Henry D. Walbridge Residence

34 West 49th Street
New York, N.Y. 10020



Henry D. Walbridge was born on February 26, 1856, in Kalamazoo, Mich. At an early age he became involved in public utilities there and in Grand Rapids and Detroit. In 1901, Walbridge moved to New York and helped found the firm of Hodenkil, Walbridge & Co. Ten years later, in 1911, Walbridge established Henry D. Walbridge & Co., an investment house that managed and operated public utilities in Texas and Louisiana. He retired in 1926, after selling his interests and properties, but remained actively interested in financing and real estate.

Walbridge and his wife, Lucy Sivey, had three children: one son and two daughters. They owned a large country estate in Roslyn, N.Y., and maintained a residence at 11 East 57th Street in New York City. In 1912, the family moved into the townhouse at 34 West 49th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, that was purchased from Charles Steele, a partner of J.P. Morgan & Co., and a director of the U.S. Steel Corp.

Lucy Walbridge died in 1922, leaving her entire half-million-dollar estate to her husband. However, a codicil to her will directed that if he should remarry, "both houses and furniture and securities were to be sold for the children, except enough furnishings to make his home comfortable," with the children deciding 'justly' what he should have. "This is merely to protect the children. I should be glad to have him marry." In 1929, at the age of 73, Mr. Walbridge married his second wife, Miss Lylian A. Wood, who lived until 1957. Henry Walbridge died at his home, 1 West 72nd Street, on April 29, 1939. He was 83 years old.
           
Aeolian Company
New York City – Opus 1049 (1907)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 17 stops, 17 ranks
Aeoline Player


The Walbridge townhouse at 34 West 49th Street had an Aeolian organ that was originally built as Op. 928 (1902) for exhibition in the 5th floor Recital Chamber of Aeolian Hall. In 1905, this organ was revised with Italian nomenclature and sold to Mr. J.B. Russell for his New York City residence, but in 1907 Aeolian rebuilt the organ as Op. 1049 and reinstalled it in the 5th Floor Recital Chamber of Aeolian Hall. In March 1912, Op. 1049 was sold to Henry D. Walbridge for a consideration of $10,000, less a $1,000 allowance on their Aeolian Solo Style "XY" Orchestrelle player reed organ. The Aeolian Contract (Sept. 5, 1912) states that the organ was to be installed in a basement space about 9 x 7 feet, with the Echo Organ located in a linen closet on the second floor. Both the console (refinished to match the wood trim) and the roll player would be located on the landing opposite the stairway. A handwritten addition in the contract states, "It is understood by purchaser that the tone quality of this organ will not be impair[ed] by removal to his residence." Aeolian indicated that the organ would be set up and ready to use by December 1, 1912.

In 1926, Aeolian moved the organ to the Roslyn, N.Y. residence of Mr. Walbridge's son, Anton E. Walbridge. At that time, Aeolian added four ranks, a new console with Duo-Art player, and furnished and connected a grand piano. Two years later, in 1928, Aeolian added nine new ranks (at a cost of $5,150) to create a twelve-rank Echo-Antiphonal division.
               
Manual I – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Diapason
61
8
   Flute
61
8
   String F
61
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   String P
61
8
   Trumpet
61
               
Manual II – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   String F
61
8
   Flute
61
8
   String P
61
4
   Flute (high)
61
8
   String P Vibrato [TC]
49
8
   Oboe
61
8
   String PP
61
        
               
Echo Organ – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   String PP
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Flute P
61
        
         
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Flute (deep)
30
        
               
Percussions
   
Harp
61 notes
    (with Main Organ)  
   
Chimes
20 notes
    (with Echo Organ)  
               
Couplers
    Manual I to Pedal   Manual I 16', 4', Unison Release
    Manual II to Pedal   Echo to Manual I
    Manual II to Manual I 8', 4'   Echo to Manual II
    Manual II 16', 4', Unison Release    
               
Combination Pistons
   
Manual I Forte, Mezzo, Piano, Release
Manual II Forte, Mezzo, Piano, Release
               
Aeolienne
   
Normal
}
  
Reverse
}
 Aeolienne Control, 116-note Music
Unison
}
  
  Pedal Release
      Aeolian Tempo
      Aeolian Ventil
    Control, 58-note music   Aeolian Reroll
               
Accessories
    Tremolo    
    Tonal Pedal    
    Expression Pedal    
           
Sources:
     "Henry Walbridge, Executive, 83, Dies," The New York Times (Apr. 30, 1939).
     "Loses Estate If Rewed," The New York Times (Mar. 17, 1923).
     "Miss Anna Walbridge to Wed," The New York Times (Sep. 8, 1910).
     Smith, Rollin. The Aeolian Pipe Organ and its Music. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1998.
     Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specification (Aug. 30, 1912) of Aeolian Organ, Op. 1049.