St. John German Evangelical Lutheran Church - Brooklyn, NY (Brooklyn Eagle, c.1910)
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St. John German Evangelical Lutheran Church

233 New Jersey Avenue near Liberty Street
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11207


Organ Specifications:
► II/12 Estey Organ Company, Op. 2807 (1929)
• II/ Estey Organ Company, Op. 362 (1906)
• unknown (c.1847)


St. John German Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1847. The church was located on New Jersey Avenue near Liberty Street in the East New York section of Brooklyn. The congregation disbanded in 1972, and the church was purchased by Grace Baptist Church of Christ.
           
Estey Organ Company
Brattleboro, Vt. – Opus 2807 (1929)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 17 stops, 17 ranks


The Factory Shop Order for Estey Organ, Op. 2807 indicates that Estey was to rebuild and electrify their Op. 362 organ that had been installed in 1906. The Shop Order does not show that any ranks were added or changed. Estey provided a new two-manual console with celluloid keys, and voiced the organ on 3½" wind pressure.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Open Diapason
61
8
   Gross Flute
61
8
   Viola de Gamba
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   Dulciana
61
4
   Flute Harmonic
61
               
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon Bass
12
8
   Stopped Diapason
61
16
   Bourdon Treble [TC]
49
4
   Flute d'Amour
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
8
   Cornopean
61
8
   Salicional
61
8
   Oboe
61
8
   Voix Celeste [TC]
49
     Tremolo  
8
   Aeoline
61
        
               
Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16
   Open Diapason
30
        
16
   Bourdon
30
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal 8'   Great to Great 4', Unison
    Swell to Pedal 8', 4'   Swell to Swell 16', 4', Unison
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'    
               
Combination Pistons
    Pistons No. 1-2-3 affecting Great, Pedal & Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 affecting Swell, Pedal & Couplers
    Pistons No. 1-2-3 Universals affecting entire organ
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Great Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Balanced Swell Pedal   Sforzando Reversible
    Balanced Crescendo Pedal    
           
Estey Organ Company
Brattleboro, Vt. – Opus 362 (1906)
Tubular-pneumatic action
2 manuals


The first known organ for St. John's German Evangelical Lutheran Church on New Jersey Avenue was built by the Estey Organ Company. This organ was rebuilt and electrified by Estey in 1929. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located, but it may be assumed that the stoplist is similar or identical to Op. 2807 above.
           
Sources:
     Carnahan, John. Factory Shop Order for Estey Organ, Op. 2807 (1929).
     The Estey Pipe Organ web site: www.esteyorgan.com
     Haberstroh, Richard. The German Churches of Metropolitan New York: A Research Guide. New York: The New York Genealogical & Biographical Society, 2000.
     Nelson, George. Organs in the United States and Canada Database. Seattle, Wash.

Illustration:
     Brooklyn Eagle, Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection. Exterior photo ( c.1910).