John Church & Company was first established in Cincinnati in 1859 as a retailer of pianos and sheet music. Church’s success allow him to expand his retail business to larger cities like Chicago and Boston. In 1883 Mr. Frank A. Lee joined the firm and together these two gentlemen established the largely successful Everett Piano Company in Boston.  In 1884, Mr. Lee and Mr. Church also took control of The Harvard Piano Company of Dayton, KY.

Instruments that have come through our shop labeled as “John Church & Company” appear to have been built by the Everett Piano Company (primarily their grand pianos) and by the Harvard Piano Company (their uprights). These instruments were built of the same quality and craftsmanship found in Everett and Harvard instruments.