piper was a freemason, president of seattle turn "verein" (society) (see turners; a liberal german movement which produced several members of the revolution of 1848), and member of the seattle "liederkranz", a german cultural club that sang and danced. he was also a member of the pioneer association of the state of washington, a society of the state's early settlers, and he was one of the founders of the seattle chess club and the seattle amateur rifle association.