By Hanna Singh
A piece of history has stood the test of time in Ruston. Residing in the home of the McGehees, a family with musical talent to spare, is a Steinway piano manufactured in 1858 in New York that survived the Civil War. Last Saturday, the family held a recital where seven family members and one guest presented musical pieces on the piano for the extended family to enjoy.
Jeff and Janie McGehee, along with their four children, have resided in Ruston for many years. Growing up hearing about the story of the piano that belonged to his third great grandfather, Jeff was always fascinated with the idea that it was out there somewhere.
“I’m 43 now and I was a child when my grandfather told me about it,” Jeff said. “He didn’t know who had the piano and we didn’t find out for a long time.”
His grandfather, Judge Edward McGehee, lived in Woodville, Miss., and his children played the piano, which was number 1548 of the pianos made, starting with number 1000. During the Civil War, Union soldiers approached the home during breakfast and announced that the family had 20 minutes to get everything they wanted out. After that, the house would be doused in turpentine and burned down with everything left inside. Somehow, amidst his daughter’s pleas, they were able to save the piano from the home.
“All of this has been well documented with depositions post-Civil War and recorded in various books and papers,” Jeff said.
In 2012, a book was published called “Plantations in Wilkinson County” which mentioned the McGehee plantation. This led Jeff to find the location of the piano with a distant relative in New Orleans. Dr. Wane Blake received the piano from his mother and held concerts in his home with it. After his passing, Blake’s family agreed to sell the piano to the McGehees, who brought it up to Ruston where it still resides. One hundred sixty-six years total the piano has stayed within the family of its original owner.
Saturday morning, the family moved all furniture out of their living room to make way for the 8’ grand piano. Sixty-five guests attended to watch the performances of the McGehee children, Mille Marie, Maddie Lu, and Butter McGehee, along with family members Brittany McGehee Welch, Natalie McGehee Meznar, and Seth Jones. Family friend and piano teacher of the children Jeannie Patterson also performed.
Before the performances, Jeff talked about the history and to conclude the event the family sang a few hymns together. Jeff’s 99-year-old grandmother, Mildred McGehee, was among the attendees. She proudly watched her grandchildren and great grandchildren perform on the piano that had been in her family for so long.
