Frederick Theodore Steinway

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Frederick (Fritz) Theodore Steinway (b. February 9, 1860, New York City; d. July 17, 1927, Northeast Harbor, Maine) was William’s nephew, the son of brother Charles G. and his wife Sophie. Frederick was educated both in Germany and New York and joined Steinway & Sons as a young man. He worked under William’s guidance along with his two brothers and his cousin Henry Ziegler. He socialized with William and the extended family frequently. Frederick became president of Steinway & Sons in 1919 following the death of his older brother Charles H.

Frederick (Fritz) Theodore Steinway was born on February 9, 1860, in New York City. He was the son of William’s brother Charles G. and his wife Sophie Millinet Steinway.(5) Hence he was William’s nephew. Frederick’s father died in 1865, when Frederick was five years old.(Diary, 1865-03-31) Following her husband’s death, Sophie went to Germany with her three sons and had them educated there. She remarried while in Germany in 1875 to opera singer August Fricke.(Diary, 1875-10-05) During the years following his father’s death and throughout his life, Frederick traveled frequently between New York and Germany.(Diary, 1870-07-01; 1878-10-11; 1881-06-11; 1891-09-02; 1894-06-14; 08-23; 1896-07-02; 08-28)

In 1878, William noted that Frederick has passed his “abiturienten examen” in Germany.(Diary, 1878-04-17) Frederick returned to New York and continued his education at Columbia College, from which he graduated in 1881.(2) While at Columbia, he studied at the School of Mines and took courses in chemistry and metallurgy.(1)

During Frederick’s youth and throughout his adult life, William met often with him for family and social events.(Diary, 1870-07-27; 1880-06-16; 1887-12-11; 1894-02-25 ) Some occasions were meals or games of Skat.(Diary, 1885-03-29; 1888-05-06; 1890-04-25) Some were celebrations of Frederick’s birthday.(Diary, 1883-02-09; 1888-02-09; 1892-02-09; 1896-02-09) At times, William notes in the diary that Frederick is ill, such as when he suffered from malaria.(Diary, 1895-12-02) In 1878, Frederick joined the Liederkranz.(Diary, 1878-10-15) In 1880 he moved into William’s house and lived there for a time.(Diary, 1880-03-20; 1883-06-02) In 1892, He purchased a house at 15 E. 53rd Street, so that his mother Sophie and her husband August Fricke could live with him.(Diary, 1892-07-31) The Steinway & Sons Board met often at Fred’s house.

Frederick joined Steinway & Sons in 1881 at the age of twenty-one.(Diary, 1881-02-09) Over the subsequent years, William often noted that he met with his nephews or the “four boys” to discuss business matters concerning Steinway & Sons.(Diary, 1879-07-12; 1884-07-24; 1887-11-14) The four boys/nephews were Henry Ziegler (son of sister Doretta), Frederick, and Frederick’s older brothers Henry W. T. and Charles H. Steinway. Only very rarely did these meetings or conversations include William’s son George, who was four years younger than Frederick. In 1890, Frederick was made a vice-president of the firm.(Diary, 1890-04-07) He applied his training in chemistry to the use of lumber and veneers in the factory.(1) Late in 1890, he was placed in charge of all veneers.(Diary, 1890-12-31) As time passed, William and the other three nephews found their relationship with Henry W. T. fraying. By 1891, H.W.T. and Frederick were no longer speaking.(Diary, 1889-05-14; 1889-12-19; 1891-01-23) This growing disagreement led to H.W. T. filing three suits against the others over management of the business.

Frederick’s life continued several decades after William’s death. In 1899, Frederick married Julia Cassebeer(1871-1958).(6) She was the daughter of Frederick’s cousin Lizzie Ziegler Cassebeer. The marriage produced no children, but there was an adopted daughter, Florence, whose birth parents were Julia’s brother Edwin Cassebeer and his wife.(4, p. 459) Frederick continued as a vice-president of Steinway & Sons. In 1903, he designed new factories built in Steinway, Long Island; he succeeded William as a trustee of the German Savings Bank.(1) Upon the death of his brother Charles, Frederick became president of Steinway & Sons in 1919.(2) He had been in charge of manufacturing for over thirty years, following the departure from the firm of his brother H.W.T.(4, p.447) Steinway & Sons prospered under Frederick. Unlike William, Frederick did not indulge in outside businesses or political activities.(4, p.405) In 1925 the firm opened a new Steinway building at 109 West 57th Street.(2)(8) There was a formal dedication concert attended by many.

Frederick continued as president of Steinway & Sons until his sudden death in July 1927. He passed away of a heart attack in Northeast Harbor, Maine, where he was vacationing.(2) A concert was performed by the New York Philharmonic in his memory on December 29, 1927.(9) He was remembered in New York as a music patron; he played the piano well, for his own pleasure. At the time of his death the media estimated an estate of $5,000,000 was left to his wife, much of it stock in Steinway & Sons.(7) Two years later (in 1929, the year the stock market crashed), the estate was reported to be a bit less than $2,000,000.(3)
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Sources:
1. Dolge, Alfred. Pianos and Their Makers. Covina, CA: Covina Publishing Company, 1913, Vol. II, pp. 181-82. 
2. “F.T. Steinway Dies Suddenly in Maine,” The New York Times, July 18, 1927, p. 17.
3. “F.T. Steinway Estate Valued at $1,961,855,” The New York Times, February 28, 1929, p. 29.
4. Fostle, D.W. The Steinway Saga. New York: Scribner, 1995.
5. Maniha, Ken, Steinway Family Genealogy
6. “Steinway-Cassebeer,” The New York Times, April 29, 1899, p. 7.
7. “Steinway Leaves $5,000,000 to Wife,” The New York Times, August 5, 1927, p. 17.
8. “Throng at Opening of Steinway Hall,” The New York Times, October 28, 1925, p. 28.
9. “To Steinway’s Memory,” The New York Times, December 30, 1927, p. 12.