2004-10-30/2019-09-30 - From the OHS PC Database, derived from A Guide to North American Organbuilders, by David H. Fox (Richmond, Va.: Organ Historical Society, 1991). — Born 1771; son of Baltzer Krauss, Jr., brother of John Krauss, father of George and Joel Krauss. Andrew Krauss built a home organ, 1790; he worked with his brother John Krauss in Kraussdale, Pennsylvania, 1796-1812; he died in 1841. Staff: Johann David Tannenberg. Sources: Raymond J. Brunner. Orpha Ochse, The History of the Organ in the United States (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1975), 68. Ella Krauss Althouse, "Krauss Family Organ Builders", The Tracker 21:1 (Richmond, Va.: Organ Historical Society, 1977), 3.
2019-10-01/2019-10-01 - From Organ Database Builders editor Stephen Hall, September 30, 2019. — The Krauss family was part of a migration of a German sect, the Schwenkfelders. Leaving Prussia, Anna Krauss and her four sons arrived in the colony of Pennsylvania in 1733, organ builder Johann K. Klemm was part of the same group. (Klemm later Anglicized his name to John Clemm.) Klemm was mostly likely the one who taught the Krauses the art of organ building, or at least tutored and encouraged them. Baltzer Jr, and his sons—John and Andrew—built their first pipe organ in the 1770s, a small home organ as the Schwenkfelders did not use an organ in their churches. By 1796, the first Krauss organ for a church was built for the Wentz' Reformed Church in Worcester, Pennsylvania. John and Andrew seemed to have been the principal builders, but Andrew's son George was also a part of the family business. As Ella Krauss Althouse relates: Andrew Krauss died in 1841 and is said to have made 48 organs. Before his death, the organ factory was moved [from Kraussdale, Pennsylvania.] to Palm where his son, George Krauss, and Edwin, the grandson, kept up the business. George Krauss died in 1880. Edwin continued for about 25 years. Thus the Krauss line of organ builders ran through four generations for a period of roughly 120 years. Sources: Orpha Ochse, The History of the Organ in the United States (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1975), 68. Ella Krauss Althouse, "Krauss Family Organ Builders", The Tracker 21:1 (Richmond, Va.: Organ Historical Society, 1977), 3.
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