Lawe Piano Was One Of First In Green Bay

1 Pages·0.47 MB·English

January 28, 1998
Morethana
century old:
Bought by Green
Bay fur trader John
Lawe in 1839 in
Montreal, Canada,
this piano, later to
be called the Polly
Lawe Piano, was
brought to Green
Bay by birch
canoe.
Photo courtesy of Green Bay
De Pere Antiquanan Society
L a w e piano w a s ·o n.e
of first in Green Bay
Orginally purchased in London by A century after it was brought to
John Jacob Astor, the "Polly Lawe Green Bay, in 1939, the piano was
Piano" was made sometime between owned by Mrs. Rachel Grignon
1805 and 1815, according to experts. Twells (1873-1950). That same year,
Fort Mackinac, Mich., was the the Green Bay.De Pere Antiquarian
piano's first stop in the Midwest. It Society held a Polly Lawe Piano
was taken there by an officer in the Party to raise money to pw·chase
English army, for use while sta the instrument. In 1940, the piano
tioned at the fort. In 1839, the piano was purchased and repaired for
was purchased in Montreal by John $500. When it was restored in 1980,
Lawe (1792·1846), a Green Bay fur only a few of the original hammers
trader. Lawe bought the piano for were left and the strings and
Throughout this year of
his 16·year·old daughter, Anapolia pins were missing. It cost the
Wisconsin's Sesquicenten
"Polly" Lawe. Antiquarians $4000 to restore
nial celebration,
The piano was tranfe rred from the piano.
the Press
Montreal to Green Bay by birch While the piano stayed put in
canoe, according to historians, and Gazette will Green Bay, Polly Lawe did not. In
upon arrival in Green Bay in July, publish a his 1983 publication, A Pictorial
1839, the piano was taken to the series of History of Green Bay, the late Jack
Lawe home at the corner of Porlier stories on Rudolph writes that Lawe "ran off
and Adams Street. local history. with an unfrocked priest and died
Although John Lawe had several This feature, many years later in Buenos Aires."
daughters, the instrument has prepared with Subsequent information indicates
always been referred to as the the assistance of the Brown that the priest eventually returned
Polly Lawe Piano. It is thought to County Historical Society, to the priesthood.
be one of the first pianos in · will appear on Mondays. The piano is placed at the Cotton
Green Bay. House, Heritage Hill State His
When John Lawe's daughter Ra· torical Park.
chel married Pierre Bernard Grig
non, the house and its possesions
caused from sparks flung by a pass· (Submitted by Carol Jones, Brown
passed into the Grignon family. In
ing locomotive. The piano sustained County Historical Society, Green
1901, the home was destroyed by fire
water damage. Bay·De Pere Antiquarian Society)