The History Of Our Pipe Organ
Feb 9, 1896
Letter from Marcus Spelman to cousin Laura Spelman Rockefeller (Mrs. John D. Rockefeller) asking for a contribution to purchase a pipe organ.
1896
Laura donated $1,500.00 for the organ.
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$1,150.00 went to the purchase and installation
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$300.00 was used to build the addition at the back of the church for the organ
Aug 26, 1896
Agreement made between H.B. Voteler, organ builder of Cleveland, Ohio and H.O. Reed for the church.
Nov 4, 1896
The organ arrived and 3 men spent 4 days setting it up.
Specifications of the Organ
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18 stops and 667 pipes (wood and metal)
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Height is 16' and width is 11' and depth 6'
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27 petals and 2 manuals
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Case made of oak, ash, or walnut
Making the Organ Work
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Boys of the church were hired to pump the organ, but during the Depression years it was decided to have different boys donate their time
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Some of them were Ed Lohr (father of Mary Ellen Cardinal), Alton Yarian and Robert Yarian (uncles of Kathleen Eldridge), and Joe Parsons (husband of Mary Parsons)
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Many of their names were inscribed on the walls in the small room
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The organ was pumped by hand until March 27, 1938 when an electric blower was used for the first time