Tune into this Old Charlestonian!

I have researched a past Charlestonian who made Charleston more in tune! John Zacharias Siegling was born on February 13, 1791, in Erfurt, Germany. He had 16 siblings growing up! When he was 12 years old, he was apprenticed to become a cabinet maker. He became really good at the trade, and when he was 15 he moved to Paris where his life and trade transformed!

John Z. Siegling Sr.
(Courtesy of Find a Grave)

When he arrived in Paris in 1809, he met Sebastian Erard and became an instrument maker. For five years he crafted instruments in Paris, and later went to London and crafted there for another 4 years.

Siegling then decided to move to America. He arrived in Charleston in November of 1819. Upon his arrival in Charleston, it did not take long for him to establish himself and his practice. He started an instrument repair and tuning shop on the corner of Broad and King Street. He claimed his shop would "satisfy the most discriminating customers". The shop was Charleston's first music house, known as "The Siegling Music House". (Courtesy of Adventuresincemeteryhopping).

243 King Street in the 1970s
(Courtesy of Historiccharleston)

The Siegling Music House shop and sign
(Courtesy of adventuresincemeteryhopping)

The fire of 1838 destroyed a big portion of Charleston including many churches we have researched, and the Siegling Music House fell victim as well. That, however, was not the end of his business, he rebuilt his shop at the corner of King and Beaufian Steet. 

Siegling married Mary Regina Schnierle in 1823. Mary was musically talented. They had 7 children together, but only 5 lived to adulthood. The kids grew up and were educated back in Germany and John and Mary traveled back home to see them often. 

Two of the sons, Henry and Rudolph came to Charleton to work with their father in the shop. Both of the sons served in the Confederacy. His daughter Marie was a famous singer back in Paris. His son John Jr. moved to the U.S to study law and finished his studies at Harvard Law School. He served on South Carolina's State Legislature. He later got sick and died at age 32.

10 years later, John Sr. passed away on October 31, 1867. Henry took over the family business. John Sr. and John Jr. are buried together at St. John's Lutheran Church in Charleston, SC. 

The grave marker of John Siegling Sr. and Jr.
(Courtesy of adventuresincemeteryhopping)

The grave marker is a cross that sits upon rocks with a book on the rocks and a wreath around the cross. I chose John Siegling because I thought his gravemarker was very detailed and interesting.

St. John's Lutheran Church
(Courtesy of Google)