San Francisco County Biographies

EDWARD PIQUE

Transcribed by Elaine Sturdevant

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

	One of the oldest professional musicians on the coast, was born in 
the city of Prague, Austria, July 15, 1815. He early developed marked talent for 
music, and later studied guitar music with efficiency. He achieved such marked 
success that he received the great compliment of being summoned to play before 
the Empress of Russia and Austria, also the King of Prussia and Saxony and other 
crowned heads. He came to the United States in 1848, and the following year was 
united in marriage with Miss Frances Weller, of England, and three years later, 
in 1852, they came to California. On the evening of the day of his arrival Mr. 
Pique played for the benefit of Catharine Sinclair, the wife of Edwin Forrest, 
the great tragedian. Mr. Pique was under engagement to Harry Meiggs, and many 
years later his wife opened Assembly Hall as a dancing school, which was then 
located on the corner of Post and Kearny streets, where the White House now 
stands. This was for many years one of the most prominent terpischorean halls in 
the city, and was conducted by Mrs. Pique with ability and financial success. 
When Mr. Pique first came to San Francisco he sang in the opera, also in many of 
the churches and in concerts, and was always ready to contribute his efforts and 
voice in behalf of worthy charities. He has done much in composition, and 
received the prize composition at the second annual prize competition of 
Fairbanks & Cole, of Boston. Mr. Pique has been engaged in teaching for over 
forty years, and is one of the oldest teachers on the coast. He has numerous 
testimonial letters from members of the profession and friends, all testifying 
of his worth.

Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 1, page 503-504, Lewis Publishing Co., 
1892.