Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Zeuner, Charles

ZEUNER, Charles, musician, b. in Eisleben, Prussian Saxony, 20 Sept., 1795; d. near Philadelphia, Pa., 7 Nov., 1857. He was baptized as Heinrich Christopher, but seems to have changed his name when he came to the United States in 1824. He settled in Boston, where he became organist of Park street church and of the Handel and Haydn society (1830-'7). In 1854 he removed to Philadelphia, where he held various posts as organist. For several years he showed symptoms of insanity, which, however, were not thought to be serious. On 7 Nov., 1857, he left for West Philadelphia, and on the same day committed suicide. His oratorio, “The Feast of Tabernacles,” was published in 1832. He issued also some collections of music, notably “The American Harp” (Boston, 1839) and “Ancient Lyre” (1848).