Iglesia Evangelica Metodista Unida - Bronx, NY
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St. Paul Evangelical Reformed Church

606 East 141st Street at Willis Avenue
The Bronx, N.Y. 10454


Organ Specifications:
606 East 141st Street at Willis Ave. (1900-disbanded 1948)
► I/5 Frank Roosevelt, Op. 384 (1888) – moved (1900)
97-99 Suffolk Street near Delancey, Manhattan (1852-1900)
► I/5 Frank Roosevelt, Op. 384 (1888)



St. Paul Evangelical Reformed Church was organized in 1852 as the Suffolk Street German Evangelical Reformed Church in Manhattan. The early congregation built a church at 97-99 Suffolk Street and remained there until 1900. The congregation then moved to at 606 East 141st Street at Willis Avenue in The Bronx, and changed their name to St. Paul Evangelical Reformed Church. The congregation disbanded in 1948.

The building was later home to the Independent Spanish Evangelical Church, Inc., and in 2009 was the Iglesia Evangelica Metodista Unida.
                
  Frank Roosevelt organ, Op. 384 (1888) in St. Paul Evangelical Reformed Church - Bronx, N.Y. (photo: Dave Schmauch)
Frank Roosevelt
New York City – Opus 384 (1888)
Mechanical action; pneumatic chest
1 manual, 5 stops, 5 ranks


This one-manual organ was originally installed in the Suffolk Street church in Manhattan, then it was moved in 1900 to the new church in the Bronx. The following specifications were recorded by F.R. Webber (1887-1963), whose "Organ Scrapbooks" are in the possession of The Organ Historical Society Archives in Princeton, N.J. Webber wrote:

"This organ still exists in the west gallery of St. Paul's Evangelical Church, 606 East 141st Street, New York. Its ensemble is remarkable for so small an instrument."

Further details were recorded by Charles Scharpeger, an employee of Louis F. Mohr & Co., who examined the organ in 1957. Scharpeger noted that the organ had a pneumatic chest, a manual compass of 58 notes and a pedal compass of 20 notes. Wind pressure was 3½". The organ's measurements: 10' 9" wide; 7' 9" deep with pedals; 2' 8" pedal; 10' 7" high. "Organ has to be kept 12 to 18" from back wall because of tuning door and action access." Scharpeger indicated that the entire organ was under expression. At the time of Scharpeger's visit, the building was home to the Independent Spanish Evangelical Church, Inc. This congregation offered the organ for sale in 1959. As of 2012, the organ was extant in the building.
               
Manual – 58 notes, enclosed
  Pedal – 20 notes
8
  Open Diapason treble
58
16
   Bourdon
20
8
  Open Diapason bass
   
8
  Doppelflöte treble
58
   
8
   Doppelflöte bass
  Couplers  
8
   Salicional treble
58
     Manual to Pedals  
8
   Salicional bass     Manual Octaves  
4
   Gemshorn treble
58
        
4
   Gemshorn bass     Bellows Signal  
               
Frank Roosevelt organ, Op. 384 (1888) in St. Paul Evangelical Reformed Church - Bronx, N.Y. (photo: Dave Schmauch)   Frank Roosevelt organ, Op. 384 (1888) in St. Paul Evangelical Reformed Church - Bronx, N.Y. (photo: Dave Schmauch)   Frank Roosevelt organ, Op. 384 (1888) in St. Paul Evangelical Reformed Church - Bronx, N.Y. (photo: Dave Schmauch)
               
Sources:
     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.
     Scharpeger, Charles. Specification of Frank Roosevelt organ, Op. 384 (1888). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.
     Webber, F.R. "Organ scrapbook" at Organ Historical Society Archives, Princeton, N.J. Specification of Frank Roosevelt organ, Op. 384 (1888). Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.

Illustrations:
     Google Street View. Iglesia Evangelica Metodista Unida (2009).
     Schmauch, Dave. Frank Roosevelt organ, Op. 384 (1888).