Talk:Alpheus Babcock

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The Ruth Mackay mentioned is one and the same as R. Mackay on the piano nameplates. She was the widow of Mungo Mackay's brother Alexander Mackay. There was another Ruth Mackay who was the wife, later widow, of Mungo Mackay. Both Mungo and his brother Alexander were active in the privateer business during the American Revolution. They made a lot of money, and invested the money in industrial revolution businesses such as musical instrument manufacturing. The G. D. Mackay mentioned is George Dowling Mackay, a son of one of Mungo Mackay's sisters. He and his parents lived in London and ran a bookstore. G. D. Mackay died at sea. Alexander Mackay's son John Mackay partnered with Chickering. Fanny Mackay was his cousin. Block1945 (talk) 19:58, 22 December 2009 (UTC)

Babcock pianos are relatively rare. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts, has a resident expert in the Musical Instrument department. His name is Darcy Kuronen. I expect he would be interested to learn more of your piano and its' construction. The Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Massachusetts has one in the front sitting room. Darcy is maintaining an inventory of these pianos. My interest is in the family Mackay as we are connected in a direct line to Ruth Mackay, wife of Mungo Mackay which see on Wiki as well as John Mackay of Chickering piano fame. Block1945 (talk) 19:48, 11 August 2015 (UTC)