M.C.D. Borden Residence

25 West 56th Street
New York, N.Y. 10019


Matthew Chaloner Durfee Borden (1842-1912)  
Matthew Chaloner Durfee Borden was born on July 18, 1842 in Fall River, Mass., the son of Col. Richard and Abby W. (Durfee) Bordon. He was educated at Phillips Academy in Andover, and graduated from Yale University in 1864. At Yale he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and Skull and Bones. Later that year he entered one of New York's leading dry goods house as a stock boy. In 1865, he married his relative, Harriet M. Durfee, and they had seven children.

Borden came to New York after graduation, working as a clerk in a dry goods jobbing house. Three years later he became a partner in a commission firm and represented the American Print Cloth Works of Fall River. This cocern failed in 1879, but Mr. Borden reorganized it in 1880 as the American Printing Company. In 1869, Borden decided to manufacture his own cotton rather than buying it from others to supply his printing mills. He built three mills to begin with, and ultimately the Falls River Iron Works Mills was a thriving business. He was a compassionate man regarding his employees, raising wages in times of depression, and his mills were not struck by the labor unions when his relatives’ mills were.

Borden also kept a home in New York City, where he also had many financial interests, being a director of the Manhattan Company Bank, the Lincoln National Bank, the Astor Place Bank, the Lincoln Safe Deposit Co. and the New York Security & Trust Co. In 1885, Mayor William R. Grace appointed Borden to be the Park Commissioner, a position he held for five years. He was a member of the Union League Club, Merchants Club, Metropolitan Club, New England Society, New York Yacht Club, Players Club, Republican Club, Riding Club, and the Union League Club, among many others. Borden was an avid yachtsman, and belonged to the Seawanhaka Yacht, South Side Sportsmen's, and Jekyll Island Clubs. He was the owner of the yacht, Sovereign, which was later bought by the government and renamed the Scorpion. Mr. Borden also amassed a large and important collection of art.

He died May 27, 1912, at his summer residence in Oceanic (Rumson), New Jersey. The bulk of his estate, valued at over $6,000,000, was left to his three sons, with $250,000 bequeathed to Yale University. The day after he signed his will, he wrote a codicil (unknown until after his death) directing that his son, Dr. Matthew S. Borden, would be disinherited unless his "unfortunate marriage" to Mildred Negbauer, daughter of a Jewish New Haven tailor, was dissolved. In 1914, Matthew tried to race a train to a crossing, but the train won, and he and three occupants of his race car were killed.
           
  Art Gallery and Aeolian Organ, Op. 930 (1902) in M.C.D. Borden Residence - New York City
   
  Aeolian Organ, Op. 930 (1902) in M.C.D. Borden Residence - New York City
Aeolian Company
New York City – Opus 930 (1902)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 29 stops, 32 ranks
Aeolienne Player




The Aeolian Specifications (Nov. 12, 1902) state that the organ for M.C.D. Borden would be "located in a special chamber, recessed off North end of picture gallery, occupying a space as per plan agreed upon between [architects] Carrère & Hastings & Mr. Heins [Manager, Aeolian Pipe Organ Dept.]." Aeolian did not build the casework but provided a keybox "constructed of such woodwork and appropriate architectural details as will harmonize with the case design and other surroundings." The keybox was to be "centred in the face of instrument."

Mr. Borden's Aeolian organ included a separate Aeolienne player console, as shown at right, and cost a total of $25,000.
               
Manual I – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Principale Grande
61
4
   Flauto Ottava
61
8
   Viola Pomposa
61
2
   Piccolo
61
8
   Viol d'Amore
61
8
   Corno di Bassetto
61
8
   Dolcino
61
8
   Trombetta
61
8
   Corno di Caccia
61
8
   Saxophone
61
8
   Quintatoni
61
     Cathedral Chimes  
4
   Violina
61
        

     

     
Manual II – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bardone
61
8
   Flauto Traverso
61
8
   Violoncello
61
4
   Flauto Minore
61
8
   Violino Primo
61
     Seraphieno (4 ranks)
244
8
   Viola Marina
61
16
   Baritono
61
8
   Voce Angelica [TC]
49
8
   Oboe di Caccia
61
8
   Flauto Lontano
61
8
   Voce Umana (in sep. box)
61
               
Pedale Organ – 30 notes
16
   Violon
30
8
   Flauto Grande
30
16
   Basso Profundo
30
16
   Fagottone
30
16
   Basso Minore
30
        
               
Couplers
    Manual II to Manual I   Manual II to Pedale
    Manual II to Manual I, 8ves   Manual I to Pedale
               
Combination Pistons
    Manual I Piano   Manual II Piano
    Manual I Mezzo   Manual II Mezzo
    Manual I Mezzo Forte   Manual II Mezzo Forte
    Manual I Forte   Manual II Forte
               
Aeolienne
   
Manual I to Aeolian }
Manual II to Aeolian } 58-note music
Pedale to Aeolian }
Aeolian Ventil  
 
Aeolian Reroll    
Aeolian Tempo    
Man. I Solo, Man. II Accomp. } 116-note music
Man. II Solo, Man. I Accomp. }

     

     
Accessories
    Tremolo    
    Balanced Crescendo Pedal    
    Balanced Swell Pedal    
           
Sources:
     "Matthew.C.D. Borden. John D. Crimmins Recalls His Services as Park Commissioner," The New York TImes, May 30, 1912.
     "M.C.D. Borden Dead; Cotton Mill Leader," The New York TImes, May 28, 1912.
     "M.C.D. Borden Will Divides $5,000,000," The New York TImes, July 12, 1912.
     National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, Vo. XI. New York: James T. White and Co., 1901.
     Smith, Rollin. The Aeolian Pipe Organ and its Music. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1998.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications (Nov. 12, 1902) of Aeolian Organ, Op. 928 (1902).

Illustrations:
     Trupiano, Larry. Case and Aeolian Player of Aeolian Organ, Op. 928 (1902).
     zimbio.com web site. Portrait of M.C.D. Borden.