as sales manager.

Marshall died shortly after the two went into partnership and Gallmeier continued in business until he retired in 1952. Gallmeier sold the Packard Trade Mark to another manufacturer. [Story & Clark, another piano manufacturer, acquired the Packard trademark; both are currently owned by QRS, parent corporation of Story & Clark.]

1931 (February 13) – Albert S. Bond died at the age of 68, a little over a year after the company had gone into receivership.

Circa 1935 - The city of Fort Wayne acquired the former Packard Company property. The buildings were torn down and the land turned into a city park, now known as Packard Park.