Tuning in the 19th Century?

Yes, by the 1860's, tuning was a legitimate occupation, maybe even before that.  By early 1890, we find local tuners' organizations already in existence.  The bigger cities, such as New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston, to name a few, had local groups for years.  But the BIG step was to organize these smaller groups into a national organization.  This was first attempted in New York in 1892, just before the 1893 Chicago World's Fair Exposition opened.  The impetus was strong at first, but it was ultimately short lived due to abuse of power by a few, and others not joining either from skepticism or misunderstanding the purposes of the organization.  The tuners even back then were rather independent-minded.

Other attempts to organize were made , but it wasn't until 1910 that the idea finally took hold, and the American Guild of Piano Tuners was born. It all started with a group of seven experienced and forward-looking tuners around the New York area, and after their first year in existence, they had 50 members.  By two years their numbers were close to 300!  One of the reasons this latest attempt took root and thrived, was the determination and ideals that this group of seven had for the organization.  They are enumerated here, in "The Tuners' Platform" -

• To establish and maintain the highest technical and moral standards in the profession of piano tuning.
• To educate the piano owning public on the nature and care of the piano.
• To get the piano manufacturers to adopt a uniform warranty.
• To establish once and for all a standard pitch.
• To abolish the "free tuning", as it gives the wrong impression to the customer of that service, and abuses the tuning department.  (Back then, piano stores had tuning departments)

That, along with their willingness to act as emissaries for the organization, traveling to many parts of the country in order to talk to independent tuners about the advantages getting organized, helped the organization to grow.  That idea was carried on into the 1920's.  Of course, not everyone they talked to joined.  In fact I would have to say that the vast majority did not join right away, and most never did.

But this was just the beginning...