Pipe Organ Database

A brief paragraph in the Indianapolis Journal, September 29, 1883, named the builder:

"The new audience-room of St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church, Tiffin, O., is about completed. It is truly an elegant room. It will be lighted with the Edison electric light. The new pipe organ will be furnished by Felgemaker, of Erie, Pa. Rev. J. S. Reager is closing a most successful and pleasant year; will report a net increase in membership over all loss by death and removal of 170."

The church’s history webpage for 1874–1923 proudly proclaims:

"In the spring of 1883 work began to complete the interior of the second floor. In October of that year, plans were also underway to erect the Edison Electric Illuminating Company building on Monroe Street. In December 1883, quick-thinking contractors wired the church for electric lights, making St. Paul’s Church the first public building in the world to be wired for electricity while being built. To mark the occasion, Thomas A. Edison presented the church a splendid electric light chandelier—still in use today."

The organ is not mentioned. The webpage for 1924–1973 states, “The Partners-In-Faith Class was organized in 1957. A new pipe organ was also installed that year, at a cost of $12,000.” See Durst & Co. (1957), Organ ID 64466; a note in that entry states, “The facade from the church's 1883 organ was retained.”

Sources:

“Reading for the Sabbath,” subheading “Religious Notes,” Indianapolis Journal, September 29, 1883, Extra Sheet, [4], Chronicling America, accessed November 26, 2020, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/data/batches/in_asimov_ver02/data/sn82015679/0041421003A/1883092901/0218.pdf.

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church (Tiffin, Ohio), “1874–1923,” accessed November 27, 2020, http://tiffinstpauls.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=58135&PID=950881.

———, “1924–1973,” accessed November 27, 2020, http://tiffinstpauls.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=58135&PID=950882.

This entry describes an original installation of a new pipe organ. Identified by William Dunklin, using information from this web site: http://tiffinstpauls.org/HISTORY. --