1912 photo of St. James Protestant Episcopal Church - Brookly, N.Y. (credit: Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library)
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St. James Protestant Episcopal Church

St. James Place and Lafayette Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11205

Organ Specifications:
Second building (1901-?)
► III/35 M.P. Möller, Inc., Op. 2003 (1915)
► III/39 Reuben Midmer & Sons (1901)
First building (1868-1901)
• Reuben Midmer & Son (1868)


St. James Protestant Episcopal Church was organized in 1868. The society purchased a parcel of land along Lafayette Avenue that extended from St. James' Place to Ryerson Street, and there built a small frame structure. Over the years, five additions were made to the building. In 1898, the congregation sold half of their property at an advantageous price and placed the proceeds in a building fund. In early 1899, a building committee invited fourteen well-known architects of New York and Brooklyn to submit competitive plans for a new church. After a long study of the proposals, the committee chose that submitted by Herbert R. Brewster of New York. Brewster's design was in an early English Gothic style applied to a cruiciform-shaped structure with a square tower at the corner entrance. An ambulatory adjoined the vestry and choir rooms, and a morning chapel had an independtent entrance through the vestry porch on St. James Place. Instead of the usual brick and mortar construction, Brewster employed a granite concrete method patented by Ernest L. Ransome of Manhattan. This new style of construction would allow for a fireproof building. In addition to the latest style of ventilation system, the new church was to be lighted by combination gas and electric lights. The completed church, built at an estimated cost of about $70,000, was dedicated on Easter Day (April 7), 1901.

At an unknown time, St. James Church disbanded and the building was razed. A large multi-building housing project now occupies the site.
             
M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 2003 (1915)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 43 stops, 35 ranks


In 1915, M.P. Möller of Hagerstown, Md., was contracted to rebuild the existing organ (Reuben Midmer & Sons, 1901) with electro-pneumatic action. Möller added seven new ranks of pipes and revoiced all Midmer ranks that were retained. All of the slider chests were completely overhauled. Möller refitted the Midmer console shell with a new concave and radiating pedal board; stops on tablets (in side jambs); couplers on tilting tablets (above the top manual); and Tremolos and Unison controls (on tilting tablets at the ends of their associated keyboards). The Choir division was enclosed, and a new enclosure provided for the 85-note Tuba stop; all swell shutters were controlled electrically. The fate of this organ is unknown.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
   Open Diapason
61
4
   Harmonic Flute
61
8
   Open Diapason *
61
8
   Trumpet
61
8
   Gamba
61
16
   Tuba ) *
85
8
   Dulciana
61
8
   Tuba ) in separate swell box
—
8
   Gross Flute *
61
4
   Tuba )
—
8
   Doppel Flute
61
 
Chimes
added later
8
   Gemshorn *
61
 
Harp
preparation
4
   Octave
61
     
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (shades to be electrically operated)
16
   Bourdon
61
2
   Piccolo
61
8
   Open Diapason [old GT]
61
8
   Cornopean
73
8
   Stopped Diapason
61
8
   Oboe
73
8
   Salicional *
73
8
   Vox Humana * [on offset chest]
73
8
   Voix Celeste
61
  Tremolo [tilting tablet at end of keyboard]
8
   Viol d'Orchestra *
73
16
   Tuba
GT
8
   Aeoline
61
8
   Tuba
GT
4
   Violina
61
4
   Tuba
GT
4
   Flauto Traverso
61
   
               
Choir Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (shades to be electrically operated)
8
   Geigen Principal
61
4
   Flute d'Amour
61
8
   Viola Oboe
61
8
   Unda Maris [old SW Salicional]
61
8
   Melodia
61
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Dolce
61
     Tremolo [tilting tablet at end of keyboard]
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes (new concave and radiating Pedal board)
16
   Double Open
30
8
   Violoncello
30
16
   Bourdon
30
16
   Ophicleide
GT
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
8
   Tromba
GT
8
   Flute
30
   
           
* pipes added by Möller
Couplers (tilting tablets)
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell Unison [tablet at end of keyboard]
    Great to Pedal 8'   Great to Great 4'
    Choir to Pedal 8'   Choir to Swell 16', 8', 4'
    Pedal to Pedal 4'   Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Choir to Choir 16', 4'
    Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'   Choir Unison [tablet at end of keyboard]
    Swell to Swell 16', 4'    
               
Adjustable Combinations (pneumatic)
   
Swell Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4
Great Organ Pistons 1-2-3-4
Choir & Pedal Pistons 1-2-3
               
Pedal Movements
    Electric swell pedal for Swell Organ    
    Electric swell pedal for Tuba    
    Electric swell pedal for Choir Organ    
    Crescendo Pedal operating all stops except Tuba and Gross Flute and certain couplers
    Full Crescendo Pedal operating all stops and couplers
    Great to Pedal Reversible Pedal
    Swell to Pedal Reversible Pedal
             
Reuben Midmer & Sons
Brooklyn, N.Y. (1901)
Tubular-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 36 stops, 39 ranks


The original organ in the second building was built in 1901 by Reuben Midmer & Sons of Brooklyn. This organ had tubular-pneumatic action to slider chests, and a mechanical swell pedal.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
   Open Diapason
61
4
   Harmonic Flute
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
2 2/3
  Twelfth
61
8
   Gamba
61
2
   Fifteenth
61
8
   Dulciana
61
     Mixture III ranks
183
8
   Doppel Flute
61
8
   Trumpet
61
4
   Octave
61
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (mechanical Swell pedal)
16
   Bourdon bass
12
4
   Flauto Traverso
61
16
   Bourdon treble (TC)
49
2
   Flautino
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
     Cornet III ranks
183
8
   Stopped Diapason
61
8
   Cornopean
61
8
   Salicional
61
8
   Oboe
61
8
   Voix Celeste
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Aeoline
61
     Tremolo  
4
   Violina
61
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes
8
   Geigen Principal
61
4
   Flute d'Amour
61
8
   Melodia
61
2
   Piccolo
61
8
   Viola
61
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Dolce
61
     Tremolo  
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Double Open
30
8
   Flute
30
16
   Bourdon
30
8
   Violoncello
30
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
        
               
Couplers
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Choir 8', 4'
    Great to Pedal 8', 4'   Choir to Great 8'
    Choir to Pedal 8'   Swell to Swell 4'
    Swell to Great 8', 4'   Great to Great 4'
               
Composition Pedals
   
Great Organ FF  F  P
Swell Organ FF  F  P  PP
Pedal Organ FF  F  P
             
Organ in first building:

Reuben Midmer & Son
Brooklyn, N.Y. (1868)
Mechanical action


The organ in the original building was built in 1868 by Reuben Midmer & Son of Brooklyn. An item in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (May 31, 1869) announced: "A concert will be given at St. James' P.E. Church, corner of Lafayette avenue and Hall street, on Thursday evening [June 3rd], on the occasion of opening the new organ, built by Reuben Midmer of this city. Mr. George W. Morgan will preside at the instrument, and the following vocal quartette will sing: Mrs. J. M. Comstock, Mrs. Bertha Nachman, Messrs. J. M. Comstock and O. Lehman." Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.

A Ledger Book of J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co. of New York City has the following entries on page 146 regarding the organ at St. James P.E. Church, Brooklyn:

June 26, 1894 Overhauling, cleaning, regulating and tuning organ
150.00
  1 New Trumpet 58 notes
175.00
  1 New Oboe 46 notes
115.00
  1 New Clarinet 46 notes
115.00
  New set pedal keys and bench
75.00
  Brick mason work under motor
10.00
Dec. 19, 1895 Releathering organ bellows per agreement
110.00
               
Sources:
     "Celebration at St. James," Brooklyn Eagle (Apr. 8, 1901).
     J.H. & C.S. Odell & Co. Ledger Book (June 16, 1894). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     "New St. James P.E. Church," Brooklyn Eagle (Aug. 9, 1899).
     "St. James' Concert," Brooklyn Daily Eagle (May 31, 1869). Courtesy Dave Schmauch.
     "To Build a New Edifice," Brooklyn Eagle (Nov. 22, 1898).
     Trupiano, Larry. Specification of M.P. Möller organ, Op. 2003 (1915).
     Trupiano, Larry. Specification of Reuben Midmer & Sons organ (1901).

Illustration:
     Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library. Exterior (1912).